Synchronization compensating circuit for use in scanning type display circuit

Abstract: A synchronization compensating circuit for use in a scanning type display circuit, comprises a first multistage delay circuit receiving a basic clock for generating K delayed clocks, a second multistage delay circuit receiving an output of the first multistage delay circuit for generating L delayed clocks, and a timing signal generating circuit receiving a horizontal synchronization signal for generating a latch signal. A first selection signal generation circuit latches a first half of the basic clock and the K delayed clocks in response to the latch signal, and a second selection signal generation circuit latches a second half of the basic clock and the K delayed clocks in response to the latch signal. A third selection signal generation circuit latches the L delayed clocks in response to the latch signal. Each of the first to third selection signal generation circuit generates a selection signal corresponding to a received clock fulfilling a predetermined condition. A selection circuit receives the basic clock and the K and L delayed clocks for outputting a delayed clock corresponding to the selection signal outputted from the first selection signal generation circuit in preference to the selection signal from the second and third selection signal generation circuits, and a delayed clock corresponding to the selection signal outputted from the second selection signal generation circuit in preference to the selection signal from the third selection signal generation circuit when the selection signal is not outputted from the first selection signal generation circuit.

Description: The present invention relates to a synchronization compensating circuit for use in a scanning type display circuit, and more specifically, a circuit for compensating a synchronization deviation in a synchronization circuit which generates on the basis of a basic clock a scanning clock used in a circuit for superimposing characters or figures on a scan type display screen of a television receiver, a video display, etc. In the priort art, (see EP-A-0 282 098) one typical conventional synchronization circuit includes a multistage delay circuit connected to receive a basic clock, which is composed of a system clock used for driving an overall system, or a clock obtained by dividing or multiplying the basic clock. For example, the multistage delay circuit includes K delay stages connected in series, and each of the K delay stages gives a delay of T/(K+1) where T is a period of the basic clock applied to the multistage delay circuit. Thus, the multistage delay circuit outputs K delayed clocks which are delayed by T/(K+1), 2T/(K+1), ..., KT/(K+1), respectively. The synchronization circuit also includes a timing generator receiving a horizontal synchronization signal and operating to cause to select among the delayed clocks one delayed clock which becomes a high level within a constant time after receipt of each horizontal synchronization signal. Thereafter, the delayed clock having the same delay time as that of the selected delayed clock is outputted in each period of the basic clock as a scanning clock until a next horizontal synchronization signal is applied. In the above mentioned manner, a deviation of the obtained scanning clock from the horizontal synchronization signal has only the delay time of one stage of the multistage delay circuit at maximum. However, the delay stages of the multistage delay circuit do not necessarily have a constant predetermined or desinged delay time because of variation in manufacturing process, but rather, have a relatively large variation in delayed time. In addition, the desinged delay time of each delay stage of the multistage delay circuit is often shortened or elongated upon variation in temperature. If the delay time of each delay stage of the multistage delay circuit is shortened, there will occur the case that the horizontal synchronization clock is applied after a rising edge of the maximum delayed clock before a rising edge of a next basic clock, and as a result, no scanning clock is generated. On the other hand, if the delay time of each delay stage of the multistage delay circuit is elongated, there will occur the case that two (or more) delayed clocks are outputted as the scanning clock in the same period of the basic clock. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a synchronization compensating circuit for use in a scanning type display circuit, which has overcome the above mentioned defect of the conventional one. Another object of the present invention is to provide a synchronization compensating circuit for use in a scanning type display circuit, which is capable of generating a scanning clock at an optimum timing, without being influenced by variation of a delay time of a delay circuit caused by variations in manufacturing process and in temperature. The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved in accordance with the present invention by a synchronization compensating circuit for use in a scanning type display circuit as defined in claim 1; claim 2 refers to a further development of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the timing signal generating circuit generates a reset signal, and there is further provided an output circuit connected to an output of the selection circuit and controlled by the reset signal so as to output an initialized signal when the reset signal is active. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the synchronization compensating circuit in accordance with the present invention for use in a scanning type display circuit; and Figures 2 to 4 are timing charts illustrating an operation of the synchronization compensating circuit shown in Figure 1 under three different delay time conditions. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a block diagram of one embodiment of the synchronization compensating circuit in accordance with the present invention for use in a scanning type display circuit. The shown circuit includes an input terminal 10 for receiving a basic clock which is composed of a system clock for timing an overall system or a clock obtained by frequency-dividing or frequency-multiplying the system clock. The input terminal 10 is connected to an input of a K-stage delay circuit 12, whose output is connected to an input of an L-stage delay circuit 14. The K-stage delay circuit 12 is composed of K delay stages connected in series, and the L-stage delay circuit 14 is composed of L delay stages connected in series. In the embodiment explained hereinafter with reference to Figures 2 to 4, K is 7 and L is 4. Each of the K delay stages of the K-stage delay circuit 12 has a preset or designed delay time obtained by dividing a period T of the basic clock by (K+1), namely 8, and each of the L delay stages of L-stage delay circuit 14 has a preset or designed delay time obtained by dividing the period T of the basic clock by L, namely 4. In Figures 2 to 4, the parenthesized remarks following the legend "DELAYED CLOCK", such as "K1", "K2", ... "L1", "L2", ... etc , should be understood that the number after "K" indicates the order of a delay stage within the K-stage delay circuit 12 outputting the delayed clock shown in the drawings, and the number after "L" indicates the order of a delay stage within the L-stage delay circuit 14 outputting the delayed clock shown in the drawing. Therefore, the legend "DELAYED CLOCK (K1) shows a delayed clock outputted from a first delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12, and DELAYED CLOCK (L2) shows a delayed clock outputted from a second delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14. A delayed clock outputted from a fourth delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14, the basic clock applied to the input terminal 10 (an undelayed clock) and delayed clocks outputted from first to third delay stages of the K-stage delay circuit 12 are connected through a bus 16 to first to fifth inputs of a selection signal generation circuit 18, respectively. Delayed clocks outputted from third to seventh delay stages of the K-stage delay circuit 12 are connected through a bus 20 to first to fifth inputs of a selection signal generation circuit 22, respectively. The delayed clock outputted from the seventh delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 and delayed clocks outputted from first to fourth delay stages of the L-stage delay circuit 14 are connected through a bus 24 to first to fifth inputs of a selection signal generation circuit 26, respectively. In addition, the basic clock applied to the input terminal 10, the delayed clocks outputted from all the delay stages of the K-stage delay circuit 12 and the delayed clocks outputted from all the delay stages of the L-stage delay circuit 14 are connected through the buses 16, 20 and 24 to a selection circuit 28. The selection signal generation circuit 18 has first to fourth selection signals respectively corresponding to the second to fifth inputs of the selection signal generation cirucit 18, namely to the basic clock applied to the input terminal 10 and the three delayed clocks outputted from the first to third delay stages of the K-stage delay circuit 12. The first to fourth selection signals of the selection signal generation circuit 18 are supplied through a bus 30 to the selection circuit 28. An (N)th selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 18 is activated when such a condition is satisfied that the input corresponding to the (N)th selection signal is at a low level and the input corresponding to the (N-1)th selection signal is at a high level. Here, N is an arbitrary whole number, which is not greater than 4 in the shown embodiment. For example, if the delayed clock outputted from the second delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is at a low level, and the delayed clock outputted from the first delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is at a high level, the third selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 18 corresponding to the delayed clock outputted from the second delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is activated. In this case, if N is 1, if the basic clock is at a low level, and the delayed clock outputted from the fourth delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14 is at a high level, the first selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 18 corresponding to the basic clock is activated. In addition, the selection signal generation circuit 18 generates a first inhibit signal 32 activated when any one of the first to fourth selection signals of the selection signal generation circuit 18 is activated. The selection signal generation circuit 22 has first to fourth selection signals respectively corresponding to the second to fifth inputs of the selection signal generation cirucit 22, namely to the four delayed clocks outputted from the fourth to seventh delay stages of the K-stage delay circuit 12. The first to fourth selection signals of the selection signal generation circuit 22 are supplied through a bus 34 and an inhibit circuit 36 to the selection circuit 28. Similarly to the selection signal generation circuit 18, an (N)th selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 22 is activated when such a condition is satisfied that the input corresponding to the (N)th selection signal is at a low level and the input corresponding to the (N-1)th selection signal is at a high level. For example, if the delayed clock outputted from the fifth delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is at a low level, and the delayed clock outputted from the fourth delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is at a high level, the second selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 22 corresponding to the delayed clock outputted from the fifth delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is activated. Also, similarly to the selection signal generation circuit 18, the the selection signal generation circuit 22 generates a second inhibit signal 38 activated when any one of the first to fourth selection signals of the selection signal generation circuit 22 is activated. The selection signal generation circuit 26 has first to fourth selection signals respectively corresponding to the second to fifth inputs of the selection signal generation cirucit 26, namely to the four delayed clocks outputted from the first to fourth delay stages of the L-stage delay circuit 14. The first to fourth selection signals of the selection signal generation circuit 26 are supplied through a bus 40 and an inhibit circuit 42 to the selection circuit 28. Similarly to the selection signal generation circuit 18, an (N)th selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 26 is activated when such a condition is satisfied that the input corresponding to the (N)th selection signal is at a low level and the input corresponding to the (N-1)th selection signal is at a high level. For example, if the delayed clock outputted from the fourth delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14 is at a low level, and the delayed clock outputted from the third delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 14 is at a high level, the fourth selection signal of the selection signal generation circuit 24 corresponding to the delayed clock outputted from the fourth delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14 is activated. The first inhibit signal 32 outputted from the selection signal generation circuit 18 is supplied to the inhibit circuits 36 and 42, so that, when the first inhibit signal 32 is activated, the inhibit circuits 36 and 42 operate to inhibit the selection signals of the selection signal generation circuits 22 and 26 from being applied to the selection circuit 28. In addition, the second inhibit signal 38 outputted from the selection signal generation circuit 22 is supplied to the inhibit circuit 42, so that, when the second inhibit signal 38 is activated, the inhibit circuit 42 operates to inhibit the selection signals of the selection signal generation circuit 26 from being applied to the selection circuit 28. The selection circuit 28 operates to output, among all the delayed clocks, one delayed clock corresponding to an activated selection signal supplied from the selection signal generation circuits 18, 22 and 26. The shown circuit also includes another input terminal 44 for receiving a horizontal synchronism signal from a scan type display circuit (not shown). The input terminal 44 is connected to a timing signal generation circuit 46. When the horizontal synchronism signal is applied, the timing signal generation circuit 46 operates to output a latch signal 48 to the selection signal generation circuits 18, 22 and 26, so that the delayed clocks outputted from the two delay circuits 12 and 14 are inhibited from being inputted to the selection signal generation circuits 18, 22 and 26, and the selection signal generation circuits 18, 22 and 26 latch the delayed clocks inputted just before the input of the delayed clocks is inhibited. At the same time, the timing signal generation circuit 46 outputs a reset signal 50 to an output circuit 52 having an input connected to an output of the selection circuit 28 and an output connected to an output terminal 54 for outputting an synchronized scanning clock. When the reset signal 50 is applied to the output circuit 52, an output of the output circuit 52 connected to the output terminal 54 is forcibly initialized to a high level or a low level. Now, operation of the shown circuit will be described with reference to timing charts shown in Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 illustrates the case in which each delay stage of the multistage delay circuits 12 and 14 has a preset or designed delay times. In this case, when the basic clock as shown in Figure 2 is applied to the input terminal 10, the multistage delay circuits 12 and 14 output the delayed clocks DELAYED CLOCK(K1), DELAYED CLOCK(K2), ..., DELAYED CLOCK(L4), as shown in Figure 2. Under this condition, a horizontal synchronization signal is applied to the terminal 44, and in synchronism to a falling edge of the horizontal synchronization signal, the latch signal 48 and the reset signal 50 are brought to a high level. After a time sufficiently shorter than the period T of the basic clock, the latch signal 48 is brought to a low level, and after a further delay, the reset signal 50 is brought to a low level. In response to the reset signal 50, the output of the selection circuit 28 is maintained at a low level during a period of time in which the reset signal 50 is at the low level. In synchronism with the falling edge of the latch signal, the selection signal generation circuits 18, 22 and 26 latch the received basic clock and delayed clocks, respectively. As can be understood from Figure 2, the selection signal generation circuit 18 generates no active selection signal. However, the selection signal generation circuit 22 generates an active selection signal corresponding to the delayed clock K5, and the selection signal generation circuit 26 generates an active selection signal corresponding to the delayed clock L3. In this case, since the selection signal generation circuit 22 generates an active inhibit signal 32, the active selection signal outputted from the selection signal generation circuit 26 corresponding to the delayed clock L3 is blocked by the inhibit circuit 42, and therefore, is not supplied to the selection circuit 28. Thus, after the reset signal 50 is brought to the low level so as to release the output circuit 52 from a reset condition, the selection circuit 28 outputs the delayed clock K5, as shown in Figure 2, and thereafter, continues to output the delay clock K5 in every period of the basic clock until a next horizontal synchronization signal is applied. In the above mentioned embodiment, the circuit is set to fulfil a relation of K+1 = 2L. If this relation is fulfilled, when the delay time of each delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is shortened to a half of the designed delay value because of variations in manufacturing process and/or temperature, the delay time of each delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14 becomes equal to the designed delay time of each delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, even if the delay time of the K-stage delay circuit 12 becomes a half and any delayed clock outputted from the K-stage delay circuit 12 is not selected, one of the delayed clocks outputted from the L-stage delay circuit 14 is selected by the selection signal generation circuit 26. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the delayed clock L2 outputted from the second delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14 is outputted as the scanning clock, since neither of the selection signal generation circuits 18 and 22 generates the inhibit signal. In other words, even if the horizontal synchronization signal is applied at any timing, a delayed clock having a substantially constant time relation to the horizontal synchronization signal is selected and outputted as the scanning clock. On the other hand, if the delay time of each delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is elongated to twice a designed value because of variations in manufacturing process and/or temperature, the delay time of each delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 becomes equal to the designed delay time of each delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit 14. In this case, as shown in Figure 4, there are outputted four active selection signals corresponding to the delayed clocks which fulfill the above mentioned condition that when the delayed clocks are latched, a delayed clock of a (N)th delay stage is at a low level and a delayed clock of a (N-1)th delay stage is at a high level. On the other hand, since the selection signal generation circuit 18 generates the first inhibit signal 32, the selection signals outputted from the selection signal generation circuits 22 and 26 are blocked by the inhibit circuits 36 and 42. Therefore, the active selection signal outputted from the selection signal generation circuit 22 corresponding to the seventh delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 and the selection signals outputted from the selection signal generation circuit 26 corresponding to the second and fourth delay stages of the L-stage delay circuit 14 are invalidated, and only the active selection signal outputted from the selection signal generation circuit 18 corresponding to the third delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is applied to the selection circuit 28, so that the delayed clock K3 outputted from the third delay stage of the K-stage delay circuit 12 is selected by the selection circuit 28 and outputted as the scanning clock. Thus, there can be obtained the scanning clock having a feature that a maximum deviation between the scanning clock and the horizontal synchronization signal is limited to a delay time of one delay stage of the L-stage delay circuit. As seen from the above, even if the delay time of the delay circuit varies within a range from a half of a designed delay time to a double of the designed delayed time because of variations in manufacturing process and/or temperature, a clock having a substantially constant time relation to the horizontal synchronization signal can be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to stably superimpose an insertion image into a scan type display screen.

Claims: A synchronization compensating circuit for use in a scanning type display circuit, comprising: a first delay circuit (12) receiving a basic clock having a period of T and composed of first to Kth series-connected delay stages each giving a delay time of T/(K+1); a second delay circuit (14) receiving an output of a final stage of said first delay circuit (12) and composed of (K+1)th to (K+L)th series-connected delay stages each giving a delay time of T/L, where 2L=K+1; a timing signal generating circuit (46) receiving a horizontal synchronization signal for generating a latch signal (48); a first selection signal generation circuit (18) having (L+1) inputs respectively receiving a delayed clock outputted from the Lth delay stage of said second delay circuit (14), said basic clock and delayed clocks outputted from the first to the (K-1)/2th delay stage of said first delay circuit (12) and for latching the received clocks in response to said latch signal (48), said first selection signal generation circuit (18) generating first to (K+1)/2th selection signals corresponding to the received clocks, an (N-l)th selection signal of said first to (K+1)/2th selection signals being activated when a latched (N)th input is at a low level and a latched (N-l)th input is at a high level, 2≦N≦L+1, said first selection signal generation circuit (18) also activating a first inhibit signal (32) when any one of said first to (K+1)/2th selection signals is activated; a second selection signal generation circuit (22) having (L+1) inputs respectively receiving delayed clocks outputted from (K-1)/2th to (K)th delay stages of said first delay circuit (12) and for latching the received clocks in response to said latch signal, said second selection signal generation circuit (22) generating (K+3)/2th to (K+1)th selection signals corresponding to the received clock, a {[(K-1)/2]+N}th selection signal of said (K+3)/2th to (K+1)th selection signals being activated when a latched Nth input is a at a low level and a latched N-1th input is at a high level, said second selection signal generation circuit (22) also activating a second inhibit signal (38) when any of one of said (K+3)/2th to (K+1)th selection signals is activated, a third selection signal generation circuit (26) having (L+1) inputs respectively receiving delayed clocks outputted from (K)th to (K+L)th delay stages of said second delay circuit (14) and for latching the received clocks in response to said latch signal (48), said third selection signal generation circuit generating (K+2)th to (K+L+1)th selection signals corresponsing to the received clock, a (K+N)th selection signal of said (K+2)th to (K+L+1)th selection signals being activated when a latched Nth input is at a low level and a latched (N-1)th input is at a high level; a first inhibit circuit (36) coupled to receive said (K+3)/2th to (K+1)th selection signals from said second selection signal generating circuit so as to output the received (K+3)/2th to (K+1)th selection signals, said first inhibit circuit (36) being controlled by said first inhibit signal (32) so as to inhibit from outputting the received (K+3)2th to (K+1)th selection signals when said first inhibit signal is activated; a second inhibit circuit (42) coupled to receive said (K+2)th to (K+L+1)th selection signals from said third selection signal generating circuit so as to output the received (K+2)th to (K+L+1)th selction signals, said second inhibit circuit being controlled by said second inhibit signal (38) so as to inhibit from outputting the received (K+2)th to (K+L+1)th selection signals when said second inhibit signal is activated, and a selection circuit (28) receiving said basic clock and the delayed clocks outputted from said first to (K+L)th delay stages of said first and second delay circuits (12, 14) and also receiving said first to (K+1)/2th selection signals directly outputted from said first selection signal generation circuit and said (K+3)/2th to (K+L+1)th selection signals supplied through said first and second inhibit circuits, said selection circuit operating to output a delayed clock corresponding to an active selection signal. A synchronization compensating circuit claimed in Claim 1 wherein said timing signal generating circuit (46) generates a reset signal (50), and further including an output circuit (52) connected to an output of said selection circuit (28) and controlled by said reset signal (54) so as to output an initialized signal when said reset signal is active.

Inventors: KUMAGAI TOSHIYUKI C O NEC CORP, SUZUKI HIROYUKI C O NEC CORPOR, KUMAGAI, TOSHIYUKI, C/O NEC CORPORATION, SUZUKI, HIROYUKI, C/O NEC CORPORATION
Applicants: NIPPON ELECTRIC CO, NEC CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: G09G5, H04N5