Integrated analog video receiver

Abstract

An analog video receiver implemented in an integrated circuit device. The analog video receiver includes an amplifier to amplify an analog video signal having a desired carrier frequency, and a mixing circuit to mix the amplified analog video signal with a complex sinusoid having a frequency substantially equal to the carrier frequency.

1 . A video circuit to output a video image corresponding to a selected channel which is one of a plurality of channels of a broadcast spectrum, the video circuit comprising:
 a video receiver to receive an input video signal having a carrier frequency which is associated with the selected channel and to generate a baseband video signal which is representative of the input video signal, wherein the video receiver includes a tuner to generate the baseband video signal using the input video signal having the carrier frequency which is associated with the selected channel;   a video decoder, coupled to the video receiver, to generate a video output signal which is associated with the selected channel, wherein the video decoder generates the video output signal using the baseband video signal; and   a video output circuit, coupled to the video decoder, to generate video data using the video output signal, wherein the video output circuit includes:
 a summing circuit to sum data corresponding to a plurality of video frames of the video output signal, wherein the plurality of video frames are sequential in time, and wherein the video output circuit outputs the video data which includes the sum of data corresponding to the plurality of video frames. 
   
   
   
       2 . The video circuit of  claim 1  wherein the video output circuit further includes a frame buffer, coupled to the summing circuit, to store data as a plurality of video frames and wherein the summing circuit sums the data of a first video frame and data of a second video frame, wherein the first and second video frames are sequential in time. 
   
   
       3 . The video circuit of  claim 1  wherein the video decoder further includes a detector to detect a signal quality of the baseband video signal, wherein the video output circuit outputs video data which is representative of the sum of data corresponding to the plurality of video frames only when the signal quality of the baseband video signal falls below a threshold. 
   
   
       4 . The video circuit of  claim 3  wherein the signal quality of the baseband video signal is a signal-to-noise ratio. 
   
   
       5 . The video circuit of  claim 1  wherein the video receiver, the video decoder and the video output circuit are incorporated into or on the same integrated circuit. 
   
   
       6 . The video circuit of  claim 1  wherein the video output circuit includes a frame buffer, coupled to the video decoder, to store data as a plurality of video frames. 
   
   
       7 . The video circuit of  claim 6  wherein the frame buffer includes first and second buffers, and wherein the first and second buffers store data which is representative of sequential video frames. 
   
   
       8 . The video circuit of  claim 6  wherein the summing circuit is coupled to the frame buffer to sum data which is representative of a plurality of video frames. 
   
   
       9 . The video circuit of  claim 1  wherein the video output circuit, in response to a signal which is representative of a degradation in quality of the baseband video signal, outputs video data, which is a time-averaged representation of the video output signal, as a substitute for data which is representative of the second video frame. 
   
   
       10 . The video circuit of  claim 1  wherein the video circuitry further includes:
 a detector to detect a signal quality of the baseband video signal, wherein the detector outputs a frame hold signal when the degradation in a signal quality of the baseband video signal falls below a threshold; and   a frame buffer, coupled to the summing circuit, to store a plurality of video frames.   
   
   
       11 . The video circuit of  claim 10  wherein the video output circuit further includes:
 a multiplexer, coupled to the frame buffer and the summing circuit, wherein the multiplexer: (i) in response to a first state of the frame hold signal, outputs data of a video frame stored in the frame buffer and, (ii) in response to a second state of the frame hold signal, outputs the data generated by the summing circuit.   
   
   
       12 . A video device including the video circuit of  claim 1  and a video display to display a video image conveyed in the video data output by the video output circuit. 
   
   
       13 . A video device including the video circuit of  claim 1 , an antenna to receive the input video signal wirelessly, and a video display to display the video image conveyed in the video data output by the video output circuit. 
   
   
       14 . A method of operating circuitry which outputs video data which is representative of a video image corresponding to a selected channel which is one of a plurality of channels of a broadcast spectrum, the method comprising:
 generating a baseband video signal, wherein the baseband video signal is a baseband version of an input video signal;   generating a video output signal, which corresponds to the selected channel, using the baseband video signal;   summing video data which corresponds to a plurality of video frames associated with the video output signal to generate summed video data, wherein the plurality of video frames are sequential in time; and   outputting video data which corresponds to the summed video data.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 detecting a signal quality of the baseband video signal;   generating a frame hold signal when a degradation in the signal quality of the baseband video signal falls below a threshold.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further including multiplexing, based on the frame hold signal, between (i) video data which is representative of the video output signal and, (ii) the video data which corresponds to the summed video data. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the signal quality of the baseband video signal is a signal-to-noise ratio. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising receiving the input video signal having a carrier frequency which is associated with the selected channel. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein summing video data which corresponds to the plurality of video frames associated with the video output signal further includes generating a time-averaged representation of the video output signal, wherein the video data which corresponds to the summed video data is the time-averaged representation of the video output signal. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising outputting either (i) the video data which is representative of the video output signal or (ii) the video data which is the time-averaged representation of the video output signal. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14  wherein outputting video data which corresponds to the summed video data comprises outputting the video data which corresponds to the summed video data only when a degradation in a signal quality of the baseband video signal falls below a threshold. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising displaying a video image conveyed in the output video data which corresponds to the summed video data. 
   
   
       23 . A machine readable storage medium having information stored thereon comprising data representing an expression of circuitry to output a video image corresponding to a selected channel which is one of a plurality of channels of a broadcast spectrum, the video circuitry comprising:
 a video receiver to receive an input video signal having a carrier frequency which is associated with the selected channel and to generate a baseband video signal which is representative of the input video signal, wherein the video receiver includes a tuner to generate the baseband video signal using the input video signal having the carrier frequency which is associated with the selected channel;   a video decoder, coupled to the video receiver, to generate a video output signal which is associated with the selected channel, wherein the video decoder generates the video output signal using the baseband video signal; and   a video output circuit, coupled to the video decoder, to generate video data using the video output signal, wherein the video output circuit includes:
 a summing circuit to sum data corresponding to a plurality of video frames of the video output signal, wherein the plurality of video frames are sequential in time, and wherein the video output circuit outputs the video data which includes the sum of data corresponding to the plurality of video frames. 
   
   
   
       24 . The machine readable storage medium of  claim 23  wherein the expression of circuitry to output a video image corresponding to a selected channel which is one of a plurality of channels of a broadcast spectrum includes manufacturing a single integrated circuit including the video receiver, the video decoder and the video output circuit.