Abstract: A video sharpening circuit for improving video signal detail or providing a unique visual effect extracts the high frequency portion from an input video signal. The high frequency portion is then variably amplified and added to the input video signal or to a reference video signal. The resulting output video signal has the high frequency detail restored to produce an aesthetically pleasing effect.

Abstract: A device and method for removing co-channel conventional television signal interference from a digital signal by using an-adaptive filter which tunes to the periodic components of the conventional television signal. The output of the adaptive filter is then subtracted from the received signal to produce an error signal. This error signal is then used to recursively update the taps of the adaptive filter. The invention also relates to the use of the adaptive filter in conjunction with a DFE.

Abstract: A tuner is used in common for both terrestrial and satellite television reception. A second mixing stage is switched as a mixer for signal conversion into a second intermediate frequency during terrestrial television reception and is switched as a component of a FM-PLL demodulator during satellite television reception. The tuner is particularly suitable for television receivers and video recorders which receive signals from both a terrestrial antenna/signal source and from a satellite antenna/signal source.

Abstract: In an image pickup device for generating a corrected luminance signal by subtracting two color difference signals as correction signals from a luminance signal, a correction signal is generated by base-clipping at least one of the two color difference signals.

Abstract: A more rapid charging of an integrating capacitor of a PLL is provided when large frequency changes are desired. In one embodiment, the phase locked loop (PLL) circuit sinks or sources current to charge or discharge the integrating capacitor. A threshold voltage proportional to a current through the capacitor turns on a circuit which sinks or sources more current of the proper polarity to the integrating capacitor from an external source until a PLL lock is achieved. Once the lock is achieved, if a small correction current is required by the PLL, the small correction current is below a threshold required to actuate the augmenting circuit, and the PLL loop behaves in the usual manner as if the augmenting circuit were not present. In another embodiment, the integrating capacitor is reduced in value by switchably connecting a second capacitor in series with the integrating capacitor so that the total reduced capacitance of reduced value can be charged more quickly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing low frequency noise and any offsets common to a plurality of samples of a signal, for calibrating an offset level to be added to the signal to reference the signal to a desired reference level at an output of the apparatus, and for clamping an input voltage level to the apparatus to a desired voltage within an operating range of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a correlated double-sampling circuit which takes a first sample and a second sample of the analog signal, takes a difference between the first sample and the second sample to remove low frequency noise and any offsets common to both sample and which outputs a difference signal. In addition, the apparatus includes a black level correction circuit which adds an offset level to the difference signal to calibrate the offset level to be added to the difference signal so that the difference signal is at a desired reference level at an output of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for detecting the characteristics of a display, comprises the steps of: creating a model of the display having multiple parameters relating the physical output of the display to an input signal creating the display; employing a model of the human visual system, generating a set of control signals for producing patterns in the display that enable an observer to employ visual selection criteria to identify specific patterns corresponding to specific values of the parameters; applying the set of control signals to the display to produce the patterns; selecting specific patterns from the display; determining the values of the parameters from the patterns selected; and determining the characteristics of the display by applying the values of the parameters to the model.

Abstract: The apparatus and method described herein shows a system of determining the delay of a delayed version of a sequence of images with respect to a relatively undelayed version in a system which creates an output image signal from a plurality of input signals. The invention is also useful for comparing a given image to other images to determine the closest match, and thus the one of the plurality of input image sources from which an output image is taken.

Abstract: A system for automatically editing commercial messages within a television broadcast. Connection of the apparatus to a video system is simplified over the prior art by requiring only one video input connection. The video input of the apparatus can be connected to the video output jack of either a television receiver or a VCR. The apparatus determines the beginning of a commercial message by detecting the absence of video information, above a dynamic bias level, for the duration of two consecutive composite video fields. The end of a commercial message is determined by an intelligent decision making process. This process takes advantage of movement characteristics inherent in video commercial advertisements along with the type of event being recorded. Based on the event type, a dynamically updated run time list is accessed to compare the current commercial run time against high percentage historical run times.

Abstract: A picture information detecting apparatus includes a picture area signal output circuit to detect a picture area excluding black band portions from the input video signal to produce a picture area signal to designate the picture area from which picture information is detected. Also included is a picture information detecting circuit for detecting picture information from the input video signal in the designated area. A picture quality compensating circuit is also provided for compensating the video input signal using the detected picture information to produce the gradation compensated video signal. An EDTV 2 discriminating circuit may also be included to determine if the video input signal is an EDTV 2 signal.

Abstract: A hole-size measuring system that enables measurement of the size of individual holes of a black matrix layer of a CRT. This system includes an imaging device for producing an enlarged image of holes of a black matrix layer, and an image processor for electrically processing the image produced by the imaging device to measure a size of the holes. A CCD camera may be used as the imaging device. The CCD camera may have an automatic focusing function and is movable along a black matrix layer. For a color CRT, the holes are divided into three groups for red, green and blue colors, and the image processor has functions of measuring an average size of selected ones of the holes in the respective groups.

Abstract: An apparatus for suppressing interference in a television video signal comprises series connected a high-pass filter (1), an electronic switch (2) and a low-pass filter (4), and a video signal front detector (3) having its input connected to the output of the low-pass filter (1), while the output thereof is connected to the control input of the electronic switch (2).

Abstract: An error is identified in a video image by calculating frequency-related coefficients for blocks of the image and considering the statistical distribution of said coefficients. The variance of the coefficients is calculated and a block of original image data is concealed if the variance calculated is significantly higher than a stored threshold and/or if said variance calculated is significantly different from variance values derived for similarly positioned blocks within a previous frame. Concealment is effected by selecting image data from a previous frame, displaced in response to transmitted motion vectors.

Abstract: A television receiver for reducing a co-channel interference in a digital television signal transmitted by a transmitter, wherein the digital television signal includes an encoded digital television signal component, a co-channel interference component, and a noise component, and wherein a precoder, for which precoding is implemented at the television transmitter, encodes the digital television signal. The receiver includes a receiver for receiving the transmitted digital television signal and for providing a received output signal. A filter block is provided for filtering the received output signal to reduce the co-channel interference component thereof. The filter block includes a plurality of rejection filters and a device for enabling a desired one of the plurality of rejection filters in response to a selection control signal, the enabled rejection filter corresponding to an optimal rejection filter for the precoder for which precoding is implemented at the television transmitter.

Abstract: A projection type display apparatus incorporating a light receiver or a light transmitter, in which the light signal is received or transmitted through a screen or condensing lens disposed in its vicinity, and hence the luminous flux utility efficiency is high.A projection type display apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of picture quality due to difference in color in the projection units, and the best picture quality is realized even when the projection lenses for different colors are composed of nearly same components.

Abstract: A interpolation engine is disclosed that is capable of generating correction signals for segments of a monitor that form a gradient that eliminates any visual discontinuities between segments on the screen. In one embodiment, a starting count number for a distortion signal is stored in RAM, together with an increment rate signal that indicates the rate of change of the correction signal down the segment. In another embodiment, the increment rate signal is automatically calculated by the device by taking the difference between the starting count numbers for vertically adjacent segments. Since the number of rows in each segment is known and the difference between the starting count numbers of vertically adjacent segments is determined, the amount of correction for each row within a segment is calculated and provided as a correction signal. Hence, a correction signal can be provided for each row of pixels on a screen.

Abstract: A television chassis is arranged to receive a plug-in PIP module. When the PIP module is not installed, the composite video signal is passed through a chassis emitter follower interface circuit for video processing. The PIP module also includes an emitter follower interface circuit that supplies a composite video signal. When the PIP module is plugged in, it shares a bias resistor with the chassis emitter follower interface circuit and the PIP module interface circuit overrides the chassis interface circuit, thus passing the PIP module video signal for further video processing.

Abstract: A broadcast receiving apparatus having a control signal generator for generating a channel selection control signal in response to a channel selection performed by a user. The broadcast receiving apparatus further includes a channel selector for selecting a desired program channel from broadcast waves in response to the channel selection control signal.

Abstract: A serial digital video data analyzer combines a co-processor capable of handling the serial digital video data stream bit rate with a microprocessor operating at a slower bit rate. The co-processor includes a video feature detection/decision module that identifies specified errors or features from the serial digital video data stream and freezes the portion of the serial digital video data stream around such feature/error in a video data store. The co-processor may also insert a cursor into the serial digital video data stream prior to display on a monitor to indicate the position of indicated errors. The acquired serial digital video data is transferred to the microprocessor for an initial determination as to whether further processing is required.

Abstract: When the input horizontal synchronizing frequency is changed, if the backup data (luminance correction data) corresponding to the horizontal synchronizing frequency is stored in the backup memory unit, then the backup data stored in the backup memory unit is read out from the backup memory unit and then stored in a correction memory unit. If in the above case the backup data corresponding to the changed horizontal synchronizing frequency is not stored in the backup memory unit, a backup data corresponding to the changed horizontal synchronizing frequency is calculated by the correction data calculating unit and the calculated correction data is stored in the correction memory unit and the backup memory unit. When the synthesized picture is projected by using the video signal source 20 which is frequently used, it is possible to quickly carry out various adjustments for the SEM processing.