Video camera synchronizer

Claim 1

An apparatus for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: means for receiving output signals from said master and slave video cameras and deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; means for comparing the synchronizing signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; means connected to said error signal deriving means arranged to produce oscillator stop current pulses when actuated by said error signal; a voltage controlled oscillator arranged to receive said oscillator stop current pulses, connected to a control circuit of a slave video camera whereby, when said master and said slave video cameras are not in synchronization, the error signal from said error signal detecting means causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage-controlled oscillator on and off until the master video camera signal and the slave video signal are in synchronization.

Claim 2

An apparatus for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: means for receiving output signals from said master and slave video cameras and deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; means for comparing the synchronizing signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; means connected to said error signal deriving means arranged to produce oscillator stop current pulses when actuated by said error signal; a voltage controlled oscillator arranged to receive said oscillator stop current pulses, connected to a control circuit of a slave video camera whereby, when said master and said slave video cameras are not in synchronization, the error signal from said error signal detecting means causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage-controlled oscillator on and off until the master video camera signal and the slave video signal are in synchronization.

Claim 3

An apparatus for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: means for receiving output signals from said master and slave video cameras; means for deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; means for comparing the signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; means connected to said error signal deriving means arranged to produce oscillator stop current pulses when actuated by said error signal; means receiving a signal from said master video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; means receiving said color burst signal and generating a ramp signal therefrom; means receiving the signal from said slave video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; means receiving said color burst signal and deriving a sample pulse therefrom; means deriving a combined signal constituting the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signal; means combining said oscillator stop current pulses with the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signals to form a combined control signal; a voltage controlled oscillator arranged to receive said combined control signal and having its output connected to the control circuit of said slave video camera whereby, when said master and said video cameras are not in synchronization, the error signal from said error signal deriving means causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage-controlled oscillator on and off until the master video camera signal and the slave video signal are in synchronization, and whereby small errors in synchronization appear as error signals between the ramp signal and the slave sample pulse, thereby changing the voltage applied to the voltage-controlled oscillator to change the frequency applied to the slave camera until the master and slave video camera signals are once again in synchronization.

Claim 4

An apparatus for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: means for receiving output signals from said master and slave video cameras; means for deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; means for comparing the signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; means connected to said error signal deriving means arranged to produce oscillator stop current pulses when actuated by said error signal; means receiving a signal from said master video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; means receiving said color burst signal and generating a ramp signal therefrom; means receiving the signal from said slave video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; means receiving said color burst signal and deriving a sample pulse therefrom; means deriving a combined signal constituting the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signal; means combining said oscillator stop current pulses with the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signals to form a combined control signal; a voltage controlled oscillator arranged to receive said combined control signal and having its output connected to the control circuit of said slave video camera whereby, when said master and said video cameras are not in synchronization, the error signal from said error signal deriving means causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage-controlled oscillator on and off until the master video camera signal and the slave video signal are in synchronization, and whereby small errors in synchronization appear as error signals between the ramp signal and the slave sample pulse, thereby changing the voltage applied to the voltage-controlled oscillator to change the frequency applied to the slave camera until the master and slave video camera signals are once again in synchronization.

Claim 13

A method for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: acquiring output signals from said master and slave video camera control signals; deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; comparing the synchronizing signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; producing oscillator stop current pulses when an error signal exists; receiving a signal from said master video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; utilizing said color burst signal to generate a ramp signal therefrom; receiving the signal from said slave video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; utilizing said color burst signal to derive a sample pulse therefrom; deriving a combined signal constituting the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signal; combining said oscillator stop current pulses with the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signals to form a combined control signal; applying said combined control signal to a voltage controlled oscillator to pulse said voltage-controlled oscillator output on and off and to vary the frequency of said voltage-controlled oscillator until said master and said slave video cameras are in synchronization.

Claim 14

A method for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: acquiring output signals from said master and slave video camera control signals; deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; comparing the synchronizing signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; producing oscillator stop current pulses when an error signal exists; receiving a signal from said master video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; utilizing said color burst signal to generate a ramp signal therefrom; receiving the signal from said slave video camera and deriving a color burst signal therefrom; utilizing said color burst signal to derive a sample pulse therefrom; deriving a combined signal constituting the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signal; combining said oscillator stop current pulses with the sum of said ramp signal and said sample pulse signals to form a combined control signal; applying said combined control signal to a voltage controlled oscillator to pulse said voltage-controlled oscillator output on and off and to vary the frequency of said voltage-controlled oscillator until said master and said slave video cameras are in synchronization.

Claim 15

A method for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: receiving output signal from said master and slave video cameras; deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; comparing the signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; producing oscillator stop current pulses when an error signal exists; applying said oscillator stop current pulses to a voltage controlled oscillator which controls said slave video camera to pulse the output of said voltage controlled oscillator on and off until said master and said slave video cameras are in synchronization; said voltage controlled oscillator being arranged to receive said oscillator stop current pulses, connected to a control circuit of a slave video camera whereby, when said master and said slave video cameras are not in synchronization, the error signal causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage controlled oscillator on and off until the master video camera signal and the slave video signal are in synchronization.

Claim 16

A method for synchronizing a master video camera with one or more slave video cameras, which comprises: receiving output signal from said master and slave video cameras; deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video cameras; comparing the signals from said master and slave cameras and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video cameras are not in synchronization; producing oscillator stop current pulses when an error signal exists; applying said oscillator stop current pulses to a voltage controlled oscillator which controls said slave video camera to pulse the output of said voltage controlled oscillator on and off until said master and said slave video cameras are in synchronization; said voltage controlled oscillator being arranged to receive said oscillator stop current pulses, connected to a control circuit of a slave video camera whereby, when said master and said slave video cameras are not in synchronization, the error signal causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage controlled oscillator on and off until the master video camera signal and the slave video signal are in synchronization.

Claim 17

An apparatus for synchronizing a video signal from a master video signal-generating device with a video signal or signals from one or more slave video signal-generating devices, which comprises: means for receiving output signals from said master and slave video devices and deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video devices; means for comparing the synchronizing signals from said master and slave video devices and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video devices are not in synchronization; means connected to said error signal-deriving means arranged to produce oscillator stop current pulses when actuated by said error signal; a voltage-controlled oscillator arranged to receive said oscillator stop current pulses connected to a control circuit of the slave video device whereby, when signals from said master and slave video devices are not in synchronization, the error signal from said error signal-deriving means causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage-controlled oscillator on and off until the master video device signal and the slave video device signal are in synchronization.

Claim 18

An apparatus for synchronizing a video signal from a master video signal-generating device with a video signal or signals from one or more slave video signal-generating devices, which comprises: means for receiving output signals from said master and slave video devices and deriving synchronizing signals from the output signals of said master and slave video devices; means for comparing the synchronizing signals from said master and slave video devices and deriving an error signal when the synchronizing signals of said master and slave video devices are not in synchronization; means connected to said error signal-deriving means arranged to produce oscillator stop current pulses when actuated by said error signal; a voltage-controlled oscillator arranged to receive said oscillator stop current pulses connected to a control circuit of the slave video device whereby, when signals from said master and slave video devices are not in synchronization, the error signal from said error signal-deriving means causes oscillator stop pulses to be produced which turn the output from said voltage-controlled oscillator on and off until the master video device signal and the slave video device signal are in synchronization.