Automatic precision video monitor alignment system

A digital control circuit for controlling the display characteristics of a video monitor, said monitor having a CRT, said digital control circuit comprising:

• means for generating a pulse width modulated waveform;
• means for storing indicia of an effective voltage of said pulse width, each of said indicia corresponding to a target value of said pulse width at the start of a given time interval, said time interval being one of a predetermined number of said time intervals in a cycle equal to a synchronization interval of said CRT;
• means for varying said pulse width of said waveform, in response to said indicia stored by said storing means, at said start of each of said time intervals;
• and
• means for synchronizing said waveform with said synchronization interval of said CRT.

A system for calibration of a video monitor, said system having a pattern generator connected to said video monitor for generating a displayed image of a predefined pattern on a cathode ray tube of said monitor, said monitor having a digital control circuit for controlling visual characteristics of said displayed image on said cathode ray tube in response to a control signal comprising:

• means for controlling said pattern generator;
• means for receiving a said displayed image from said video monitor, wherein said displayed image is processed as a non-color-separated image after said receiving thereof, and wherein each pixel in said non-color-separated image has value corresponding to a grey scale level;
• and
• means responsive to said received image, for transmitting a said control signal to said digital control circuit in order to cause said displayed image to conform, within predetermined tolerances, to a desired image.

A system for calibration of a video monitor having a cathode ray tube, said cathode ray tube having a virtual bezel circumscribing a display aperture of said cathode ray tube comprising:

• means for determining a position of said virtual bezel relative to an image thereof captured by a single video camera;
• first control means for adjusting a raster displayed on said cathode ray tube to within a predetermined set of tolerances relative to said virtual bezel;
• means for generating a test pattern, said test pattern having a plurality of rectangles disposed therein;
• means for transmitting said test pattern to said video monitor;
• means for displaying an image of said test pattern on said cathode ray tube of said video monitor;
• means for receiving said image of said test pattern via a single video camera;
• means for digitizing said received image of said test pattern;
• means for storing said digitized image of said test pattern;
• means for determining a size of each of said rectangles in said image of said test pattern;
• and
• second control means for adjusting, in response to said determined size of each of said rectangles in said image of said test pattern, a linearity of each of said rectangles, thereby causing said linearity of each of said rectangles to approximate, within predetermined tolerances, a predetermined linearity.

A method for controlling the display characteristics of a video monitor, said monitor having a CRT comprising the steps of:

• storing indicia of an effective voltage of a pulse width modulated waveform, each of said indicia corresponding to a target value of said pulse width at the start of a given time interval, said time interval being one of a predetermined number of said time intervals in a cycle equal to a synchronization interval of said CRT;
• generating, in response to said indicia stored by said storing means, said pulse width modulated waveform, at said start of each of said time intervals;
• and
• synchronizing said waveform with said synchronization interval of said CRT.

A method for calibration of a video monitor having a cathode ray tube, said cathode ray tube displaying a raster, and having a virtual bezel circumscribing a display aperture of said cathode ray tube comprising the steps of:

• (a) determining a position of said virtual bezel relative to an image thereof captured by a single video camera;
• (b) generating a test pattern, said test pattern having a plurality of rectangles disposed therein;
• (c) transmitting said test pattern to said video monitor;
• (d) displaying an image of said test pattern on said cathode ray tube of said video monitor;
• (e) receiving said image of said test pattern via a single video camera;
• (f) adjusting, in response to said received image, a location of at least one of said rectangles in said test pattern to within predetermined tolerances relative to said virtual bezel;
• and
• (g) adjusting, in response to said received image, a linearity of at least one of said rectangles in said test pattern to a predetermined linearity, within predetermined tolerances.

A method for calibration of a video monitor having a cathode ray tube, said video monitor having stored therein a plurality of values for controlling certain characteristics of a display on said cathode ray tube, said cathode ray tube displaying a raster, and having a virtual bezel circumscribing a display aperture of said cathode ray tube comprising the steps of:

• (a) determining a position of said virtual bezel relative to an image thereof captured by a single video camera;
• (b) generating a test pattern, said test pattern having a plurality of rectangles disposed therein;
• (c) transmitting said test pattern to said video monitor;
• (d) displaying an image of said test pattern on said cathode ray tube of said video monitor;
• (e) receiving said image of said test pattern via single video camera;
• (f) calibrating at least one of said stored values in response to said received image, thereby adjusting a linearity of at least one of said rectangles in said test pattern to within predetermined tolerances relative to said virtual bezel;
• and
• (g) calibrating at least one of said stored values in response to said received image, thereby adjusting the linearity of at least one of said rectangles in said test pattern to a linearity within predetermined tolerances.