Abstract: In an apparatus having a CCD for compressing and/or expanding the time base of an input signal; a first two-phase transfer clock pulse signal made up of first and second pulse train signals having a first period and arranged to be 180.degree. out of phase with each other is used for driving the CCD while writing the input signal into the CCD, a second two-phase transfer clock pulse signal made up of third and fourth pulse train signals having a second period and arranged to be 180.degree. out of phase with each other is used for driving the CCD while reading from the CCD a signal which is produced from the input signal with its time base compressed or expanded, and the pulse width of the first pulse train signal is made virtually equal to the pulse width of the third pulse train signal and such pulse width is selected to be smaller than one-half of the smaller of the first and second periods.

Abstract: An aperture correction circuit adds to the input video signal an aperture correction signal formed from the input video signal and which is subject to non-linear processing to thereby effect the aperture correction for a picture of low or high contrast.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape recording system having a single master tape player and a plurality of slave recording devices each including at least one rotary magnetic head for repeatedly scanning a respective magnetic recording tape, and each receiving, from the single master tape player, a signal to be recorded along with an external sync or reference signal; each of the slave recording devices is provided with a respective time base adjusting memory in which the signal to be recorded is written in synchronism .with the external reference signal, and from which the signal to be recorded is read-out in synchronism with a reference pulse generated in timed relation to a predetermined rotational position of the respective rotary magnetic head.

Abstract: A television standards converter comprises a motion analyzer for analyzing the motion between consecutive fields of an input television signal of one television standard and for deriving motion vectors in dependence on the motion, a filter for recursively filtering the motion vectors, and an interpolator for aligning the fields in dependence on the filtered motion vectors so as effectively to represent static pictures, and means to effect conversion using the static pictures to derive the required output television signal of a different television standard.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing motion vectors associated with a digital television image comprises a vector filter and a vector calculator for deriving a plurality of motion vectors respectively representing the motion of a pixel in the image, a circuit for testing the accuracy of each motion vector by differencing pixels shifted in dependence on the motion vector from two successive fields of the image to a common position in a field interpolated between the two fields, and a vector selector for selecting a motion vector from the plurality in dependence on the testing.

Abstract: Apparatus for motion vector estimation in a television image using a digitized signal representing the image, comprises a vector filter and a vector calculator for determining motion in the image at points spaced a predetermined number of pixels horizontally and a predetermined number of pixels vertically by a block matching technique, thereby to derive motion vectors, and a sub-pixel motion estimator for refining the selection of the motion vectors by determining a sub-pixel offset representing motion between fields of the image not equal to an integral multiple of the spacing between pixels.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing the number of motion vectors associated with a digital television image comprises a vector filter, a vector calculator and a vector processor for deriving for each block of pixels within the television image a plurality of motion vectors representing the most common motion vectors of pixels in the block, each of the plurality of motion vectors having associated with it a figure of merit based upon the weighted absolute difference of the motion vectors of pixels in the block, and a vector reducer for associating with the plurality of motion vectors, a further motion vector for the same position from the previous field and a further motion vector for the same position from the next field, each of said further motion vectors having associated with it a figure of merit, and for selecting a smaller plurality of motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors and the further motion vectors in dependence on the figures of merit.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing motion vectors associated with a digital television image, comprises a vector filter and a vector calculator for deriving a plurality of motion vectors respectively representing the motion of pixels in a corresponding plurality of blocks of pixels in the image, a processor for distributing the plurality of motion vectors into groups, each group comprising motion vectors lying within a respective different predetermined range of magnitudes and directions, and a processor for substituting for the motion vectors in each of a plurality of the groups into which the largest number of the motion vectors fall, a single motion vector representing the motion vectors in the respective group.

Abstract: A digital signal processing circuit for carrying out a series of processings for a digital signal having a signal effective interval and blanking interval such as a video signal. Operation control data added to the blanking interval of the input digital signal controls the signal processings of a plurality of signal processing blocks, so that the circuit construction can be simplified and complicated signal processings can be achieved.

Abstract: A motion compensated interpolator for digital television images comprises a three-dimensional variable separable finite impulse response interpolation filter operating in the horizontal, vertical and temporal domains.

Abstract: In controlling an electronic apparatus, such as, a color television receiver, of the type having signal processing circuits which are individually adjustable in accordance with respective control signals provided by a microcomputer or central processing unit (CPU) in response to data corresponding to predetermined or standardized conditions of the adjustable circuits and which are stored in a non-volatile memory along with a secret code, operating keys selectively actuable to provide input data to the CPU for representing an externally applied code and, in a servicing mode of the receiver, for rewriting the data in the memory and thereby changing the standardized conditions of the adjustable circuits, and inner bus lines connecting the CPU to the adjustable circuits, the non-volatile memory and the operating keys; a standby power supply provides electric power to the CPU at a time when operating keys are actuated for inputting data representing an externally applied code to the CPU, a main power supply is tur

Abstract: An aperture correction circuit that adds an aperture correction signal formed from an input video signal to the input video signal, wherein the aperture correction signal is processed by a non-linear processing and then added to the input video signal to thereby effect the aperture correction for a picture of low or high contrast.

Abstract: In transmitting a residual signal determined by the difference between an input signal and a predictive signal, a comparative signal based on the input signal is applied to a plurality of predictors having different respective predictive functions or coefficients, the resulting predictive output signals from the predictors, respectively, are compared with the comparative signal to provide respective difference signals, and the predictor corresponding to the smallest of the difference signals with a predetermined time delay, for example, the next preceding sampling of the input signal, is employed as the source of the predictive signal to be subtracted from the input signal for determining the transmitted residual signal.

Abstract: In an apparatus for slow-motion reproduction of a video signal having successive field thereof, along with respective pilot signals, recorded in successive oblique tracks on a magnetic tape, a tracking error signal is based on the pilot signals reproduced from the magnetic tape, a capstan motor intermittently transports the tape between a first rest position, in which a field segment of the video signal is repeatedly reproduced from an initial one of alternate oblique tracks, rest position, to a second in which another field segment of the video signal is repeatedly reproduced from the next one of the alternate oblique tracks. A circuit controls a driving circuit for the capstan motor so that the transportation of the magnetic tape from the first to second rest position is responsive to the tracking error signal obtained in the first rest position, that is, prior to transportation of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A high efficiency coding apparatus controls the amount of generated information so that it does not surpass the transmission capacity of a transmission path when variable-length coding is employed for varying a word length corresponding to a dynamic range. With respect to a still block, distribution in which a movement amount is introduced is formed taking into account that frame-dropping processing is made to obtain the number of dynamic range occurrence. Not only threshold values in the level direction for defining a word length but also movement threshold values for the frame-dropping processing are changed to control the amount of generated information. As a result, the amount of generated information is controlled excellently without an increase in quantization errors.

Abstract: A television receiver incorporating a video cassette recorder and having a display, for example, a picture screen, for showing a main-channel picture within which a sub-channel picture may be superimposed, includes first and second tuners which are independently controllable for each selecting one of a number of broadcast channels, with the video signal broadcast on the channel selected by the first tuner being supplied to the display for forming the main-channel picture while the video signal broadcast on the channel selected by the second tuner is supplied to the display for forming the sub-channel picture in a sub-channel picture display mode of the receiver, and a system controller is programmed so that, when initiating a recording mode of the video cassette recorder, the second tuner is made to select the same broadcast channel as the first tuner.

Abstract: Digitally controllable ICs or function blocks in an electronic apparatus are connected through control bus lines, and a switch device is provided for disconnecting one of the digitally controllable ICs or function blocks from the control bus so that the control bus is not disabled when that one IC is turned off or is not occupied when the IC is operating in its internal processing mode. Therefore, communication between the remaining ICs can be maintained through the control bus.

Abstract: In a video cassette auto-changer which includes a plurality of reproducing and/or recording devices or VTRs, and a plurality of cassette storage bins arrayed in horizontal and vertical directions and each adapted to store a cassette therein; a cassette transporting apparatus for selectively transporting cassettes between the storage bins and the VTRs comprises fixed horizontal upper and lower guide rails along which upper and lower sliders are movable, a movable guide rail extending vertically between the sliders and pivotally connected to the latter at ends of the movable guide rail, a carriage movable vertically along the movable guide rail, a horizontal drive connected with the sliders for moving the carriage in the direction along the fixed guide rails and a vertical drive for moving the carriage along the movable guide rail.

Abstract: In a luminance signal forming circuit, output signals from a color television camera having complementary color filters are subjected to a matrix operation to provide a first luminance signal of good luminance reproducibility, but having a relatively low signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, and the output signals from the camera are further simply mixed to form a second or pseudo luminance signal of relatively poor signal fidelity but having a relatively high S/N ratio. The first and second luminance signals are subjected to first and second gamma corrections, respectively, which provide a first gamma characteristic having an inclination less than that for the usual or normal gamma value, while the second gamma correction provides a characteristic having an inclination substantially smaller than that of the first gamma characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus for arraying parts on respective trays therefor comprises a tray-stocking device for receiving empty trays from a conveyor and maintaining a stock of the empty trays from which the latter are individually lifted by a first elevator to a conveying line extending above the tray-stocking device past a tray-accommodating station, a parts supplying mechanism disposed adjacent such station for selectively supplying parts to an empty tray disposed thereat, a vibrator for shaking the tray disposed at the tray-accommodating station and thereby arraying the parts supplied to the tray, whereupon the tray with parts arrayed thereon is withdrawn from the station along the conveying line, and a second elevator for removing the individual trays with parts arrayed thereon from the conveying line and for returning the removed trays with parts arrayed thereon to the first-mentioned conveyor.