Sony Corporation

Kazuo Yamagiwa

Toshihiko Numakura

Takashi Okada

Masahiro Tada

Seiji Sato

Masayuki Hongu

Norihisa Shirota

Katsuo Isono

Koichi Takeuchi

Toshiyuki Yamauchi

Takeshi Hamada

Hideshi Tamaru

Yukihiko Machida

Shinji Takada

Yasunobu Kuniyoshi

Seiji Sanada

Shinji Amari

Yasushi Fujimura

Masatoshi Kamakur

Kiyoshi Nishitani

Kaneo Saito

An IC device has a first terminal for inputting date in the format for a four-line or two-line type bus line, and for outputting data, a second terminal for receiving a chip select signal, a third terminal for receiving a clock pulse, a fourth terminal for outputting data a first signal processor for receiving data from the first terminal in the format for a two-line type bus line and including an address signal and for outputting the data such first signal processor including a detector for detecting the address signal, a second signal processor for receiving the data supplied from the first terminal in the format of a four-line type bus line and outputting the data to the fourth terminal, the first and second signal processors being selectively enabled in accordance with the chip select signal, and a control unit for receiving the signal from the first or second signal processor and outputting the data to the first terminal or the first or second signal processors.

IC device compatible with input signals in the formats for two-line and

A video signal recording apparatus of reduced size for portability combines a video camera and helical scan video tape recorder in a single unit, in which the reduced size is obtained in part by having a tape guide drum of reduced diameter, which requires a tape wrap angle greater than the conventional 180.degree. and employs a pair of rotary tape heads that are arranged close together relative to the diametrically opposed conventional head arrangement. The timing of the heads in recording the fields of the video signals as tracks is controlled by a vertical synchronization signal having pulses that are delayed to account for the finite distance between the two rotary heads. The vertical sync signal then has a different time period for a first field than it does for a second field of one frame of the video signal. The camera has an image pickup portion that is caused to be scanned by the same synchronization signals utilized in the recording operation. This permits any horizontal overscan to occur at a time when the heads are off the tape and by adjusting the time base of the vertical sync signal the overscan can be arranged so that the portion of it is above and below the effective portion of the image pickup portion of the camera.

Video signal recording apparatus

There is provided a sum or differential frequency signal generating circuit for two input signals of first and second frequencies. This circuit comprises: 1st and 2nd differential amplifiers which receive the input signal of the 1st frequency and generate differential 1st and 2nd output currents having the phase difference of 90.degree.; 3rd and 4th differential amplifiers which receive the input signal of the 2nd frequency and generate differential 3rd and 4th output currents having the phase difference of 90.degree.; a 1st multiplier consisting of a differential amplifier for generating the multiplication output current of the output currents of the 1st and 3rd differential amplifiers; a 2nd multiplier consisting of a differential amplifier for generating the multiplication output current of the output currents of the 2nd and 4th differential amplifiers; and an output terminal at which the output currents of the 1st and 2nd multipliers are synthesized and fetched. This signal generating circuit hardly needs adjusting circuit but can suppress unnecessary signal components and is suitable for making an IC and can be applied to an SSB modulator and other similar circuits.

Circuit for generating a sum or differential frequency signal

In a subscription television system, only a video signal for a specific program is scrambled in a television signal in accordance with a predetermined scrambling mode. A key signal, used for unscrambling the scrambled video signal, is generated in response to the scrambling mode. The key signal is transmitted after the scrambled program.

Subscription television system

In apparatus for reproducing a video signal which is recorded on a recording medium with a luminance component thereof non-linearly pre-emphasized and the signal portions thereof greater than a predetermined level being clipped; there are provided a non-linear de-emphasizing circuit which non-linearly attenuates the reproduced luminance component in a manner substantially complementary to the amount of the non-linear pre-emphasis, a gain control element, for example, in the form of a transistor, having a variable gain, and a compensating circuit for substantially recovering the clipped signal portions upon reproduction of the video signal, and in which the compensating circuit increases the gain of the gain control element for the portions of the reproduced luminance component at the predetermined level. The compensating circuit desirably includes a switching diode connected at one terminal to the collector of the gain control transistor and to a reference voltage at the other terminal such that the diode is made conductive for the portions of the reproduced luminance component of the video signal at the predetermined level to increase the gain of the transistor at the collector thereof.

Video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus with gain control

An apparatus for reproducing a video signal recorded in skewed parallel tracks on a magnetic tape compensates both for cross-track and along-track errors during reproduction at a tape speed different from the tape speed employed during recording by affixing reproducing heads to bi-morph leaves which are skewed with respect to the direction of rotation of a rotating drum to which they are attached. The skew has components in the along-track direction and the across-track direction such that unidirectional motions of the bi-morph leaves simultaneously correct for cross-track and along-track errors.

Transducer deflection apparatus for use in a video signal reproducing

A method and apparatus for recording in successive parallel tracks on a record medium a periodic information signal, such as a video signal having information contained in successive line intervals, a predetermined number of line intervals being included in a field interval and a predetermined number of field intervals being included in a frame interval. Alternate ones of the frame intervals are delayed by a time delay equal to an odd multiple (2n-1) of a line interval. The delayed and undelayed frame intervals are supplied, in sequence, to a recording transducer for recording in successive parallel tracks on the record medium. If the video signal is a SECAM color video signal, then the effect of delaying alternate frame intervals, such as the odd (or even) frame intervals is to align line intervals in adjacent tracks with information representing the same color. Also disclosed are a method and apparatus for reproducing the periodic information signal which had been recorded in the aforementioned manner. These recorded signals are reproduced from the successive parallel tracks to recover the delayed and undelayed frame intervals alternately. The undelayed frame intervals are delayed, during reproduction, by a time delay equal to the aforesaid odd multiple (2n-1) of a line interval, thereby recovering the periodic information signal which appears in successive frame intervals as being undelayed relative to each other. Thus, if, during recording, the odd frame intervals are delayed, then during reproduction, the even frame intervals are delayed so as to equalize the reproduced odd and even frames.

Method and apparatus for recording and reproducing a color-aligned

In a color television system having a video tape recorder and a color television receiver which includes an automatic control circuit for automatically controlling color level and hue with a reference signal contained in a predetermined horizontal scanning line section of a video signal, and which is so designed that a broadcasting signal and a reproduced signal of the video tape recorder are selectively received by the color television receiver, the automatic control circuit rendered inoperative in response to a change-over operation by which the color television system is changed over to apply the reproduced signal of the video tape recorder to the color television receiver.

Color television receiver and VTR system

Apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a SECAM composite color television signal in parallel tracks on a record medium. The luminance and chrominance components of the SECAM television signal are separated from each other, and then the luminance component is modulated to a higher frequency range while the chrominance component is frequency-converted to a lower frequency range. These frequency-modified components are recombined and recorded. In frequency-converting the chrominance component, first and second frequency-converting carrier signals are generated, and the phases of these frequency-converting signals are synchronized, or locked, to the incoming SECAM television signal so as to exhibit corresponding phase changes. When these frequency-converting signals are used to frequency-convert the chrominance component of the SECAM television signal, the resultant frequency-converted chrominance components are recorded in at least one track with a substantially constant phase and in the next adjacent track with a frequency-converted sub-carrier which differs from that of the said one track. The recorded frequency-converted sub-carrier frequencies in adjacent tracks are in frequency interleaved relation with respect to each other. In one embodiment of the recording apparatus, the frequencies of the frequency-converting signals differ from each other by n/4fh, wherein n is an integer (preferably 1) and fh is the horizontal line frequency of the SECAM television signal. In this embodiment, the phase of the recorded chrominance subcarrier is constant for all tracks.

Secam recording and reproducing system

A video signal processing circuit includes an amplifier with a circuit connected to it to emphasize the amplification of some frequencies relative to others. A non-linear circuit is also connected to the amplifier and comprises a capacitor connected in series with non-linear elements that change the amplification of positive and negative overshoots of the signal relative to the middle amplitude range. The result is non-linear modification of emphasis and can be used to pre-emphasize video signals before using them to modulate the frequency of a carrier and, in the playback section to de-emphasize the signals to minimize FM noise. Use of the capacitor prevents direct current from flowing and thus affecting the threshold levels of the non-linear elements. Component values can be selected to effect temperature compensation.

Capacitive-type nonlinear emphasis circuit

In apparatus for recording, or otherwise transmitting, video or other information signals, and in which at least a portion of the signal to be recorded, for example, the luminance component of a color video signal, is frequency modulated and then passed through a filter for limiting the frequency band of the resulting frequency modulated component or signal which is recorded; a signal processor, such as, an automatic gain control or limiter, acts on the frequency modulated output of the filter to eliminate or compensate for amplitude variations that may occur therein by reason of the filter, for example, at portions of the signal where substantial pre-emphasis was applied.

Video recorder having means for maintaining constant the amplitude of

In recording periodic information signals having first intervals and second intervals which are subdivisions of the first intervals, for example, the chrominance components of color video signals having field and line intervals, and which are recorded in respective areas or increments of successive parallel tracks on a record medium; interference due to crosstalk between signals recorded in next adjacent tracks is substantially reduced or eliminated by recording the information signals in such next adjacent tracks with first and second carriers, respectively, which have their phases changed in opposite directions by 2.pi./N and 2.pi./M, respectively, for successive second intervals, with each of N and M being a whole number greater than 2 which is negative to indicate a phase change or shift in the clockwise direction or positive to indicate a phase change in the counterclockwise direction, and with each of N and M being selected to satisfy the equation 1/N-1/M=1/2.

Magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus with chrominance

A video recording/playback system having one or more rotary heads for recording and reproducing a video signal and a fixed head for recording and reproducing a tracking control signal is provided with an enhanced color killer feature. A characteristic of the color killer feature is that a color killer control signal is recorded together with a normal tracking control signal but does not affect the tracking control servo system during signal reproduction. The color killer control signal has a distinguishable characteristic which is detected during signal reproduction and is used to selectively operate a switch included in the usual chrominance signal channel of the recording/playback system.

Color killer enhancement in a video signal recording/playback system

A phase detector comprising a first differential amplifier for receiving a first input signal and having an output circuit which produces an output that is a direct function of the first input signal. An actuable second differential amplifier receives a second input signal and includes an output circuit for producing an output signal which is proportional to the phase difference between the first and second input signals. The second differential amplifier is coupled to the first differential amplifier output circuit so as to be actuated by the output produced by the output circuit and to thereby produce an output signal representing the phase difference between the second input signal and the output supplied by the first differential amplifier output circuit. The output produced by the first differential amplifier output circuit is supplied as a differential amplifier current to the second differential amplifier. Hence, in one embodiment, the second differential amplifier includes common-connected stages connected in differential configuration, the common connection being coupled to the first differential amplifier output circuit.

Phase detector

In a color video signal reproducing apparatus having a plurality of magnetic heads, chrominance signals contained in color video signals respectively reproduced by the plurality of magnetic heads are separately subjected to level or gain control with a view to being equal in level, the levels of the respective chrominance signals are discriminated or detected and, when the level of any one or more of the chrominance signals is outside the control range of the above level or gain control, a so-called color killer operation is carried out.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kazuo Yamagiwa