Row grabbing system

Abstract

A real time frame grabbing system for substantially instantaneously providing a continuous video display or a selectable predetermined video frame of information on a video display means from continuously transmittable video information which is transmitted as a plurality of pseudo video scan lines wherein the selected frame being grabbed is updatable on a displayable row by displayable row basis. Each of the pseudo video scan lines has a television scan line format and comprises a complete self-contained packet of digital information sufficient to provide an entire displayable row of video data characters, the pseudo video scan line having an associated transmission time equivalent to that of a television video scan line. The packet of digital information comprises at least address information for a displayable row and data information for the displayable characters in the row. Each of these psuedo video scan lines further comprises a horizontal sync signal at the beginning thereof which provides a record separator between adjacent pseudo video scan lines and resets the input receiver logic for the transmitted pseudo video scan lines upon the detection of each horizontal sync signal to provide noise immunity enhancement. The pseudo video scan lines are transmitted and received through a conventional television distribution system. Each pseudo video scan line contains means for error checking the contents of the received pseudo video scan line for inhibiting display of the associated displayable row when the error check is not satisfied. Programmable means, such as a general purpose digital computer, is conventionally programmed to interleave the pseudo video scan line signal transmission to provide pseudo video scan line information corresponding to a common assigned row for a plurality of frames before providing such information corresponding to a subsequent different common assigned row for the plurality of frames.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A real time frame grabbing system for substantially instantaneously providing a continuous video display of a selectable predetermined video frame of information on a video display means from continuously transmittable video information comprising means for transmitting said video information as a plurality of pseudo video scan lines, each of said pseudo video scan lines having a television video scan line format and capable of comprising a complete self-contained packet of digital information sufficient to provide an entire displayable row of video data characters, said pseudo video scan line having an associated transmission time equivalent to said television video scan line, said packet of digital information comprising at least address information for said displayable row and data information for said displayable characters in said displayable row, each of said pseudo video scan lines further comprising a horizontal sync signal at the beginning thereof, said horizontal sync signal providing a record separator between adjacent pseudo video scan lines, said transmitting means further comprising means for providing a vertical sync signal after a predetermined plurality of pseudo video scan lines have been transmitted, said pseudo video scan line being a composite video signal, said system further comprising television signal distribution means for distributing said transmitted composite pseudo video scan line signals to said video display means for providing said continuous video display.[...]..Iadd., and receiver means operatively connected between said television signal distribution means and said video display means for processing said distributed composite pseudo video scan line signals and capable of providing a displayable video row signal to said video display means from a pseudo video scan line signal pertaining to said selected frame for providing said continuous video display, said receiver means comprising means for updating said continuously video displayable selectable frame on a displayable video row-by-row basis as said data portion of any of said displayable received distributed pseudo video scan line signals pertaining to said selected frame is updated. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       2. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with .[.claim.]. .Iadd.claims 1 or 28 .Iaddend.wherein said composite pseudo video scan line signal provided by said transmitting means comprises a three level signal having first, second and third signal levels with said digital data information varying between said second and third signal levels and said horizontal sync signal information being provided between said first and second signal levels. 
     
     
       3. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with .[.claim.]. .Iadd.claims 1 or 28 .Iaddend..[.further comprising receiver means operatively connected between said television signal distribution means and said video display means for processing said distributed composite pseudo video scan line signals and.]. .Iadd.wherein said processing means comprises means .Iaddend.capable of providing a displayable video row signal to said video display means from each of said pseudo video scan line signals pertaining to said selected frame for providing said continuous video display, a predetermined plurality of displayable video rows comprising a displayable video frame of information. 
     
     
       4. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said composite video scan line signal further comprises clock signal reference frequency information, said receiver signal processing means comprising means for providing a master clock signal output in accordance with said reference frequency information and a predetermined data bit rate, and decoder means operatively connected to said master clock signal output for providing timing control signals for said receiver signal processing means indicative of predetermined character positions within said pseudo video scan line signal and predetermined bit positions within a character for processing said distributed pseudo video scan line to provide said displayable video row signal therefrom. 
     
     
       5. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said receiver signal processing means comprises means responsive to the occurrence of said horizontal sync signal for each distributed pseudo video scan line for resetting said processing means in response to each detection of said horizontal sync signal, whereby noise immunity for said system is enhanced. 
     
     
       6. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said .[.receiver.]. .Iadd.updating .Iaddend.means comprises means for updating said continuously video displayable selectable frame on a displayable video row-by-row basis dependent on the real time data information content of said received pseudo video scan .[.lines.]. .Iadd.line. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       7. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.6.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said updating means comprises memory means for retrievably storing said continuously distributed pseudo video scan line data portion for providing said displayable video row therefrom, said memory means retrievably stored data portion being continuously updateable as said data portion of said pseudo video scan line signal associated therewith is updated. 
     
     
       8. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.1 or 28 .Iaddend.wherein each of said packets of digital information further comprises an error check information content based on at least the address and data information content of an associated pseudo video scan line, said receiver signal processing means comprising error check means for obtaining an error check indication from said distributed associated pseudo video scan line and comparing said error check indication with said error check information content of said associated pseudo video scan line in accordance with a predetermined error check condition for providing a predetermined output condition signal when said error check condition is satisfied, said receiver signal processing means further comprising condition responsive means operatively connected to said error check means to receive said predetermined output condition signal therefrom when provided, said condition responsive means inhibiting the provision of said displayable video row from said associated pseudo video scan line signal when said predetermined output condition signal is not provided thereto. .[.9. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said receiver means comprises means for testing said address information portion of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal for satisfaction of at least one predetermined signal reception condition, said address information testing means providing a predetermined output condition when said reception condition is satisfied, memory means for retrievably storing said pseudo video scan line data portion for providing said displayable video row therefrom and delay means for delaying the storing of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal data portion for a sufficient interval to enable testing for said error check condition and testing of said address information prior to storing of said pseudo video scan line data portion, said condition responsive means being further operatively connected to said address information testing means for inhibiting the storage of said data portion in said memory means when said predetermined output condition signals from said testing means are not provided thereto, whereby the provision of said displayable video row from 
     
     
        said associated pseudo video scan line signal is inhibited..]. 10. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.9.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said receiver means further comprises keyboard means for selecting said predetermined video frame to be continuously displayed, said address information comprising information corresponding to the frame associated with said distributed pseudo video scan line, said address information testing means comprising means for testing said frame information, said reception condition being correspondence between said frame information and said selected frame. .[.11. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 9 wherein a predetermined pseudo video scan line signal contains permission information representative of predetermined frames which a video display means is authorized to receive for video display thereof, said receiver means comprising means for storing said authorized frames, said address information comprising information corresponding to the frame associated with said distributed pseudo video scan line, said address information testing means comprising means for testing said frame information, said reception condition being correspondence between said frame information and stored authorized 
     
     
        frame..]. 12. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.28 .Iaddend.wherein said system further comprises programmable means for receiving said continuously transmittable video information, retrievably storing said information, reformatting said stored information into a desired pseudo video scan line format and continuously providing this reformatted information to said transmitting means a word at a time, said word comprising a pair of displayable characters. .[.13. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said programmable means includes means for interleaving said reformatted pseudo video scan line information to provide pseudo video scan line information corresponding to a common assigned row for a plurality of frames to said transmitting means before providing pseudo video scan line information corresponding to a subsequent different common assigned row for said plurality of frames to said transmitting means..]. 
     
     
          . A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said transmitting means comprises a first-in-first-out serial word memory means having a storage capacity of a predetermined plurality of words operatively connected to said programmable means for receiving said reformatted information word transmission therefrom, and means for controlling the strobing of data out of said first-in-first-out memory means operatively connected to said first-in-first-out memory means, said programmable means controlling the strobing of data into said 
     
     
        first-in-first-out memory means. 15. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said transmitter means comprises a master clock signal generation means for controlling the bit rate of transmission of said pseudo video scan line signals, bit counting means operatively connected to said master clock signal generation means for counting said clock signal and providing an output pulse each time said bit count corresponds to a predetermined common quantity of bits in a displayable character, said output pulse representing the start of said character, means for generating a composite sync signal and vertical drive signal, said master clock signal generation means synchronizing said bit rate with said composite sync signal, means operatively connected to said sync signal generation means for providing a frame enable signal at a predetermined vertical scan position after said vertical drive signal, said means for controlling the strobing of data out of said first-in-first-out memory means capable of receiving a ready to transmit data signal from said first-in-first-out memory means and comprising condition responsive means operatively connected to said sync signal generating means for receiving said composite sync signal therefrom, said bit counting means for receiving said output pulse therefrom, said frame enable signal providing means for receiving said frame enable signal therefrom and said first-in-first-out memory means for receiving said ready to transmit data signal therefrom for controlling said strobing of data out from said first-in-first-out memory means in response to said received signals for providing said data information portion for one of 
     
     
        said pseudo video scan line signals. 16. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said transmitter means further comprises sync combining means operatively connected to said first-in-first-out memory means for receiving said one pseudo video scan line signal data information portion and to said sync signal generating means for receiving said composite sync signal therefrom for providing said composite pseudo video scan line signal to said distribution means. 
     
     
          . A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said transmitter means further comprises a shift register means operatively connected between said first-in-first-out memory means output and said sync combining means input, said shift register means further being operatively connected to said bit counting means output and said master clock signal generating means output for loading said one pseudo video scan line signal data portion from said first-in-first-out memory means into said shift register means in response to said bit counting means output pulse, said shift register means shifting out said loaded one pseudo video scan line signal data portion for providing said data portion to said sync combining means at a shift rate established by said master 
     
     
        clock signal. 18. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said transmitter means further comprises flip-flop means and character counting means having its input connected to said bit counting means output for clocking said character counting means in response to said bit counting means output pulse for providing an output pulse when a quantity of bit counting means output pulses corresponding to a predetermined total number of characters comprising one pseudo video scan line signal has been counted for establishing a time period corresponding to said total number of characters, said character counting means output being connected to said flip-flop means for receiving said character counting means output pulse and providing a sync burst gate signal output in response thereto, said flip-flop means being further operatively connected to said sync signal generating means for receiving said composite sync signal, said flip-flop means being set by said character counting means output pulse and reset by said composite sync signal, said transmitter means further comprising a selectable multiplexer means having a first input operatively connected to said shift register means output and a second input operatively connected to said master clock signal generating means output for providing a clock synchronizing burst signal thereto and further being connected to said flip-flop means output for switching between said first and second inputs in response thereto, said multiplexer means output being connected to said sync combining means input for selectively providing said first and second inputs thereto, said clock synchronizing burst signal being selected during the interval of said sync burst gate signal, said shift register means output being selected when said sync burst gate signal output is not provided and said shift register means output is provided, said composite pseudo video scan line signal further comprising said clock synchronizing burst signal for 
     
     
        an interval corresponding to said sync burst gate interval. 19. A real time frame grabbing system for substantially instantaneously providing a continuous video display of a selectable predetermined video frame of information on a video display means from a plurality of pseudo video scan lines, each of said pseudo video scan lines having a television video scan line format and capable of comprising a complete self-contained packet of digital information sufficient to provide an entire displayable row of video data characters, said pseudo video scan line having an associated transmission time equivalent to said television scan line, said packet of digital information comprising at least address information for said displayable row and data information for said displayable characters in said displayable row, each of said pseudo video scan lines further comprising a horizontal sync signal at the beginning thereof, said horizontal sync signal providing a record separator between adjacent pseudo video scan lines, said pseudo video scan line being a composite video signal, said system comprising means for selecting said predetermined video frame to be continuously displayed and means operatively connected to said video display means and said frame selection means for processing said composite pseudo video scan line signals and capable of providing a displayable video row signal to said video display means from each of said pseudo video scan line signals pertaining to said selected frame for providing said continuous video display, a predetermined plurality of displayable video rows comprising a displayable video frame of information.[...]..Iadd., said processing means comprising means for updating said continuously video displayable selectable frame on a displayable video row-by-row basis as said data portion of any of said displayable received distributed pseudo video scan line signals pertaining 
     
     
        to said selected frame is updated. .Iaddend. 20. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 19 .Iadd.or 29 .Iaddend.wherein said processing means comprises means responsive to the occurrence of said horizontal sync signal for each pseudo video scan line for resetting said processing means in response to each detection of said horizontal sync 
     
     
        signal, whereby noise immunity for said system is enhanced. 21. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 19 .Iadd.or 29 .Iaddend.wherein said composite pseudo video scan line signal further comprises clock signal reference frequency information, said processing means comprising means for providing master clock signal output in accordance with said reference frequency information and a predetermined data bit rate, and decoder means operatively connected to said master clock signal output for providing timing control signals for said processing means indicative of predetermined character positions within said pseudo video scan line signal and predetermined bit positions within a character for processing said distributed pseudo video scan line to 
     
     
        provide said displayable video row signal therefrom. 22. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said .[.processing.]. .Iadd.updating .Iaddend.means comprises means for updating said continuously video displayable selectable frame on a displayable video row-by-row basis dependent on the real time data information content of 
     
     
        said received pseudo video scan lines. 23. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.22.]. .Iadd.19 .Iaddend.wherein said updating means comprises memory means for retrievably storing said pseudo video scan line data portion for providing said displayable video row therefrom, said memory means retrievably stored data portion being continuously updateable as said data portion of said pseudo video scan 
     
     
        line signal associated therewith is updated. 24. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 19 .Iadd.or 20 .Iaddend.wherein each of said packets of digital information further comprises an error check information content based on at least the address and data information content of an associated pseudo video scan line, said processing means comprising error check means for obtaining an error check indication from said distributed associated pseudo video scan line and comparing said error check indication with said error check information content of said associated pseudo video scan line in accordance with a predetermined error check condition for providing a predetermined output condition signal when said error check condition is satisfied, said processing means further comprising condition responsive means operatively connected to said error check means to receive said predetermined output condition signal therefrom when provided, said condition responsive means inhibiting the provision of said displayable video row from said associated pseudo video scan line signal when said predetermined output condition signal is not provided thereto. .[.25. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said processing means comprises means for testing said address information portion of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal for satisfaction of at least one predetermined signal reception condition, said address information testing means providing a predetermined output condition when said reception condition is satisfied, memory means for retrievably storing said pseudo video scan line data portion for providing said displayable video row therefrom and delay means for delaying the storing of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal data portion for a sufficient interval to enable testing for said error check condition and testing of said address information prior to storing of said pseudo video scan line data portion, said condition responsive means being further operatively connected to said address information testing means for inhibiting the storage of said data portion in said memory means when said predetermined output condition signal from said testing means are not provided thereto, whereby the provision of said displayable video row from said associated pseudo video 
     
     
        scan line signal is inhibited..]. 26. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.29 .Iaddend.wherein said selection means comprises keyboard means, said address information comprising information corresponding to the frame associated with said pseudo video scan line, said address information testing means comprising means for testing said frame information, said reception condition being correspondence between said frame information and said selected frame. .[.27. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 25 wherein a predetermined pseudo video scan line signal contains permission information representative of predetermined frames which a video display means is authorized to receive for video display thereof, said processing means comprising means for storing said authorized frames, said address information comprising information corresponding to the frame associated with said pseudo video scan line, said address information testing means comprising means for testing said frame information, said reception condition being correspondence between said frame information and stored 
     
     
        authorized frame..]. .Iadd.28.  A real time frame grabbing system for substantially instantaneously providing a continuous video display of a selectable predetermined video frame of information on a video display means from continuously transmittable video information comprising means for transmitting said video information as a plurality of pseudo video scan lines, each of said pseudo video scan lines having a television video scan line format and capable of comprising a complete self-contained packet of digital information sufficient to provide an entire displayable row of video data characters, said pseudo video scan line having an associated transmission time equivalent to said television video scan line, said packet of digital information comprising at least address information for said displayable row and data information for said displayable characters in said displayable row, each of said pseudo video scan lines further comprising a horizontal sync signal at the beginning thereof, said horizontal sync signal providing a record separator between adjacent pseudo video scan lines, said transmitting means further comprising means for providing a vertical sync signal after a predetermined plurality of psuedo video scan lines have been transmitted, said pseudo video scan line being a composite video signal, said system further comprising television signal distribution means for distributing said transmitted composite pseudo video scan line signals to said video display means for providing said continuous video display and programmable means for receiving said continuously transmitted video information, retrievably storing said information, reformatting said stored information into a desired pseudo video scan line format and continuously providing this reformatted information to said transmitting means, said programmable means including means for interleaving said reformatted pseudo video scan line information corresponding to a common assigned row for a plurality of frames to said transmitting means before providing pseudo video scan line information corresponding to a subsequent different common assigned row for said plurality of frames to said transmitting means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. A real time frame grabbing system for substantially instantaneously providing a continuous video display of a selectable predetermined video frame of information on a video display means from a plurality of pseudo video scan lines, each of said pseudo video scan lines having a television video scan line format and capable of comprising a complete self-contained packet of digital information sufficient to provide an entire displayable row of video data characters, said pseudo video scan line having an associated transmission time equivalent to said television scan line, said packet of digital information comprising at least address information for said displayable row and data information for said displayable characters in said displayable row, each of said pseudo video scan lines further comprising a horizontal sync signal at the beginning thereof, said horizontal sync signal providing a record separator between adjacent pseudo video scan lines, said pseudo video scan line being a composite video signal, said system comprising means for selecting said predetermined video frame to be continuously displayed and means operatively connected to said video display means and said frame selection means for processing said composite pseudo video scan line signals and capable of providing a displayable video row signal to said video display means from each of said pseudo video scan line signals pertaining to said selected frame for providing said continuous video display, a predetermined plurality of displayable video rows comprising a displayable video frame of information, said processing means comprising means for updating said continuously video displayable selectable frame on a displayable video row-by-row basis as said data portion of any of said displayable received distributed pseudo video scan line signals pertaining to said selected frame is updated, a predetermined pseudo video scan line signal containing permission information representative of predetermined frames which a video display means is authorized to receive for video display thereof, said processing means comprising means for storing said authorized frames and for testing said address information portion of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal for satisfaction of at least one predetermined signal reception condition, said address information testing means providing a predetermined output condition signal when said reception condition is satisfied, said processing means further comprising condition responsive means operatively connected to said address information testing means for inhibiting the storage of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal data portion in said authorized frame storing means when said predetermined output condition signal is not provided thereto from said testing means, said address information comprising information corresponding to the frame associated with said distributed pseudo video scan line, said address information testing means comprising means for testing said frame information, said reception condition being correspondence between said frame information and stored authorized frame, whereby the provision of said displayable video row from said associated pseudo video scan line is inhibited in the absence of authorization for display thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said receiver means further comprises memory means for retrievably storing said pseudo video scan line data portion for providing said displayable video row therefrom and delay means for delaying the storing of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal data portion for a sufficient interval to enable testing for said error check condition and testing of said address information prior to storing of said pseudo video scan line data portion. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.31.  A real time frame grabbing system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said processing means further comprises memory means for retrievably storing said pseudo video scan line data portion for providing said displayable video row therefrom and delay means for delaying the storing of said distributed pseudo video scan line signal data portion for a sufficient interval to enable testing for said error check condition and testing of said address information prior to storing of said pseudo video scan line data portion. .Iaddend.