Apparatus for positioning a timing signal relative to a synchronization signal derived in the deflection section of a television system

• US 5,251,015 A
• Filed: 05/06/1991
• Issued: 10/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Incorporated (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Incorporated (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Rumreich, Mark F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US07/696,488
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 358/17, 358/19, 358/20, 358/148, 358/158, 358/159, 358/183, 358/22
• US Class Current: 348/506
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/126 whereby the synchronisation signal indirectly commands a frequency generator
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

In a picture in picture (PIP) section of a color television receiver, color burst pulses for extracting the color burst of a video signal corresponding to the main picture are generated in response to horizontal synchronization pulses derived by the deflection section of the television receiver. The color burst is used to derive a color subcarrier signal for remodulating baseband color components corresponding to the small picture insert. The deflection related horizontal synchronization pulses are coupled to the PIP section in order to properly position the small picture in relation to the main picture despite horizontal centering adjustments. In order to properly position the color burst pulses, a burst gate pulse delay control signal is generated in response to the relationship between the positions of the deflection related horizontal synchronization pulses and the horizontal synchronization pulses of the video signal corresponding to the main picture. The color burst pulse delay signal is advantageously generated by a microprocessor-based television control unit which receives both deflection and video related horizontal synchronization pulses for on-screen and tuning control purposes, respectively.

Claims

1. In a television system including a picture tube and a deflection coil associated with said picture tube, apparatus comprising:

a source of a video signal including image and an image synchronization component;

means for processing said image component of said video signal and applying a processed version of said image component to said picture tube;

means for processing said synchronization component of said video signal to derive a deflection signal for said deflection coil;

means responsive to said deflection signal for generating a deflection related synchronization signal;

means for generating a delay control signal representing the time delay between said deflection related synchronization signal and said image synchronization component of said video signal;

means which does not receive said image synchronization component of said video signal for generating a timing signal delayed in time from said deflection responsive synchronization signal in accordance with said delay control signal in response to said deflection responsive synchronization signal and said delay control signal but not directly in response to said image synchronization component of said video signal; and

means for utilizing said timing signal.

2. The television system defined in claim 1, wherein:

said means for generating said delay control signal includes for measuring the time delay between said deflection related synchronization signal and said image synchronization component of said video signal.

3. The television system defined in claim 1, further including:

means for adjusting the phase of said deflection signal relative to said synchronization component of said video signal in response to an adjustment control signal.

4. The television system defined in claim 3, wherein:

said means for generating said delay control signal is directly responsive to said adjustment control signal without measuring the time delay between said deflection related synchronization signal and said image synchronization component of said video signal.

7. The television system defined in claim 1, wherein:

said delay control signal comprises a digital word.

8. The television system defined in claim 1, wherein:

said means for generating said delay control signal comprises a microprocessor.

5. In a television system including a picture tube and a deflection coil associated with said picture tube, apparatus comprising:

a source of a video signal including luminance, chrominance and image synchronization components;

said chrominance component including a modulated color subcarrier and a color burst component;

said image synchronization component including horizontal and vertical synchronization pulses;

means for processing said luminance and chrominance components of said video signal and applying processed versions of said luminance and chrominance component to said picture tube;

means for processing said image synchronization component of said video signal to derive horizontal and vertical deflection signals for said deflection coil;

means responsive to said horizontal deflection signal for generating a deflection related horizontal synchronization pulses;

means for generating a delay control signal representing the time delay between said deflection related horizontal synchronization pulses and said horizontal synchronization pulses of said image synchronization component of said video signal;

means which does not receive said image synchronization component of said video signal for generating color burst gate pulses delayed in time from said deflection related horizontal synchronization pulses in accordance with said delay control signal in response to said deflection responsive synchronization signal and said delay control signal but not directly in response to said image synchronization component of said video signal; and

means for deriving a signal having its phase and frequency locked to the phase and frequency of said color subcarrier of said chrominance component of said video signal utilizing said color burst pulses.

6. The television system defined in claim 5, wherein:

said means for deriving said signal having its phase and frequency locked to the phase and frequency of said color subcarrier of said chrominance component of said video signal is included within a picture-in-picture processing unit.

9. The television system defined in claim 5, wherein:

said delay control signal comprises a digital word.

10. The television system defined in claim 5, wherein:

said means for generating said delay control signal comprises a microprocessor.

11. In a television system including a picture tube and a deflection coil associated with said picture tube, apparatus comprising:

a source of a video signal including image and an image synchronization components;

means for processing said image component of said video signal and applying a processed version of said image component to said picture tube;

means for processing said image synchronization component of said video signal to derive a deflection signal for said deflection coil;

means responsive to said deflection signal for generating a deflection related synchronization signal;

means for generating a digital delay control word representing the time delay between said deflection related synchronization signal and said image synchronization component of said video signal;

means for generating a timing signal delayed in time from said deflection responsive synchronization signal in accordance with said digital delay control word in response to said deflection responsive synchronization signal and said delay control signal but not directly in response to said image synchronization component of said video signal; and

means for utilizing said timing signal.

12. The television system defined in claim 11, wherein:

said means for generating said digital delay control word comprises a microprocessor.

13. The television system defined in claim 11, wherein:

said means for generating said digital delay control word includes for measuring the time delay between said deflection related synchronization signal and said image synchronization component of said video signal.

14. The television system defined in claim 11, further including:

means for adjusting the phase of said deflection signal relative to said synchronization component of said video signal in response to a digital adjustment control word.

15. The television system defined in claim 14, wherein:

said means for generating said digital delay control word is directly responsive to said digital adjustment control word without measuring the time delay between said deflection related synchronization signal and said image synchronization component of said video signal.

16. The television system defined in claim 11, wherein:

said image component of said video signal includes luminance and chrominance components;

said chrominance component including a modulated color subcarrier and a color burst component in a timed relationship with said image synchronization component;

said timing signal comprises a color burst gate pulse signal which occurs in-phase with said color burst component; and

further including

means for deriving a signal having its phase and frequency locked to the phase and frequency of said color subcarrier of said chrominance component of said video signal utilizing said color burst pulse signal;

said means for generating said timing signal and said means for deriving said signal having its phase and frequency locked to the phase and frequency of said color subcarrier of said chrominance component of said video signal being included within a picture-in-picture processing unit which does not receive said image synchronization components of said video signal.