Abstract: The purpose of this invention is a process for the detection of SCART type connections in a home systems network.This process includes the following steps:a) disactivate video sources connected to the network,b) put video receivers connected to the network on standby,c) send a video signal from a first video source,d) detect switched on video receivers,e) memorize the connection between the said first source and the said switched on video receivers, if any,f) disactivate the first said source, and put switched on video receivers on standby,g) repeat the process starting from step c, with each remaining source.

Abstract: The most popular method for reducing stray emission effects in a cathode ray tube is to install a bleeder resistor at the flyback transformer of the tube. Such a bleeder resistor is, however, quite expensive. Therefore, the stray emission reduction circuit according to the invention differentiates the H pulse when the TV set is switched from "on" to "standby" which results in a higher duty cycle of the control transistor, implying a lower duty cycle of the horizontal output transistor HOT. This results in a lower voltage at the tuning capacitor and hence lowers the flyback peak voltage at the anode. This results in a drop of the EHT voltage.

Abstract: An adaptive trellis decoder system employs a state transition trellis with a predetermined number of states for decoding a group of interleaved data packets. The trellis decoder system also accommodates data interruptions and transitions between different types of data. The system decodes groups of interleaved trellis encoded data packets with a single trellis decoder in response to a synchronization signal derived from the interleaved encoded data. The decoder employs a state transition trellis with a predetermined number of states. The state transition trellis may be reset to a predetermined state in response to a detected synchronization interval in the encoded data. The decoder may also decode re-aligned data produced by removing intervening synchronization intervals from the interleaved encoded data, in response to a detected synchronization interval.

Abstract: A process for differential coding of a motion vector associated with a macro-block, including the steps: of determining the components of the said motion vector, of determining a prediction vector, each component of which is equal to the median value of the corresponding components of at least three candidate motion vectors, a candidate motion vector being a vector associated with a previously coded macro-block, and of subtracting the components thus obtained from the components of the vector to be coded. Implementation of the process is included.

Abstract: The invention relates to a switch mode power supply (SMPS) comprising control means (IP1) including an oscillator (OS) for generating a pulse-width modulated signal (V2). The object is to provide a fast start-up time over a wide mains input-voltage range (AC). According to the invention, the switch mode power supply comprises a network (T2, R52, R51, R24) which provides in case of a high input voltage a soft start with a low oscillating frequency and in case of low input voltage a start-up with essentially the normal oscillating frequency. The invention provides a fast start-up time over a wide mains input voltage range of 90 Volt up to 265 Volt. The network includes a transistor (T2) used in inverse mode as a switching element which provides a threshold value of about 150 Volt. The power supply can be used advantageously as part of a TV receiver.

Abstract: A transmitted high definition television signal is represented by a packetized datastream configured as a sequence of data fields with a non-uniform data rate due to different types of different duration non-data overhead information. Each data field is prefaced by a Field Sync overhead segment followed by 312 packetized data segments each with associated overhead information. At a transmitter, a transport processor forms data packets with associated headers and exhibits uninterrupted operation at a constant uniform data rate, while supplying a packetized datastream to a network which constructs sequential data fields by inserting the non-data overhead information into the datastream. The transport processor is advantageously operated at a constant uniform data rate without having to modify the original data field structure to accommodate the needs of the data field construction network.

Abstract: An optical polarization device including a source of light emitting a light beam, and a polarization beam splitter for reflecting the s-polarization component of the light beam and transmitting the p-polarization component. A Fresnel structure with a reflective coating receives the s-polarization component, rotates it 90 degrees and returns it to the beam splitter. A plate of micro-prisms, functioning in reflection total, recombine the two polarization components of the light beam so as to produce a collimated beam.

Abstract: Stereoscopic effects can be created by binocular parallax. Known stereoscopic display systems show pseudoscopic effects in outer areas of the image viewing position and the viewing position is fixed. To avoid such pseudoscopic effects and/or to change the viewing position stereoscopic displays using parallax barriers with variable pitch length, moving barriers parallel to the display plane, and a polarizing device forming polarized light together with polarizing prisms are provided.

Abstract: The invention is about a dc/dc converter (1) fitted with switching means (11, 12) having a drive electrode (13, 14) each drive electrode (13, 14) being connected to polarization means (49,50). The switching means are to switch on and off a current coming from a direct source of current 2 and circulating in windings (17, 18, 5) of transformers (6, 7) of the converter. The improvement according to the invention comprises a protection circuit 24 connected to means (44) for detecting the value of current circulating in one of the windings (4, 5, 15, 19, 23) of the transformers. Outputs (47, 48) of circuit 24 are connected to the drive electrode (13, 14) of switching means (11, 12). Protection circuit (24) may be a bistable circuit that will lower voltage at its outputs (47, 48) in a permanent way if detected current has been to high, thus switching off in a permanent way switching means (11, 12).

Abstract: A feeder for a microwave antenna system which can be integrated together with electronic circuitry on a common circuit board. A slot antenna, preferably shaped as an annular slot, is provided on the circuit board, and can be etched on the backside of the circuit board, which is normally a ground plate. The antenna system can be used for reception of DBS signals.

Abstract: A system relates to a process for correcting the estimation of movement in frames including periodic structures in a system for determining movement vectors by comparison of blocks of frames, an error matrix being associated with each block. The process is characterized in that it includes the stages of determining adjacent periodic blocks and of selecting a single movement vector for all of these blocks. The process applies, in particular, in the sphere of television.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and a circuit for storage of digital tuning data and parameters for a number of television channels in a rewritable memory. The channel search is initialized by pressing a single button to initialize a scan of the reception frequency band. The scanning of the frequency range is interrupted for a preset time-out period .DELTA.t each time a stop-scan signal is generated and resumes automatically until the entire range has been scanned. After each stop-scan pulse, if the single button is pressed during a time-out period, At, the system begins toggling through the possible values of each parameter relating to the station, the current value of the parameter being memorized when the single button is pressed again. The invention also includes a television and video cassette recorder implementing the above method.

Abstract: This system for illuminating a liquid-crystal screen comprises a light source which emits an unpolarized light beam (F). A polarizing splitter device (PBS) receives this unpolarized light beam and retransmits, onto the liquid-crystal screen, a first and a second beam (F1, F2) which are polarized in the same polarization direction. The axes of the two beams make a defined angle (2.beta.) between them. A matrix of microlenses is provided with one microlens (.mu.L) for at least two adjacent picture elements (EL1, EL2) in the liquid-crystal screen. Each microlens directs that part of the first beam which it receives onto one (EL1) of the two picture elements and that part of the second beam which it receives onto the other picture element (EL2).

Abstract: The process comprises a "pledging" step in which a debtor party transmits to a creditor party a data item which is the image of a pledged data item, and a "commencement" step in which the debtor party transmits the plain pledged data item to the creditor party who can verify pledge consistency. In the pledging step, the debtor party produces a seed applied to a pseudo-random generator to produce a pseudo-random word, combines this pseudo-random word in a one-to-one and reversible manner with the pledged data item to produce a checkword, and transmits the checkword to the creditor party. In the commencement step, the debtor party transmits to the creditor party the seed together with the plain pledged data item.

Abstract: A method of processing data in matrix arrays in a motion estimation system is characterized in that each array (803, 804) performing a calculation of distortion (Err) for a block of pixels (1, 2) of a current image, at least two arrays (803, 804) being arranged in series performing the calculations for at least two adjacent blocks (1, 2) of the said current image, the reference window corresponding to the entirety of these blocks being introduced in bands of pixels into the first of the said arrays (803) and propagating from array to array in the said series of arrays, the allocation of the blocks (1, 2) to the arrays and the direction of introduction of the band into the arrays being such that the last part (c, respectively A) of the band introduced into the array corresponds to a part of the window of the block (2, respectively 1) allocated to the first of the arrays (803).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of reception of signals from at least two transmitters (RCi), wherein for each transmitter the data ("0", "1") are represented by the time interval (T0i, T1i) between two consecutive pulses transmitted by this transmitter, said time intervals and the pulse widths (Tpi) being characteristic of each transmitter, and wherein said method includes the following steps: reception of a resultant signal that is the sum of the signals from by said transmitters; determination of the parameters of said resultant signal, these parameters including the width and spacing of the pulses; analysis of said parameters and assignment of a data item to one of said transmitters. The invention also concerns a receiver device, a remote controller, and a system of reception. The invention is applicable notably in the field of television and video.

Abstract: A transport stream encoder comprises a plurality of component signal sources. One of the component signals sources is a source of an opportunistic data component signal carrying a block of data having a predetermined size to be transferred within a predetermined period of time. A packet generator is coupled to the plurality of component signal sources, and produces a composite packet stream, partitioned into successive groups containing a plurality of packet slots. A memory stores a plurality of priority lists respectively associated with the plurality of packet slots. Each priority list contains a plurality of entries, and each entry contains data representing a respective one of the plurality of component signal sources. A scheduler is responsive to the entries in the plurality of priority lists and conditions the packet generator to generate a packet for each one of the packet slots.

Abstract: A bi-directional shift register for scanning a liquid crystal display includes cascaded stages. A given stage includes an output transistor having a clock signal coupled thereto. A first input section is responsive to an output pulse of a second stage for generating a control signal that is coupled to the transistor to condition the output transistor periodically for operation in a conduction state when shifting in a first direction is selected. The input section is responsive to an output pulse of a third stage for periodically conditioning the output transistor to operate in the conduction state, when shifting in the opposite direction is selected. When the clock signal occurs and the transistor is conditioned for the operation in the conduction state, an output pulse is generated at an output of the given stage.

Abstract: A private stereoscopic display is provided which has only one stereoscopic viewing position and does not show pseudoscopic images in areas outside the viewing position. On top of the display there is provided a first lenticular lens sheet followed by a prism array sheet and in general by a second lenticular lens sheet. Lens stripes are provided for rows of pixels, consisting normally of two rows of pixels for the left and right image. Two separate side lobes of the light rays generated by the first lenticular lens sheet. The individual lens pixel array arrangement are separated by barriers from each other. Because of those barriers only the main lobe of the light emating from the display is maintained, so that because of the prism array sheet and the second lenticular lens sheet main lobes for the left image are focused in a left image viewing point, whereas main lobes for the right image are focused in a right image viewing point.

Abstract: For motion compensated interpolation (MCI) with sub-pixel accuracy, the missing pixels need to be interpolated prior to the motion compensation. The required pixel values are stored using line and pixel delays. A switch matrix selects, in response to a motion vector, such stored pixels which are currently needed for the processing. In order to avoid sub-pixel MCI, the interpolation is carried out prior to the motion compensation. In order to avoid an increased input data rate of the motion compensation circuitry, only a standard switch matrix is used. A special arrangement of delays storing pixel values needed for the processing is used to extend the standard delay array. Because an increased number of pixels is involved, an improved sub-pixel MCI can be achieved. This is because such a delay extension does not significantly affect the decoded picture quality even if adjacent motion vectors do not exactly match the current motion vector.