Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing digital video signals for transmission in a compressed form. A set of pixel data is compressed without motion compensation to provide a first compressed video signal. The pixel data is compressed using motion compensation to provide a second compressed video signal. The data in the first and second compressed video signals is quantified. A comparison is made to determine which of the signals contains the least data. Successive sets of pixel data are sequentially compressed and quantified and the compressed video signal having the least data for each particular set is selected. The selected signals are encoded to identify them as motion compensated or non-motion compensated signals, and combined to provide a compressed video signal data stream for transmission. Apparatus for receiving and decoding the signals is also disclosed.

Abstract: An image area is refreshed during the transmission of a set of motion compensated sequential video images. The video images are divided into a plurality of adjacent regions. The image area is refreshed during a refresh cycle by communicating a different region in each successive video image of the set without motion compensation. Motion compensation of the previously refreshed regions of the image area during the refresh cycle is restricted to an area containing only the previously refreshed regions. Video image data from a current region being refreshed is encoded for use by a decoder in identifying it as non-motion compensated data.

Abstract: A descrambler for a scrambled channel having a suppressed horizontal synchronization pulse which scrambled channel is provided in a broadband cable television signal along with nonscrambled channels. A signal splitter receives the broadband CATV signal and provides first and second split outputs. A switch coupled to the second output of the signal splitter passes the horizontal synchronization pulse of the scrambled channel and blocks the video signal of the scrambled channel. The horizontal synchronization pulse passing through the switch is then phase adjusted to synchronize with the horizontal synchronization pulse of the scrambled channel provided at the first output of the signal splitter, and both horizontal synchronization pulses are summed in a combiner along with the video/audio signal provided at the first output of the signal splitter. Consequently, the full synchronization pulse is provided at the output of the combiner to descramble the scrambled channel.

Abstract: A system for causing an antenna controller for a satellite antenna to determine the alignment position of the antenna for a given satellite, whereby antenna installation time may be substantially reduced when the alignment position of the antenna for a large number of satellites must be determined. The system includes means for measuring the alignment position of the antenna for at least two reference satellites; and means for processing said measurements with stored data indicating the relative positions of the reference satellites and other satellites in accordance with an algorithm to determine the alignment positions of the antenna for the other satellites. The system also includes means for causing an antenna controller for a satellite antenna to determine the skews of the linear polarization axis of the antenna for respectively matching the linear polarization axis of odd-numbered and even-numbered channels received from a satellite.

Abstract: In a system for scrambling an audio signal for transmission with a video signal having non-video information intervals, an analog audio signal is converted into a scrambled compressed digital audio signal; individual bits from the scrambled compressed digital audio signal are combined to provide 2-bit digital words; each digital word is converted into an 8-bit digital PAM data signal having a binary value bearing a predetermined relationship to the binary value of the converted 2-bit digital word; the 8-bit digital PAM data signal is converted into a 4-level PAM analog signal; and the PAM analog signals are inserted into the non-video information intervals of the video signal for transmission. A descrambling system descrambles the 4-level PAM analog signals by a complementary scheme.

Abstract: In the scrambling system, an analog audio signal is converted into a digital signal to provide a sequence of digital signal samples corresponding to the analog audio signal. Each digital signal sample is compressed to provide compressed signal samples having a sign bit, three exponent bits and seven mantissa bits. Each bit of each compressed signal sample is exclusive-OR'd with a unique keystream to thereby scramble the audio signal. A Hamming code generator generates code bits for correcting singular errors in a combination of the sign bit, the exponent bits and the code bits; and a parity bit generator generates a parity bit for detecting double errors in a combination of the sign bit, the exponent bits and the code bits and for further detecting an error in the most significant mantissa bit and/or the parity bit.

Abstract: Systems for scrambling and descrambling video information lines. The scrambling system includes a memory; a storage system for sequentially storing groups of four video information lines in the memory; and a retrieval means for forming groups of four scrambled video information lines by retrieving the stored video information from the memory in a sequence different from the sequence within the stored group in which the information was stored.