Abstract: A signal processing system includes a system control processor, an integrated circuit (IC) card, or smart card, for access control processing, system memory, and a smart card interface circuit including a direct memory access interface circuit for providing high speed access to the system memory. Data transfers between the smart card and system memory occur via the smart card interface circuit and the direct memory access interface circuit. The system controller initializes the smart card interface circuit prior to a transfer and, after a transfer is complete, processes transferred data that is stored in system memory. Processing by the system controller is not required during the transfer to complete the transfer. The smart card interface circuit also filters the transferred data stream by checking and generating parity bits as required and removing smart-card related control data from the data that is stored in memory.

Abstract: A television receiver, provides a hierarchy of menus for controlling functions affecting the display of the video image. A "fetch" menu which can be customized by a user, which is absent from the screen during normal program viewing, and which is easily accessible by means of a single key, holds a given number of the user's favorite commands. The user may add commands to the fetch menu which normally reside any position in the menu hierarchy. The user may thereafter cause display of his list of favorite commands via a remote control key, and cause the execution of his desired command without having to find that command at its normal position in the hierarchy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for detecting and concealing errors in stored digital samples. A multibit digital input sample is received and an error detecting code, corresponding to that input sample is calculated. Then a multibit digital storage sample is generated by substituting the error detecting code for the same number of least significant bits of the input sample. The storage sample is then stored in a memory device. A previously stored sample is retrieved from the memory device and is analyzed to detect whether an error has occurred. If an error is analyzed to detected, a substitute sample produced for the retrieved sample, otherwise the retrieved sample is produced.

Abstract: An optical scanning device having a holographic optical element for receiving a scanning beam which has been influenced by a recording medium. One aspect of the invention is to use an optical spatial filter to obtain the information signals. A further aspect is to image the entire area of the scanning spot on only one detector and to use the complete light component, as a result of which the power component is increased and the requirements for adjustment of a plurality of elements with respect to one another are reduced.

Abstract: A multiple compact disk (CD) carousel mechanism for a CD player has a novel loading drawer mechanism employing the combination of a pin arm and a uniquely configured drawer guide slot (within which a pin attached to the end of the pin arm travels) attached to the underside of the drawer for carrying out the following operations: drawer opening; drawer locking in the opened position; drawer closing; and drawer locking in the closed position. The improved design obviates the need for prior art rack and pinion gears for drawer movement, and also obviates the need for separate prior art drawer lock-in and drawer lock-out mechanisms (requiring additional springs, levers and gears).

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: A helical antenna system for receiving simultaneous signals with different polarizations, with the aid of helical feeders and without gain degradation. Two or more helical feeders are provided for each polarization direction.

Abstract: The programming of a broadcast receiver is selected from the display and the mapping of the required numbers is fully automatic. The user enters a code and the VCR decodes the entered code to determine the corresponding channel. The VCR then checks to determine if this channel is mapped. If not, the VCR prompts the user to identify which program one wishes to record. A picture on the TV, in a mixed mode, can be used for this, i.e., the TV program selected is shown on the background behind the text. The user uses keys on the remote control to scroll through the list of channels to find the program one wants to record. Once determined, the VCR will automatically map the correct three digit numbers for the program selected. In this way, the user need not know what the selection number represents.

Abstract: A microwave polarizer particularly in a system for coupling energy between a waveguide and a transmission line. The polarizer reduces cross polarization by means of the probes being adjusted to an input impedance of less than 50 ohms, in particular to 20 ohms, by reducing the penetration depth of the probes. The smaller penetration depth also increases the distance between the two probes, which reduces cross polarization.

Abstract: Portable electronic equipment is disclosed which includes a source of power and operational circuitry. A load device, which may be internal or external to the equipment, is coupleable to the operational circuitry. A switch is coupled between the power source and the operational circuitry and connects the power source to the operating circuitry only when the load device is coupled to the operational circuitry. In portable audio equipment, for example, the switch connects the power source to the operational circuitry only if an external or the internal speaker is coupled to the operational circuitry.

Abstract: A radio frequency converter includes a plurality of signal paths for simultaneously processing two RF signals in the same band but with different polarizations, each of which includes a mixer and an oscillator. A common resonator is connected to the frequency control terminal of each of the oscillators and the oscillators work in a push-push configuration.

Abstract: An arrangement for selectively controlling the response time of a type II phase locked loop (PLL), especially one which includes a phase detector and an amplifier of a feedback type of integrator within an IC, comprises a controllable filter stage coupled in cascade with the amplifier. The controllable filter stage includes a filter section and a switching arrangement for selectively bypassing the filter section in response to a mode -determining control signal. In the described embodiment, the PLL controls the frequency of a local oscillator of a tuner and the second filter section has an amplitude versus frequency response for increasing the response time of the PLL during a fine tuning mode so that a demodulator can continue to operate properly during the fine tuning mode.

Abstract: The invention involves a method of transmitting a control signal that is synchronized in time with a radio program signal. The control signal may be used, for example, in a receiver to restore dynamic range reduction that occurred at the transmitter. The method includes the steps of forming a first supplemented signal by inserting the control signal and a first time-reference signal into a data stream of a radio data signal such as an RDS signal. A second supplemented signal is formed by adding a second time-reference signal to the radio program signal. The first and second time-reference signals are correlated in time. The first and second supplemented signals are transmitted.

Abstract: An economical tuning system for a digital satellite television receiver includes a phase locked loop (PLL) tuning control IC of the which is normally used in a tuning system of a conventional terrestrial broadcast or cable television reciever to control the frequency of the local oscillator (LO). Unfortunately, the PLL IC is only capable of changing the frequency of the LO in relatively large steps. As a result, the operation of a carrier recovery loop which demodulates the digitally encoded IF signal produced by the tuner may be interrupted during a fine tuning mode because the carrier recovery loop may not be able to track frequency changes of the LO. To reduce such possibility, the integrator filter associated with the PLL IC is modified to decrease the rate of change of the LO frequency during the fine tuning mode.

Abstract: This invention concerns a television receiver equipped with speakers fitted in a particular manner. The television receiver includes at least one speaker located at the bottom of a cavity in the outer surface of the case of said television receiver, this cavity being located in at least one of the faces of said case, said bottom and said speaker being oriented so that the sound from said speaker radiates at least partially towards the front of said television receiver, and said bottom of said cavity being close to the rear face of said case.

Abstract: A radio-frequency (RF) receiver generally contains an RF amplifier, a mixer stage, a mixer oscillator, a demodulator and an AGC (automatic gain control) circuit, to which the output voltage of the demodulator and a set voltage value for the automatic gain control are applied. Such RF receivers have a non-optimal signal-to-noise ratio under certain circumstances. The present invention improves the signal-to-noise ratio in such high frequency receivers, as well as the effectiveness of the AFT (automatic fine tuning) circuit. The amplitude of the AGC set voltage value is regulated depending on the frequency of the received RF signal so that the mixer stage is optimally controlled at all frequencies of the RF signal. In one embodiment, a PLL circuit connected to the output of the intermediate frequency amplifier to regenerate the non-modulated image carrier, is further used to ensure automatic fine tuning by regulating the frequency of the mixer oscillator.

Abstract: A differential transconductance amplifier having a fixed value of differential transconductance provides a video output signal current directly proportional to the transconductance of the amplifier and to a difference between first and second differential video input signals supplies thereto. A pair of buffer amplifiers couples the video input signals to respective inputs of the differential transconductance amplifier via respective diode switches which provides Vber protection for the buffer transistors and provides bus isolation under power down conditions. An output circuit regulates the output voltage of the differential transconductance amplifier at a substantially fixed voltage and converts the output signal current to an output signal voltage. Advantageously, the receiver provides very accurate signal gain control unconditional stability, a wide common mode input voltage range, avoids the need for stand-by power and will not load the input bus under power-down conditions.

Abstract: A cordless telephone system divides the 25 channel bandwidth allocated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) into two bands in order to obtain improved noise performance. The front end is tuned to the center frequency of each band and the tuning of the receiver to specific channel frequencies is accomplished via a PLL.

Abstract: A filter circuit having an amplifier stage, an upstream filter and a downstream bandpass filter. The filter includes, inter alia, a rejection circuit tuned to an intermediate frequency and a series circuit, tuned to an image frequency and formed by a capacitor and a .lambda./4 coaxial stub. The inductance formed by the coaxial stub is shared by the series circuit and the rejection circuit.

Abstract: In known processes for controlling a receiver-side appliance, data concerning the identification signal of a program being received are derived automatically from the identification signal transmitted together with the program. The aim of the invention is to allow a program received after the program currently being received to be programmed in a receiver-side appliance without having to input manually individual essential data of the identification signal. According to the present invention, a first identification signal received when a receiver-side control device is activated and a predetermined number of subsequent, different identification signals are counted together and stored automatically in the data contained in the identification signals concerning the identification signal received when the predetermined number is reached and/or the previously received identification signal and the first identification signal.