Electronic switching system for reducing noise transients

Claim 1

A system for controlling the transmission of electrical carrier signals according to the noise transients in a plurality of electrical carrier signals transmitted synchronously and simultaneously over separate channels, the carrier signals each including a corresponding program component and noise transients and the difference in the instantaneous magnitude of the signals being reflective of the difference in magnitude of their respective noise transients, said system comprising summing means operably connected to the channels for adding the electrical signals carried by said channels and for transmitting the added electrical signals; switching means operably connected to the channels and actuable for disabling said summing means from transmitting said added electrical signals and for enabling the transmission of the electrical signal being transmitted in a portion of said channels and; control means operably connected to the channels for comparing the instantaneous magnitudes of the electrical signals carried on the channels, and for actuating said switching means when the difference in magnitude of the respective noise transients of said signals exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 2

A system for controlling the transmission of electrical carrier signals according to the noise transients in a plurality of electrical carrier signals transmitted synchronously and simultaneously over separate channels, the carrier signals each including a corresponding program component and noise transients and the difference in the instantaneous magnitude of the signals being reflective of the difference in magnitude of their respective noise transients, said system comprising summing means operably connected to the channels for adding the electrical signals carried by said channels and for transmitting the added electrical signals; switching means operably connected to the channels and actuable for disabling said summing means from transmitting said added electrical signals and for enabling the transmission of the electrical signal being transmitted in a portion of said channels and; control means operably connected to the channels for comparing the instantaneous magnitudes of the electrical signals carried on the channels, and for actuating said switching means when the difference in magnitude of the respective noise transients of said signals exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 11

A system for controlling the transmission of electrical carrier signals transmitted synchronously and simultaneously over first and second channels, the carrier signals each including an identical program component and differing noise transients, and the difference in the instantaneous magnitudes of the carrier signals being reflective of the difference in their noise transients, said system comprising: first and second rectifying means connected in said first and second channels, respectively, for rectifying the carrier signals in the respective channels to generate a positive carrier signal in the first channel and a negative carrier signal in the second channel; adding means interconnecting said channels for adding the respective carrier signals to yield a combined signal with a value reflective of the difference in magnitude between the respective carrier signals; first and second voltage establishing means associated with the first and second channels for establishing first and second threshold voltages of opposite polarity, said voltage establishing means being connected to said adding means to generate a trigger signal when said combined signal exceeds either of said threshold voltages; first and second comparators having negative and positive input ports respectively connected to the first and second channels, and positive and negative input ports connected to the respective first and second threshold means, one of said comparators generating a switching signal in response to the transmission of one of said trigger signals to said one comparator; a summer comprising resistance devices connected to said first and second channels and to each other; and first and second switches connected to said first and second comparators and being in low resistance lines shunting said respective resistance devices; said switches being normally open but closing in response to the generation of a switching signal by the comparator connected thereto; said summer adding the carrier signals in the first and second channels to yield as an output the electrical sum of said carrier signals when the difference in the noise transient levels in the carrier signals is below said threshold values, and the one of said first and second switches receiving a switching signal from its associated comparator closing to yield as an output the carrier signal having the lower noise transient level when the difference in noise transient levels in the carrier signals exceeds the threshold values.

Claim 12

A system for controlling the transmission of electrical carrier signals transmitted synchronously and simultaneously over first and second channels, the carrier signals each including an identical program component and differing noise transients, and the difference in the instantaneous magnitudes of the carrier signals being reflective of the difference in their noise transients, said system comprising: first and second rectifying means connected in said first and second channels, respectively, for rectifying the carrier signals in the respective channels to generate a positive carrier signal in the first channel and a negative carrier signal in the second channel; adding means interconnecting said channels for adding the respective carrier signals to yield a combined signal with a value reflective of the difference in magnitude between the respective carrier signals; first and second voltage establishing means associated with the first and second channels for establishing first and second threshold voltages of opposite polarity, said voltage establishing means being connected to said adding means to generate a trigger signal when said combined signal exceeds either of said threshold voltages; first and second comparators having negative and positive input ports respectively connected to the first and second channels, and positive and negative input ports connected to the respective first and second threshold means, one of said comparators generating a switching signal in response to the transmission of one of said trigger signals to said one comparator; a summer comprising resistance devices connected to said first and second channels and to each other; and first and second switches connected to said first and second comparators and being in low resistance lines shunting said respective resistance devices; said switches being normally open but closing in response to the generation of a switching signal by the comparator connected thereto; said summer adding the carrier signals in the first and second channels to yield as an output the electrical sum of said carrier signals when the difference in the noise transient levels in the carrier signals is below said threshold values, and the one of said first and second switches receiving a switching signal from its associated comparator closing to yield as an output the carrier signal having the lower noise transient level when the difference in noise transient levels in the carrier signals exceeds the threshold values.