North American Philips Corporation

Philips Electronics North America Corporation

Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc.

Joseph P Bingham

Peter J Janssen

William F Guerinot

Ralph H Bradley, Jr

Kenneth R Skinner

Detlev Otto

Forest E Jernigan

Douglas J Hatch

A color projection video system utilizing only a single light valve. A white light source is separated into into red, green and blue bands. Scanning optics cause the RGB bands to be sequentially scanned across a light valve, such as a transmission LCD panel. Prior to each color passing over a given row of panels on the light valve, that row will be addressed, by the display electronics with the appropriate color content of that portion of the image which is being displayed. The image is projected by a projection lens onto a viewing surface, such as a screen. The sequence of light bands occurs so quickly as to give the viewer an appearance of simultaneous full color.

Single panel color projection video display

A television receiver is equipped with a graphics generator which is capable of generating a single or multiple graphic images from data representing commercial advertisements stored in a memory device. The elements of this arrangement include a micro-controller, a memory device, a graphics and memory controller, a pallet controller and a video switch. The images corresponding to the commercial advertisements are displayed to the consumer when a control function of the television receiver is activated. Alternatively, the images may be displayed in response to an internal clock. The images presented may be static or animated and may occupy a small portion of the screen or the full screen.

Embedded commericals within a television receiver using an integrated

An extended definition television (EDTV) system transmits, receives and displays both EDTV and conventional signals using a NTSC channel bandwidth. The system produces an EDTV broadcast signal having a picture with a 16:9 aspect ratio and at least one adjacent horizontal border to produce an overall image aspect ratio of 4:3. Picture information is also selectively modulated onto the horizontal border. The EDTV broadcast signal is transmitted in a standard television format, and a receiving circuit is provided comprising a display means with a 16:9 aspect ratio, a detector for determining whether an EDTV or other type of signal is being received, and an expansion circuit responsive to the detector means to produce an expanded picture for display. When an EDTV signal is received, it is expanded and filtered vertically and is expanded horizontally and the 16:9 picture is displayed on the 16:9 display. The receiving circuit derives picture information from both the picture portion and the border portion of the EDTV signal. When a conventional television signal is received, it is displayed on the 16:9 display means with at least one vertical border so that the picture has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The EDTV signal is also compatible with and may be received and displayed on standard NTSC receivers as a 16:9 picture with at least one horizontal border.

Compatible EDTV system providing multi-aspect ratio display on EDTV and

An extended definition television (EDTV) system transmits, receives and displays both EDTV and NTSC signals using a NTSC channel bandwidth. The system procudes an EDTV broadcast signal having a picture with a 16:9 aspect ratio and at least one adjacent horizontal border to produce an overall image apsect ratio of 4:3. Picture information is also selectively modulated onto the horizontal border. The EDTV broadcast signal is transmitted in a NTSC format, and a receiving circuit is provided comprising a display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, a detector for determining whether an EDTV or other type of signal is being received, and an expansion circuit responsive to the detector to produce an expanded picture for display. When an EDTV signal is received, it is expanded and filtered vertically and is expanded horizontally and the 16:9 picture is displayed on the 16:9 display. The receiving circuit derives picture information from both the picture portion and the border portion of the EDTV signal. When an NTSC signal is received, it is displayed on the 16:9 display with at least one vertical border so that the NTSC picture has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The EDTV signal is also compatible with and may be received and displayed on standard NTSC receivers as a 16:9 picture with at least one horizontal border.

Single channel NTSC compatible EDTV system

A graphic illustration of the rear connector panel of a television monitor/receiver is displayed on the screen of the monitor/receiver along with a menu of possible functions to which the connectors may be assigned. By making the functions of the connectors assignable, only a relatively few connectors need be provided, thereby producing a cost saving and reducing complexity for the user.

Television system user-accessible component display apparatus

In order to control subscriber access to selected television programs in a CATV system, nonstandard horizontal synchronizing pulses, having a greater amplitude and either a higher or lower pulse repetition rate than the contained horizontal synchronizing pulses, are selectively added to those television programs to be controlled. As a result, the television receiver of a nonpaying subscriber interprets the nonstandard pulses as being valid horizontal synchronizing pulses thereby preventing the receiver from synchronizing its line scanning with that of the television program rendering the picture produced therefrom unviewable.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Joseph P Bingham