Abstract: An exemplary method of providing positive power control of an electrical device which uses a toggle power command signal, and apparatus perform the method. This exemplary method uses an apparatus that includes a remote control unit and a signal translator. A positive power command signal is produced by and transmitted from the remote control unit. This positive power command signal is received by the signal translator. A present power condition of the electrical device is determined by the signal translator and compared to the positive power command signal. The toggle power command signal is then produced by and transmitted from the signal translator, if the positive power command signal and the present power condition of the electrical device do not match.

Abstract: A Personal Computer (PC) in a second location, provides video signals to a television monitor located in a first location. A stereo amplifies audio from the PC and provides the signal to loudspeakers in the first location. A keyboard, mouse, and controller in the first location, use infrared radiation to transmit commands. An IR receiver, in the first location, detects the commands and provides them to the PC. A communication port is used to receive the initial commands. After the initial remote commands negotiate control the input select switch interchanges the input devices of the second location with input devices of the first location. The interchange gives control of the PC to the first location keyboard, mouse and controller. A video switch/matrix in the second location is also controlled from the first location so that video is provided from the PC to the TV monitor in the first location.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for displaying widescreen video images on a stand video display is disclosed. Letterboxing, which occurs when a widescreen image is displayed in its entirety on a standard video display, is removed by enlarging the widescreen image and panning the enlarged widescreen image responsive to a multi-channel audio signal corresponding to the widescreen image.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting an externally supplied video image into a computer graphics image. A TV card (131), responsive to synchronization signals, is connected to a video source to receive and convert an input video stream and also connected to provide a scaled and positioned video image (754) synchronized to a computer graphics image. A graphics card (150) is configured to provide the TV card (131), with a computer graphics image (652) having an embedded color key signal, video scaling and positioning parameters and horizontal and vertical synchronization signals. A window keyer (260) is connected to the TV card (131) and the graphics card (150) to provide the video stream and the computer graphics image to a computer monitor (170).

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for combining a first signal and a second signal is disclosed, e.g., superimposing graphic signals on video signals. A first signal containing an object and an object indicator, e.g., a chroma key background color or a separate signal indicating presence or absence of an object, is used to determine weighting values for pixels at the edges of the object. The weighting values are then used to blend the first signal and a second signal at the edges of the object to minimize sharp transitions, thereby minimizing aliasing.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for displaying widescreen video images on a stand video display is disclosed. Letterboxing, which occurs when a widescreen image is displayed in its entirety on a standard video display, is removed by enlarging the widescreen image and panning the enlarged widescreen image responsive to a multi-channel audio signal corresponding to the widescreen image.

Abstract: An exemplary method of providing positive power control of an electrical device which uses a toggle power command signal, and apparatus perform the method. This exemplary method uses an apparatus that includes a remote control unit and a signal translator. A positive power command signal is produced by and transmitted from the remote control unit. This positive power command signal is received by the signal translator. A present power condition of the electrical device is determined by the signal translator and compared to the positive power command signal. The toggle power command signal is then produced by and transmitted from the signal translator, if the positive power command signal and the present power condition of the electrical device do not match.

Abstract: A Personal Computer (PC) in a second location, provides video signals to a television monitor located in a first location. A stereo amplifies audio from the PC and provides the signal to loudspeakers in the first location. A keyboard, mouse, and controller in the first location, use infrared radiation to transmit commands. An IR receiver, in the first location, detects the commands and provides them to the PC. A communication port is used to receive the initial commands. After the initial remote commands negotiate control the input select switch interchanges the input devices of the second location with input devices of the first location. The interchange gives control of the PC to the first location keyboard, mouse and controller. A video switch/matrix in the second location is also controlled from the first location so that video is provided from the PC to the TV monitor in the first location.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting an externally supplied video image into a computer graphics image. A TV card (131), responsive to synchronization signals, is connected to a video source to receive and convert an input video stream and also connected to provide a scaled and positioned video image (754) synchronized to a computer graphics image. A graphics card (150) is configured to provide the TV card (131), with a computer graphics image (652) having an embedded color key signal, video scaling and positioning parameters and horizontal and vertical synchronization signals. A window keyer (260) is connected to the TV card (131) and the graphics card (150) to provide the video stream and the computer graphics image to a computer monitor (170).

Abstract: A filter system that filters a digital signal to produce a filtered digital signal where the digital signal has alternating first data values and second data values. The filter system includes a demultiplexer that produces a first signal that includes the first data values and a second signal that includes the second data values. A first filter is provided to filter the first signal and the second signal to produce a first filtered signal including filtered first data values. A second filter is provided to filter the first signal and the second signal to produce a second filtered signal including filtered second data values. A multiplexer alternately selects the filtered first data values and the filtered second data values to produce the filtered digital signal.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for correcting black shading errors in a video camera. The technique involves calculating a horizontal correction waveform as a function of the average pixel values for the columns of a field. Next, a vertical correction waveform is calculated as a function of the average pixel values for the rows of a field. Then, calculation of a diagonal correction waveform as a function of the average pixel values along predetermined diagonals is performed. Finally, an input video signal representing real images is combined with the correction waveforms to produce a video output signal having substantially reduced black shading errors. Correction waveforms can be determined in any order.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing the output signals of a charge transfer device having at least one row of photoelectric elements. The charge transfer device produces output signals with charge levels that are provided to a shift register having a plurality of elements. The successive charge levels from each photoelectric element are provided to respective shift register elements, and the charge levels are transferred within the shift register to a readout terminal. Some of the charge is retained by each element as the charge is transferred. The retained charge is added to the next charge transferred into the element. This adding of residual charges averages the charges transferred, producing undesirable noise. A sample and hold device removes sampling artifacts inherent in the signal provided by the CCD, to produce a signal representing successive image pixel values.

Abstract: A clocking circuit and method for phasing a signal with an unknown phase to a clock signal includes a time requirement duration (TRD) signal which has two states and the duration of one of the states is indicative of a combined setup and hold time requirement for the storage device intended to capture the unknown phase signal. The TRD signal is then clocked as a function of the unknown phase signal and called a toggle clock phase (TCP) signal. The TCP signal is then used to modify the phase of a clock enable for the storage device signal to ensure adequate setup and hold time for the clocking of the unknown phase signal.

Abstract: A color video camera includes circuitry which generates a peaking signal that is applied to each of the color signals to enhance high-frequency components of the video signal relative to low-frequency components. The circuitry adds high-frequency components from the green video signal, as the peaking signal, at instants when the amplitudes of the green and red color signals are approximately equal. If there is a significant difference between the amplitudes of the red and green video signals, however, a combination of the high frequency components of both of these signals is used as the peaking signal. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the peaking signal includes in-band horizontal and vertical contour signals and out-of-band aperture correction signal.

Abstract: A color video signal processing system determines when one component color signal has been limited by clipping and limits the other component color signals to maintain accurate hue in the reproduced image. In one system, the other color signals are held at their values at the instant the one signal was detected as being clipped until the signal is no longer clipped. In another system, an attenuation function is applied to the unclipped color signals when any one color signal is detected as being clipped.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the maximum gain applied to a video signal during gamma correction are disclosed. A gamma exponent value, a black level, white level, and a desired maximum gain value are selected. A count of possible input signal values is determined. A modified black level is set equal to the desired black level. A gain limit value for the gamma correcting transfer function is calculated, and the smallest input signal for which the applied gain is less than or equal to the gain limit is determined. A black level correction factor is calculated. The modified black level is increased by the black level correction factor, and a determination is made whether the black level correction factor has decreased to less than a predetermined threshold value. The gamma correction function is recalculated and further black level corrections are added until the correction threshold is reached.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion aperture signal that is added to a video signal to cause amplification of the high frequencies of the video signal during movement is disclosed. This method and apparatus operates with an interlaced scan television system by line interpolation of the fields adjacent to a present field of interest. One suggested interpolation means uses delay lines working in conjunction with a summer to vertically align adjacent fields with the field of interest. In order to match the amplitude response of the interpolation means operating on the adjacent fields and the amplitude response of the present field of interest, a filter is disclosed having the same delay line components as the interpolation means.

Abstract: A white shading correction system capable of automatic determination of the amount of white shading correction to be applied to specific video image pixels as well as the application of that correction to a digitized video signal is disclosed. This system includes an inspecting portion for identifying the required correction within a video frame, a calculating portion for computing the amount of correction to be applied to the video signal, and a correction portion for correcting the video signal based upon the correction computed by the calculating portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gamma-correcting digital video data and for adjusting the video signal to a desired pedestal (black) level, gain (white) level, and a gamma correction value includes an apparatus for calculating digital values corresponding to a video signal having the desired gamma correction, black level and white level and a memory for storing the digital values. Uncorrected input digital video signals address the memory and cause the corresponding digital values stored in the memory, which represent the corrected video signal, to be output. The invention can be implemented in both software or hardware.

Abstract: Apparatus for translating a standard PAL composite signal into a composite signal in which the color signal is modulated on a subcarrier having an integral number of quarter cycles occurring during a line scanning interval. The standard PAL composite signal is written into a FIFO memory at 4.times.Fsc samples a second and read from the memory at 1135.times.Fh samples a second. Between fields the writing of the PAL composite signal is interrupted for two samples.