Abstract: A subscriber cable television system uses predominantly digital signal processing techniques and has extremely high security and an increased capacity for transmitting program and customer data to individual decoder units. For ease of data handling, two-channel audio, video, and high capacity program and customer data are multiplexed for transmission on the composite video signal. The decoder unit employs a system timing circuit which precisely synchronizes the sample times on the received composite video signal to the chrome burst, regardless of whether the video information is for a color or black-and-white program. An improved time-warp and segment scrambling method is disclosed along with means for suppressing the undesirable effects of discontinuities in the scrambled video signal. The digital audio is transmitted as scrambled most significant bits in low resolution samples and unscrambled least significant bits in a high resolution remainder sample.

Abstract: A subscriber cable television system using predominantly digital signal processing techniques employs an improved time-warp and segment scrambling method for providing extremely high security. Means are also disclosed for suppressing the undesirable effects of discontinuities in the scrambled video signal by methods of inserting additional data samples between adjacent continuous segments, and by dithering the video line positions of the discontinuities. Preferably the scrambler and descrambler each have a memory for storing video samples, first and second address counters for providing read and write addresses to the memory, and means for decrementing or inhibiting address counting during the time between segments of continuous video samples in order to insert and delete samples during scrambling and descrambling, respectively.

Abstract: A home computer system provides a video processor for use with a television receiver. The video processor can selectively perform a variety of modifications to pixel data under the direction of the CPU of the computer system before the pixel data is stored in a random access memory to effectively increase the speed or data handling power of the system.

Abstract: A home computer system provides a video processor for use with a television receiver. The video processor can selectively perform a variety of modifications to pixel data under the direction of the CPU of the computer system before the pixel data is stored in a random access memory to effectively increase the speed or data handling power of the system.

Abstract: A home computer system provides a video processor for use with a television receiver. The video processor can selectively perform a variety of modifications to pixel data under the direction of the CPU of the computer system before the pixel data is stored in a random access memory to effectively increase the speed or data handling power of the system.

Abstract: A TV-type game employs a raster screen television for presenting game symbols. Player operated control switches are encoded to move the symbols. A microprocessor reads the switches. A dually addressed random access memory is employed as the interfacing between the screen and the processor which otherwise function as essentially separate and distinct devices. The memory provides a static storage of the screen pattern for each point in the raster lines with a portion assigned as a processor scratch pad. The memory may be dynamic with periodic refreshing and constructed with individual chips for each of the several bits in a word. The chips are grouped for alternate refreshing and powered during access periods. The processor updates the memory during idle display access periods. The memory is accessed in multiple bit words or bytes for display and processing. For display, a parallel to serial output latch is employed.

Abstract: A pinball game has a playing field with ball directing lanes and targets and flipper elements for returning the ball. A programmed logic array is connected to the switches, response lamps, digit scoring lamps, and audible devices. A matrix circuit is connected to the switches and places information into a memory, the output of which is connected through to activate lamps and audible devices which produce a continuous output if energized. A scanning decoder coupled to the matrix circuit is driven from the programmed logic array.

Abstract: A pinball game has a playing field with ball directing lanes and targets and flipper elements for returning the ball. A programmed logic array is connected to the switches, response lamps, digit scoring lamps, and audible devices. A matrix circuit is connected to the switches and places information into a memory, the output of which is connected through to activate lamps and audible devices which produce a continuous output if energized. A scanning decoder coupled to the matrix circuit is driven from the programmed logic array.