Zenith Electronics Corporation

Zenith Radio Corporation

Techwell, Inc.

Paul A Snopko

Richard W Citta

Mark J Fimoff

Wayne E Bretl

Raymond C Hauge

Frank C Templin

David L Blanchard

Dong Hyun Lee

Ronald B Lee

Thomas J Zato

Dennis M Mutzabaugh

In Sun Lee

Peter C Skerlos

Gopalan Krishnamurthy

Michael E Long

Moon Key Lee

Gary A Jones

Greg Tomezak

Jong Guk Kim

Judson A Hofmann

Thomas P Horwitz

Vito Brugliera

Barry Hardek

Mark Fimoff

An equalizer and methods for equalizing a cable-borne signal are described. The cable-borne signal includes a digital signal and a baseband analog signal separated by frequency. Distortions are removed from the digital signal and an analog equalizer compensates for attenuations of the analog signal caused by the cable based on equalization settings of a digital equalizer. A baseband analog filter can be selected based on an estimate calculated by the digital equalizer of difference in attenuation at different frequencies.

Analog equalizer systems and methods for baseband video signals

An MPEG on-screen display coder includes a buffer, an MPEG encoder, and a multiplexer. The buffer receives and buffers an MPEG transport data stream containing frames of a selected program and frames of a non-selected program. The MPEG encoder encodes frames of the selected program with an on-screen display. The multiplexer selectively passes to a digital television receiver the frames of the non-selected program, the encoded frames of the selected program, and original frames of the selected program.

MPEG on screen display coder for DTV interfaces

In an enhanced slice prediction embodiment, an input containing first and second data is received. Each data element of the first data represents a number of bits that is greater than a number of bits represented by each data element of the second data, and the first and second data in the received input are defined by the same n level constellation. The input is decoded with a first decoder to recover both the first and second data. Only the second data is decoded with a second decoder. Enhanced slice prediction is provided based on the decoding of the second decoder.

Enhanced slice prediction feedback

An encoder-modulator for coupling a digital baseband television signal to a VSB digital television receiver that includes filters, equalization circuitry, and forward error correction circuitry for correcting signal impairments that are below a given threshold. The encoder-modulator processes the baseband signal for low power transmission on an RF channel with less-than-nominal bandpass characteristics. A coaxial cable or other low noise communication link directly connects the RF signal to the RF input of the television receiver. Any errors or signal impairments in the transmitted signal that are below the predetermined threshold are corrected by the filters and equalization circuitry built into the VSB digital television receiver.

Low cost VBS encoder and RF modulator for supplying VSB baseband signal to RF input of digital television receiver

A high definition television transmitting system includes a source of high definition analog RGB video signals which are converted to corresponding digitally encoded signals and thereafter compressed by a video encoder to a six megahertz bandwidth. The compressed data is formatted by a transmitter and processed in accordance with a Reed-Solomon error control system for broadcast as an NTSC-type broadcast signal. A high definition television receiver includes a high definition signal receiver coupled to the transmitter by a transmission link. The receiver extracts the compressed video, audio and ancillary data signals and applies a Reed-Solomon error correction thereto. The compressed video data is reconstructed by a video decoder and processed for high definition display. A high definition digital video tape recorder is coupled to the transmitter by an interface and format converter facilitating both recording and playback functions of the digital video tape recorder while maintaining the Reed-Solomon error control. The format converter provides compatibility between the high definition transmitter and the digital video tape recorder.

High definition television signal format converter

A dual purpose receiver can receive and process either 525-line NTSC signals or 787.5-line HDTV signals without the use of costly interlace-to-progressive scan conversion circuitry. The 525-line signal can either be stored a line at a time and repeated twice to create a 1575-line format, or it can also interpolate values based on the two adjacent received lines to create a form of averaging in the 1575-line format. The invention is not restricted to use with NTSC/HDTV systems.

Dual purpose HDTV/NTSC receiver

A video decoder includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that has the decoder address and a secure decryption key stored in a one-time-programmable memory. Encrypted messages are received and selectively supplied to a packet decrypter and to a video decrypter based upon the location of bits in the message string. The packet decrypter is responsive to a flag in the packet data for utilizing a secure key or a unsecure key for decryption of the packet data. The information derived from the secure decryption and the secure key itself are never available (or ascertainable) outside of the ASIC. Only information concerning the unsecure key is available outside of the integrated circuit.

Secure video decoder system

One version of a microprocessor based auto dialer for a PPV television system includes an IR receiver for receiving impulse 'buy' decisions, in the form of one or more key pad entries from a portable IR transmitter, and a number generator for adding the appropriate digits to a partial ANI telephone number stored in memory. In another version, the auto dialer is connected to the serial port of a PM type CATV decoder and a PPV identifier and telephone number may be downloaded to the ANI auto dialer to eliminate the permanent storage of the telephone number and to simplify subscriber interaction. The auto dialer dials the telephone number of the cable head end. Further embodiments include carrier current interfaces between the IR receiver/detector and the auto dialer, and between the decoder and the auto dialer.

ANI auto dialer with carrier current interface

An adaptive comb filter and interpolator is combined with scan conversion circuitry thereby to reduce requirements for memory storage. Scan rate conversion processing of received television signals is coupled with adaptive comb filtering and interpolating to allow for all of the separate processes to be accomplished utilizing combined circuitry and a single memory using less memory storage space than the sum of the memory that the separate functions would normally require when performed at separate or discrete portions of a television receiver circuitry. A predetermined number of lines are stored in a memory and written out to combing and interpolating arithmetic logic circuitry under the control of a separate control circuit. The control circuit addresses the memory to provide for separately reading in the received digitalized video information and writing out the scan converted information to the logic circuitry for combing and interpolating. The scan rate converted, combed and interpolated chroma and luma signals are provided to the video display circuitry. The control circuit is governed by the synchronizing information of the received signal in addition to a pixel timing clock and mode control information. Two to one scan conversion for progressive scan line display is provided.

Adaptive comb filter and interpolator

A television receiver comprises a television system energized by the powerlines of a commercial power grid, a telephone network access system including a microphone disposed in close proximity with the audio speaker of the television system and a remote control system enabling the receiver to be operated in a television mode or a telephone mode. The television receiver according to the invention is characterized by having an annunciator/intercom enabled for operation by the remote control system. In the annunciator mode, the audio section of the television system is disabled and the microphone is connected through a radio-frequency signal transmitter to the power lines for generating a radio-frequency signal for local transmission. A frequency-modulator is included for modulating the radio frequency signal. At least one remotely located radio-frequency receiver coupled to the power lines is provided for receiving and demodulating the radio-frequency signal and rendering audible television receiver user voice signals. The television receiver user can therefore announce a telephone caller when the television receiver is operated in the annunciator mode. Alternately, intercom units may be employed to provide a two-way intercom conversation link between the television receiver user and a remotely located called party.

Television/telephone system with annunciator and intercom feature

A television receiver incorporating telephone interface circuitry permitting the viewer to not only answer incoming calls but also place outgoing calls by means of the television receiver is disclosed. An infrared link is used for remote control telephone answering and dial-out with a tuner-integrated microcomputer used to drive a character generator permitting the number dialed to be displayed on the television receiver's video display and to be provided to a standard telephone line. An automatic re-dial feature is provided by means of the microcomputer's memory whereby the last phone number dialed by the remote transmitter may be stored in memory, recalled by means of a single button selection, presented on the on-screen display and automatically dialed. The microcomputer-driven character generator also controls telephone interface circuitry and switching between television and telephone modes while providing for a privacy mode in which a television-mounted microphone is turned off in selectively muting audio output to the other telephone subscriber.

Microcomputer-controlled television/telephone system and method therefore

A televison receiver is disclosed comprising a cabinet which houses a television system having telephone network access means. The television receiver provides both for presentation of television programs and for dialing out and conversing through the talk channel and listen channel of an associated telephone network while viewing a television picture. The receiver has at least one function control means including operational mode selection means for providing a television program mode, and alternately, a two-way telephone; conversation with-television-picture mode, and with numerical keypad for dial out. The television receiver user can initiate a telephone call by dialing through the television receiver telephone network access means. Upon termination of the conversation, the televison receiver user can restore the television program mode.

Television receiver with two-way telephone conversation and dial-out

A television receiver is disclosed comprising a cabinet which houses a television system having telephone network access means. The television receiver provides both for presentation of television programs and for conversing through the talk channel and listen channel of an associated telephone network while viewing a television picture. The receiver has at least one function control means including operational mode selection means for providing a television program mode, and alternately, a two-way telephone conversation with-television-picture mode. When the presence of a ringer signal from the telephone network is indicated, the television receiver user can activate the two-way telephone conversation mode and conduct a two-way conversation with the telephone caller through the television receiver while viewing a television picture. Upon termination of the conversation, the television receiver user can restore the television program mode.

Television receiver with two-way telephone conversation capability

A multiple-channel information translation system includes a Bragg light-sound interaction cell interposed in the path of a spatially coherent input light beam. Carrier generating means generates a plural number greater than two of electrical carriers each having a different RF frequency. The carriers are respectively amplitude modulated by information-bearing input signals to produce a like plural number of amplitude-modulated carrier signals used to drive the Bragg cell. The cell Bragg-diffracts the input beam into a corresponding plural number of primary output light beams respectively amplitude-modulated in accordance with the input signals. The carrier generating means causes the frequencies, or frequencies and relative phase, of the carriers to be such that random, signal-related spurious amplitude modulation of the primary output light beams which might otherwise result from cross-channel interference effects in the cell is suppressed. In one disclosed embodiment the carrier frequencies are selected such that the frequency differences between each carrier frequency and all others are equally spaced in the frequency domain. In a second disclosed embodiment the carriers are phase-locked in order to effect the said suppression of spurious amplitude modulation of the primary output beams.

Multiple-channel information translation system and method

An optical video disc has a multi-turn spiral track which stores a frequency modulated carrier modulated with program information in accordance with NTSC format. The recording is further characterized by the fact that the phase of the chroma subcarrier at the start of one convolution of the record track is substantially the same as that of the end of the convolution. In the playback process, the disc is rotated at a speed such that the chroma subcarrier is integrally related to the frequency of disc rotation.

Growing community of inventors

Chicago, IL, United States of America

Paul A Snopko