Video special effects generator
First Claim
1. A video special effects generator for controlling the combining of video input signals into a video output signal under the control of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, said generator comprising:
- means for generating a series of first digital representations including a source of periodic signals, means for counting said periodic signals, means for generating a variable width signal, means for generating a fixed width signal and means operatively coupled to said variable width signal generating means and said fixed width signal generating means for rendering said counting means operative to count said periodic signals only upon the existence of a predetermined time relationship between said fixed and said variable width signals;
means responsive to horizontal synchronizing signals for generating a second digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent horizontal synchronizing signal;
means responsive to vertical synchronizing signals for generating a third digital representation having a value corresponding to the elapsed time since the most recent vertical synchronizing signal;
digital signal comparing means responsive to said digital representations for generating an output control signal having a state dependent upon the relative values of various ones of the digital signal representations applied thereto;
video switching means for switching the video input signals into the video output signal under the control of the output signal generated by the digital signal comparing means; and
means for altering the effect of various ones of said first, second and third signal representations on said output control signal to produce special effects controlled in accordance with said series of first digital representations.
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Abstract
A digital special effects generator combines two or more video signals under the control of a control lever or programmable hardware. Forward and reverse horizontal, vertical and corner wipes as well as a QUAD effect where four video signals may be simultaneously displayed are among the effects obtainable. An improved analog-to-digital converter is utilized to generate a digital signal representative of the position of the control lever, and a digital quantizer is used in conjunction with the analog-to-digital converter to eliminate jitter in the digital signal. The transition between video signals is controlled by comparing the digital lever position representative signal with a digital signal representative of the scanning beam position, and providing a video transition signal when a predetermined relationship between the two digital signals is reached. Border video switching circuitry utilizing a digital counter to control border width is used to generate a variable width, variable pattern border between the video displays.
20 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A video special effects generator for controlling the combining of video input signals into a video output signal under the control of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, said generator comprising:
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means for generating a series of first digital representations including a source of periodic signals, means for counting said periodic signals, means for generating a variable width signal, means for generating a fixed width signal and means operatively coupled to said variable width signal generating means and said fixed width signal generating means for rendering said counting means operative to count said periodic signals only upon the existence of a predetermined time relationship between said fixed and said variable width signals; means responsive to horizontal synchronizing signals for generating a second digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent horizontal synchronizing signal; means responsive to vertical synchronizing signals for generating a third digital representation having a value corresponding to the elapsed time since the most recent vertical synchronizing signal; digital signal comparing means responsive to said digital representations for generating an output control signal having a state dependent upon the relative values of various ones of the digital signal representations applied thereto; video switching means for switching the video input signals into the video output signal under the control of the output signal generated by the digital signal comparing means; and means for altering the effect of various ones of said first, second and third signal representations on said output control signal to produce special effects controlled in accordance with said series of first digital representations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A video special effects generator for controlling the combining of video input signals into a video output signal under the control of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, said generator comprising:
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means for generating a series of first digital representations; means for storing one of said series of first digital representations; means operatively coupled to said first digital representation generating means and said storing means for comparing each of said series of first digital representations with said stored representation and rendering said storing means operative to store the last compared one of said series of first digital representations when the value of said last compared first digital representation differs from said stored first digital representation by a predetermined amount; means responsive to horizontal synchronizing signals for generating a second digital representation having a magnitude corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent horizontal synchronizing signal; means responsive to vertical synchronizing signals for generating a third digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent vertical synchronizing signal; digital signal comparing means responsive to said digital representations for generating an output control signal having a state dependent upon the relative values of various ones of the digital signal representations applied thereto; video switching means for switching the video input signals into the video output signal under the control of the output signal generated by the digital signal comparing means; and means for altering the effect of various ones of said first, second and third signal representations on said output control signal to produce special effects controlled in accordance with said series of first digital representations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A video special effects generator for controlling the combining of video input signals into a video output signal under the control of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, said generator comprising:
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means for generating a series of first digital representations; means responsive to horizontal synchronizing signals for generating a second digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent horizontal synchronizing signal; means responsive to vertical synchronizing signals for generating a third digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent vertical synchronizing signal; digital signal comparing means responsive to said digital representations for generating an output control signal having a state dependent upon the relative values of various ones of the digital signal representations applied thereto; means coupled to said comparing means for reversing the dependency of the state of said output control signal upon the relative values of the digital signal representations supplied to said signal inputs; video switching means for switching the video input signals into the video output signal under the control of the output control signal generated by the digital signal comparing means; and means for altering the effect of various ones of said first, second and third signal representations on said control signal to produce special effects controlled in accordance with the series of first digital representations. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A video special effects generator for controlling the combining of video input signals into a video output signal under the control of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals said generator comprising:
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means for generating a series of first digital representations; means responsive to horizontal synchronizing signals for generating a second digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent horizontal synchronizing signal; means responsive to vertical synchronizing signals for generating a third digital representation having a value corresponding to the elapsed time since the most recent vertical synchronizing signal; digital signal comparing means responsive to said digital representations for generating an output control signal having a state dependent upon the relative values of various ones of the digital signal representations applied thereto; counting means for initiating a count in response to a change in the state of the output control signal from said digital comparing means, said counting means including means for providing an output signal representative of the time duration of said count; video switching means for switching one of the video input signals into the video output signal under the control of the output signal generated by said counting means; and means for altering the effect of various ones of said first, second and third signal representations on said control signal to produce special effects controlled in accordance with said series of first digital representations. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A video special effects generator for controlling the combining of video input signals into a video output signal under the control of horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, said generator comprising:
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means for generating a first digital representation, said first digital representation generating means including means for generating a single binary digit; means responsive to horizontal synchronizing signals for generating a second digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent horizontal synchronizing signal; means responsive to vertical synchronizing signals for generating a third digital representation having a value corresponding to the time elapsed since the most recent vertical synchronizing signal; digital signal comparing means responsive to said digital representations for generating an output control signal having a state dependent upon the values of the second and third signal representations relative to the value represented by the single binary digit; and video switching means for switching the video input signals into the video output signal under the control of the output signal generated by the digital signal comparing means for generating a special effect controlled in accordance with said first digital representation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification