Automatic convergence alignment system for color television display apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on peripheral regions of said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to photo-electric transducer signals produced from said photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern with at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means.

Claim 3

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 1, and further comprising detection period control means for controlling a detection period which is a repetition period of said correction intervals.

Claim 4

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 2, in which said detection period control means functions to make said detection period relatively short during an initial interval of operation of said television display apparatus and to thereafter increase the duration of said detection period.

Claim 5

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 2, in which said detection period control means is controlled such as to vary said detection period in accordance with a detected amount of position deviation of said alignment pattern from said reference position.

Claim 6

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 1 in which said photo-detection means comprises at least one photo-sensitive device formed of of an array of photo-electric transducer elements, and in which said position signal processing and memory means comprise circuit means coupled to receive photo-electric transducer signals produced from respective ones of said photo-electric transducer elements for deriving an detection output signal having a polarity and magnitude respectively representing a direction and amount of position deviation of said alignment pattern from said reference position, and in which said automatic convergence alignment system functions during each of said correction intervals to generate said position data as a data value, applied to control said convergence alignment means, which is varied until said output signal from said detection output signal reaches zero and is thereafter held constant during a succeeding detection period.

Claim 7

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 5, in which said alignment pattern is displayed in each of successive fields of said picture during said correction interval whereby said photo-electric transducer signals from said photo-­ electric transducer elements are generated as a pulse train, and in which said means for deriving said detection output signal comprise means for deriving from said photo-electric transducer signals of said photo-electric transducer elements a deviation signal representing an amount of position deviation of said alignment pattern from said reference position, maximum amplitude detection means for detecting a maximum amplitude of said deviation signal and producing a DC signal level representing said maximum amplitude and minimum amplitude detection means for detecting a minimum amplitude of said deviation signal and producing a DC signal level representing said minimum amplitude, and signal summing means for summing said output signals from said maximum amplitude detection means and minimum amplitude detection means respectively to produce said detection output signal.

Claim 8

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 8, in which said deviation signal is derived as a difference between two photo-electric transducer signals produced from respective sets of said photo-electric transducer elements disposed symmetrically on opposing sides of said reference position.

Claim 9

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to photo-electric transducer signals produced from said photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern with at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means; in which said photo detection means comprise at least one photo-sensitive device formed of an array of successively positioned photo-electric transducer elements disposed symmetrically about said reference position, and in which a higher degree of detection sensitivity is implemented for specific ones of said photo-electric transducer elements which are positioned closely adjacent to said reference position then the detection sensitivity of the remainder of said photo-­electric transducer elements of said photo-sensitive device.

Claim 10

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to photo-electric transducer signals produced from said photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern with at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means; in which said photo detection means comprise at least one photo-sensitive device formed of an array of successively positioned photo-electric transducer elements disposed symmetrically about said reference position, and in which a higher degree of detection sensitivity is implemented for specific ones of said photo-electric transducer elements which are positioned closely adjacent to said reference position then the detection sensitivity of the remainder of said photo-­electric transducer elements of said photo-sensitive device.

Claim 11

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; signal processing and memory means responsive to photo-electric transducer signals produced from said photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern with at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means; detection period control means for controlling a detection period which is a repetition period of said correction intervals; and, amplitude detection means for detecting a total amount of light received by said photo-detection means and for controlling said detection period control means to vary said detection period in accordance with said total amount of light.

Claim 12

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; signal processing and memory means responsive to photo-electric transducer signals produced from said photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern with at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means; detection period control means for controlling a detection period which is a repetition period of said correction intervals; and, amplitude detection means for detecting a total amount of light received by said photo-detection means and for controlling said detection period control means to vary said detection period in accordance with said total amount of light.

Claim 13

An automatic convergence alignment system according to claim 9, in which said amplitude detection means executes control to halt display of said alignment pattern by said alignment pattern generating means when it is detected that said total amount of light has exceeded a predetermined level.

Claim 14

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; first photo-detection means disposed peripherally on a vertically extending side of said screen and second photo-detection means disposed peripherally on a horizontally extending side of said screen alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, predetermined portions of said alignment pattern being positioned to be respectively incident on said first and second photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to respective photo-electric transducer signals produced from said first and second photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern portions with first and second predetermined reference position respectively, which are defined in position relative to said first and second photo-detection means respectively, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means.

Claim 15

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; first photo-detection means disposed peripherally on a vertically extending side of said screen and second photo-detection means disposed peripherally on a horizontally extending side of said screen alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, predetermined portions of said alignment pattern being positioned to be respectively incident on said first and second photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to respective photo-electric transducer signals produced from said first and second photo-detection means by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals for deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to align said alignment pattern portions with first and second predetermined reference position respectively, which are defined in position relative to said first and second photo-detection means respectively, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means.

Claim 16

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on peripheral regions of said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to first and second photo-electric transducer signals respectively produced from two portions of said photo-detection means disposed symmetrically about said reference position by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals, for detecting a difference between said first and second photo-electric transducer signals and deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to execute position correction of said alignment pattern such as to reduce said difference to zero, for thereby aligning said alignment pattern with a predetermined reference position defined as a central position of said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means.

Claim 17

An automatic convergence alignment system for a color television display apparatus which displays a television picture on a screen as a combination of primary color components, comprising: convergence alignment means operable for position adjustment of said primary color components of the television picture; photo-detection means disposed peripherally on said screen; alignment pattern generating means for controlling said display apparatus to periodically display an alignment pattern on peripheral regions of said screen in each of said primary colors during respective successively occurring correction intervals, said alignment pattern being positioned to be incident on said photo-detection means; and, signal processing and memory means responsive to first and second photo-electric transducer signals respectively produced from two portions of said photo-detection means disposed symmetrically about said reference position by detection of said alignment pattern during each of said correction intervals, for detecting a difference between said first and second photo-electric transducer signals and deriving position data for acting on said convergence alignment means to execute position correction of said alignment pattern such as to reduce said difference to zero, for thereby aligning said alignment pattern with a predetermined reference position defined as a central position of said photo-detection means, and for subsequently holding said position data and continuously supplying said position data to said convergence alignment means.