Patents by Inventor Donald S. Butler

Donald S. Butler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6597402
    Abstract: An interlaced television signal is derived from an interlaced 625 line, nominally 50 Hz field rate television signal, the derived television signal having perceived reduced line structure and reduced flicker. The field rate and the number of lines of the derived television signal are increased with respect to the field rate and the number of lines of the original television signal, such that perceived flicker and line structure in the derived television signal is reduced. The increase in the field rate and the increase in the number of lines in the derived television signal results in a horizontal scanning rate that does not substantially exceed twice the horizontal scanning rate of the original television signal while minimizing undesirable motion artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sage, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald S. Butler, Xu Dong, Jack J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 5848200
    Abstract: A two dimensional video convolver generates visually acceptable images on a standard television receiver and includes first and second adder stages and two pixel time period delays. The first adder stage simultaneously receives binary data from three adjacent pixels in a predetermined line in a first direction of a picture to be reproduced on a display during each pixel scan period. The binary data of each of three pixels is processed with a predetermined weight to generate a binary first stage output signal representative of a weighted sum of the plurality of the three pixels in the predetermined line. The second adder stage is responsive to the binary first adder stage output signal during a time period for each of three predetermined adjacent lines in a second orthogonal direction of a picture to be reproduced on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Donald S. Butler, Richard S. Amano
  • Patent number: 5838296
    Abstract: Video magnification apparatus modifies (shrinks or enlarges) video graphic images in a horizontal and vertical direction during a transfer of video graphics data signals from a graphics memory to a television screen. A first magnification modifying device modifies the magnification of a graphic by a vertical magnification factor by generating graphic line address output signals that selectively prevent a transmission of predetermined horizontal lines of the graphic upon the reception of a vertical magnification factor that is less than unity. The first device also causes a transmission of predetermined horizontal lines of the graphic to be selectively repeated upon the reception of a vertical magnification factor that is greater than unity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Donald S. Butler, Richard S. Amano
  • Patent number: 5835103
    Abstract: Apparatus for processing mixed video and graphic signals for display on a television receiver includes a Graphics Memory and a Memory Controller and Sprite State Machine. The Graphics Memory includes a Sprite List table, a Sprite Data table, and other optional tables. The Sprite List table lists one or more graphics in a predetermined sequence for display on the television receiver, and stores general information related to the graphics within control words in each listing. The Sprite Data table stores pixel data for horizontal lines of each of the graphics which are accessed by a control word in each of the graphic listings in the Sprite List table. An optional Line Control table contains control words that are accessed via the graphic listing for providing independent controls for each of the horizontal lines obtained from the Sprite Data table to produce predetermined special effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Donald S. Butler, Richard S. Amano
  • Patent number: 5739868
    Abstract: Apparatus processes mixed YUV and color palettized video signals for display on an interlaced NTSC or PAL television receiver by storing first and second fields of one or more sprites in a graphic memory. Each sprite is stored as YUV or color palettized data and given a priority. A higher priority sprite overwrites pixel data of sprites of a lower priority when sprites overlap. First and second adjacent horizontal lines of pixel data in the first and second fields, respectively, are concurrently stored in respective first and second double buffers of a pixel assembly buffer during each line period. A delay buffer and the first and second double buffers generate first, second, and third adjacent horizontal lines, respectively, of pixel data at the output of the pixel assembly buffer while third and fourth adjacent horizontal lines of pixel data are inputted to the first and second double buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation of Delaware
    Inventors: Donald S. Butler, Richard S. Amano
  • Patent number: 5513139
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory array of cells arranged in "r" rows and "c" columns, with each row of cells connected to a write conductor and to a separate read conductor. The memory array may be simultaneously written into and read from by a write address decoder having "r" outputs, one output connected to and corresponding to each write conductor and a read address decoder having "r" outputs, one output connected to and corresponding to each read conductor. Control signals are applied to the write address decoder to cause the outputs of the write address decoder to scan the memory array at a first rate, in sequence, in a first direction, and control signals are applied to the read address decoder to cause the outputs of the read address decoder to scan the memory array at a second rate, in sequence, in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: General Instruments Corp.
    Inventor: Donald S. Butler
  • Patent number: 5197026
    Abstract: A system for backing up volatile memory such as DRAM with non-volatile memory such as EEPROM includes a volatile memory having refresh logic for cycling through the volatile memory address locations and refreshing the contents thereof, and a non-volatile memory having write logic for writing data into an address location of the non-volatile memory over a write cycle. Each of the volatile and non-volatile memories has its own address bus, and the address buses are connected together for reading out the contents of corresponding address locations of the two memories in the same sequence according to the cycle dictated by the volatile memory refresh logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald S. Butler
  • Patent number: RE40074
    Abstract: An interlaced television signal is derived from an interlaced 625 line, nominally 50 Hz field rate television signal, the derived television signal having perceived reduced line structure and reduce flicker. The field rate and the number of lines of the derived television signal are increased with respect to the field rate and the number of lines of the original television signal, such that perceived flicker and line structure in the derived television signal is reduced. The increase in the field rate and the increase in the number of lines in the derived television signal results in a horizontal scanning rate that does not substantially exceed twice the horizontal scanning rate of the original television signal while minimizing undesirable motion artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Genesis Microchip Inc.
    Inventors: Donald S. Butler, Xu Dong, Jack J. Campbell