Abstract: A battery charger for use with a battery, and which is provided with a first charging current to substantially maintain the electrical charge of the battery is described and which includes a plurality of fuel cell modules which supply a second charging current for substantially maintaining the charge of the battery; and a controller electrically coupled with the plurality of fuel cell modules, and wherein upon interruption of the first charging current, the controller operably delivers the second charging current to the battery.

Abstract: A battery charger for use with a battery, and which is provided with a first charging current to substantially maintain the electrical charge of the battery is described and which includes a plurality of fuel cell modules which supply a second charging current for substantially maintaining the charge of the battery; and a controller electrically coupled with the plurality of fuel cell modules, and wherein upon interruption of the first charging current, the controller operably delivers the second charging current to the battery.

Abstract: Computerized resource accounting methods and systems, and in particular computerized utility resource management methods and systems, multi-user utility resource management methods and systems, and energy-consumption-based tracking methods and systems are described. In one implementation, a host computer includes a processor, an interface device and a database defined therein for maintaining information pertaining to one or more customers of one or more resources. Resource usage information is received into the host computer pertaining to consumption of one or more of the resources by one or more of the customers at one or more customer site. The resource usage information is processed to provide usage-based, computer-viewable data associated with a respective customer's consumption of one or more of the resources.

Abstract: Computerized resource accounting methods and systems, and in particular computerized utility resource management methods and systems, multi-user utility resource management methods and systems, and energy-consumption-based tracking methods and systems are described. In one implementation, a host computer includes a processor, an interface device and a database defined therein for maintaining information pertaining to one or more customers of one or more resources. Resource usage information is received into the host computer pertaining to consumption of one or more of the resources by one or more of the customers at one or more customer site. The resource usage information is processed to provide usage-based, computer-viewable data associated with a respective customer's consumption of one or more of the resources.

Abstract: A counter-type detector system is provided for a television receiver in which a standard angle modulated intermediate frequency signal is heterodyned to a lower frequency prior to detection by the counter detector. The lower intermediate frequency permits the generation of a pulse signal which is averaged to produce a relatively high level detected output signal. After the angle modulated intermediate frequency signal has been converted to the lower frequency, additional selectivity may be used prior to detection to further attenuate signal frequencies above the lower carrier frequency.

Abstract: A television ghost signal detector system is provided which includes a variable delay line for delaying training signal components of the main video signal. The training signal includes burst signals and may comprise, for example, the horizontal sync pulse and burst signals of the lines of the vertical blanking interval which follow the last equalizing pulse interval. The delay of the delay line is first varied until the delayed horizontal sync pulse of the main signal is in substantial time coincidence with its ghost horizontal sync pulse at the input of the delay line, and the delayed main burst signal and its ghost are in substantial time coincidence. Thereafter, the two burst signals are compared by a phase detector, the output of which is used as a control signal to control the delay of the variable delay line so as to maintain the delayed and undelayed signal in virtually complete coincidence.

Abstract: A television ghost signal cancellation system is provided in which the video intermediate frequency signal is demodulated by two synchronous detectors. A picture carrier extractor produces a first reference signal for the first of the synchronous detectors exhibiting a phase which is aligned with that of the picture carrier of the direct television signal. The first reference signal is shifted in phase by a controllable phase shifter to develop a second reference signal for the second synchronous detector. The output of the second synchronous detector is delayed by an amount of time equal to the difference in time between the appearance of the direct signal and a detected ghost signal. The amplitude and polarity of the delayed signal are adjusted by a control circuit to produce a pseudo-ghost signal. An amplitude comparator compares the amplitude of the pseudo-ghost signal with that of the output signal of the first synchronous detector.

Abstract: A television ghost detector system is provided which receives a training signal component of the video signal followed by a signal interval which may contain a ghost of the training signal. The training signal activates the production of a varying search signal, which in turn initiates the production of a sequence of identification pulses. The identification pulses are compared with the video signal interval following the training signal, and a coincidence signal is produced when a ghost appears in time coincidence with an identification pulse. The coincidence signal causes the value of the varying search signal to be stored as an indication of the delay of the ghost with respect to the training signal. During subsequent training signal intervals, an identification pulse is produced only when the search signal attains the previously stored value, and the identification pulse is phase compared with the ghost to update the stored value to a more precise value.

Abstract: A ghost detection and cancellation system is provided in which the horizontal sync pulses of a first sequence of lines in the vertical retrace interval are used as training signals for the detection and verification of the presence of a ghost signal. This detection procedure results in the development of a signal which reliably indicates the time location of the ghost signal with respect to the main television signal. The location indication signal is then used to select the appropriate tap of a tapped delay line. The delayed video signal from the tapped delay line is then applied to the control amplifier of a ghost canceller for the generation of a pseudo-ghost signal during a subsequent line or lines of the vertical retrace interval. The pseudo-ghost signal is combined with the original video signal to cancel its ghost signal component.

Abstract: A television signal ghost detector is provided which acquires a component of a ghost signal when one is present, after which the ghost signal component is tracked, thereby providing a continuous indication of the presence of the ghost signal and its delay with respect to the main television signal. In the television receiver, a training signal contained within the received television signal is applied to a variable delay line. When the television signal is contaminated by a ghost signal, the training signal will be followed by a ghost of itself. When the delay of the variable delay line is correct, the delayed training signal at the output of the delay line will be in time coincidence with the training signal ghost at the input of the delay line. A coincidence detector detects this condition, after which time the delay of the delay line is controlled to maintain the coincident condition during subsequent receptions of the training signal.

Abstract: A television ghost signal cancellation system is provided which compensates for the phase of the ghost carrier signal. A video signal containing a ghost signal component is applied to a variable delay line, which delays the video signal by an amount of time equal to the difference in time between the appearance of the direct video signal and its corresponding ghost signal components. The delayed video signal is modulated by a carrier signal and demodulated by a phase-shifted version of the carrier signal. The carrier signal is phase-shifted for the demodulator by an amount which compensates for the phase difference between the picture carriers of the direct and ghost signals. The demodulated signal is inverted and its amplitude adjusted to produce a pseudo-ghost signal which is substantially equal in amplitude but opposite in polarity to the ghost signal components.

Abstract: A television ghost cancellation system is provided which includes a delay line having an input coupled to receive video signals which include a training signal component. The delay line provides a delay to the video signals which is substantially equal to the delay of the ghost of the training signal with respect to the training signal when a ghost signal is present. This delay causes a delayed training signal to appear at the output of the delay line at the same time that its ghost is applied to the input of the delay line. The delayed signal at the output of the delay line is applied to a control amplifier, which is coupled in a feedback loop with an amplitude comparator and a sample-and-hold circuit. The amplitude comparator compares the delayed training signal with the ghost at the input of the delay line and produces an error signal indicative of the amplitude differences between the two signals.

Abstract: A teletext system transmits auxiliary information before the vertical sync pulse in the vertical blanking interval to avoid interference to the normal transmitted picture. At the transmitter a time gap is placed in the auxiliary information to allow for the equalizing pulses, while at the receiver the gap is removed. One, two, or all three lines that occur before the vertical sync pulse in the vertical blanking interval can be used to transmit the auxiliary teletext information signals.

Abstract: Apparatus in a video signal processing system for improving the quality of a color image reproduced by a color kinescope in response to chrominance and luminance components of the video signal, the chrominance signal being subject to phase transitions likely to generate chrominance subcarrier components sufficient to contaminate the luminance signal. Chrominance signals delayed by an amount corresponding to an interval during which the phase transitions can occur are supplied to inputs of a signal multiplier, which provides an output signal indicating the presence of chrominance phase transitions. The multiplier output signal is utilized for controlling the luminance signal processing channel to suppress the sideband signals, thereby also suppressing objectionable effects of the sideband signals otherwise visible in a reproduced image.

Abstract: Apparatus in a video signal processing system for improving the quality of a reproduced color image by reducing visible "cross-color" interference caused when high frequency luminance signals occur within the passband of the chrominance component of the video signal. Video signals within the chrominance passband are sensed by a signal multiplier responsive to the video signal and to the video signal delayed by a given amount. The amount of delay corresponds to an interval during which rapid luminance transitions capable of producing the high frequency signals within the chrominance passband can occur. The multiplier generates a control signal indicative of the presence of the luminance transitions, which is then utilized for controlling the chrominance signal processing channel such that objectionable cross-color effects otherwise visible in a reproduced image are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A comb filter arrangement for processing video signals containing frequency interleaved image representative luminance and chrominance components provides improved color definition of reproduced images in the presence of chrominance components of adjacent horizontal image lines which differ perceptibly from each other in amplitude or phase. The comb filter comprises at least one signal delay element arranged to provide a delay equal to one horizontal line scanning interval, at least one gain controllable element and sum and difference networks for combining delayed and undelayed video signals to provide relatively separated luminance and chrominance components. A control network coupled to the comb filter provides a control signal representative of the magnitude of signal components within the chrominance signal frequency range for controlling the gain of the gain controllable element.