Method to electronically clarify sound or picture information and an arrangement to carry out the method

A method for electronically clarifying sound or picture information represented by an input signal X which contains at least two respective frequency components, comprising the steps of:

• dividing said input signal X into two orthogonal components X.sub.s and X.sub.c ;
• amplitude compressing one of said orthogonal components X.sub.s and X.sub.c according to a first characteristic;
• and
• multiplying said one compressed orthogonal component by the other non-compressed orthogonal component in a multiplier having a second characteristic inverse to said first characteristic to obtain an output signal Y which contains the harmonics of said respective frequency components as well as sum intermodulation products of said respective frequency components, difference intermodulation products of said respective frequency components being eliminated so that the harmonics of said output signal Y have a substantially equivalent dynamic amplitude ratio with respect to the input signal X.

A device for electronically clarifying sound or picture information represented by an input signal X which contains at least two respective frequency components within a selected frequency band, comprising:

• means for dividing said input signal X into two mutually phase-shifted components X.sub.s and X.sub.c ;
• means for multiplying said mutually phase-shifted components X.sub.s and X.sub.c to produce an expanded output signal Y, said multiplying means having a first signal characteristic;
• and
• means for compensating the amplitude expansion of the multiplied components X.sub.s and X.sub.c and for eliminating a difference intermodulation product, said compensating means having a second signal characteristic inverse to said first characteristic and connected such that harmonics generated by said multiplying means have a substantially equivalent dynamic amplitude ratio with respect to the input signal X.