Tuning Patents (Class 348/731)
  • Publication number: 20130222700
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for selective filtering of transmissions based on information received from a tuner. An embedded diplexer in a consumer electronic device allows the device to be used in a variety of different signal environments. For example, a television with an embedded switching filter coupled to the television tuner is operable in environments where television signals are transmitted on frequencies up to 1 GHz and in environments where MoCA signals are transmitted on 1 GHz frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: ENTROPIC COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Ronald LEE
  • Patent number: 8520148
    Abstract: A tuner circuit and a method of designing a tuner circuit for removing a buffer circuit for video drive for increasing drive current capacitance added to an output terminal is provided, unlike a buffer for small-current drive installed in a tuner circuit. The method of designing a tuner circuit has a buffer installed in an integrated circuit (IC) of small-current drive in a video output terminal, and includes an RF converting portion, a tuning portion and a demodulation portion, in which a video output signal of the buffer in IC is input to an input circuit for processing a signal without an external buffer for drive, and the amount of attenuation of a signal at high frequency due to small drive current is measured to improve a frequency characteristic of a video signal in the tuner circuit in proportion to the amount of attenuation. Thus, an additional buffer for drive is not required, so that the number of devices is reduced, to thereby lower the material costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chul-min Kim
  • Patent number: 8521111
    Abstract: A TV tuner includes an Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) tracking filter, an UHF/VHF matching circuit and a single conversion Tuner IC. The UHF/VHF tracking filter includes a first Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) inductor, a first varactor diode and a fine-tune capacitor electrically connected to determine the maximum gain frequency of the UHF/VHF tracking filter. The UHF/VHF matching circuit includes a second LTCC inductance, a second varactor diodes and a fine-tune capacitor electrically connected to determine the maximum gain frequency of the UHF/VHF matching circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Wen-Po Ho
  • Publication number: 20130219435
    Abstract: Various arrangements for television channel tuning are presented. Receiving equipment may receive an indication of a first television channel for tuning. The receiving equipment may determine the first television channel is not available. A second television channel that carries the same content as the first television channel may be identified. The second television channel may be available for tuning. The receiving equipment may tune to the second television channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
    Inventor: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
  • Publication number: 20130208190
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for reducing the amount of data associated with user events. The systems and methods are particularly applicable to cable TV, satellite TV, and other networks where user event data (e.g., clickstream) must be sent from customer premises equipment (CPE) to centralized servers and the data transmission channel is narrow. In various exemplary embodiments, CPE such as television set-top boxes may reduce requirements for data storage and network bandwidth by replacing portions of channel-number/timestamp streams with abbreviated codes representing common meta-events such as “channel surfing events” and “previous channel events.” The original channel-number/timestamp streams can be reconstituted on centralized servers. Other common sequences of events, including those involving activation of other buttons on remote controls (i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: FourthWall Media, Inc
    Inventor: FourthWall Media, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8508670
    Abstract: An electronic device and a channel management method provide a predetermined channel information table to control channels in a television. Favorite channels are stored in the predetermined channel information table of the electronic device. In a predetermined channel mode, if an input channel code is not stored in the predetermined channel information table, the electronic device automatically adds the input channel code to the predetermined channel information table. If the input channel code is stored in the predetermined channel information table, the electronic device transfers the input channel code to the television and the television changes an active channel accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lung Dai, Yan-Hu Sun
  • Patent number: 8502920
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a universal television receiver that is capable of processing television channel signals, that are transmitted according to a variety of broadcast standards, to provide video and audio information for a desired television channel signal. The processing includes producing a coarse channel signal that includes a desired television channel signal and then applying resampling techniques to adjust a normalized bandwidth of the desired television channel signal to generally correspond to the normalized passband of a main filter that is used for each of the broadcast standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Shyshkin, Larry Silver, Warren Synnott, Steve Selby, Chris Ouslis, Lance Greggain
  • Publication number: 20130198779
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for receiving a broadcast. The broadcast receiving apparatus includes a tuner unit which performs channel scanning, a tuner parameter generation unit which generates tuner parameter information which includes channel information of channels scanned by the tuner unit and a channel setting value to tune to a channel corresponding to the channel information, a storage unit which stores the tuner parameter information, an input unit which receives input of a channel change request, and a control unit which, if the channel change request is input, controls the tuner unit to tune to a requested channel using the tuner parameter information stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8497945
    Abstract: A radio frequency front end circuit module for a receiver used in a digital television is disclosed. The radio frequency front end circuit module includes a switch set, a differential low noise amplifier, a filter, and a tuner. The switch set receives two differential signals. The differential low noise amplifier is electrically coupled to the switch set for amplifying the two differential signals. The filter is electrically coupled to the differential low noise amplifier for filtering out portions which are excluded in a predetermined bandwidth of the two amplified differential signals. The tuner determines how to control the switch set to select the two differential signals in the predetermined bandwidth according to the filtered differential signals. The present invention is capable of amplifying the received differential signals and rejecting noise which has the same phase as that of the received differential signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Microelectronics Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-chun Lan, Sheng-you Wen, Min-wei Albert Wang
  • Patent number: 8499319
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing apparatus including: an image processing unit which processes and displays a broadcasting signal; a user input unit through which a user inputs a key selection signal; and a controller which performs a switch to a favorite channel or performs a certain function in association with the favorite channel if an input time of the key selection signal is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. With this, a viewer can more directly and conveniently search favorite channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-hyung Lee
  • Patent number: 8488066
    Abstract: Methods and systems for fast channel changing and for auxiliary channel generating are disclosed. The system for fast channel changing includes: an auxiliary channel generating unit, configured to generate one or more auxiliary channels corresponding to target channel and send video data of the one or more auxiliary channels; a client device, configured to receive video data from the target channel or from the one or more auxiliary channels; a video data receiving controller, configured to detect the video data received by the client device from the target channel or from the one or more auxiliary channels, and send a message of terminating receiving the video data from one of the target channel and the one or more auxiliary channels to the client device. That's the way to change channel fast, and the way occupies little resource of the network, and with little extra cost to be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhi Gao
  • Publication number: 20130176503
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes an apparatus, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is attached to a surface of the apparatus. The second portion includes a first supporting portion rotatably connected to the first portion and a second supporting portion arranged alongside the first supporting portion through a slit, the second supporting portion rotatably connected to the first supporting portion at a position shifted from the slit. The electronic apparatus is configured to transform between a first form where the second portion covers the apparatus and the second form where the second supporting portion supports the first portion to hold the apparatus in a tilted state by the rotation of the first and second supporting portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Koji ARIGA
  • Patent number: 8482668
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a digital television (DTV) receiver including at least a one-bit-flag such that when the flag is “on”, the DTV receiver is not allowed to start an initial acquisition process, and at least one additional receiver sharing part of a receive chain of the DTV receiver and wherein the additional receiver is capable of turning the one-bit-flag “on”. The flag may be set through communication between the drivers of the DTV receiver and the at least one additional receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Ilan Sutskover
  • Patent number: 8483640
    Abstract: A television broadcast receiving apparatus can change an oscillation frequency of a local oscillation signal or a tuning frequency of an intermediate frequency signal in a reception channel, and changes the reception characteristic to an optimum reception characteristic. In this way, the television broadcast receiving apparatus effectively reduces SN ratio deterioration due to interference of the outside of a reception band such as adjacent channel interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeto Masuda
  • Publication number: 20130141649
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reception device, a reception method, a transmission device and a transmission method for a digital signal including tuning assistant information capable of rapidly presenting one segment broadcasting which can be received, and a program. Station information acquisition units 111 to 113 acquire station information regarding a station, at least including broadcasting area information which is information of a broadcasting area capable of receiving a broadcast wave from the station which transmits the broadcast wave of arbitrary one segment broadcasting at an arbitrary segment. A station selection unit 117 selects a station of the one segment broadcasting which can be received at a predetermined position as a tunable station which can be tuned using the broadcasting area information, and a tuning control unit 118 performs tuning control in which the one segment broadcasting of the tunable station is tuned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohisa Kitazato, Izumi Hatakeyama, Masayuki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 8457574
    Abstract: A tuner front-end circuit for processing a radio frequency (RF) signal includes a first filter block that terminates the RF signal for unwanted frequency bands; a second filter block that provides selectivity within the unterminated signal by separating the unterminated signal into a plurality of separate signals, each of a different desired frequency band; and an amplifier block that amplifies each of the separate signals. One or more of the amplified separate signals can be provided to a tuner. The circuit can also include a daisy chain output block that provides the amplified separate signals to one or more additional tuners. One or more tracking filter blocks can also be included to provide further selectivity to the amplified separate signals and to reject signals at specific harmonics to prevent degradation of a signal-to-noise ratio. A method of processing an RF signal is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ramon Gomez
  • Publication number: 20130135535
    Abstract: A device operable to handle channelized media content may generate a prediction that a first channel will be selected for presentation based on a partially-input channel identifier. The device may process the first channel while concurrently processing a second channel, the second channel having been previously selected for presentation. The prediction may be updated upon input of each character of the channel identifier. The prediction may be based on a position of a user's finger on a remote control and/or based on channels being consumed by consumers in a common demographic with the user. The processing of the first channel may comprise partially decoding the first channel and buffering the partially-decoded first channel. Upon said first channel being selected for presentation, the device may read the partially-decoded first channel from memory, further decode the partially-decoded first channel to recover content, and outputting the recovered content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventor: Curtis Ling
  • Patent number: 8453181
    Abstract: A television, such as an HDTV receiver, includes a plurality of signal inputs each of which is adapted to receive television signals comprising a plurality of channels and communicate the received television signals to a processor/tuner for selection of the various channels by a user for viewing on a display of the television. A channel search routine for the detection of channels in the television signal is accomplished on the currently designated signal input rather than on all signal inputs of the television. The channels detected during the search of the currently designated signal input are included in a channel list that is stored in memory of the television. A GUI is preferably used to initiate the channel search and is capable of displaying the detected channels relating to the currently selected signal input. Channel lists for each signal input are updated as the channels are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Gene Harlow Johnson, Matthew Thomas Mayer, Scott Edward Klopfenstein, Aaron Hal Dinwiddie
  • Patent number: 8451201
    Abstract: The method of driving a liquid crystal display in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is a method of driving a liquid crystal display whereby a first liquid crystal panels produces a display from a first display signal and the second liquid crystal panel produces a display a second display signal derived from the first display signal, the first and second liquid crystal panels being stacked on top of each other. The luminance of the first liquid crystal panel is extended based on the luminance extension ratio obtained from the gray levels for dots contained in the first display signal and a logical maximum gray level of input image data. The luminance of the second liquid crystal panel which produces a display from the second display signal is lowered by the amount by which luminance is extended on the first liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Hirata, Masayuki Katakami, Toshihide Tsubata, Makoto Shiomi, Shigeaki Mizushima
  • Patent number: 8451387
    Abstract: A display is formed such that a control portion reads second channel data corresponding to channels not displayed at start-up from a second storage portion after reading first channel data corresponding to a prescribed channel displayed on a display portion at the start-up from a first storage portion, at the start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichiro Mori, Tadahiro Naito
  • Publication number: 20130128126
    Abstract: A receiver receives channel selection related information. The receiver determines to switch to presenting content being received from a provider. Such switching may involve powering on the receiver and/or switching from other operations that do not present received content. The receiver selects a channel based at least one the information and transmits content associated with the selected channel to a presentation device. In various implementations, the information may be received from the content provider, from a user, by monitoring accessed content, and so on. In some implementations, the information may include data specifying a particular channel to select, a commonly accessed channel to select, a characteristic of commonly accessed content that may be used to select a channel associated with content with a similar characteristic, a particular specified characteristic that may be used to select a channel associated with content with a similar characteristic, and so on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Sagar Bankim Zaveri
  • Publication number: 20130120665
    Abstract: Methods and systems for multi-path video and network channels may comprise a communication device comprising a wideband path (WB) and a narrowband path (NB), wherein the WB may be operable to receive a plurality of channels and the NB may be operable to receive a single channel. Video channels and a network channel may be received in the WB when the device is operating in a first stage. Video channels and a network channel may be received in the WB and the network channel may also be received in the NB when the device is operating in a second stage. The network channel may be received in the NB when the device is operating in a third stage. The reception of the network channel from both the WB and the NB may enable a continuous reception of the network channel in a transition between the first and third stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventors: Anand Anandakumar, Sheng Ye, Curtis Ling
  • Publication number: 20130120664
    Abstract: An aircraft cockpit display includes among other things an LCD panel having a liquid crystal matrix, and an LED backlight having an array of LEDs for illuminating the liquid crystal matrix. The remainder of the display allows for single point failures within the architecture without impacting the primary display functions of the LCD panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Bushell, Brett Allen Eddy
  • Patent number: 8441581
    Abstract: At least two turbo decoding apparatuses are used in a receiver for concatenated convolutional coding transmissions imbedded in 8-VSB digital television signals. This permits turbo decoding procedures for the M/H Groups in any Parade consisting of eight or fewer M/H Groups to be interleaved so at least one M/H Slot interval after each of those M/H Groups has been received is available for decoding that M/H Group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Inventor: Allen LeRoy Limberg
  • Patent number: 8441580
    Abstract: One embodiment sets forth a method of scanning a frequency channel, which includes receiving a radio-frequency signal in a selected frequency channel, performing a carrier recovery process, and evaluating a control signal generated during the carrier recovery process to determine the presence of program content in the selected frequency channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Jeng-Shiann Jiang
  • Patent number: 8436946
    Abstract: A method of scanning television channels at initial setup. The method includes at a first power mode, automatically scanning for channels using a first scanning setup procedure during which the television is unusable by a user. The first power mode is when the television is at a full power mode. The detected channels are automatically provided for use by the television upon completion of the first scanning setup procedure. The method further includes automatically scanning for channels using a second scanning setup procedure at a second power mode following the first power mode. The second power mode is at a lower power mode than the first power mode, and the second scanning setup procedure is more time consuming in comparison to the first scanning setup procedure. Additional channels not detected during the initial setup by the first scanning setup procedure are automatically detected at the second power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Tonni Sandager Larsen, Yuko Suzuki, Norifumi Takaya, William Schupp, Max Wu, Liviu Burciu
  • Patent number: 8436945
    Abstract: In a digital broadcast reception apparatus, a presetting operation is carried out and, when the presetting operation is carried out, a normal reception of a broadcast signal on a channel, which can be received in an area in which the apparatus is installed, and the normal reception of which cannot be found in the event that a gain in a gain switching amplifier is of an initial value, is made possible by a switching and setting of a gain in each VGA 3, 5a and 5b being carried out by means of a control circuit 9 or an operating unit 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanao Fukui
  • Publication number: 20130107128
    Abstract: A television tuner module includes a tuner that is configured to receive a television broadcast signal; a first shield member that surrounds the tuner and a second shield member that surrounds the first shield member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bright SEO, Hyun-jun KIM, Sung-soo LEE
  • Patent number: 8427588
    Abstract: A TV receiver transmits video data from its tuner unit to its monitor unit via wireless transmission by using a channel shared with radar. When the tuner unit receives a program to be viewed, a recorder/player starts recording of the received program. When wireless transmission of the received program cannot be started on time at the program start time because of detecting an unused channel for wireless transmission, or when a radar wave in the shared channel is detected after starting wireless transmission and then wireless data transmission is interrupted, the recorder/player plays back on a time-shift basis the program recorded on the recording medium, and the program data played back is transmitted to the monitor unit. The TV receiver is capable of preventing the user from missing a program that he wants to view even when wireless data transmission is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunobu Kimura
  • Patent number: 8427586
    Abstract: The tuner comprises an RF input for receiving a high frequency signal, a downconverter including a mixer for downconverting the high frequency signal, an IF filter coupled to an output of the mixer, an SAW filter coupled to an output of the IF filter and a gain-controlled IF amplifier coupled to an output of the SAW filter for providing an amplified IF signal for a subsequent demodulator. The IF filter includes a controllable damping stage which is in particular usable for improving the noise performance of the tuner. The tuner is designed in a preferred embodiment for reception of analog and digital television signals and the controllable damping stage provides a damping in case of reception of an analog television signal for improving a signal/noise ratio of the analog television signal. The damping stage comprises for example a switching stage utilizing one or several varactor diodes as damping elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Kim Suan Pang, Vinod Menon
  • Patent number: 8427284
    Abstract: A multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment; the unit might act as a stand-alone device or being integrated into the multimedia equipment. Different individual combinations of individual objects enable for different functional capabilities. The multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment has access to external sources via standard network interfaces and protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Bang & Olufsen A/S
    Inventor: Kaj Nielsen
  • Patent number: 8427587
    Abstract: A tracking filter includes a first buffer, an impedance transformer, an inductor, a first capacitive unit, a second capacitive unit and a second buffer. The first buffer has an input terminal for receiving an input signal. The impedance transformer is connected with an output terminal of the first buffer. The inductor is connected with a second terminal of the impedance transformer. The first capacitive unit is interconnected between the impedance transformer and a ground terminal. The second capacitive unit is interconnected between the inductor and the ground terminal. The second buffer is connected with the inductor for generating an output signal. When specified values of the impedance transformer, the first capacitive unit and the second capacitive unit are simultaneously increased, an operating frequency of the output signal is decreased, so that a gain value of the output signal to the input signal is maintained constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chao-Huang Wu
  • Patent number: 8422980
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-frequency circuit capable of acquiring the original transmission characteristics of a filter by preventing capacitive coupling between input and output terminals of the filter externally attached to the integrated circuit and effectively using a mounting space. The high-frequency circuit includes a rectangular integrated circuit 10 having two long sides 10a and 10b and two short sides 10c and 10d and a SAW filter 15, disposed to be adjacent to the short side 10d of the integrated circuit 10, having input terminals 24a and 24b disposed on the long side 10a side and output terminals 28a and 28b disposed on the other long side 10b side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20130088647
    Abstract: Methods and systems for impairment shifting may comprise receiving radio frequency (RF) signals in a receiver, downconverting the signals to baseband frequencies, and synchronizing the receiver to received signals. The frequency of a local oscillator (LO) may be adjusted to shift residual impairments to fall between desired baseband signals where they are least visible. The received RF signals may comprise analog, satellite, or cable, television signals. The LO frequency may be adjusted to configure the DC offset impairments to fall between luminance and chrominance harmonics. The LO frequency may be adjusted to configure I/Q imbalanced impairments from residual in-phase and quadrature mismatch of a picture carrier signal to fall about 300 kHz from a sound carrier signal in the analog television signals. The LO frequency may be adjusted to configure the I/Q imbalanced impairments from residual I/Q mismatch of a sound carrier signal to fall between luminance and chrominance harmonics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventors: Chengzhi Zhou, Shuang Yu
  • Patent number: 8416347
    Abstract: In a method of automatically selecting audio format for output signal of a tuner, a SAW filter is configured to a bandwidth of 5.5 MHz for filtering IF signal so as to generate CVBS signal and SSIF signal. Then, band-pass filters are used to detect a back porch of the CVBS signal thereby determining whether signal amplitude at a center frequency of 4.43 MHz is greater than that at a center frequency of 3.58 MHz. Finally, a bandwidth of 4.5 MHz is assigned to the SAW filter for filtering the intermediate frequency signal to re-generate the CVBS signal when the amplitude at 4.43 MHz is smaller than that at 3.58 MHz. Further, a video decoder decodes the CVBS signal to determine a video format from NTSC, PAL-M, and PAL-N formats, and an audio decoder decodes the SSIF signal to determine an audio format from MN, BG, DK, and I formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Yen Yang, Huan-Pin Tseng
  • Patent number: 8418199
    Abstract: In a system, tabulated information on broadcasting programs is supplied through a network. When a user selects information on a desired program from the tabulated information of programs, supplemental information attached to the individual program information is converted into an remote control signal to remote-control a user's receiver to receive the desired program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8416349
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a broadcast reception device including a connection section for connecting to a smart antenna that switches directivity or a unidirectional antenna with fixed directivity connected; a first channel search section for executing channel search in the smart antenna; a second channel search section for executing channel search in the unidirectional antenna; a communication section for providing the connected smart antenna with power and a control signal; and a connection detection section for detecting a voltage of the communication section varied by voltage drop caused by the communication section connected to the smart antenna, and detect one of presence and absence of connection of the smart antenna based on a result of the detection, the first channel search section is selected to execute the channel search when the connection detection section detects the connection of the smart antenna, and the second channel search section is selected to execute the channel search when the c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuteru Adachi
  • Patent number: 8411761
    Abstract: When a change in sub-channel selection is made after a mobile/handheld (M/H) Frame is begun, an M/H receiver is for some time unable to correct byte errors by transverse Reed-Solomon (TRS) decoding of turbo decoding results. Despite this, later stages of the M/H receiver are supplied data that cyclic-redundancy-check (CRC) decoding of Internet protocol (IP) packets does not find to be in error. Some of the IP packets comprise Service Map Table (SMT)-mobile/handheld (MH) data used to update SMT determining how the M/H receiver is operated. SMT-MH data that have not been subjected to TRS byte-error correction are kept from updating the SMT until those SMT-MH data are verified by later SMT-MH data subjected to TRS byte-error correction. Transmitting total number of Groups (TNOG) information for the currently received M/H Frame in all its sub-frames speeds up acquisition of Fast Information Channel updates by the M/H receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Allen LeRoy Limberg
  • Patent number: 8411216
    Abstract: Each pixel region includes first and second pixel electrodes (17a, 17b) and first and second capacitor electrodes (67x, 67y) positioned on a layer where a data signal line (15) exists. The first and second capacitor electrodes are aligned in a row direction in such a manner as to overlap a retention capacitor line (18) via a first insulating film and to overlap the second pixel electrode (17b) via a second insulating film. A drain electrode (9) of a transistor (12), the first pixel electrode (17a), a first connection line (38) connected with the first capacitor electrode (67x), and the second connection line connected with the second capacitor electrode (67y) are electrically connected with one another. A part of the first connection line (38) and a part of the second connection line (39) do not overlap the retention capacitor line (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihide Tsubata
  • Publication number: 20130076987
    Abstract: A method and apparatus reducing interference to reception of television signals received by a television receiver. The television receiver includes an antenna receiving television signals and a tuner selecting the television signals transmitted on a carrier signal. The interference is produced by a communication device transmitting radio communication signals that can be received by the television receiver when the tuner is tuned to the television signals. The method transmits a radio beacon signal from a location substantially same as a location of the television receiver, and if the radio beacon signal is detected at the communication device, adapts transmission of the radio communication signals from the communication device to reduce interference at the television receiver. As examples, the communications device is a mobile communications device, mobile telephone, personal computer, or a base station, for example disposed within a house for forming a femto cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicants: Sony Europe Limited, Sony Corporation
    Inventors: John Nicholas Wilson, John Christopher Clifton
  • Publication number: 20130076983
    Abstract: A method of watching television programs, to be implemented using a television device and a remote control device that remotely controls the television device and that has an audio-video output module, includes: configuring first and second television tuners of the television device to receive the television program signals, respectively; and configuring the television device to receive an output television program command from the remote control device, and to select one of the television program signals for output to the remote control device and for subsequent reproduction by the audio-video output module of the remote control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: TPV Display Technology (Xiamen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yr. HONG, Zi-Jie Huang
  • Patent number: 8405778
    Abstract: An information display apparatus having a display unit that displays first information based on a signal corresponding to one channel in a broadcast wave received by a receiving unit, further includes a detecting unit that detects a reception state of the signal while the first information is displayed on the display unit; a judging unit that judges whether information displayed on the display unit has been changed from the first information to second information, if the reception state of the signal has deteriorated; a monitoring unit that monitors whether the reception state has returned to a favorable state, if the displayed information has been judged to have been changed to the second information; and a display control unit that continues display of the second information and redisplays the first information on a portion of the display unit, if the reception state of the signal has returned to a favorable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Miyuki Yoshino, Hidetsugu Kubota, Taro Aiura, Kazuyoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8406288
    Abstract: A digital video apparatus provides reduced channel change times. According to an exemplary embodiment, the digital video apparatus includes at least one receiver for receiving first and second video streams representing the same program, wherein the first video stream has at least one characteristic different from the second video stream; a first signal processor for processing the first video stream to generate a first processed video stream; a second signal processor for processing the second video stream to generate a second processed video stream having a delay with respect to the first processed video stream; a renderer for rendering the second processed video stream responsive to a channel change command; and a switch for switching from the second processed video stream to the first processed video stream after the renderer begins rendering the second processed video stream, and thereby causing the renderer to begin rendering the first processed video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jiwang Dai, Glenn Lawrence Cash, Alan Jay Stein
  • Patent number: 8407738
    Abstract: A method includes requesting most-watched program information from a subscription television service and identifying the most-watched program for a current time slot. The method further includes receiving a channel identification for the most-watched program for the current time slot, automatically tuning to the most-watched program based on the channel identification, and displaying the most-watched program. The most-watched program may be tuned at the start of a set-top box initialization sequence to give perception of a fast start time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Syed Zafar Beyabani, Syed Beyabani
  • Publication number: 20130070162
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises a display control module, a display magnification setting module, and a receiver. The display control module includes at least one hardware processor and is adapted to display an image, including a first area and a second are, and a cursor moved in the image on a display device. The display magnification setting module is configured to set display magnification of the first area. The receiver is configured to receive a movement signal of the cursor. Herein, the display control module adjusts the cursor by (i) a first distance in response to the display magnification of the first area being set to a first display magnification and (ii) a second distance that is longer than the first distance in response to the display magnification of the first area being set to a second display magnification that is larger than the first display magnification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Shigeru Maeda, Tomohiro Kanda
  • Patent number: 8401478
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for the communication of wireless data using diverse radio access technologies (RATs) in Television Band (TVBD) frequencies. An architecture for communicating wireless data in TVBD frequencies may include one or more network nodes that perform functions related to the coordination of channel quieting across multiple diverse RATs. Channel quieting may be performed across multiple diverse RATs by using temporary channel reassignments, by aggregating wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that use a particular RAT onto the same channel, and/or via other techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Kwak, Alexander Reznik, Juan Carlos Zuniga
  • Publication number: 20130063667
    Abstract: A display device has two data signal lines provided for each column of pixels (?, ?, ?). A data signal line (15q) to which a pixel electrode (17a) contained in a pixel (101) is connected via a transistor (12a) and a data signal line (15Q) to which a pixel electrode (17b) contained in a pixel (102) adjacent to the pixel (101) in a column-wise direction is connected via a transistor (12b) are different from each other. The pixel electrode (17a) contained in the column of pixels (?) forms a capacitance (CaP) with a data signal line (15P) provided for the column of pixels (?) and forms a capacitance (Car) with a data signal line (15r) provided for the column of pixels (?). This enhances the display quality of a display device having a plurality of data signal lines provided for each column of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventor: Tamotsu Sakai
  • Patent number: 8395712
    Abstract: A television (10) includes: a WiHD-RX (11) which receives signals transmitted from a camcorder (20) and a BD system (30); an orientation detection unit (102) which detects information indicating a relative position between a WiHD-TX (21) and a WiHD-RXTX (31); a communication status obtainment unit (104a) which obtains communication status information indicating whether or not it is possible to transmit a video signal or an audio signal from one of the camcorder (20) and the BD system (30) to the other; and a change information generation unit (104b) which generates, based on a detection result of by the orientation detection unit (102), and outputs change information when the communication status information indicates that the transmission is not possible. The change information indicates a direction for moving a communication range of the video signal or the audio signal from the WiHD-TX (21) closer to the WiHD-RXTX (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sato, Koichiro Tanaka, Keiichiro Obayashi, Makoto Funabiki
  • Publication number: 20130057776
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a television includes: a display part; a tuner part; an electronic component; a casing including: a first wall provided with an opening part and configured to cover the electronic component; a second wall provided with a second opening part and configured to cover the electronic component; and a third wall provided with a third opening part over the first wall and the second wall; a stand part configured to support the casing; a fan accommodated within the casing; and a radiating member including regions facing the first opening part, the second opening part and the third opening part, and positioned between the fan and the third wall, wherein the second wall includes a recessed part and a projection projected toward the outside of the casing; and a part of the fan faces the recessed part from the inside of the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Akifumi Yamaguchi, Nobuto Fujiwara, Hiroaki Itakura, Atsushi Tatemichi, Issei Takahashi, Naoki Tani
  • Patent number: 8390744
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a video stream processing system and to a method of displaying a video stream. In a particular embodiment, the method includes, during a first time period, displaying a first version of a received video stream while recovering a second version of the received video stream, the first version of the received video stream having a lower video display quality than the second version of the received video stream. The first time period begins no more than approximately 100 milliseconds after a detected channel change. The method also includes switching from display of the first version of the received video stream to display of the second version of the received video stream during a second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Marc A. Sullivan, Philip T. Kortum, Jeff Brandt