Patents Assigned to Zenith Electronics
  • Transferring information between an internet module and TV controller of a web TV
    Patent number: 7028330
    Abstract: A web television includes a display, a tuner, an internet module, and a PIP module. The tuner is arranged to select television video for display on the display and to select television audio for display by a speaker of the web television. The internet module is arranged to supply internet video for display on the display and to supply internet audio for display by the speaker of the web television, and the internet video and audio are derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers. The PIP module is arranged to provide a PIP area within a main area of the display. The internet video and the television video may be swapped between the PIP area and the main area of the display, and the speaker of the web television may be swapped between the internet audio and the television audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Gaughan, Thomas J. Zato
  • Digital communication system for transmitting and receiving robustly encoded data
    Patent number: 6996133
    Abstract: Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data, The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne E. Bretl, Richard W. Citta, Mark Fimoff
  • Timing error detector for digital signal receiver
    Patent number: 6986080
    Abstract: A received signal having a series of T-spaced symbols having more than two levels is sampled at a rate that produces successive samples SP, SC, and SN substantially equally spaced by T/2. An output representing the difference between the sign of the sample SN and the sign of the sample SP is generated, and the value of the sample SC is offset so that the value of the sample SC approaches zero. The offset value of the sample SC and the generated output are multiplied together in order to provide a timing error signal. The sampling of the received signal is controlled in accordance with the timing error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Jin H. Kim, Mark Fimoff, Serdar Ozen
  • Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data
    Patent number: 6985092
    Abstract: Frames comprise odd fields and even fields. The frame sync segments of the odd fields contains a current map specifying the location of data in frames, a next map specifying the location of data in a future frame, and a frame count designating the future frame. The frame sync segments of the even field may contain the same information. Alternatively, the frame sync segments of the odd fields contain the current map and part of the frame count, and the frame sync segments of the corresponding even fields contain the next map and the rest of the frame count. A receiver uses the map and frame count information to find data in the fields of received frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne E. Bretl, Mark Fimoff
  • VSB modulator symbol clock processing to reduce jitter/phase noise and sampling artifacts
    Patent number: 6980255
    Abstract: A translator demodulates a received digital television signal so as to produce a digital data stream, a symbol clock, and a byte clock, wherein the symbol clock and the byte clock are corrupted by phase noise. The digital data stream is written into a buffer in response to the corrupted byte clock. The corrupted symbol clock is applied to a frequency/phase locked loop having a narrowband loop filter. The frequency/phase locked loop produces a regenerated symbol clock having substantially no phase noise. The digital data stream is read from the buffer in response to the regenerated symbol clock. The digital data stream read from the buffer and the regenerated symbol clock are applied to a modulator for re-broadcasting of the received digital television signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond C. Hauge, Gary A. Jones, Philip J. Nowaczyk
  • Enhanced slice prediction feedback
    Patent number: 6963618
    Abstract: In an enhanced slice prediction embodiment, an input containing first and second data is received. Each data element of the first data represents a number of bits that is greater than a number of bits represented by each data element of the second data, and the first and second data in the received input are defined by the same n level constellation. The input is decoded with a first decoder to recover both the first and second data. Only the second data is decoded with a second decoder. Enhanced slice prediction is provided based on the decoding of the second decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Citta, Mark Fimoff, Paul A. Snopko
  • Mapping arrangement for digital communication system
    Patent number: 6958781
    Abstract: A receiver receives a digital signal. The digital signal contains a frame of robust VSB data and ATSC data, and the digital signal further contains a map. The map contains information indicating a location of the robust VSB data and ATSC data in the frame. A decoder of the receiver decodes the digital signal. A processor of the receiver processes at least one of the robust VSB data and the ATSC data according to the location information contained in the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Fimoff
  • Code enhanced equalization based upon a reliability factor
    Patent number: 6947481
    Abstract: A receiver includes an equalizer and a decoder which decodes data from a signal. The signal is based upon an output of the equalizer. The receiver also includes an encoder, which re-encodes the decoded data, and an error generator, which generates an error vector based upon the signal and the encoded data and which weights the error vector according to a reliability that the decoder accurately decoded the data from the signal. A controller controls the equalizer in response to the weighted error vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Citta, Peter Ho
  • Ghost eliminating equalizer
    Patent number: 6937649
    Abstract: An equalizer substantially eliminates a ghost of a received main signal by (i) applying coefficients b (where b may be equal to one) to the received main signal and the ghost in order to modulate the received main signal and the ghost so that the received main signal and the ghost are unequal, (ii) applying coefficients a to the modulated received main signal and ghost in order to substantially eliminate the ghost, and (iii) applying coefficients c as a window function to the substantially ghost-free received main signal in order to remove the modulation imposed on the received main signal by the coefficients b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Citta, Scott M. LoPresto, Jingsong Xia
  • Mapping system for transmission and reception of multiple data types
    Patent number: 6927708
    Abstract: A transmitter transmits successive data fields, and each data field includes a mix of VSB data segments and E-VSB data segments and interleaved portions of maps. The maps define the mixes of VSB data segments and E-VSB data segments in corresponding data fields to be transmitted after the corresponding maps are transmitted. Prior to interleaving, the maps are encoded. At a receiver, the maps are de-interleaved and de-coded so as to derive the mix of VSB and E-VSB data segments defining each of the data fields. The interleaving and de-interleaving have a combined latency of at least L fields. The VSB and E-VSB data segments of each of the data fields are separated in response to the de-interleaved maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Fimoff
  • Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data
    Patent number: 6924753
    Abstract: Frames comprise odd fields and even fields. The frame sync segments of the odd fields contains a current map specifying the location of data in frames, a next map specifying the location of data in a future frame, and a frame count designating the future frame. The frame sync segments of the even field may contain the same information. Alternatively, the frame sync segments of the odd fields contain the current map and part of the frame count, and the frame sync segments of the corresponding even fields contain the next map and the rest of the frame count. A receiver uses the map and frame count information to find data in the fields of received frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne E. Bretl, Mark Fimoff
  • Digital television signal translator
    Patent number: 6919930
    Abstract: A tuner of a digital television signal translator tunes to receive an RF digital television signal on a first selected television channel. A demodulator provides a baseband digital television signal from the RF digital television signal to which the tuner is tuned. The baseband television signal includes a data component identifying the first selected channel. A data replacer replaces the data component identifying the first selected channel with a data component identifying a second selected channel different from the first selected channel. The output of a modulator is modulated by the baseband television signal including the data component identifying the second selected channel for transmission as a digital television signal on the second selected channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ernsto C. Barreyro, Timothy V. Frahm, Michael G. White
  • Coding and decoding a signal modified in accordance with the feedback states of an encoder
    Patent number: 6917655
    Abstract: A data encoding system includes a modifier, an encoder, and a feedback. The modifier receives a first data stream and modifies the first data stream so as to provide a second data stream. The encoder encodes the second data stream in order to provide an output. At least a portion of the output has predetermined symbol values. A feedback from the encoder to the modifier provides encoder states to the modifier. The modifier modifies the first data stream based on the encoder states so as to facilitate the encoder in providing the portion of the output having the predetermined symbol values. A receiver receives a signal based on the output and decodes the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Fimoff, Wayne E. Bretl
  • Multipath ghost eliminating equalizer with optimum noise enhancement
    Patent number: 6904085
    Abstract: An equalizer includes n processing paths arranged to process blocks of data. N?1 data shifters are arranged so that each of the n?1 data shifters is in a corresponding one of the n processing paths and so that one of the n processing path has no data shifter. N finite filters are arranged so that each of the n finite filters is in a corresponding one of the n processing paths, and so that each of the n finite filters applies a corresponding set of finite filter coefficients to the blocks of data. Ghosts of the blocks of data are not eliminated as a result of the application of the sets of finite filter coefficients corresponding to the n finite filters, and n>2. An adder is arranged to add outputs from the n processing paths such that the addition eliminates ghosts of the blocks of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Citta, Scott M. LoPresto, Jingsong Xia
  • Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data
    Patent number: 6806816
    Abstract: First and second data are formatted for transmission in successive alternating odd and even data fields. An odd field map data unit and an even field map data unit define the mix of data segments containing only first data and data segments containing only second data for each respective odd and even data field. Each of the map data units is encoded to form a vector and each of the vectors is scrambled to produce a corresponding scrambled vector. A stream of alternating ones of the unscrambled and corresponding scrambled vectors is inserted in corresponding predefined portions of the sync segments of a plurality of successive alternating odd and even data fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Fimoff
  • Code enhanced equalization based upon a reliability factor
    Publication number: 20040190662
    Abstract: A receiver includes an equalizer and a decoder which decodes data from a signal. The signal is based upon an output of the equalizer. The receiver also includes an encoder, which re-encodes the decoded data, and an error generator, which generates an error vector based upon the signal and the encoded data and which weights the error vector according to a reliability that the decoder accurately decoded the data from the signal. A controller controls the equalizer in response to the weighted error vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Citta, Peter Ho
  • E-VSB main stream packet jitter remediation
    Patent number: 6798361
    Abstract: A field transmitted by a transmitter and received by a receiver has a map indicating the number of E-VSB segments and VSB segments in the field. The E-VSB segments contain E-VSB data, and the VSB segments contain VSB data. The VSB data includes video and/or audio data. The audio data in the field is limited to a predetermined data rate when the VSB data in the field has a VSB bit rate below a predetermined threshold. This limit reduces or eliminates audio related jitter in the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne E. Bretl, Timothy G. Laud
  • Polling internet module of web TV
    Patent number: 6785906
    Abstract: A web television includes a display, a tuner, an internet module, and a PIP module. The tuner is arranged to select television video for display on the display and to select television audio for display by a speaker of the web television. The internet module is arranged to supply internet video for display on the display and to supply internet audio for display by the speaker of the web television, and the internet video and audio are derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers. The PIP module is arranged to provide a PIP area within a main area of the display. The internet video and the television video may be swapped between the PIP area and the main area of the display, and the speaker of the web television may be swapped between the internet audio and the television audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Gaughan, Thomas J. Zato
  • Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data
    Patent number: 6765508
    Abstract: A field contains a map, a number of E-VSB data segments, and a number of VSB data segments. The map indicates at least the number of E-VSB data segments in the field. The E-VSB data segments are located in the field such that the spacing between the E-VSB segments comprises only x and x+1, where x is dependent on the number of E-VSB data segments in the field as indicated by the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne E. Bretl, Timothy G. Laud
  • Robust system for transmitting and receiving map data
    Patent number: 6762698
    Abstract: Frames comprise odd fields and even fields. The frame sync segments of the odd fields contains a current map specifying the location of data in frames, a next map specifying the location of data in a future frame, and a frame count designating the future frame. The frame sync segments of the even field may contain the same information. Alternatively, the frame sync segments of the odd fields contain the current map and part of the frame count, and the frame sync segments of the corresponding even fields contain the next map and the rest of the frame count. A receiver uses the map and frame count information to find data in the fields of received frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne E. Bretl, Mark Fimoff