US4005368A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Memory tuning system with automatic two speed display
Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC
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Filing: 1976-01-05
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Granted: 1977-01-25
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Expires: 1996-01-05
Abstract
Abstract An all-channel two mode television tuning system includes a counter for sequentially generating channel numbers to adjust tuning. An 82 × 1 bit read/write memory is addressed in a program mode by the generated channel numbers to provide locations for storage of signals for tuning to preselected channels. In the operate mode channel numbers are again generated to access the memory locations and logic circuitry determines if generated channel numbers correspond to preselected channel numbers. Channel skip control circuitry is activated in the operate mode to cause very rapid counting faster than viewer perception whenever non-selected channel numbers are determined and a much slower speed or pause condition when correspondence with a preselected channel number is determined.
Inventors
- 👤 Akio Tanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:21
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03J; H03J5/00; H03J5/02; H03J5/0245; H03J5/029
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
A television tuning system including: counting means, generating sequential channel numbers for tuning all channels; read/write memory means coupled to said counting means accessed by said generated channel numbers and having a plurality of addressable locations for storage and recall of signals related to selected channel numbers; mode selection means coupled to said counting means and said memory means for establishing a program mode for storage of said signals and an operate mode for recall from said memory means of said signals to cause tuning to channels corresponding to the addresses of individual locations of said memory means; clock means producing timing pulses at regular intervals; counting pulse means coupled to said clock means generating counting pulses at two distinct predetermined rates; and channel skip control means, coupled between said counting pulse means and said counting means and responsive to said signals in said memory means, in said operate mode, for increasing the counting speed of said counting means from the slower to the faster of said rates whenever nonselected channel numbers are generated by said counting means and for decreasing the counting speed of said counting means from the faster to the slower of said rates whenever selected channel numbers are generated by said counting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
A television tuning system including: counting means, generating sequential channel numbers for tuning all channels; read/write memory means coupled to said counting means accessed by said generated channel numbers and having a plurality of addressable locations for storage and recall of signals related to selected channel numbers; mode selection means coupled to said counting means and said memory means for establishing a program mode for storage of said signals and an operate mode for recall from said memory means of said signals to cause tuning to channels corresponding to the addresses of individual locations of said memory means; clock means producing timing pulses at regular intervals; counting pulse means coupled to said clock means generating counting pulses at two distinct predetermined rates; and channel skip control means, coupled between said counting pulse means and said counting means and responsive to said signals in said memory means, in said operate mode, for increasing the counting speed of said counting means from the slower to the faster of said rates whenever nonselected channel numbers are generated by said counting means and for decreasing the counting speed of said counting means from the faster to the slower of said rates whenever selected channel numbers are generated by said counting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The television tuning system of claim 2 wherein said counting pulse means includes a plurality of flip/flops interconnected for continuous counting of said timing pulses from said clock means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The television tuning system of claim 2 wherein said channel skip control means further includes a plurality of logic gates coupled to said plurality of interconnected flip/flops, said logic gates being responsive to said signals related to selected channel numbers stored at individual locations of said memory means for selectively enabling individual ones of said plurality of logic gates to supply to said counting means counting pulses at the lower of said two distinct predetermined rates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The television tuning system of claim 3 wherein said channel skip control means further includes logic gates which are enabled by signals stored in said memory means indicating a non-selected channel number to supply said counting means with counting pulses at the faster of said predetermined rates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The television tuning system of claim 4 further including a viewer operated selector switch for enabling said counting means to count pulses at said lower rate only so long as an individual location in said memory means contains a signal corresponding to a selected channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The television tuning system of claim 5 wherein the ratio of frequencies of said two predetermined distinct rates of counting pulses is such that at said faster rate said counting means can cycle completely through all states during one-half the time to go between adjacent states at said slower rate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The television tuning system of claim 6 wherein said ratio is approximately 1000.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The television tuning system of claim 7 wherein said viewer operated selector switch is coupled to said plurality of flip/flops for normally forcing a preset count into said plurality of flip/flops to prevent counting; and activation of said viewer operated switch terminates said forced preset count permitting continuous counting of said clock pulses to produce said two distinct predetermined frequencies of counting pulses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The television tuning system of claim 8 wherein said channel skip control means further includes stopping means coupled between said counting means and said memory means actuated by a release of said viewer operated selector switch for interrupting the generation of channel number information whenever said generated channel number information corresponds to said preselected channel number information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The television tuning system of claim 9 including means communicating to the viewer the tens and units digits of the channel numbers generated in said counting means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
182 words
A television tuning system comprising: counting means generating sequential channel numbers for tuning all channels; memory means coupled to said counting means, having separate addressable locations accessed by said generated channel numbers for storage and recall of signals related to selected channel numbers; mode selection means coupled to said counting means and said memory means establishing a program mode for storage of said signals in said memory means and an operate mode for recall of said signals from said memory means to cause tuning to channels corresponding to selected channel numbers; clock means generating timing pulses; a plurality of interconnected flip/flops coupled to said clock means for deriving counting pulses at two different predetermined rates; channel skip means functioning in said operate mode coupled between said flip/flops and said counting means and responsive to said signals stored in said memory means for supplying said counting means with counting pulses at the faster of said predetermined rates whenever said generated channel numbers correspond to nonselected channels and counting at the slower of said rates whenever said generated channel numbers correspond to selected channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
182 words
A television tuning system comprising: counting means generating sequential channel numbers for tuning all channels; memory means coupled to said counting means, having separate addressable locations accessed by said generated channel numbers for storage and recall of signals related to selected channel numbers; mode selection means coupled to said counting means and said memory means establishing a program mode for storage of said signals in said memory means and an operate mode for recall of said signals from said memory means to cause tuning to channels corresponding to selected channel numbers; clock means generating timing pulses; a plurality of interconnected flip/flops coupled to said clock means for deriving counting pulses at two different predetermined rates; channel skip means functioning in said operate mode coupled between said flip/flops and said counting means and responsive to said signals stored in said memory means for supplying said counting means with counting pulses at the faster of said predetermined rates whenever said generated channel numbers correspond to nonselected channels and counting at the slower of said rates whenever said generated channel numbers correspond to selected channels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-01-25 | 1980-07-26 | 1981-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-01-25 | 1984-07-26 | 1985-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-01-25 | 1988-07-26 | 1989-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |