Display system for selectively overlaying symbols and graphics onto a video signal

Patent 5579057 Issued on November 26, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 5, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.

Application

No. 369867 filed on 01/05/1995

US Classes:

348/589, Including insertion of characters or graphics (e.g., titles)345/472, Scaling348/569, Receiver indicator (e.g., on screen display)725/132, Programmable or upgradeable725/140Programmable or upgradeable

Examiners

Primary: Kostak, Victor R.
Assistant: Flynn, Nathan J.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Banner & Allegretti, Ltd.

Foreign Patent References

0190837 EP 08/13/1986
WO86/01962 WO 03/13/1986

International Classes

H04N 005/262
H04N 005/272
H04N 005/278

Abstract

A display system for the on screen display of information for a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system includes a display processor which can display information in the form of a display screen stored in a display memory. The display processor can be preprogrammed by the control processor with a plurality of display attributes including different symbol sets, different color palettes, whether the screen is to be a text screen, graphic screen or a combination of a text and graphics system, and the size and location of each screen display on the display area. The display processor includes a digital processor and an analog processor. The digital processor controls accessing the display data from the memory and converting it into timed digital pixels. The analog processor includes a digital to analog pixel converter which produces analog pixels from the digital pixels in a timed relation to an input video signal. The analog processor includes a multiplexer which substitutes the analog pixels for the pixels of the input video signal when display processor is active.