Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc.

Thomson Licensing S.a.

John H Furrey

Sung J Kim

Alfred J Schick

Karl Francis Horlander

Joseph Craig Engle

Phillip Russell Mullis

Harold Rhea McKee

A system and method for eliminating absent or poor quality video sections from a video recording, such as a second generation of video recording. Synchronizing pulses associated with a video signal to be recorded are analyzed to determine whether a video signal is present and, further, to determine whether the video signal is not distorted (i.e., non-trick play mode). A recording device is selectively paused in response to the absence of a valid video signal or the presence of a video signal that is distorted, of poor quality or otherwise not worth recording.

Method and apparatus for video recording from previous recorded video

A VCR includes apparatus for controlling a cable converter unit. In a preferred embodiment, infrared (IR) transmission of commands from the VCR to the cable converter unit is employed. An LED assembly holds the LEDs in a predetermined orientation and provides first and second IR ports through which different amounts of IR signals are transmitted.

IR led assembly for VCR control of a cable converter unit

Apparatus in accordance with the subject invention controls a cable box (i.e., the source of its own video input signals), and monitors the television signals received from the cable box, in a 'closed loop' manner. By monitoring an appropriate signal the controller of the VCR can detect perturbations of signal level which indicate that the cable box has changed channels. It is herein recognized that such an appropriate signal can be taken across the filter capacitor of a either sync or AGC portions of a video processor of the VCR.

Detector circuit for use in a VCR

A VCR controls a cable box, and monitors television signals received from the cable box in a 'closed loop' manner. By monitoring an appropriate signal the controller of the VCR can detect perturbations of signal level which indicate that the cable box has changed channels. That is, the output signal of the cable box remodulated on, for example, the RF carrier frequency of channel 3, will be momentarily lost during the period in which the cable box changes channels. Thus, the subject apparatus can automatically determine the proper control code format for the cable box by issuing a channel change command and observing if the cable box responds to the channel change command. In one embodiment of the invention the VCR causes an on-screen display of an error message if it determines that it is unable to control the cable box.

Automatic detection of kind of cable converter unit coupled to a VCR

A VCR controls a cable box, and monitors television signals received from the cable box in a 'closed loop' manner. By monitoring an appropriate signal the controller of the VCR can detect perturbations of signal level which indicate that the cable box has changed channels. That is, the output signal of the cable box remodulated on, for example, the RF carrier frequency of channel 3, will be momentarily lost during the period in which the cable box changes channels. Thus, the subject apparatus can determine if the cable box is 'off' or 'on' by issuing a channel change command and observing if the cable box responds to the channel change command. In one embodiment of the invention the VCR causes an on-screen display of an error message if it determines that it is unable to control the came box.

On/off control of a cable converter unit by a VCR

A VCR includes circuitry for controlling a cable converter unit, circuitry for detecting the presence of a television signal, and control code transmission means for remotely controlling a cable converter unit. Advantageously, because the VCR is coupled to the output of the cable converter unit, the VCR can monitor the television signals received from the cable converter unit to ensure that commands sent to the cable converter unit from the VCR are executed. In one embodiment, infrared (IR) transmission of commands from the VCR to the cable converter unit is employed.

VCR control of a cable converter unit with active signal detection

VCR control of a cable converter unit

A video signal is coupled from the output of a display driver amplifier to an image display device via a coupling network including cascaded emitter follower transistors of opposite conductivity type. First and second diodes are respectively connected across the base-emitter junctions of each transistor and are poled for forward current conduction in a direction opposite to that of the associated base-emitter junction. The coupling network significantly reduces the value of capacitance of the display device as presented to the output of the driver amplifier, thereby improving positive and negative video signal transient response.

Video display driver apparatus

A video signal from a low impendance output of an amplifier device is conveyed to an image display device via a coupling path including first and second series connected resistors and a high frequency bypass capacitor coupled across the first resistor. The coupling path limits the signal drive to the display device particularly in the presence of a large magnitude video drive signal, and also compensates for high frequency attenuation of the video drive signal by an input capacitance of the display device.

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

John H Furrey