Bell Telephone Laboratories

Dennis S Burcher

David M Dickson

Jeffrey A Walters

A video signal actuated switch is disclosed having general application in the area of video home entertainment systems. The present video signal actuated switch comprises an impedance matching circuit (200) for matching the impedance of an incoming video signal (VS) for display. A high impedance amplifier (201), having an associated filtering circuit (201a), amplifies a particular band of frequencies comprising a known component frequency of the video signal (VS). No significant degradation of the standard video signal results from the application of the impedance matching circuit (200) in combination with the amplifier circuit (201). An actuator circuit (202) provides a signal (F) responsive to the output of the amplifier circuit (201) to a control circuit (203). The control circuit (203), responsive to signal (F), provides a control signal (E) for controlling the selection of video inputs to a video terminal (100) and for controlling or powering an RF modulator circuit (206). RF modulator circuit (206), responsive to control circuit (203), permits video signal (VS) to modulate a particular television channel frequency. Antenna switch (205), responsive to the control signal (E), preempts the viewing of antenna signal (G) at video terminal (100) in favor of the modulated output of modulator circuit (206).

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Dennis S Burcher