General Electric Company

Scott E Cutler

Charles W Eichelberger

James F Bedard

Edward B Miller

Salvatore F Nati, Jr

Michael A Haase

Robert J Wojnarowski

Jerome Johnson Tiemann

Kenneth Brakeley Welles

A system is described which makes use of the fact that in a raster scanned television system a high degree of correlation exists both in the luminance and in the chrominance signals of a pair of adjacent lines. Because of this correlation, the difference between the luminance signals of the two lines is usually much smaller than luminance signal of either line alone, and requires less bandwidth. The present invention takes advantage of the natural correlation in a television picture in the horizontal and vertical directions for bandwidth reduction without significant impairment of the reproduced picture. This is accomplished by processing the television signal for bandwidth reduction in particular ways and transmitting it entirely in the analog domain. The bandwidth requirement is reduced for the transmission of the video signals over a transmission channel such as a cable television channel, a broadcast channel or a storage medium.

System for encoding and decoding video signals

A control module for controlling at least one variable-power-consuming load responsive to data input from local and/or remote locations, utilizes a controller microcomputer having an output setting the gain of a variable gain amplifier. The variable gain amplifier operates on a substantially-constant output of an oscillator to provide, on a cycle-by-cycle or long-term basis, a periodic waveform of controlled amplitude to the at least one load. The amplitude of the waveform sets the energy consumption/output of the load. Another data bus facilitates connection of local control means to a control module interface providing local control information to the controller microcomputer, while a third data bus is dedicated to communication with a remote central controller, if used. The control module includes circuitry for allowing a unique local address to be set for a particular control module, to which unique address the control module responds when a plurality of such control modules are connected in parallel to a central controller. A fourth data bus connects local sensors, such a photocells, thermistors and the like, through analog-to-digital conversion circuitry to the controller microcomputer, to facilitate control of the local loads responsive to local ambient conditions. The maximum level of the load(s) connected to a control module may be programmably established such that this maximum level can not be exceeded by local and/or remote commands, until the maximum level is altered.

Control module for engergy management system

A bar-graph-display data input/output system, having increased resolution, utilizes a bar graph display having a number of bar segments greater than the number of associated actuating switch devices. Selection of a given level in the increasing direction is obtained by actuating the next-higher switch; the bar graph starts at a level immediately above that bar segment adjacent to the switch next-lower than the actuated switch and slews, or moves, to each progressively higher position after a fixed time interval at each position, until either the switch is inactivated or the bar reaches the position of the switch activated. In the decreasing direction, the display bar starts at a level immediately below a bar segment directly adjacent to that switch next-higher than the switch actuated, and slews to progressively lower levels, after a similar fixed interval at each position until the activated switch is either inactivated or the bar reaches that segment directly associated with the activated switch. The bar graph, and the associated digital level output data, may be increased or decreased from a present position by actuating higher, or lower, switches.

Method of, and apparatus for, increased resolution slewing of a

Circuits for providing a variable-amplitude D.C. analog control signal to a load, responsive to the time duration of a periodic, variable-pulse-width input signal, while providing isolation between the input signal circuit and the load circuit. Embodiments utilizing either a fly-back transformer or an optoelectronics isolator, are disclosed.

Control signal and isolation circuits

A method for interfacing two remote electronic units uses four lines and a handshaking routine including the steps of: causing the first unit to simultaneously transmit a strobe signal on one of the four lines and a signal representing one bit of the information to be communicated on a second of the four lines, sending the two signals continuously until acknowledged by the second unit; causing the second unit, when it receives these signals, simultaneously to transmit a strobe signal on a third line and a data signal, which may or may not be the same as that on the second line, on the fourth line, the third and fourth signals being transmitted continuously until their receipt is acknowledged; terminating transmission of the first and second signals when the first unit receives the third and fourth signals; and terminating the transmission of the third and fourth signals when the second unit determines that the first and second signals are no longer being transmitted. This routine is used for transmission of each bit of information to be communicated. If desired, a fifth line may be provided to carry a signal by means of which the first unit can reset the second unit so that transmission of the communication can be reinitiated in the event of difficulties.

Method of interfacing remote units to a central microprocessor

Meat or poultry is cooked automatically in a thermal oven to a desired degree of doneness by a chosen time. The temperature of the meat or poultry is monitored, and linear extrapolations are made therefrom. These extrapolations are compared to the course the cooking should follow, and the oven temperature is automatically varied to correct deviations from the ideal course.

Method for cooking meat or poultry in thermal oven

Improved touch pad and display tube circuitry including a touch pad circuit, a tube circuit, and a scan voltage pulse drive circuit for generating scan voltage pulses applied to the touch pad and display tube circuits. The touch pad circuit receives scanning voltage pulses having very fast rise-times, to reduce the effects of contaminants which may be present on the surface of the touch pad panel. The display tubes of the display tube circuit each include an anode, a plurality of display cathodes and a control cathode. The current flowing through the control cathode is proportional to the current in the associated display cathodes. The control cathode current is utilized by the drive circuit to adjust to a desired value the value of the magnitude of the scan voltage pulses applied to the anodes of the display tubes. The drive circuit utilizes a substantial portion of common circuitry to generate both the touch pad and display tube scan voltage pulses. The control circuit also functions to isolate the touch pads and display tube anodes in such manner that the fast rise-time pulses applied to the touch pads are not coupled to the display tube anodes.

Growing community of inventors

Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Scott E Cutler