Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes an interface microcomputer driven by the output voltage from a first voltage transducer circuit for boosting the output voltage of a DC power supply. The interface microcomputer outputs an activation signal for activating a control IC. When a switch receives the activation signal from the control IC, the switch becomes conducting and applies the output voltage from the first voltage transducer circuit to the control IC. A delay circuit delays the activation signal from the interface microcomputer for a predetermined period of time and supplies the delayed activation signal to the control IC, thus causing the control IC to start controlling the operation of a voltage output unit. A second voltage transducer circuit for boosting the output voltage of the DC power supply and outputting a voltage of 5 V includes a charge pump circuit at the output stage thereof.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes an interface microcomputer driven by the output voltage from a first voltage transducer circuit for boosting the output voltage of a DC power supply. The interface microcomputer outputs an activation signal for activating a control IC. When a switch receives the activation signal from the control IC, the switch becomes conducting and applies the output voltage from the first voltage transducer circuit to the control IC. A delay circuit delays the activation signal from the interface microcomputer for a predetermined period of time and supplies the delayed activation signal to the control IC, thus causing the control IC to start controlling the operation of a voltage output unit. A second voltage transducer circuit for boosting the output voltage of the DC power supply and outputting a voltage of 5 V includes a charge pump circuit at the output stage thereof.

Abstract: A storage device incorporating an electrically erasable read only memory (EEPROM) or other data storage device having a limited number of total times of rewriting, has its useful like extended by the method of storing a pointer corresponding to the capacity of the memory, which pointer identifies a start position in the data storage device at which rewriting is to occur, and incrementing the pointer sequentially with each writing of the data storage device. The method and associated apparatus may be used to maintain a record of on-time of electronic apparatus, and/or to maintain data for correcting the white balance of a video camera under various light conditions.

Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus and method are provided in which time base errors in the luminance and color signals of a video signal reproduced from a recording medium are compensated. Time base errors in the luminance signal are reduced by storing the luminance signal in a first memory in response to a write clock singal synchronized with the video signal and subsequently reading the luminance signal from the memory in response to a first read clock signal synchronized with a stable clock signal. Time base errors in the color signal are reduced by writing the color signal in a second memory in response to the write clock signal and subsequently reading the color signal from the second memory in response to a second read clock signal synchronized with the stable clock signal such that corresponding portions of the luminance signal and the color signal are read from the first and second memories at different respective times with a predetermined time difference therebetween.

Abstract: A magnetic video recording apparatus applicable to a video tape recorder or the like is designed integrally with a television camera. The apparatus has a video signal output unit for outputting first video signals, and a video signal recording unit for recording the first video signals outputting from the video signal output unit or second video signals obtained from an external video appliance. The video signal recording unit records the second video signals via correction means inserted for correcting the video signals to predetermined levels, but bypasses the correction means when recording the first video signals. Such bypass of the correction means eliminates any reduction of the signal-to-noise ratio that may otherwise be caused, hence preventing deterioration of the image quality in the reproduced video signals.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in an image enhancer, an output of an outline extracting circuit is transmitted through a band limiting filter for suppressing bands other than an objective frequency band to be enhanced and, thereafter, it is supplied to a noise slicing circuit for eliminating micro amplitude noises. The noises near the cut-off frequency of the filter can be more effectively suppressed and the deterioration of the waveform characteristic of the outline enhancement signal due to the filter can be also improved.

Abstract: In a multi-function video tape recorder system, a manually operable rotary dial can be used in place of a large number of dedicated manual switches, and so forth to make selections from multiple-choice lists and to assign numerical values for timing, and so forth. The rotary dial is journalled on a fold-down section of the video tape recorder's front console and its manually-actuated rotation is monitored by optical sensors. A microprocessor receives the output of the sensors and so can derive the angular position and speed and direction of rotation of the rotary dial, which may all serve as input parameters. In addition, a ring may be included in the rotary dial assembly, the ring being pivotably slightly relative to the rotary dial itself to provide an addition dimension of information input.