Patents by Inventor Robert NMI DeFrancesco

Robert NMI DeFrancesco 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).

  • Circuit and method of providing parental discretionary control on a PIP IC
    Patent number: 5715014
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (22) processes baseband video signals to produce a picture-in-picture (PIP) channel for a video monitor (26). A discretionary control circuit (64) on the integrated circuit monitors parental discretionary control data on a predetermined horizontal line (21) of the baseband video signal. The discretionary control data is a value that represents the amount and degree of sex and violence in the presently viewed program. The parent or responsible party stores a threshold value in a television control circuit. The discretionary control circuit compares the discretionary control data to the threshold value. If the discretionary control data is less than the selectable threshold, then the PIP channel is displayed. If the discretionary control data is greater than the selectable threshold, then the PIP channel is blanked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey W. Perkins, Robert NMI DeFrancesco, Paul P. Tighe