Patents by Inventor Robert F. Casey

Robert F. Casey 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: 5416527
    Abstract: A frequency controlled clock circuit for use in a television receiver utilizes a detected sound intermediate frequency (IF) signal for use in controlling a voltage controlled oscillator and thereby provide immunity from ghost signals in the transmitted video signal. A phase locked loop responds to phase errors detected from the voltage controlled oscillator and a reference signal from the sound IF signal to control the frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Zoran Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 5386243
    Abstract: A ghost cancellation system for filtering out ghosts in a received video signal including an active filter having a filtering function defined by a first set of coefficients (ak.sub.old) and having a input and a output. A transmitted ghost cancellation reference (GCR) signal is applied to the input of the active filter during a vertical blanking period to generate a filtered GCR signal at the output of the active filter. The filtered GCR signal is compared with a ghostless GCR signal to obtain an error signal, and the filter coefficients are adjusted based on the error signal to obtain a set of new coefficients (ak.sub.new). The active filter includes a feedforward FIR filter and an adder serially connected between the input and the output, a feedback IIR filter and a switch serially connected between the output and-the adder, the feedforward FIR filter and the feedback IIR filter having filtering functions defined by the coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Zoran Corporation
    Inventors: Jinshi Huang, Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4839728
    Abstract: A picture-in-picture video signal generator includes a source of an auxiliary video signal, and a producer of successive samples representing the auxiliary video signals. A self-sequencing memory includes a data input terminal coupled to the producer of auxiliary video samples; a write address input terminal, for receiving an initial write address; a data output terminal and a read address input terminal for receiving an initial read address. Write control circuitry is coupled to the write address terminal of the self-sequencing memory, and generates initial write addresses in synchronism with horizontal line intervals of the auxiliary video signal. A source of a main video signal is also provided. Read control circuitry is coupled to the read address terminal of the self-sequencing memory, and generates initial read addresses in synchronism with horizontal line intervals of the main video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: RCA Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4811103
    Abstract: A picture-in-picture video signal generator includes a source of an auxiliary video signal, and a producer of successive samples representing the auxiliary video signal. A self-sequencing memory includes a data input terminal coupled to the producer of auxiliary video samples; a write address input terminal, for receiving an initial write address; a data output terminal and a read address input terminal for receiving an initial read address. Write control circuitry is coupled to the write address terminal of the self-sequencing memory, and generates initial write addresses in synchronism with horizontal line intervals of the auxiliary video signal. A source of a main video signal is also provided. An interlace inversion detector is coupled to the main and auxiliary video signal sources and produces an inversion detect signal indicating that an interlace inversion condition has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: RCA Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4730216
    Abstract: In an apparatus for displaying the picture information of an incoming interlaced television signal in noninterlaced raster scanning display on the faceplate of a picture tube, each video line of the television signal is separated into R, G and B color component signals. Each video line is compressed, or speeded-up, at a variable rate and delayed by a variable delay time to provide a speeded-up signal that is coupled to the corresponding electron beam gun of the picture tube. Each of the variable rate and delay is controlled in accordance with information relating to distortions of the raster scanning display. In this way, distortion, such as east-west or convergence, is reduced when the speeded-up signal is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1988
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Casey, Werner F. Wedam
  • Patent number: 4724487
    Abstract: A picture-in-picture image signal generator includes a source of an auxiliary video signal and an auxiliary synchronization component separator which produces an auxiliary odd/even field signal. Auxiliary image data is stored in a memory for subsequent retrieval. A source of a main video signal and associated synchronization component separator, which produces a main odd/even field signal, is also provided. A signal combiner combines a portion of the main video signal with data retrieved from the memory to form a picture-in-picture video signal. An interlace inversion detector generates a signal indicating an interlace inversion condition in response to the main and auxiliary odd/even field signals. A correction to the interlacing is made in response to the interlace inversion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4712130
    Abstract: A pix-in-pix television signal processing system develops a composite video pix-in-pix signal representing a reduced-size auxiliary image insert in a full-sized main image. The auxiliary video signal is separated into luminance and chrominance components by filtering circuitry. The luminance signal is subsampled in a ratio of one to four and the chrominance signal, which is composed of two color difference signals modulating quadrature phase related subcarrier signals, is applied to circuitry which interpolates between selected pairs of samples to develop a frequency converted chrominance signal, representing the two quadrature phase related color difference signals modulating quadrature phase related subcarrier signals having frequencies that are one-quarter the frequency of the original subcarrier signal. The frequency converted chrominance signal and subsampled luminance signal are combined to generate a composite video signal representing the reduced-size auxiliary image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4700365
    Abstract: As the 8-bit input signal applied to a threshold device reaches a first threshold level, the 1-bit output signal changes from a logical zero to a logical one. The 1-bit output signal is delayed by one system clock period and fed back. The delayed 1-bit output signal is combined (e.g., merged or added) with the 8-bit input signal, and the resulting signal is applied to the threshold device to provide a hysteresis feature. Once the delayed 1-bit output signal becomes a logical one, the input signal has to drop below a second, lower threshold level before the 1-bit output signal can revert back to a logical zero, whereby a margin of noise immunity is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4698675
    Abstract: An interlaced video input signal is applied to a speed-up unit which time compresses and interleaves lines of the input signal with lines of a further signal derived therefrom for display in progressive scan fashion on a display device. The further signal is generated by circuitry which derives line-interpolated, field-delayed and vertical detail signals from the input signal. Selection circuitry selects the field delayed signal for display when the detail signal is above a threshold level and the field-delayed signal is concurrently within a range bounded by the input signal and the line-delayed signal, the interpolated signal being selected for display otherwise to thereby provide a progressive scan display having relatively high vertical detail characteristic of interfield processing and immunity to motion artifacts characteristic of intra-field processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4672445
    Abstract: A frame comb filter separates a luminance signal from a composite video input signal for display on every other line of a progressively scanned display. The filter includes a tap for providing a field delayed luma signal and an interpolator for providing a frame comb filtered and interpolated luma signal. A selector switch selects the field delayed luma signal for display on the intermediate lines of the display when the vertical detail content of the input signal is greater than a minimum threshold value and there is little or no interframe motion and selects the frame comb filtered and interpolated luminance signal for display otherwise thereby providing enhanced vertical detail and reduced field motion artifacts for displayed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Casey, Hermann J. Weckenbrock
  • Patent number: 4656501
    Abstract: A transition detector is disclosed which compares comb filtered component signals from adjacent image lines. A detector detects signals in the band of frequencies normally occupied by color representative information for a given line and two adjacent lines. A control signal generator generates a control signal in response to the relative levels of the detected signals for the given line, and the lines adjacent the given line. The composition of the comb filtered component signal coupled from the comb filter to the component processing channel is altered in response to the generated control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Casey, Kirk A. Law
  • Patent number: 4651211
    Abstract: A motion detector for detecting interimage motion represented by composite video signals analyzes both the chrominance and luminance components for image motion. Interimage motion represented by the luminance component is determined from interimage signal differences. The interimage signal differences are separated into high and low frequency spectra corresponding to fine and coarse luminance image detail. Selected signal differences from the low frequency spectrum are summed and threshold detected to determine motion in the coarse image detail. The high frequency spectrum of the sample differences are applied to parallel summing circuits which sum different combinations of sample differences in order to discriminate motion signals from non-moving chrominance transitions. The detection signals from the high and low frequency motion detectors are combined to produce a luminance motion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Hermann J. Weckenbrock, Barbara J. Roeder, Robert F. Casey, Leopold A. Harwood, Werner F. Wedam
  • Patent number: 4598309
    Abstract: A television apparatus for displaying the picture information of an interlaced signal, such as a baseband NTSC signal, in a non-interlaced scanning format is described. When no picture change occurs, the picture information of the first and the second fields of the NTSC signal are displayed in alternate scan lines of the display of the apparatus, respectively, to form a picture frame during one vertical scanning interval. A signal, indicative that a picture change occurs in a section of the picture frame, is generated when a picture change occurs. The picture change indicative signal is obtained by using a frame comb filter to detect interframe picture variations. The picture change indicative signal causes the displayed picture information in that section of the picture frame to be derived from one field of the NTSC signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4399769
    Abstract: A procedure for feeding fish, such as rainbow trout, in a tank is disclosed. This procedure utilizes a suction sweeper on the bottom of the tank. By administering a predetermined amount of food to the tank and measuring how much food is not eaten by the fish, it is possible to reduce the amount of excess food. In addition, by cleaning the tank immediately prior to feeding and prompt recovery of the excess food, it is possible to recycle excess food without suffering from contamination, bacterial degradation or other unhealthy effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey
  • Patent number: 4221187
    Abstract: Apparatus for raising fish, such as rainbow trout, in a controlled environment is disclosed comprising a main fish tank equipped with means for providing laminar water flow through the tank and also equipped with sweeper means for removing particulate matter from the bottom of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Inventor: Robert F. Casey