Color television viewer

Claim 2

A television viewing apparatus for visually displaying color television signals of a standard type, comprising, a television signal receiving circuit supplied with a television signal of a selected standard for simultaneously generating a plurality of separate, scan line color video signals, raster scan, cathode ray tube means for displaying a plurality of differently colored rasters side by side in the direction of horizontal line scanning, serial delay line means for separately sampling and holding each scan line color video signal, one scan line at a time, at one clock rate and subsequently outputting the sampled and held signal at a second, faster clock rate, switch means for sampling in succession, all of the delay lines' outputs in one, horizontal line scan period and for supplying the sampled outputs to the cathode ray tube means for display, means for optically combining the side-by-side rasters into a composite, full color image.

Claim 3

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the ratio of the second clock rate to the first clock rate is equal to the number of separate color video scan line signals which are simultaneously generated by the receiving means.

Claim 4

Television signal viewing apparatus comprising circuit means for receiving a color television signal and for simultaneously generating a plurality of separate color information, video line scan signals, raster scan, cathode ray tube display means for displaying a plurality of rasters in different colors nearly side by side in the direction of line scanning, separate serial delay means connected to the receiving means, for simultaneously sampling and holding each of the color information video scan line signals, one scan line at-a-time at a first clock pulse rate while outputting in succession, each of the next previously sampled and held video scan line signals at a second, higher clock pulse rate, electronic switch means for connecting the display means sequentially to each of the delay means so that the output of each delay means is supplied one at-a-time to display means during one line scan period, and means for optically combining the side-by-side colored rasters into a single image.

Claim 5

Television signal viewing apparatus comprising circuit means for receiving a color television signal and for simultaneously generating a plurality of separate color information, video line scan signals, raster scan, cathode ray tube display means for displaying a plurality of rasters in different colors nearly side by side in the direction of line scanning, separate serial delay means connected to the receiving means, for simultaneously sampling and holding each of the color information video scan line signals, one scan line at-a-time at a first clock pulse rate while outputting in succession, each of the next previously sampled and held video scan line signals at a second, higher clock pulse rate, electronic switch means for connecting the display means sequentially to each of the delay means so that the output of each delay means is supplied one at-a-time to display means during one line scan period, and means for optically combining the side-by-side colored rasters into a single image.

Claim 6

A color television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical combining means comprise an objective lens, a plurality of pieces of transparent material, each having faces which are aligned with and spaced from certain ones of the side-by-side rasters and a plurality of dichroic mirrors arranged with the transparent pieces in beam splitting fashion to combine the images passing through the pieces along a single optical axis which passes through the objective lens, the index of refraction of the transparent pieces, their lengths and their displacements from the optical axis being selected such that the apparent optical path lengths from each of the rasters to the objective lens are the same for the colors that are transmitted.

Claim 7

A color television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein the optical combining means produce a combined, composite colored, virtual image.

Claim 8

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 4 further comprising an elongated handle for housing the cathode ray tube display and the optical combining means.

Claim 9

A color television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claims 3 or 4 wherein the optical combining means produce a combined, composite colored, real image.

Claim 10

A television viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 or 3 wherein the television signal receiving circuit is supplied with NTSC standard television signals.

Claim 11

A television viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 or 3 wherein the television signal receiving circuit is supplied with the SECAM or PAL standard television signals.

Claim 12

A television viewing apparatus as recited in claim 1 or 3 wherein the television signal receiving circuit is supplied with special purpose television signals with a band width much greater than those now used in color television.

Claim 13

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the optical combining means produce a combined, composite colored, virtual image.

Claim 14

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the optical combining means comprise an objective lens, a plurality of transparent blocks aligned with and spaced opposite from certain ones of the side-by-side rasters and a plurality of dichroic mirrors arranged with the blocks in beam splitting fashion to combine the images along a single optical axis which passes through the objective lens, the index of refraction of the blocks, their lengths, and their spacing being selected such that the apparent optical path lengths from each of the rasters to the objective lens are the same for the colors that are transmitted.

Claim 15

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 3 or 12 wherein the optical combining means include binocular viewing means.

Claim 16

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the ratio of the second clock pulse rate to the first clock pulse rate is equal to the number of separate color information video scan line signals which are simultaneously generated by the receiving means.

Claim 17

In combination with the television viewing apparatus recited in claims 1 or 3, means for generating wideband color television signals, means for transmitting said signals over a closed circuit transmission system to the television signal receiving circuit of the viewing apparatus whereby a color television image is reproduced in a non-degraded manner.

Claim 18

The combination as recited in claim 15 wherein the television signal generating means generates signals in the range of 150 to 200 MHz.

Claim 19

The combination as recited in claim 15 wherein the closed circuit transmission system comprises a fiber-optic cable and the television signal generating means generate video signal modulated light signals.

Claim 20

Television signal viewing apparatus for visually displaying color television signals of a standard type comprising circuit means for receiving a color television signal and for simultaneously generating a plurality of separate color information, video line scan signals, raster scan display means supplied with the video scan line signals for displaying a plurality of rasters in different colors aligned side by side, in the direction of line scanning, means for optically combining the side-by-side rasters into a composite color image along a single optical axis, the optical combining means including an objective lens symmetrically positioned on the optical axis and perpendicular to it, means interposed between the display means and the objective lens for optically adjusting the apparent optical path lengths from each of the rasters to the objective lens to be the same for the colors that are displayed, and a limited, light diverging screen onto which the composite color image is projected by the objective lens.

Claim 21

Television signal viewing apparatus for visually displaying color television signals of a standard type comprising circuit means for receiving a color television signal and for simultaneously generating a plurality of separate color information, video line scan signals, raster scan display means supplied with the video scan line signals for displaying a plurality of rasters in different colors aligned side by side, in the direction of line scanning, means for optically combining the side-by-side rasters into a composite color image along a single optical axis, the optical combining means including an objective lens symmetrically positioned on the optical axis and perpendicular to it, means interposed between the display means and the objective lens for optically adjusting the apparent optical path lengths from each of the rasters to the objective lens to be the same for the colors that are displayed, and a limited, light diverging screen onto which the composite color image is projected by the objective lens.

Claim 22

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the screen scatters incident light rays over angles less than 20°.

Claim 23

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the optical combining means further include at least one field lens aligned with the objective lens and having a central plane of symmetry, and wherein the screen bisects the field lens and is parallel to the central plane of the lens.

Claim 24

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the screen is positioned perpendicular to the optical axis and includes at least one Fresnel field lens surface on the screen to control the amount of light divergence produced by the screen.

Claim 25

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the screen has a pair of parallel plane Fresnel lenses, each of which is composed of a plurality of parallel, straight line elements, and with the elements of one lens oriented orthogonally with respect to the lens element of the other lens.

Claim 26

Television viewing apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein the straight elements have a maximum width of 1 minute of arc as seen by the viewer.

Claim 27

Television signal viewing apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein the screen redirects incident light in a elliptical pattern.

Claim 28

Television viewing apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein the screen redirects incident light rays uniformly through maximum angles of 6.25×10 -2 radians in a vertical direction and 1.8 8×10 -1 radians in a horizontal direction.

Claim 29

Television viewing apparatus as recited in claim 20 or 21 further comprising a planar viewing screen onto which the composite color image is focused by the field lens, the viewing screen having a Fresnel lens covering its viewing surface and the lens having a predetermined focal length equal to the distance from the viewer to the field lens.