Circuit for indicating antenna signal input level on television receiver screen

• US 4,214,273 A
• Filed: 03/19/1979
• Issued: 07/22/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronicsnorth America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US06/021,384
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 358/188, 358/192, 358/139, 358/183
• US Class Current: 348/569
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

A circuit for use in a television receiver to obtain a variable-length bar on the television screen which indicates the optimum antenna position, the circuit comprised of at least two monostable multivibrators with input terminals triggered by horizontal and vertical synchronizing pulses and with outputs coupled through an AND circuit to a video/chroma driver amplifier. The pulse length of one of the multivibrators is caused to vary in relation to the strength of an AGC signal in the video signal path of the receiver by coupling the AGC output to the time-constant-determining network of the multivibrator.

Claims

1. A television receiver circuit for indication on-screen of the optimum television antenna position and adjustment, said receiver including an RF tuner-amplifier, an IF amplifier stage, an AGC circuit providing an AGC signal to a gain control terminal on at least one of said tuner-amplifier and of said IF amplifier stage, a synchronizing pulse separator having a horizontal pulse output terminal and a vertical pulse output terminal, and a video channel having a modulating input terminal, said receiver circuit comprised of a first monostable multivibrator and with a triggering input coupled to one of said pulse output terminals of said separator, of a second monostable multivibrator with a variable-length-pulse input terminal coupled to said gain control terminal and with a triggering-input terminal coupled to the other of pulse output terminals said terminals of an AND circuit with inputs coupled to the outputs of said monostable multivibrators and with output coupled to said modulating input terminal.

2. The receiver circuit of claim 1 in which said AGC circuit provides AGC signals to gain control terminals on both said RF-tuner amplifier and said IF amplifier stage and wherein said variable-length-pulse input terminal is coupled to said gain control terminals by a summing means.

3. The receiver circuit of claim 1 wherein said triggering input of said first monostable multivibrator is coupled to said one of said pulse output terminals by a positioning monostable multivibrator.

4. The receiver circuit of claim 1 wherein said triggering input of said second monostable multivibrator is coupled to said other of said pulse output terminals by a positioning monostable multivibrator.