Abstract: In a vertical sawtooth generator, an end time of a retrace portion of a vertical sawtooth signal is controlled by an output signal of a comparator. The comparator has a first input terminal that is responsive to a reference voltage and a second input terminal that is responsive to the sawtooth signal. The reference voltage is coupled to an input terminal of an amplifier of an integrator that generates the sawtooth signal. Any disturbance signal component in the reference voltage is super-imposed on the sawtooth signal. Because the same disturbance signal component is developed simultaneously in both input terminals of the comparator, a high degree of common mode rejection is provided with respect to the disturbance signal component.

Abstract: Apparatus for selecting predetermined ones of packets of signal components, from a signal stream of packets includes a control device, responsive to user selection and a transmitted program guide, for determining packet identifier codes, SCID's, for respective program signal components. SCID's, from respective packets in the signal stream, are successively compared with selected, stored SCID's. Transmitted signal components associated with appropriately detected SCID's are coupled to decryption apparatus. The decryption apparatus selects from a plurality of decryption keys in accordance with decryption flags include in transmitted signal packets. Decryption keys per se are provided by a smart card.

Abstract: First and second amplifiers are coupled together to provide complementary output signals at respective output terminals in response to application of operating potentials to first and second supply terminals of each amplifier and application of an input signal to at least the first amplifier. A switching circuit, responsive to a first level of a tri-state control signal supplied thereto, applies the operating potentials individually to the first and second supply terminals of each amplifier and concurrently couples the input signal to the input of the first amplifier and, responsive to a second level of the tri-state control signal, isolates all of the amplifier supply terminals and decouples the input signal. Transient disturbances are minimized by AC coupling the input signal and applying a common mode signal from a common mode source to the AC coupling, to a reference input of each amplifier and to the output terminal of each amplifier.

Abstract: A projection television display screen has a plurality of mountings affixed to a cabinet. The plurality of mountings provide rigid screen suspension in a vertical plane while permitting differential lateral movement of the screen relative to the mountings.

Abstract: A deflection yoke assembly for a cathode ray tube includes four substantially equally spaced inclined mounting members arranged about the circumference of a mounting ring at the front of the yoke assembly. Each mounting member has a plunger which positions the yoke with respect to the funnel portion of the cathode ray tube. A continuously unidirectional restricting means prevents the plunger from withdrawing from the funnel portion of the cathode ray tube. A release cylinder, which is coaxial with the sleeve and plunger, releases the unidirectional means, which may be an internally toothed washer, in order to provide capability for readjustment.

Abstract: An M-bit digital signal, the most significant bit (MSB) thereof and an integer K are added to produce a sum which is truncated by N least significant bits to provide a symmetrically rounded bit-reduced digital output signal. The MSB may be applied in true or complemented form to the adder for selecting wide or narrow rounding modes having different numbers of output zeros disposed about a point of symmetry for a given input signal change. Advantageously, undesirable direct current (DC) shifts due to least significant bit (LSB) reduction in digital video, audio or similar applications are prevented.

Abstract: An improved color picture tube includes an evacuated envelope having a rectangular faceplate panel. The panel includes a viewing screen on an inner surface thereof and a shadow mask-frame assembly mounted therein. The shadow mask-frame assembly includes an apertured shadow mask and a peripheral frame to which the mask is attached. The improvement comprises the frame being formed by eight sections, two identical long side sections, two identical short side sections and four corner sections, that are attached together edge-to-edge. The two long side sections and the two short side sections are thinner than the four corner sections.

Abstract: A caller ID system is disclosed in which a prescaler is coupled between a source of a caller ID signal and a caller ID receiver, and a processor is coupled to the caller ID receiver. The prescaler is responsive to the processor for scaling the caller ID signal.

Abstract: An improved color picture tube includes a shadow mask and a dot screen, wherein the mask has two long sides and two short sides. The long sides of the mask parallel a central major axis of the mask, and the short sides parallel a central minor axis of the mask. The mask includes an array of apertures. The improvement comprises each of the shadow mask apertures being substantially rectangular with four sides. Two of the aperture sides approximately parallel the major axis and establish aperture height. The other two aperture sides approximately parallel the minor axis and establish aperture width The widths and heights of the apertures increase at a first rate and a second rate, respectively, from the center to the sides of the mask, along the major axis; and the widths and heights of the apertures increase at a third rate and a fourth rate, respectively, from the center to the top and bottom of the mask, along the minor axis.

Abstract: A first pixel of a given field is compared with second and third vertically aligned pixels of corresponding horizontal position of an adjacent field to produce, for each first pixel, a pixel difference signal having a value of zero if the value of the first pixel is intermediate the values of the second and third pixels, the difference signal otherwise having a value equal to the absolute value of a difference between the value of the first pixel and the value of one of the second and third pixels having a value closest to that of first pixel. The pixel difference signals are accumulated over a predetermined portion of one field period of the video signal to provide a field difference signal which is analyzed by a group of five correlators for patterns characteristic of 2-2 pull-down or 3-2 pull-down film mode sources. Flags are produced for identifying film mode operation and for identifying which of the adjacent fields to use in subsequent video processing such as de-interlacing or flicker reduction.

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 an augmenting 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 apportioning standby power implements a first transition mode between standby and run modes of operation in which a control circuit is energized by a standby power supply in a fully active state and generates an on/off command signal responsive to detection of an input signal and a second transition mode between the standby and run modes of operation in which the control circuit is energized by the standby power supply in a partially active state and generates the on/off command signal and a drive signal generator is fully energized by the standby supply. An intermediate transition mode may also be implemented between the first and second transition modes, in which the control circuit and the generator are both energized in a fully active state for a brief interval by the standby power supply and an auxiliary energy source.

Abstract: A television system for receiving a plurality of television programs includes a programming unit for causing the television system to receive and record a particular television show aired on a given channel, at a particular time and date in accordance with schedule data entered by a user. The television system includes a controller for generating the on-screen displays in response to user-entered data. Upon completion of a programming entry, the controller causes a display of a substantially grammatically correct sentence summarizing the entered programming instructions and acting as a confirmation screen. In one embodiment, the confirmation screen is interactive in that certain variables within the sentence may be modified by the user to change the sense of the sentence, and thus to modify the programming instructions.

Abstract: A complementary push-pull emitter follower amplifier is coupled between the output of a high voltage driver amplifier and the cathode of a kinescope for reducing the effective capacitance presented to the driver amplifier that is attributable to the kinescope cathode, socket, spark gaps and related stray capacitances. A secondary undesired capacitance loading of the amplifier attributable to the collector to base capacitances of the follower amplifier is effectively reduced by regulating the collector emitter voltages of the push-pull follower output transistors at respective substantially constant values thereby improving parameters such as the slew rate and bandwidth of the overall video display system.

Abstract: An improved color picture tube includes an evacuated glass envelope having a rectangular faceplate panel. The panel includes a shadow mask assembly mounted therein. The shadow mask assembly includes a shadow mask formed from a first metal having first coefficient of thermal expansion and a frame formed from a second metal having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The first coefficient of thermal expansion is substantially lower than the second coefficient of thermal expansion. The improvement comprises the shadow mask being interconnected with the frame by a plurality of bimetallic elements, each of the elements having a first end attached to the frame and a second end attached to the mask. Each bimetallic element is formed of materials that cause a bending of the element an amount related to the thermal expansion of the frame.

Abstract: The invention concerns an arrangement including a microprocessor controller, PROM memory, and a digital to analog converter (DAC) arrangement for generating a plurality of control voltages for trimming respective ones of a plurality of varactor controlled tunable filters. The controller couples digital control signals to the respective DACs which generate respective analog control voltages which are applied to the respective tunable filters. A tuning voltage generated by a closed control loop, such as phased locked loop also under the control of the controller, is combined with the output control voltages generated by the respective DAC's in a resistance divider arrangement.

Abstract: An automatic degaussing circuit provides a video display apparatus with a degaussing capability over a wide range of ac mains sources. An ac mains source is coupled to a degaussing coil by a series interconnection of first and second temperature-sensitive resistances. The temperature-sensitive resistances have oppositely-tending temperature coefficients, so that a total dc impedance of the automatic degaussing circuit initially decreases after power is applied to the circuit.

Abstract: A color interpolation circuit allows information uniquely identifying one of six colors to be stored by using only two binary bits of memory storage, and allows information uniquely identifying one of 120 colors to be stored by using only four binary bits of memory storage. This is accomplished by storing only the foreground, edge, and background colors (i.e., herein referred to as "independent" colors), and an "interpolate operator" code, and by providing circuitry to properly interpret and process the interpolate operator code to generate "intermediate colors". This permits a 33% reduction of memory size and reduces the "fetch speed" requirements of associated on-screen display (OSD) scan converter circuitry.

Abstract: An adaptive receiver includes an adaptive demodulator and an adaptive decoder for providing demodulated and decoded output data from a video signal encoded for satellite, terrestrial or cable transmission. The demodulator recovers demodulated output data by using an adaptive timing recovery network and an adaptive carrier recovery network that incorporates a selectable slicer network. In addition, an Automatic Gain Control network within the demodulator provides a gain control output as a function of a difference between signals produced both prior to and following the slicer. The demodulator may also incorporate a signal quality detector that uses carrier recovery network signals to provide an estimate of the error in the demodulated output data. The decoder produces a Viterbi decoded output from the demodulated output data by using a selectable code rate Viterbi decoder.

Abstract: An auxiliary video information decoder for extracting an auxiliary video information signal from a video signal includes a data slicer and apparatus for adjusting the slicing level of the data slicer. The slicing level is adjusted rapidly until a reference component of the auxiliary information signal is detected during a display interval of the video signal in which auxiliary video information is expected to occur. A count is incremented after display intervals in which the reference component is detected and is decremented after display intervals in which the reference component is not detected. Slicing level adjustment ceases while the count is at least a predetermined number. The apparatus rapidly adapts the slicing level to long-term video signal amplitude changes of significant magnitude (e.g. following a channel change) and maintains a constant slicing level when transient variations occur in the video signal amplitude.