CIRCUIT FOR PRODUCING A PERIODIC, ESSENTIALLY PARABOLIC SIGNAL

Abstract: A circuit for supplying a parabolic signal by squaring (1) a sawtooth-shaped signal. For eliminatinga disturbance occurring during the retrace period, a signal is generated (4) during this period whose polarity is opposite to that of the parabolic signal occurring during the trace period, both the generated signal and the derivative with respect to the time of this signal assuming values at the start and end of the retrace period which are substantially equal to the corresponding values at the same instants of the essentially parabolic signal occurring during the trace period and of the derivative with respect to the time of this signal.

Description: The invention relates to a circuit for producing a periodic, essentially parabolic output signal to an output terminal (K), this circuit comprising a squaring stage having an input for receiving a sawtooth-shaped signal having a trace and a retrace, and an output supplying a first signal having the same frequency as the received sawtooth-shaped signal and having an essentially parabola-shaped variation during the trace period. Such a circuit is known from the United States Patent US-A-4,216,392 and is used, for example, for generating a control signal for an east-west modulator in a picture display arrangement and/or for dynamic focusing in such an arrangement. This control signal can have the field frequency (50 Hz according to the European television standard) or the line frequency (15.625 kHz according to the aforementioned standard) or any other suitable frequency. In the aforesaid patent the advantages of the used squaring method are disclosed, but also the disadvantage of a parabolic interference signal occurring during the retrace period, and a circuit is described therein for reducing the amplitude of this interference signal. The invention is based on the recognition that by this measure not all detrimental effects of the occurring interference signal are obviated. By suppressing this signal or by reducing the amplitude thereof a signal is nevertheless produced which can excite resonant circuits. Such a circuit, for example, is formed by the self-inductances and the capacitances of a line deflection circuit coupled to the east-west modulator and can have a high quality factor Q, for example, if no high voltage generator is coupled herewith, which generator could have damped oscillations caused by the interference signal. Picture display arrangements comprising such a separate high voltage generator have often been produced of late. Owing to the aforesaid high Q a disturbance occurs on the display screen which may reach as far as one third of the height of the screen, with the lines on the screen varying in width displaying the edges of the image as undulating lines. It is an object of the invention to provide a circuit with which the abovementioned disturbance can be eliminated better than with the known circuit. Thereto a circuit of the aforementioned type is characterized in that the circuit further comprises a signal generator producing a second signal during the retrace period, a combining stage receiving the first signal during the trace period and the second signal during the retrace period, and producing the output signal at the output terminal (K), whereby the second signal has such a shape that the curvature of the output signal during the retrace period is opposite to the curvature of the output signal during the trace period and that the output signal as well as the derivative thereof with respect to the time assume values at the beginning and at the end of the retrace period which are substantially equal to the corresponding values at the end and at the beginning of the trace period respectively. Due to the measure in accordance with the invention the output signal of the circuit as well as its derivative are continuous functions of time, causing resonant circuits to be very little excited. Consequently, there will hardly be any disturbance. The circuit can be implemented such that during the entire period a continuous waveform is produced that is to say without any bends, irrespective of the repetition frequency and/or amplitude of the parabolic waveform during the trace period and/or the waveform produced by the aforedescribed generator. This result can be achieved with inexpensive components. The circuit is advantageously characterized by means for suppressing the first signal during the retrace period and for supplying said first signal to the output terminal (K) during the trace period and by means for suppressing the second signal during the trace period and for supplying said second signal to the output terminal (K) during the retrace period. In an embodiment the circuit in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the first signal has an essentially parabolic shaped variation during the retrace period and that the signal generator comprises an adjusting stage for inverting and adjusting the parabolic shaped variation of the first signal during the retrace period. An adjustment can be found with which the waveforms occurring during both parts of the period substantially match. This works satisfactorily especially if the incoming signal can only have one frequency. In a further embodiment the circuit is characterized in that the second signal is sine-shaped. With this embodiment the frequency, phase and amplitude of the sine-shaped signal are adjustable. In a preferred embodiment the circuit is characterized in that the period of the sine-shaped signal is twice as long as the retrace period, a starting circuit being coupled to the signal generator for determining the values of the sine-shaped signal and of the derivative with respect to the time of this signal at the beginning of the retrace period and for conveying these values to the signal generator. Owing to this measure adjusting the signal of the signal generator is not required. As the values of this signal and its derivative are fixed at the start of the retrace period, the corresponding values at the end of the retrace period are fixed as well. This lies on the assumption that the duration of the retrace period is substantially constant, even in the case of frequency variations of the incoming signal. When using this circuit in picture display arrangements this will take place rather often as for the retrace period a specified time will be chosen which with certainty includes the time required for inverting the deflecting current. The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the following figures wherein: Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of the circuit in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 shows waveforms occurring in the circuit shown in Fig. 1, Figures 3a and 3b show a block diagram of a second and a third embodiment of the circuit in accordance with the invention, Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the circuit in accordance with the invention, Fig. 5 shows a more detailed diagram of the circuit of Fig. 4, and Figures 6 and 7 show details of variants of the circuit of Fig.5. In Fig. 1 a squaring stage is represented to which a periodic sawtooth-shaped signal is applied. As the output of stage 1 a signal is available having the same frequency as the applied sawtooth-shaped signal. During the greater part of the period, the trace period, wherein the applied signal shows a rising edge, as well as during the remaining part of the period, the retrace period, wherein the applied signal shows a falling edge, the signal produced by stage 1 has a parabolic variation. Both parabolas have the same polarity and substantially the same amplitude. The transition from the one to the next parabola is discontinuous. Herewith, at any rate in television engineering, the retrace period is very short relative to the trace period, that is in the order of, for example, 1 ms at a field period of 20 ms (European television standard) in the case when the signal produced by the circuit of Fig. 1 is the control circuit for an east-west modulator for correcting distortion of the picture displayed by a television receiver. The output signal of stage 1 is applied to a first suppression stage 2 to which a suppression signal B is also applied. When a pulse occurs in signal B, stage 2 is inhibited and the output signal of stage 2 is merely formed by the parabolic signal of stage 1 occurring during the trace period. The output signal of stage 1 is likewise applied to a second suppression stage 3 which also receives signal B. When a pulse occurs in signal B, stage 3 is enabled and the output signal of stage 3 is merely formed by the parabolic signal of stage 1 occurring during the retrace period. This output signal is applied to an adjusting stage 4 wherein inversion and multiplication take place. The signals received from the outputs of stages 2 and 4 are applied to an adder stage 5. The output terminal K of the circuit is formed by an output of stage 5. In Fig. 2a is shown the input signal and in Fig. 2b the output signal of stage 1 is plotted as a function of time. Figs. 2c and 2d show the respective output signals of stages 2 and 3 whilst Fig. 2e shows the output signal of the circuit. From this it is manifest that for stage 4 an adjustment can be found, more specifically an adjustment of the multiplication coefficient, with Fig. 2e showing that the waveform during the retrace period substantially matches the waveform which holds for the variation during the trace period. This implies that at the instants t₁ and t₂ of the start and the end of the retrace period, respectively, the two waveforms assume substantially the same values and that also the slopes of the curves in Fig. 2e are substantially the same at instants t₁ and t₂. Thus at the aforementioned instants both the parabolic signal of stage 4 and the derivative with respect to the time of this signal assume values which are virtually equal to the corresponding values at the same instants of the parabolic signal of stage 2 and of the derivative with respect to the time of this signal. Owing to this measure the resulting curve of Fig. 2e does not show any bend. Fig. 3a shows a variant of the circuit wherein the squaring stage 1 is inhibited by the suppression pulse B causing the signal of Fig. 2c to occur, whilst a similar squaring stage 6 also receiving the sawtooth-shaped input signal is enabled by pulse B causing the signal of Fig. 2d to occur. The latter signal is reversed and multiplied by means of stage 4 and the obtained signal is added to the signal of Fig.2c by means of stage 5 so as to obtain an output signal of the circuit in accordance with Fig. 2e. The desired continuity at instants t₁ and t₂ can also be achieved if the signal occurring during the retrace period is not derived from the signal occurring during the trace period, as is the case in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3a, but is produced separately. A sine-shape can be very suitable therefor. Fig. 3b shows a modification of Fig. 3a wherein stage 6 is replaced by a sine-wave oscillator 8 which is enabled by signal B and which naturally receives no sawtooth-shaped signal. The frequency, the phase and the amplitude of the waveform generated by this oscillator are adjusted, if necessary, by means of an adjusting stage 9 such that the parabola and the sine form one flowing line. Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the circuit in accordance with the invention wherein the waveform during the retrace period again has the form of a sine and is generated by a separate oscillator, but wherein the aforedescribed adjustments are not required. The stages 1, 2 and 5 in Fig. 4 represent the same stages as the corresponding stages in fig. 1. The output signal of stage 2, that is the signal of Fig. 2c is applied both to stage 5 and to a starting circuit 7 coupled to sine-wave oscillator 8. The signal generated by oscillator 8 is applied to stage 5 wherein it is added to the signal of stage 2 to obtain the circuit output signal. Oscillator 8 is preferably a start-stop-oscillator only operative during the occurrence of pulse B, that is to say between instants t₁ and t₂. Starting circuit 7 determines the values at instant t₁ of the signal coming from stage 2 and of the derivative with respect to the time of this signal and applies these values to oscillator 8. The signal of oscillator 8 has such a frequency that the time interval between t₁ and t₂ is equal to half the period of the oscillation. At instant t₁ oscillator 8 starts oscillating at this frequency, with the values at that instant assumed by the signal of the oscillator and by the derivative with respect to the time of this signal being the respective values conveyed by circuit 7. At instant t₂, that is half a period later, the sine-shaped signal assumes the same value as at instant t₁, the derivative having the same absolute value as at instant t₁ but having the opposite sign. Owing to the symmetry of the parabola with respect to the axis of symmetry passing through the centre instant of the trace period, the same holds for the derivative of the signal of fig. 2c, this signal keeping the same value between instants t₁ and t₂. Thus the circuit of Fig. 4 fulfills the conditions of continuity. As this circuit has no adjusting means it can be used in the case when the duration of the retrace period is invariable, whereas the frequency of the incoming signal is constant or not constant. Fig. 5 shows in more detail an embodiment of the circuit of Fig. 4. From Fig. 5 is appears that the suppression stage 2 is implemented to comprise a switch S1, conducting during the trace period and blocked during the retrace period, and a capacitor C1. The capacitor C1 is connected to an amplifier A1 operating as a signal follower whose output voltage v₁ has the variation represented by Fig. 2c. During the trace period the voltage across capacitor C1 follows the variation of Fig. 2b, as amplifier A1 is a voltage source, and during the retrace period the aforesaid voltage keeps the value assumed at instant t₁. The starting circuit 7 comprises an amplifier A2 an inverting input of which is connected to the output of amplifier A1 via a capacitor C2 and a non-inverting input of which is connected to the same output via a resistor R1. A resistor R2 is inserted between an output and the inverting input of amplifier A2 and a capacitor C3 is connected between the non-inverting input of amplifier A2 and earth. Resistors R1 and R2 have substantially the same value R and capacitors C2 and C3 have substantially the same capacitance C. Under these circumstances the transfer function between the output of amplifier A1 and that of amplifier A2 appears to be equal to 1-jωRC, which shows that the voltage at the output of amplifier A2 consists of two voltage components, that is to say one component which is equal to voltage v₁ and one component which is proportional to the derivative with respect to the time of this voltage. Via a switch S2, which is blocked during the retrace period and conducting during the trace period, the voltage at the output of amplifier A2 is applied to a capacitor C4. The voltage present across this capacitor has the correct initial value for oscillator 8 at instant t₁. Oscillator 8 is a sine-wave oscillator with a feedback double integrator around an amplifier A3. A series arrangement composed of two capacitors C5 and C6 and a series arrangement composed of two resistors R3 and R4 are respectively inserted between an inverting input and an output of amplifier A3. A non-inverting input of amplifier A3 is connected to the output of amplifier A1 and is likewise connected to the junction point of capacitor C5 and C6 via a resistor R5. The junction point of resistors R3 and R4 is connected to capacitor C4. A switch S3 is inserted between the inverting input and the output of the amplifier A3. Like the other two switches switch S3 is controlled by the suppressing signal B, as a result of which the switches are blocked during the retrace period and conducting during the trace period. Capacitors C5 and C6 have the same capacitance C as capacitors C2 and C3 whilst capacitor C4 has the capacitance 2C. Resistor R5 has the same value R as resistors R1 and R2 whilst resistors R3 and R4 have the value 2R. As long as switch S3 is conducting, the selective network formed by the elements R3, R4, R5, C5 and C6 is short-circuited and amplifier A3 will function as a signal follower for signal V₁. The signal at the output of amplifier A3, that is the signal to terminal K, is thus the parabolic voltage occurring during the trace period. At instant t₁ switch S3 is blocked and the sine-wave oscillator starts oscillating, the time interval between t₁ and t₂ being equal to 2 πRC and the initial values of the voltage across capacitor C4 and of the derivative with respect to the time of this voltage being determined in the aforedescribed way. The sine-shaped voltage produced between instants t₁ and t₂ is present on terminal K. For voltage v₁ amplifier A3 is an amplifier with feedback so that the sine-shaped voltage is superposed on the substantially constant value assumed by voltage v₁ between the instants t₁ and t₂. It will be evident that the various parts of the circuit of Fig. 4 can be implemented in many known ways. A disadvantage of the implementation of the starting circuit in accordance with Fig.5 is the fact that it comprises a differentiating network C2, R2, which is sensitive to possible interference voltage peaks. In this respect an improvement and likewise a simplification of the circuit will be obtained by substituting elements R1, R2, C2, C3 and A2 in Fig.5 for a single resistor R6 having the value R and being inserted between the output of amplifier A1 and switch S2 (cf. Fig.6). During the trace period the voltages at the non-inverting input and at the output of amplifier A3 are substantially equal and, consequently, the voltage at the inverting input is substantially equal to voltage V₁. Capacitor C4 is charged by this voltage via resistors R6, R3 and R4. The transfer function of the network thus formed is equal to and is by approximation equal to 1-jωRC if ω RC is many times smaller than 1, implying that the frequency of voltage V₁ is many times smaller than the frequency of the sine-wave oscillator. This is most certainly the case if the retrace period is very short relative to the period of the incoming signal. In an embodiment in a monitor the field frequency was 50 Hz and the interval t₁ to t₂ was 0.5 ms, the sine-wave oscillator had a frequency of 1 kHz and R was selected to be 5 kΩ and C was selected to be 15 nF. From the foregoing and more specifically the aforementioned transfer function it appears that resistor R6 has the same effect as the elements substituted therefor. Fig. 7 shows a variant of the circuit wherein a capacitor C7, a switch S4 and a switch S5 are connected to the output of amplifier A1. The remaining connection of capacitor C7 is connected to the cathode of a diode D whose anode is connected to a positive direct voltage, and to the emitter of a pnp-transistor T, whose base is connected to the same positive direct voltage. The connection of switch S4 not connected to amplifier A1, the collector of transistor T as well as an end of a self-inductance L are interconnected. The remaining end of self-inductance L is connected to the connection of switch S5 not connected to amplifier A1 and to a capacitor C8 whose other side is connected to earth. Switches S4 and S5 receive signal B; during the retrace period switch S4 is conducting whilst switch S5 is blocked and during the trace period switch S4 is blocked whilst switch S5 is conducting. The voltage across capacitor C8 is the output voltage of the circuit. During the trace period there is a parabolic voltage v₁ present across capacitor C8 via the conducting switch S5. By means of diode D having the aforesaid conduction direction when the parabola has the polarity indicated in Fig.2, the top of the parabola is kept at a fixed level. If the value of voltage v₁ exceeds this level incremented by the sum of the threshold voltage of diode D and the threshold voltage of the emitter-base diode of transistor T, then this transistor will be conductive. This will happen with a sufficiently large amplitude of voltage v₁ during the trace period in a first portion before the centre instant of this period and in a second portion after this instant. The emitter current of transistor T flows through capacitor C7 and is proportional to the derivative with respect to the time of voltage v₁. The same holds for the collector current which is substantially equal to the emitter current and which flows through self-inductance L and capacitor C8. Owing to the fact that voltage v₁ originates from a voltage source this current does not affect the output voltage across capacitor C8. During the retrace period voltage v₁ causes a current to flow through self-inductance L and capacitor C8 via the conducting switch S4. The voltage across capacitor C8 is sine-shaped having a frequency determined by the value of self-inductance L and the capacitance of capacitor C8. If these respective quantities L and C′ are chosen such that π √LC' equals the duration of the interval t₁ to t₂, this duration will be equal to half the sine-shaped period. The initial value of the output voltage at instant t₁ is equal to the value this voltage had just before the switches S4 and S5 were changed over and the initial value of the derivative with respect to the time of the afore-mentioned voltage is likewise equal to the value this derivative had just before the aforesaid change-over. For the voltage across capacitor C8 and the current through self-inductance L will not jump. In the preceding several circuits are described for producing a signal having a parabolic shape during the trace period and having a shape, for example a sine-shape, smoothly running into the parabolic shape during the retrace period. The manner in which a parabolic signal generated by squaring during the retrace period is suppressed is of little importance. This can be achieved as described in Figs. 1 and 3, or because the signal applied to stage 1 is already suppressed between the instants t₁ and t₂, having the minimum value between the aforesaid instants. This will hold for the afore-described case wherein the incoming sawtooth-shaped signal shows a rising edge during the trace period. It will be evident that the described circuits can also be used, although with obvious modifications, like the direction of conduction of diode D, when oppositely the aforementioned edge is falling. It will also be evident that the circuits can be used in cases when the aforesaid edge is not an exact linear function of time, for example when an S-component is present in the signal, in which case the output signal only approximately has a parabolic shape during the trace period. Such a deformation of the east-west-parabola, for example with flat picture display tubes can even be desirable.

Claims: A circuit for producing a periodic, essentially parabolic output signal to an output terminal (K), this circuit comprising a squaring stage (1) having an input for receiving a sawtooth-shaped signal having a trace and a retrace, and an output supplying a first signal having the same frequency as the received sawtooth-shaped signal and having an essentially parabola-shaped variation during the trace period, characterised in that the circuit further comprises a signal generator (3/4,6/4,8/9,7/8) producing a second signal during the retrace period, a combining stage (5) receiving the first signal during the trace period and the second signal during the retrace period, and producing the output signal at the output terminal (K), whereby the second signal has such a shape that the curvature of the output signal during the retrace period is opposite to the curvature of the output signal during the trace period and that the output signal as well as the derivative thereof with respect to the time assume values at the beginning and at the end of the retrace period which are substantially equal to the corresponding values at the end and at the beginning of the trace period respectively. A circuit as claimed in claim 1, characterized by means (1, 2) for suppressing the first signal during the retrace period and for supplying said first signal to the output terminal (K) during the trace period and by means (3, 6, 8) for suppressing the second signal during the trace period and for supplying said second signal to the output terminal (K) during the retrace period. A circuit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first signal has an essentially parabolic shaped variation during the retrace period and that the signal generator comprises an adjusting stage (4) for inverting and adjusting the parabolic shaped variation of the first signal during the retrace period. A circuit as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the second signal is sine-shaped. A circuit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the frequency, phase and amplitude of the sine-shaped signal are adjustable. A circuit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the period of the sine-shaped signal is twice as long as the retrace period, a starting circuit (7) being coupled to the signal generator (8) for determining the values of the sine-shaped signal and of the derivative with respect to the time of this signal at the beginning of the retrace period and for conveying these values to the signal generator (8). A circuit as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the squaring stage (1) is coupled to the starting circuit (7) for conveying at the beginning of the retrace period the values of the first signal and of the derivative with respect to the time of this first signal at the end of the trace period as initial values of the sine-shaped signal. A circuit as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the starting circuit comprises an amplifier (A2), an inverting input of which is coupled to the squaring stage via a first capacitor (C2) and a non-inverting input of which is coupled to the squaring stage via a first resistor (R1) for supplying the first signal occurring during the trace period, a second resistor (R2) being connected between the inverting input and an output of the amplifier, this output being coupled to the signal generator via a switch (S2) conducting during the trace period and being blocked during the retrace period, a second capacitor (C3) being connected to the non-inverting input of the amplifier, both capacitors having substantially the same capacitance and both resistors having substantially the same value. A circuit as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the starting circuit comprises a resistor (R6), one connection of which is coupled to the squaring stage for supplying the first signal occurring during the trace period, the other connection of the resistor being coupled to a switch (S2) coupled to the signal generator, this switch conducting during the trace period and being blocked during the retrace period. A circuit as claimed in claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the signal generator comprises a capacitor (C4) connected to the switch (S2), the voltage across the capacitor at the beginning of the retrace period having information about the initial values of the generator signal and about the derivative with respect to the time of this signal. A circuit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the signal generator is a start-stop-oscillator operative at the beginning of the retrace period and inoperative at the end of the retrace period. A circuit as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the start-stop-oscillator comprises an amplifier (A3), a selective network (R3, R4, R5, C5, C6) short-circuited during the retrace period being connected between a feedback input and an output of the amplifier, this output forming the output terminal (K) of the circuit, a further input of the amplifier being coupled to the squaring stage (1) for supplying the first signal occurring during the trace period. A circuit as claimed in claim 4, characterized by a series arrangement comprising a first capacitor (C7), a current source (T), a self-inductance (L) and a second capacitor (C8), this series arrangement being coupled to the squaring stage for supplying the first signal occurring during the trace period, a first switch (S4) blocked during the trace period and conducting during the retrace period being connected in parallel with the series arrangement composed of the first capacitor (C7) and the current source (T), a second switch (S5) conducting during the trace period and blocked during the retrace period being connected in parallel with the arrangement composed of the first capacitor (C7), the current source (T) and the self-inductance (L), and the junction point of the self-inductance (L), the second capacitor (C8) and the second switch (S5) forming the output terminal (K) of the circuit.

Inventors: HULSHOF, JOZEF JOHANNES MARIA
Applicants: N.V. PHILIPS' GLOEILAMPENFABRIEKEN
Application year: 1987
Main classification: H03K4
IPC codes: H03K4, H04N3