Abstract: In an improved method of etching apertures in a thin metal sheet to form a shadow mask for a color picture tube, the metal sheet has a first acid-resistant stencil on one major surface thereof and a second acid-resistant stencil on the other major surface thereof. At least one of the stencils has openings therein at locations of intended apertures. The improvement comprises the steps of magnetically holding the metal sheet with a flat magnetic assembly, and moving the magnetic assembly magnetically holding the metal sheet thereon through an etching chamber. The magnetic assembly includes a magnetic layer that is supported on an acid-resistant board.

Abstract: In an improved method of etching apertures in a thin metal sheet to form a shadow mask for a color picture tube, the metal sheet has a first acid-resistant stencil on one major surface thereof and a second acid-resistant stencil on the other major surface thereof. At least one of the stencils has openings therein at locations of intended apertures. The improvement comprises the steps of magnetically holding the metal sheet with a flat magnetic assembly, and moving the magnetic assembly magnetically holding the metal sheet thereon through an etching chamber. The magnetic assembly includes a magnetic layer that is supported on an acid-resistant board.

Abstract: A receiver system automatically adaptively tunes to broadcast signals that are variable in the number of channels that are transmitted, their signal coding type and their modulation format. A system receives a digital bitstream representing video information encoded in one of a plurality of different formats, and transmitted on one of a plurality of transmission channels. In the system, a method for acquiring data transmitted on a transmission channel involves selecting a transmission channel from the plurality of channels and selecting a modulation format. The method also involves tuning to receive the modulation format and determining whether valid data is being received on the selected transmission channel. The method steps are repeated until valid data is received. The method may also involve selecting a coding type, and tuning to receive the coding type.

Abstract: A programmable synchronizing system for selectively providing synchronizing signals at different rates, such as for incorporation in a video signal decompression system, includes an oscillator and a programmable counter. The programmable counter is conditioned to count pulses from the oscillator by alternate moduli in predetermined sequences to generate the synchronizing signals. The desired synchronization rate is effectively the average of the counter output resulting from counting by the alternate moduli.

Abstract: When an RDS or RBDS radio is used to listen to prerecorded media, the tuner monitors an RDS station in the background to determine when a traffic announcement is in progress. A search for selecting an appropriate station for background monitoring is provided which selects a station which is most likely to be in accordance with the individual preferences of the driver. The search method can also be used to find traffic capable stations, weather stations, emergency alert information, and news broadcasts.

Abstract: A storage medium has recorded thereon a packetized digitally encoded image representative signal for forward and reverse direction reproduction. The digitally encoded signal comprises a plurality of groups of pictures, a group of the plurality of groups including at least an intra coded picture and a predicted picture. The intra coded picture type and the predicted picture type each comprise top and bottom fields. The predicted picture type has a first motion vector for decoding in the forward direction, and has a second motion vector for decoding in the reverse direction. In a further inventive arrangement a storage medium has recorded thereon a packetized digitally encoded image representative signal for forward and reverse direction reproduction. The digitally encoded signal comprises a plurality of groups of pictures, a group of said plurality of groups including at least an intra coded picture and a predicted picture.

Abstract: Video processing image manipulation and trick play modes provide seamless normal play and trick play functioning. Specifically, a system processes video data including encoded digital packetized data representative of a sequence of individual images and ancillary data identifying characteristics of the individual images. The system involves a pre-processor for parsing the ancillary data to determine characteristics of the individual images prior to storing the encoded digital packetized data. The system also includes a multiplexer for filtering the encoded digital packetized data based on the determined characteristics to identify particular images of the image sequence for storage in a memory and for excluding other images of the sequence from storage.

Abstract: A video display apparatus displays pictures from broadcast sources of standard or high definition pictures and may also display computer generated images. To display these sources a horizontal deflection signal generator is operable at a plurality of frequencies. The deflection signal generator comprises a controlled oscillator generating a output signal. A divider divides the output signal to form a horizontal frequency signal. A phase detector receives the horizontal frequency signal and a synchronizing signal and generates an analog signal for coupling to the oscillator. A digital to analog converter generates a voltage from a digital data word and couples the voltage to the oscillator. The voltage determines a center frequency of the oscillator and the analog signal controls the oscillator to synchronize with the synchronizing signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing a digitally encoded signal from a disk medium, comprises a source of a bitstream representative of the digitally encoded signal. A processor is coupled to the bitstream for processing the bitstream to extract at least a first and a second data type represented therein. A memory is controllably coupled to the processor for storing one of the first and a second data types. A controller is coupled to control allocation of the memory, wherein a first reproducing mode the controller allocates the memory for storing the first data type, and in a second reproducing mode the controller allocates the memory for storing the second data type.

Abstract: A magneto-optic multitrack reading head which features a structure with plane layers deposited in a course of a same deposition procedure. These layers include a magnetic layer exhibiting a Kerr effect, an inter-iron gap layer and a magnetic layer for magnetic circuit closing. The magnetic layers define adjacent elementary heads, so as to be able to read multitrack media.

Abstract: A method for compatibly tuning a video signal receiver to an image processing device involves generating a prompting message for display to prompt a user to initiate a command response. First and second signals are generated. Each signal incorporates the prompting message but only one of the signals is compatibly tuned to the display. The first and second signals are alternately provided to the display and the prompting message is legibly displayed when the compatibly tuned signal is provided. The signal that is compatibly tuned to the display is selected in response to the command.

Abstract: Packetized video program information used in video processing and storage medium formats includes program related text messages. A decoder decodes packetized video program information including program related text messages. The decoder determines a broadcast programming time segment associated with a desired program related text message and identifies program related text message data occurring in the determined broadcast programming time segment. The decoder acquires the identified program related text message data and formats the text message data for display.

Abstract: An autoset or auto-store function for a radio receiver selects stations for storing in association with respective presets according to the stored station format of the normal presets which have been manually set by the radio user for their home area. When activating the autoset feature when traveling out-of-town, the invention ensures consistent station formats at the presets according to the scheme adopted by the user. For any presets that have no station content code stored for them or for which no matching broadcast can be found during the autoset scan, a fill is conducted to associate listenable broadcasts with these remaining presets.

Abstract: Program channels are allocated first and second identification numbers in packetized program information used in video processing and storage medium formats. Packetized program information is decoded to provide data content of a program. Channel map information in the packetized program information is identified. The channel map includes a first identification number for use in identifying a first broadcast sub-channel and the first identification number is associated with a first broadcast source. The channel map also includes a second identification number for use in identifying the first broadcast sub-channel from among a group of sub-channels associated with the first identification number. The identified information is assembled to form a channel map suitable for use in identifying a program transmitted on the first broadcast channel using the first and second identification numbers in conjunction.

Abstract: A multi-function RDS button and a menu driven interface for accessing RDS features facilitates easy access to RDS functions with minimal demands upon the attention of the user. Large numbers of push buttons with cryptic labels and unintuitive push-button sequences of prior RDS radio receivers are avoided. Due to a long time-out period provided before automatically exiting the menu, the user can alternate attention between the radio and the road without losing their place in the menu or initiating an unwanted action.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a wipe sequence on a display device from incoming compressed video bitstreams, accomplishes the wipe function processing entirely in the compressed domain of the compressed video bitstreams. The old and new video bitstreams or sequences separately undergo a 2-dimensional convolution between its decoded DCT coefficients and stored DCT coefficients of a particular known wipe function. Each convolved bitstream is buffered with its quantization scale and then summed with the other. The summed output bitstream is used by a multiplexer along with each bitstream's decoded macroblock data to provide a seamed output bitstream. A controller controls the process such as frame correlation for convolution and output multiplexing of the summed bitstreams.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of estimation and of hierarchised coding of the motion of image sequences, consisting in partitioning the current image into macroblocks, the macroblocks into four blocks and so on, and then determining at each level a motion-vector field associated with this division, by using an iterative and recursive estimation algorithm initialised with motion vectors estimated at the previous level, and in determining a final motion-vector field from the p resulting motion-vector fields. The motion-vector field is determined using the differences in luminances between blocks corresponding in the successive images through the estimated displacement vectors of the p levels of division corresponding to each block of minimum size, and by choosing as motion vector associated with the block of minimum size the one for which the difference in luminance is a minimum over this block. The invention applies in particular to the coding of HD-MAC television images.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reformatting auxiliary information such as closed caption text that is extracted from a television signal. The apparatus reformats the text by removing redundant spaces, reorganizing the text to fit into an arbitrary sized closed caption window, converting any closed caption display mode (e.g., pop on, paint on or roll up) into a modified roll on display, and inserting speaker identifier prompts into the caption.