Abstract: To position a cue location on a video tape to a scanner so that the information stored at the cue location can read by a transducer. The video tape is transported so that when the cue location arrives at the scanner, the tape is moving at a selectable desired velocity. A synchronous cueing function is also provided for, in which the cue location is advanced at the rate of the desired velocity during to cueing operation to allow the positioning to be synchronized with other devices when the cue operation is completed.

Abstract: An electronic still store system stores and selectively outputs video image data defining a plurality of signal frame still images. The simultaneous display of up to 16 or more quarter sized images for scanning or sorting by an operator is facilitated by generating a quarter sized copy of each newly received image frame and storing both together on a conventional magnetic disk storage device as is typically employed in general purpose digital computing systems. The quarter sized image can then be recalled directly for a multi-image scan or sort function in which 16 reduced size images are displayed simultaneously without the time delays associated with the retrieval and size reduction of 16 full size images.

Abstract: A vector analyzer incorporates a set of five types of markers for the display, which facilitate the visual analysis of the magnitude, phase and time relationships of the I and Q components of the modulation states displayed. The five markers are: an I marker, a Q marker, a magnitude marker, a phase marker and a time marker. The I and Q markers indicate amplitude in the I and Q coordinates displayed on the X-Y displays. The magnitude marker indicates amplitude on the radial coordinate of the X-Y displays. The phase marker indicates relative phase on the angular coordinate of the X-Y displays. The time marker indicates the time coordinate on the displays, and controls the time instant displayed. The analyzer also incorporates a circuit for performing linear transforms on the I, Q, and time data which allows real time adjustment of the sampled signals and enables the signals to be displayed in a three dimensional projection mode.

Abstract: An automatic lead sensing and fine-forming system is disclosed for preparing the leads of electronic components so that they are ready to be inserted by robots into holes on printed circuit boards. The positions of the lead tips and the positions of the holes are sensed and compared to determine if any leads need to be bent. These leads are then bent and the force on the leads and their displacement are sensed and recorded during the process. The data recorded is then used for subsequent bendings, where necessary, for bending the leads to the target locations so that all the leads fit simultaneously into the holes. To simplify image processing, the lead tips are illuminated by light originating from substantially isotropic directions from locations substantially coplanar with the region of the lead tips.

Abstract: A system for editing videotape includes a subsystem to scan particular information lines within vertical blanking intervals and to identify particular lines that contain time code information, and a subsystem to generate time code information and to write the generated time code information at selected lines in vertical blanking intervals.

Abstract: A microwave coaxial connector comprises an inner conductor, an outer conductor, a coupling nut, ball bearings mechanically coupling the outer conductor and the coupling nut, and a C-ring. Inward threads of the coupling connector engage outward threads of a receiving connector. Frictional relative rotation of mating faces of the outer conductor and the receiving connector is alleviated since the ball bearings decouple friction between the nut and the outer conductor. The nut includes an aperture which can be aligned with a groove in the outer conductor for positioning ball bearings with the C-ring removed. With the C-ring in place on the outer conductor, the aperture is forward of and inaccessible to the ball bearings.

Abstract: A sliding load for calibrating a microwave network analyzer provides an alignment of its center conductor relative to a reference plane defined by its outer conductor. The sliding load includes a latching assembly which in an unlatched condition allows the center conductor to move freely in an axial direction relative to the outer conductor. The center conductor can then project forward of the outer conductor for visual alignment with a mating center conductor of a network analyzer connector. Once the center conductors are mated, the outer conductor of the sliding load and the connector can be butted at the reference plane. The latching assembly can then be rotated into its latched condition in which a spring is compressed. The compressed spring forces the center conductor to retract against a screw stop. The screw stop is adjusted so that when the center conductor is forced against it, the desired alignment of the center conductor and the reference plate is achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the extraction of vertical interval time code (VITC) included in the vertical blanking interval of a television signal reproduced from video tape transported past a rotating transducer over a wide range of speeds. VITC information is extracted at a rate derived from the rate of a control signal having a rate proportional to the velocity at which the tape is transported past the transducer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating a rotating clock video wipe from two voltage ramps. The voltage ramps are rotated according to rotation data supplied by a controller. The rotated ramps are combined and fed to an output signal generator and then a video mixer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating waveform signals for the production of a variety of borders for video wipes by varied processing of the output of a ramp generator.

Abstract: A digital time base corrector for correcting time base errors of the digital samples of a video signal for all the various speed modes of a reproducing apparatus. The time base corrector is configured having a small capacity memory and a large capacity memory wherein the small capacity memory is divided into a first section and a second section. The first section of the small capacity memory retimes data samples for subcarrier phase errors without losing or repeating data, while the second section of the small capacity memory retimes data for horizontal frequency error without losing or repeating data in all reproducing modes except shuttle. Further, the second section of the small capacity memory in reverse and forward shuttle retimes the data for horizontal frequency and phase errors while equalizing the data rate through the time base corrector by selectively discarding or repeating horizontal lines based on line type.

Abstract: A video recording system employs an editing device to communicate schedules of instructions to a videotape recorder control system which, in turn, communicates selected ones of the instructions from the schedules to a time-base corrector so that the time-base corrector automatically controls and adjusts video signal parameters at the output of the videotape recorder in accordance with an appropriate one of the schedules. Operation of the system includes the steps of storing schedules of instructions in the editing device, communicating the schedules of instructions to a videotape recorder control system connected to a time-base corrector, storing time lines of the instructions in the videotape recorder control system, and operating the time-base corrector to manipulate video signal information at the output of a recorder mechanism according to the time line schedules.

Abstract: A method and structure is provided for phase locking an output signal having, for example, a desired frequency of 2.sup.C Hz with a reference signal having a frequency of 2.sup.A.5.sup.B Hz. The phase comparison is performed at a high frequency in order to minimize phase noise and spurious signals.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an up/down counter with a programmable terminal count. The up/down counter has a two level input structure such that new terminal counts may be written into the up/down counter asynchronously without disturbing operations of the up/down counter. Although the invention is described in the bidirectional sense, certain of the features are also applicable to unidirectional counters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the extraction of luminance information from an analog composite video signal. Non-luminance information in the video signal is 180.degree. out of phase between adjacent lines in adjacent fields of a video signal. Appropriately filtered adjacent fields are summed to cancel non-luminance information, leaving the desired luminance information. A field store is employed to allow the summing of adjacent fields by storing the present field to be summed with the next field of the video signal.

Abstract: A microprocessor controlled multiple servo system for use with a recording and reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The system controls all servo systems for a magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus, including a capstan servo, a reel servo, a scanning drum servo and an automatic scan tracking servo which controls the position of reproduced heads carried by the scanning drum which are of the type which can be transversely moved relative to the longitudinal direction of recorded tracks to accurately follow the tracks during special effect reproducing modes, such as slow motion, stop motion and fast motion reproducing. The microprocessor controlled servo system has unique and powerful functional capabilities which enable it to provide reliable precise asynchronous reproducing so that precisely accurate time compression and expansion can be carried out without performing any editing of the recorded material.

Abstract: A video transformation and filtering system generates for each source image data point a plurality of target image addresses indicating a displacement between a point at which the source image data point maps into the target image and each data point of the target image which is affected by the source image data point. By providing either sequentially or in parallel a separate processing for each target image data point that is affected by a current source image data point values for all of the target image data points can be generated from a single pass of the source image data points. By effectively providing the filtering in the domain of the target image instead of the source image a single filter function with a fixed number of points in the target image domain can be used to attain low pass filtering of the resulting target image irrespective of the degree of size compression of the video image.

Abstract: A phase detection control apparatus is disclosed for detecting any variable where the phase is discretely measured, as for example, in a motor having a tachometer of an optical type. The phase detection apparatus eliminates direction sensitivity and does not suffer from the misposition of any upper and lower limits. The apparatus achieves a phase lock without excessive overshoot and eliminates the possibility of reverse run away under any condition. Moreover, the circuitry is easily implemented with a relatively few number of circuit components and therefore accomplishes the desirable functional capabilities at relatively low cost.

Abstract: A font recall system stores a font of alpha-numeric characters in a video display format for selective insertion as a caption into a video image. Characters are stored on a video disk in digital pixel form with full dynamic resolution. Low pass filtering is employed to preserve high image quality and eliminate jagged edge aliasing at character boundaries. A first frame store receives selected characters from the video disk through an image size reducer to store the characters at selected display positions with a selected size to form a caption under control of a central processing unit. A keyer receives the caption video data from the first frame store as well as a background image to form a composite image, which is stored in the second frame store before being output as a continuous television video signal.

Abstract: A YIQ computer graphics system includes a data processing system having a data tablet for receiving inputs from an artist and a video processing system connected to the data processing system. The video processing system includes a two component expandable frame store with the first component storing video intensity information for each pixel of a visual image and with the second component storing two video color components each for one-half of the visual image.