Method and apparatus for multiplexing television signals

Abstract

A decoder for use in a multiplexing system wherein the adjacent frame lines of a first program are summed and differenced, and the sum signal and time-compressed difference signal of each line pair is transmitted during the period allotted for transmission of a single line, thereby transmitting data for two lines in the time allotted for a single line. The decoder avoids a need for complex digital wall filters at the input by sampling the timed-compressed difference signals at a non-unity multiple of the rate used for sampling the sum signals. The multiple is sufficiently fast to enable the standard 'front-end' low pass filter of the decoder to function as an interpolation filter, eliminating the artifacts which would otherwise require the use of the complex filter. The disclosed decoder additionally includes a first memory-sharing arrangement wherein memory addresses are accessed during each operating cycle in a manner which permits data to be written into memory prior to the complete reading out of data from the previous operating cycle. A second memory-sharing arrangement is included wherein memory addresses are accessed during each operating cycle in a manner which permits data to be read out of the memory prior to the complete writing of data for that operating cycle, enabling re-use of certain memory addresses during the operating cycle.