Abstract: Method and arrangement for controlling the data stream in a vibration-resistant playback device. In vibration-resistant playback devices, it is known to write the data to a buffer memory continually at a doubled rate and to read out the said data at a normal data rate. If no vibrations occur, artificial returns must be effected. This leads to an increased power consumption. The present invention enables a reading rate which can be adapted to the averaging of the periods of time when the information medium can and cannot be read. In order to enable processing of the data stream with such a variable reading rate, reading from a memory is switched over between a normal and doubled data rates and the processing stages are likewise correspondingly switched over. As a result, only information data is stored in a downstream buffer memory, so that a lower capacity is sufficient or, with the existing capacity, a longer time span can be bridged during which no data can be read.

Abstract: The IEEE 1394 bus communication protocol has three layers: physical layer, link layer, and transaction layer. Typically, the transaction layer is realized by firmware whereas the other layers are implemented using chip sets. The link layer IC usually contains a FIFO having a capacity of e.g. 32k or 64k bits. Therefore, the link layer chip is the most costly part of a complete IEEE 1394 interface. Due to these cost reasons most ICs on the market are not bi-directional although the IEEE 1394 bus specification supports this feature. Incoming or outgoing data packets are intermediately stored in the FIFO. The current solution to this problem is to have two separate IEEE 1394 bus nodes assigned to the same application, the two nodes including two physical layer ICs and two link layer ICs.

Abstract: A remote control apparatus and a method for identifying a reference code stored in a remote control apparatus. The remote control apparatus stores a reference code associated with a particular electronic device to be controlled and allows the user to determine the stored reference code by entering a code identification mode. In the code identification mode, the user selects a sequence of keys on the keypad and observes an indicator, such as an LED, after each key selection. The indicator is activated by a control unit when the number selected corresponds to the first digit in the reference code. The user then selects another sequence of keys on the keypad and observes the indicator after each key selection to identify the next digit in the reference code. The user repeats these steps to sequentially identify all of the digits in the reference code.

Abstract: A method for monitoring and adjusting a motor current in a disk data drive allows to adjust a rotation speed of a disk to be as high as possible in order to increase an overall performance of the disk data drive. It comprises measuring the value of the motor current fed to the motor for an actual value of the disk rotation speed, comparing the value of the motor current with a nominal value of motor current at the actual value of the disk rotation speed, increasing the disk rotation speed to a new actual value of the disk rotation speed if the value of the motor current is substantially equal to the nominal value of motor current.

Abstract: A recording or reproduction device with a three-point scanning arrangement compatible for use with recording media having different track spacings. The invention makes it possible, without changing the setting of the three-point scanning system, to use recording media having different track spacings. According to the invention, the three-point scanning system is set in such a way that the scanning center points have a lateral spacing from one another which is within a range of a first product, formed by a first predetermined value and the first track spacing, and a second product, formed by a second predetermined value and the second track spacing, the range being less than 8 percent of the value of the first product.

Abstract: A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media, including a beam generator, a focus device, which focuses the beam generated onto the optical recording medium at a focal point, a displacement device, which displaces the position of the focal point on the recording medium in accordance with a first direction of movement in dependence on an actuating signal, and a detector, which detects a beam reflected from the optical recording medium and outputs a regulating signal to a regulator. The regulator generates an actuating signal for the displacement device. The invention allows a higher data transfer rate to be achieved with an acceptable outlay. This is achieved by a beam influencing device arranged in the beam path and, in dependence on a further actuating signal of the regulator, influences the position of the focal point on the recording medium in accordance with the first direction of movement.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for acquiring one of the title information and the current date, and generating display signal comprising data representing a text screen containing one of the title information and the current date for recording a user-viewable screen display on a video tape ahead of the television program signal. The title or date information acting as a leader to the following television program. In a second embodiment of the invention, in those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention records the descriptive text relating to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program.

Abstract: A tracking system for optical storage media e.g. an optical disk, comprising a matrix of four sensors receiving a beam reflected by the disk; one processing channel for each sensor signal, including means for producing a binary signal from the sensor signal, and an adjustable edge delay circuit operating on the binary signal; one adder for each pair of channels corresponding to diagonal sensors of the matrix; and a phase detector comparing the outputs of the adders.

Abstract: Recent circuit concepts inject measurement lines, for cutoff and drive control of the cathode current, into each color channel during the vertical frame blanking period. Owing to the physically dependent exponential beam current characteristic profile as a function of the cathode control voltage VK, the exponent &ggr; of the characteristic profile and the ratio of two cathode components IK1 and IK2 may be used to form control reference values for cutoff and drive control, this process being started in each case from a fixed value of the exponent &ggr; or of the ratio of the two cathode currents IK1 and Ik2. However, it has been found that, if a fixed value is assumed for the exponent &ggr; or for the ratio of the two cathode currents IK1 and IK2, it is not possible to achieve an optimum result for displaying monochrome pictures. Thus, according to the invention, the exponent &ggr; is defined as a function of the color tube 1. The aim in this case is to reduce a &ggr;-dependent DC voltage offset u0f to zero.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for a compatible recording and/or reproduction device for the reproduction of information from, and/or for recording on, optical information carriers (CD) having differing information storage densities. A light source is used which is adapted to the highest storage density of the information carriers (CD) to be used as regards wavelength and light spot dimensions and the light directed onto the information carrier (CD) is defocused by a defocusing means for the enlargement of the light spot for information carriers (CD) of lower storage density.

Abstract: Method for the correction of a tracking error signal during optical scanning of a recording medium in the form of a disc. In the case of MO discs, the Kerr rotation angle is in general very small, so that so-called enhancement is used for processing. This leads to birefringence effects which are thermally induced on the WO disc during the writing process producing a noise level on the track error signal. According to the invention, an optical scanner arrangement is used to determine light intensities from two mutually perpendicular polarization planes. A noise element, which is produced by interfering polarization rotation of the light, in the tracking error signal is compensated by linking the electrical output signals of the scanner arrangement. Applicable both to MO and WO as well as CD audio, CD video and CD-ROM.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling beam current in a picture tube, which circuit calculates current pictures for the R, G, B beam currents in the picture tube, which largely correspond to real beam currents in the color picture tube. The circuit comprises a comparator/integrator which compares a sum of these current pictures with a beam current information item for the purpose of controlling the R, G, B beam currents and/or the picture sharpness. Gamma correction is carried out in the circuit. The circuit may be of analog or digital construction and may advantageously be integrated in a video processor IC. The present circuit is particularly applicable for television sets or computer monitors.

Abstract: The device has reference current sources (T71, T72, T7M) which are arranged in such a way that the sum of the currents flowing through each of the said sources is equal to the input current (IIN, I′IN) and output current sources (T81, T82, T8N), in each of which the current flowing through the reference sources is duplicated and which are arranged in such a way that the sum of the currents flowing through the output sources is equal to the output current (IOUT, I′OUT). The number of reference sources (T71, T72, T7M) and output sources (T81, T82, T8N) which are connected is controlled by the digital signal (200) and determines the gain of the device. Application to the circuit for processing the signals output by a read head of an optical disc reader apparatus.

Abstract: A chrominance signal C is separated (30) into component vectors U and V and coupled via respective paths each including a controllable gain amplifier (60,62) to respective outputs (56,58). A chroma overload protection unit (50) is provided including a saturation calculator (78) determines the saturation of the vector components and provides a saturating indicating signal to a gain characteristic unit (72) which jointly controls the gain of the amplifiers to proportionally limit the vector component magnitudes as a given function of the saturation indicating signal on a pixel by pixel basis thereby providing output component vectors (U,V) exhibiting no tint shift upon limiting conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus and concomitant method for generating an OSD message by constructing an OSD bitstream having a plurality of “one-bit” pixels. The OSD bitstream contains an OSD header and OSD data. An OSD unit retrieves pixel control information from the OSD header which is programmed by a processor of a decoding/displaying system. The OSD header contains information that is used to program a color palette of the OSD unit and to provide instructions as to the treatment of the OSD data. If the “Compressed Pixel Mode” is enabled in the OSD header, then the OSD unit will treat each bit of the OSD data as a “one-bit” pixel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media which has a data slicer for generating a digital output signal from an analogue input signal, a comparison signal generating unit for providing a comparison signal to the data slicer, and a clock generator for generating a clock signal which is matched to the input signal and/or to the output signal. The device optimizes the function of the data slicer independently of the maximum run length in the analogue input signal. The device has a phase comparison device for comparing the digital output signal with the clock signal, which device is connected to an input of the comparison signal generating unit.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media, which has a scanner whose output is connected to the input of an analogue-to-digital converter, whose output is in turn connected to the input of a mirror signal detector. The device is able to generate a reliable mirror signal even at relatively high track crossing frequencies. The mirror signal detector has at least one element which is variable as a function of frequency.

Abstract: A device to reproduce data stored on a recording medium 1 in sectors 14, each sector containing an address area 15 and a data area 16 being encoded in a different way. Address areas are decoded and checked by an address checking means 4 which stores data having an incorrect address into a first memory means 5 and data having a correct address into a second memory means 6. Data contained in the second memory means 6 is decoded by a data decoding means 7 in order to be reproduced. Data contained in the first memory means 5 is permitted to be reproduced in case that the number of successive sectors having incorrect address exceeds by one the difference between newly read correct address and the last correct address before the succession of incorrect addresses.

Abstract: An apparatus and concomitant method for generating an OSD message by constructing an OSD bitstream defining a plurality of "true color" pixels. The OSD bitstream contains an OSD header and OSD data. An OSD unit retrieves pixel control information from the OSD header which is programmed by a processor of a decoding/displaying system. The OSD header contains information that is used to program a color palette of the OSD unit and to provide instructions as to the treatment of the OSD data. If the "True Color Mode" is enabled in the OSD header, then the OSD unit will bypass the palette and treat the OSD data as true color pixels. Since the same chrominance components are shared between a pair of successive pixels, each successive set of four OSD data bytes represents the actual chrominance and luminance levels for two OSD pixels.

Abstract: A control unit is used to set a first reading speed and a second reading speed of the information stored on the information medium as a function of a predetermined occupancy of the buffer below its storage capacity, for the purpose of reducing the number of returns. The drive motor which produces the reading speed is connected via a switch to the driver which drives it and, during the reduction of the reading speed to a predetermined value or until the occupancy of the buffer falls below a predetermined occupancy, the power supply to the drive motor which produces the reading speed, is reduced by means of a switch for the purpose of reducing the power consumption. Subcode information is preferably used to synchronize the data in the buffer after an interruption, and the buffer is preferably arranged between a first assembly for the pulse shaping of the signal read from the information medium and a second assembly for error correction.