Digital video horizontal synchronization pulse detector and processor

A digital video horizontal synchronization pulse detector and processor for detecting and processing horizontal synchronization pulses in a video signal, said detector and processor comprising:

• a pulse detector, said pulse detector operable to generate a timing pulse in response to each horizontal synchronization pulse;
• a sync position error device, said sync position error device operable to generate a time position error signal for each timing pulse relative to a corresponding window pulse;
• a window pulse generator, said window pulse generator operable to generate said window pulses and limit said time position error signal to a maximum value;
• an acquisition device, said acquisition device operable to track when said timing pulses occur inside and outside said corresponding window pulses;
• an averaging device, said averaging device operable to generate an average error signal in response to said time position error signal;
• and
• a counter, said counter operable to phase lock to said timing pulses to generate processed horizontal sync pulses, whereby when said timing pulses occur within said corresponding window pulses said counter is adjusted by said average error signal, and when said acquisition device identifies when a predetermined number of timing pulses occur outside said corresponding window pulses, said counter is loaded with a predetermined value during a timing pulse to align said timing pulses with said corresponding window pulses.

A method for detecting and processing horizontal synchronization pulses in a video signal to generate processed horizontal sync pulses, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a timing pulse in response to each horizontal synchronization pulse;
• generating a time position error signal for each timing pulse relative to a window pulse;
• averaging said time position error signals to generate an average error signal;
• identifying when said timing pulses occur outside said corresponding window pulses;
• identifying when said timing pulses occur inside said corresponding window pulses;
• adjusting a counter with said average error signal when the timing pulses occur inside said corresponding window pulses;
• loading a predetermined value into said counter when a predetermined number of timing pulses occur outside said corresponding window pulses during a timing pulse to align said timing pulses with said corresponding window pulses;
• and
• generating the processed horizontal sync pulses.