Patents Represented by Attorney P. J. Rasmussen

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  • Burst-to-line-locked clock digital video signal sample rate conversion apparatus
    Patent number: 4612568
    Abstract: A digital video signal processing system is described wherein analog video signal is sampled by a sampling clock phase locked to burst and the digital video samples are processed with a clock phase locked to horizontal sync. The respective sampling phases of the sampling clock are encoded and concatenated with the digital video samples for purposes of synchronously demodulating the color difference signals of composite video. Burst clock to line locked clock sample conversion is accomplished in a FIFO memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Willem den Hollander, Werner N. Hartmeier
  • Automatic kinescope bias system with AC coupled video output stage
    Patent number: 4612576
    Abstract: A video processing and display system includes an image displaying kinescope, an AC coupled kinescope driver stage, and a system for automatically controlling the kinescope bias. During image blanking intervals the kinescope grid electrode is excited to induce a cathode output pulse related to the magnitude of the kinescope black current level. A DC restoration circuit responds to the induced pulse and provides to the kinescope a bias control signal related to the magnitude of the induced pulse, for maintaining a desired kinescope black current bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Werner Hinn
  • Video signal processor with selective clamp
    Patent number: 4612577
    Abstract: A television receiver includes an interface network for selectively coupling either a standard broadcast television signal, or auxiliary analog or digital video signals, to an image display device. The interface network includes a keyed circuit for clamping the auxiliary signals. A pulse for keying the clamping circuit exhibits one timing characteristic when analog auxiliary signal are selected for display, and a different timing characteristic when a digital auxiliary signal is selected for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald T. Keen
  • Pipelined successive approximation analog-to-digital converter
    Patent number: 4611196
    Abstract: A successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which uses pipeline processing techniques is disclosed. Each stage of the ADC uses a switched capacitor both as a sample and hold element and as a voltage subtracter. An analog potential is developed at terminal one of the capacitor and then the potential applied to the other terminal is changed by switching in or switching out a source of reference potential. The resulting analog value at the first end of the capacitor is the difference between the input value and reference potential. This value is applied to the next ADC stage. The polarity of this analog difference value determines the value of the digital bit signal produced by the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Antonio Fernandez
  • Progressive scan HDTV system
    Patent number: 4611225
    Abstract: A timing signal generator applies timing signals to a wide aspect ratio (1.77:1) imager in a non-interlaced HDTV system for causing the imager video output signal to exhibit a line rate of 45,000 Hz and a field rate of 60 Hz such that at each step in post production conversion of the video signal to a lower definition distribution standard the conversion equipment operates in a line locked mode thereby ensuring that fractional pixels are not produced during the conversion steps and greatly simplifying the timing of such functions as line-rate, frame-rate and aspect-ratio conversions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Kerns H. Powers
  • Television receiver using non-interlaced scanning format with motion compensation
    Patent number: 4608594
    Abstract: A television apparatus for displaying the picture information of an interlaced signal, such as a baseband NTSC signal, in a non-interlaced scanning format is described. When no picture change occurs, the picture information of the first and the second fields of the NTSC signal are displayed in alternate scan lines of the display of the apparatus, respectively, to form a picture frame during one vertical scanning interval. A signal, indicative that a picture change occurs in a section of the picture frame, is generated when a picture change occurs. The picture change indicative signal causes the displayed picture information in that section of the picture frame to be derived from one field of the NTSC signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Warren H. Nicholson
  • Compatible HDTV system employing nonlinear edge compression/expansion for aspect ratio control
    Patent number: 4605952
    Abstract: An HDTV television system is described for use in providing a compatible HDTV signal and an improved NTSC signal generated at a sample rate which conforms with the world studio standard. The system includes an HDTV camera and frame store. Two interlaced HDTV fields are stored in the HDTV frame store for further processing. The signals are supplied to two branched. In a first branch the samples from the frame store are anti-aliasing filtered, cropped and selected to generate a world-standard digital component source of an "improved" NTSC signal. In a second branch the samples from the HDTV frame store are aspect ratio compressed and scanned in a zig-zag pattern to generate an 11 MHz HDTV signal which is compatible with standard definition television receivers in use today.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Kerns H. Powers
  • Progressive scan television system with video compression exceeding display line rate
    Patent number: 4605962
    Abstract: A television receiver/monitor includes a progressive scan processor including memories for time compressing a video input signal and doubling the line rate to reduce visible line structure when the double line-rate signal is displayed. The memories are controlled to provide a video compression factor (2.5:1) greater than the display line rate increase (2:1) to provide a display retrace time (10.8 micro-seconds) substantially equal to the blanking interval (11.0 micro-seconds) of the video input signal thereby decreasing display power losses and horizontal drive requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Todd J. Christopher, Russell T. Fling
  • Reduction of control bits for adaptive sub-nyquist encoder
    Patent number: 4605963
    Abstract: A digital TV system reduces the data rate by transmitting or recording only bytes representing half of the sampled pixels. Steering bits are also transmitted that tell which of the transmitted bytes are the closest match to the untransmitted bytes so the pixels represented by the later can be reconstructed. The steering or control bits are repeated for subsequent omitted bytes unless it no longer indicates a match within a selected tolerance or threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn A. Reitmeier, Curtis R. Carlson
  • Coarse/fine automatic chrominance gain control using a gain adjustable IF amplifier in a digital television receiver
    Patent number: 4604645
    Abstract: In a television receiver having digital signal processing, an automatic chrominance gain control apparatus employs a combination of analog gain control and digital gain control stages. Specifically, the analog gain control stage provides a range of fine gain control by altering the frequency response characteristic of the intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier circuits. This is sometimes referred to as "IF tilt" control. The digital gain control stage provides coarse gain control in predetermined increments using a shifter in the digital signal processing circuits. The total gain required is calculated and is apportioned between the coarse and fine gain control stages by a microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Henry G. Lewis, Jr.
  • Digital-to-analog converter with reduced output capacitance
    Patent number: 4603319
    Abstract: In a digital video signal processing system including an image displaying kinescope, a digital-to-analog signal converter (DAC) comprises a VMOS transistor arrangement with a gate electrode, a drain electrode from which output analog signals are provided, and plural source areas with associated source electrodes which receive input digital signals. The source areas are binarily scaled to reduce effective output capacitance and power consumption. The DAC is also suitable for directly driving a high level cathode electrode of the kinescope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Werner Hinn
  • Non-linear processor for video signal vertical detail component
    Patent number: 4602278
    Abstract: In a television receiver, apparatus for non-linearly processing a vertical detail signal includes a plurality of cascaded amplifier stages responsive to an input vertical detail signal and which exhibit linear and limiting operating regions. Vertical detail signals from the amplifiers are translated and combined with a linear version of the input vertical detail signal. The combined vertical detail signal exhibits a characteristic wherein small amplitude excursions within a first amplitude range are cored, moderate amplitude excursions within a second amplitude range are amplified with a given non-zero gain, and large amplitude excursions within a third amplitude range are pared (attenuated).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Dalton H. Pritchard, Donald J. Sauer
  • Interpolated progressive-scan television display with line-crawl artifact filtration
    Patent number: 4602273
    Abstract: A television arrangement produces a progressively-scanned display from signals representing an image scanned by a raster having lines of even fields separated vertically by a distance 2S interlaced with the lines of odd fields. For 2:1 interlace, the lines of the odd fields are spatially separated from the adjacent lines of even fields by a distance S. The lines of signal for application to the display are generated by a spatial filter having a response in the vertical direction such that an output signal occurs for each traversal of a distance S. Thus, the number of lines is doubled in each field. The lines are generated in simultaneous pairs. A parallel-to-serial converter (PISO) converts the simultaneous signals to sequential for display by progressive scanning. The PISO may be a time compressor for use with a double-rate display or a switcher for use with a vertically-dithered display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Curtis R. Carlson
  • Digital signal level overload system
    Patent number: 4602276
    Abstract: A signal overload circuit for use in e.g. a digital TV receiver includes a piecewise linear weighting circuit which weights samples of greater magnitude proportionately more heavily than samples of lesser magnitude. The weighted samples are applied to an accumulator, and the accumulated value over a field interval is compared to an overload reference value to generate an overload output signal which is combined with other gain factors for application as the common gain control signal to a common amplifier. The overload detector is coupled in a feedback loop around the common amplifier. In order not to defeat the function of the other gain factors, the overload detector is programmable and its sensitivity is made responsive to the other gain factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Russell T. Fling, Donald H. Willis, David L. McNeely
  • Kinescope bias sensing circuit
    Patent number: 4600950
    Abstract: A video signal processing and display system includes an image displaying kinescope, a kinescope driver amplifier, and a system for automatically controlling the kinescope bias in response to a sensed signal representative of the kinescope black current level. The sensed signal is developed across a relatively small value sensing resistor coupled in series with a load resistor between a source of operating potential and the video output terminal of the driver amplifier, in the order named.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Werner Hinn
  • Brightness control apparatus for a video signal processing system
    Patent number: 4599641
    Abstract: Brightness control apparatus for a color video monitor employing AC coupled video output driver stages is disclosed. A keyed amplifier provides a brightness determinative output pulse with an amplitude related to the setting of a brightness control coupled to the amplifier. The brightness pulse is coupled via separately adjustable brightness tracking circuits to control inputs of video signal clamps respectively associated with each of the color video signal paths between the driver stages and an image display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony Troiano
  • Pulse amplifier in a brightness control system
    Patent number: 4599651
    Abstract: A brightness control circuit in a video signal processing system includes an amplifier and an adjustable brightness control coupled to the amplifier input, which also receives keying pulses via a resistor-capacitor input circuit. Output pulses from the amplifier exhibit a brightness determinative amplitude related to the setting of the brightness control. To maintain a substantially constant waveshape for the output pulses as the brightness control is adjusted, a shaping capacitor is coupled between the input and output of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: William E. Rodda
  • Apparatus responsive to plural color video signals for amplitude limiting the video signals to assist beam current limiting
    Patent number: 4599643
    Abstract: Excessive peak beam currents conducted by a kinescope in a color television receiver are limited by apparatus which compares the combined instantaneous magnitudes of plural color signals with a fixed threshold and, if exceeding the threshold, the combined signal is detected. The detected signal is used to limit the magnitudes of the color signals, thereby limiting excessive kinescope beam currents otherwise developed in response to the color signals. The apparatus is used in the receiver together with a more conventional automatic kinescope beam current limiter of the type which operates in conjunction with a kinescope resupply current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Wayne E. Harlan
  • Kinescope driver with high frequency compensation
    Patent number: 4599655
    Abstract: In a video signal processing system including an image displaying kinescope and a kinescope driver stage, a version of signals processed by the driver stage and video output signals from the driver stage are combined to produce a resultant high frequency signal respresentative of high frequency components deficient in the video output signal. The resultant signal is applied to an input of the driver stage to compensate for the high frequency deficiency otherwise manifested by the video output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Werner Hinn
  • Video signal processor with bias error compensation
    Patent number: 4599642
    Abstract: A color television receiver with luminance and chrominance signal channels includes an automatic kinescope beam current limiter, an automatic white level drive control network, and an automatic black level bias control network. A switching network is timed to operate such that a control signal developed by the beam current limiter is coupled to the luminance channel during normal picture intervals, but is decoupled from the luminance channel during both white level drive control intervals and black level bias control intervals. The beam limiter control signal is continuously coupled to the chrominance channel, independent of the operation of the switching network, to permit chrominance output bias offset errors produced by beam limiter action to be sensed and compensated for by the automatic bias control network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Donald H. Willis