US5394470A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Horizontal pulse augmentation of a video signal
Assignee: LEGHORN TELEPUBLISHING Corp
•
Filing: 1993-04-20
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Granted: 1995-02-28
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Expires: 2013-04-20
Abstract
Abstract Augmenting pulses are added to the horizontal sync pulse intervals of a video signal to prevent a copy of the thus modified video signal from being satisfactorily displayed. The magnitude of the augmenting pulses is chosen so that the modified signal containing these pulses can be displayed without distortion. When the modified video signal is recorded and then reproduced by a typical VCR (i.e., when the modified video signal is copied), attenuation of the augmenting pulses and the remaining portions of the horizontal sync pulse occurs so that a television receiver cannot properly detect horizontal sync in the copied modified video signal, resulting in an unsatisfactory display.
Inventors
- 👤 William J. Buynak
- 👤 Eugene Leonard
- 👤 Graham S. Stubbs
- 👤 Karoly Budai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:54
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/167; H04N7/171; H04N7/1713; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91314
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for copy protecting a video signal comprising the steps of: providing a video signal including field intervals of video information and horizontal synchronizing intervals each having a horizontal sync pulse therein with a predetermined magnitude, and adding a plurality of augmenting pulses having a magnitude substantially greater than said predetermined magnitude to at least one of the horizontal sync pulses in each of said field intervals to produce a modified video signal which can be displayed with an absence of distortion that would otherwise be caused by the presence of said augmenting pulses.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for copy protecting a video signal comprising the steps of: providing a video signal including field intervals of video information and horizontal synchronizing intervals each having a horizontal sync pulse therein with a predetermined magnitude, and adding a plurality of augmenting pulses having a magnitude substantially greater than said predetermined magnitude to at least one of the horizontal sync pulses in each of said field intervals to produce a modified video signal which can be displayed with an absence of distortion that would otherwise be caused by the presence of said augmenting pulses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of adding includes positioning at least one of said augmenting pulses to be substantially equidistant from adjacent augmenting pulses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein three augmenting pulses are added to said at least one synchronizing interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein each horizontal sync pulse includes a former half and a latter half, and wherein said augmenting pulses are added to the latter half of said horizontal sync pulse.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein said augmenting pulses exhibit a pulse width in the range 0.2 to 1.4 microseconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of changing the magnitude of said plurality of augmenting pulses at preselected times.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of augmenting pulses has a duty cycle value, and further comprising the step of changing said duty cycle value at predetermined times.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of augmenting pulses has a duty cycle value, and further comprising the step of changing said duty cycle value of at least one of said augmenting pulses in said plurality.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein each of said field intervals includes lines devoid of video information and lines containing video information, and wherein said plurality of pulses are added to the horizontal sync pulses of substantially all of said lines containing video information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of applying supplemental copy protection to the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
A method as in claim 10, wherein said step of applying supplemental copy protection comprises the steps of: increasing above a standard number of horizontal line intervals normally included in a frame the number of horizontal line intervals included in a first predetermined number of frames of the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added; and decreasing below said standard number the number of horizontal line intervals included in a second predetermined number of frames of said video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 11, further comprising the step of broadcasting the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 11, further comprising the step of recording on a recording medium the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as in claim 10, wherein said video signal also includes a vertical blanking interval in each of said field intervals and wherein said step of applying supplemental copy protection comprises adding a plurality of negative pseudo-sync pulse and positive pseudo-sync pulse pairs to said vertical blanking interval.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 14, further comprising the step of broadcasting the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 14, further comprising the step of recording on a recording medium the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of broadcasting the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of recording on a recording medium the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 18, wherein said recording medium is a magnetic tape.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 18, wherein said recording medium is a video disc.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of recording said video signal on a recording medium, and wherein the step of adding said plurality of augmenting pulses includes a step of recording said plurality of augmenting pulses on said recording medium in at least one of the horizontal sync pulses of the video signal recorded on said recording medium.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating said augmenting pulses.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as in claim 22, wherein said step of generating said augmenting pulses includes: generating an activation signal in response to said synchronizing intervals of said video signal, receiving a control signal which indicates a duration, and generating individual pulses having said duration in response to said control signal and said activation signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as in claim 23, wherein said step of generating said augmenting pulses further includes receiving a suppression signal which indicates a second duration, and wherein the generating of individual pulses is suppressed for a time equal to said second duration in response to said suppression signal.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
98 words
An apparatus for copy protecting a video signal, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a video signal including field intervals of video information and horizontal synchronizing intervals each having a horizontal sync pulse therein with a predetermined magnitude, and means for adding a plurality of augmenting pulses having a magnitude substantially greater than said predetermined magnitude to at least one of the horizontal sync pulses in each of said field intervals to produce a modified video signal which can be displayed with an absence of distortion that would otherwise be caused by the presence of said augmenting pulses.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
98 words
An apparatus for copy protecting a video signal, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a video signal including field intervals of video information and horizontal synchronizing intervals each having a horizontal sync pulse therein with a predetermined magnitude, and means for adding a plurality of augmenting pulses having a magnitude substantially greater than said predetermined magnitude to at least one of the horizontal sync pulses in each of said field intervals to produce a modified video signal which can be displayed with an absence of distortion that would otherwise be caused by the presence of said augmenting pulses.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said means for adding includes means for positioning at least one of said augmenting pulses to be substantially equidistant from adjacent augmenting pulses.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein three augmenting pulses are added to said at least one synchronizing interval.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein each horizontal sync pulse includes a former half and a latter half, and wherein said augmenting pulses are added to the latter half of said horizontal sync pulse.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said augmenting pulses exhibit a pulse width in the range 0.2 to 1.4 microseconds.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising means for changing the magnitude of said plurality of augmenting pulses at preselected times.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said plurality of augmenting pulses has a duty cycle value, and further comprising means for changing said duty cycle value at predetermined times.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of augmenting pulses has a duty cycle value, and further comprising means for changing said duty cycle value of at least one of said augmenting pulses in said plurality.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein each of said field intervals includes lines devoid of video information and lines containing video information, and wherein said plurality of pulses are added to the horizontal sync pulses of substantially all of said lines containing video information.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising means for applying supplemental copy protection to the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
87 words
An apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said means for applying supplemental copy protection includes: means for increasing above a standard number of horizontal line intervals normally included in a frame the number of horizontal line intervals included in a first predetermined number of frames of the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added; and means for decreasing below said standard number the number of horizontal line intervals included in a second predetermined number of frames of said video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 35, further comprising means for broadcasting the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 35, further comprising means for recording on a recording medium the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said video signal also includes a vertical blanking interval in each of said field intervals and wherein said means for applying supplemental copy protection includes means for adding a plurality of negative pseudo-sync pulse and positive pseudo-sync pulse pairs to said vertical blanking interval.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 38, further comprising means for broadcasting the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 38, further comprising means for recording on a recording medium the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added and supplemental copy protection is applied.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising means for broadcasting the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising means for recording on a recording medium the video signal to which augmenting pulses are added.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as in claim 42, wherein said recording medium is a magnetic tape.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as in claim 42, wherein said recording medium is a video disc.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising means for recording said video signal on a recording medium, and wherein said means for adding said plurality of augmenting pulses includes means for recording said plurality of augmenting pulses on said recording medium in at least one of the horizontal sync pulses of the video signal recorded on said recording medium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising means for generating said augmenting pulses.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as in claim 46, wherein said means for generating said augmenting pulses includes: means for generating an activation signal in response to said synchronizing intervals of said video signal, means for receiving a control signal which indicates a duration, and means for generating individual pulses having said duration in response to said control signal and said activation signal.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus as in claim 47, wherein said means for generating said augmenting pulses further includes means for receiving a suppression signal which indicates a second duration, and wherein said means for generating individual pulses suppresses generation of each of said individual pulses for a time equal to said second duration in response to said suppression signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-02-27 | 1998-08-29 | 1999-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-02-27 | 2002-08-29 | 2003-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-02-27 | 2006-08-29 | 2007-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |