Synchronizing signal detecting apparatus

A synchronizing signal detecting apparatus comprising:

• a timer for outputting time instant data;
• means for detecting a time instant value for each of a plurality of potential synchronizing signals;
• means for forming a plurality of groups of detected time instant values which are related by a predetermined time offset, and counting a quantity of time instant values in each group;
• first storage means for storing detected time instant values;
• second storage means for storing a count quantity for each of the groups formed by said grouping means;
• maximum value detecting means for detecting a maximum value of the count quantities stored in said second storage means;
• and
• means for outputting a synchronizing signal based on the maximum value detected by said maximum value detecting means.

A synchronizing signal detecting apparatus comprising:

• a timer for outputting time instant data;
• detecting means for detecting a time instant value for each of a plurality of potential synchronizing signals and for outputting a first data value when a potential synchronizing signal is detected;
• address detecting means for associating each time instant value with an address;
• a plurality of storage means, each corresponding to a predetermined time period, for storing the first data value at an address associated by said address detecting means when the potential synchronizing signal occurred during the corresponding time period;
• an adder for adding the number of first data values stored at the same address in said plurality of storage means;
• maximum value detecting means for detecting a maximum value of the added data values from said adder;
• and
• means for correcting a synchronizing signal timing based on the maximum value detected by said maximum value detecting means.

A synchronizing signal detecting apparatus comprising:

• a timer for outputting time instant data;
• detecting means for detecting a time value for each of a plurality of potential synchronizing signals and for outputting a first data value each time a potential synchronizing signal is detected;
• address detecting means for associating each time instant value with an address;
• a plurality of storage means, each corresponding to a predetermined time period, storing the first data value at an address associated by said address detecting means when the potential synchronizing signal occurs during the corresponding time period;
• continuous time counting means for detecting the number of consecutive times the first data value is stored at the respective addresses of said plurality of storage means;
• a maximum value detector for detecting a maximum value counted by said continuous time counting means;
• and
• means for correcting a synchronizing signal timing based on the maximum value detected by said maximum value detector.

A synchronizing signal detecting apparatus comprising:

• detecting means for detecting potential synchronizing signals occurring during a first time frame to generate a first set of potential synchronizing signals, and detecting potential synchronizing signals occurring during a second time frame to generate a second set of potential synchronizing signals;
• generating means for generating a refined set of potential synchronizing signals corresponding to potential synchronizing signals which occur in both the first set and the second set;
• and
• deciding means for deciding when the refined set of potential synchronizing signals includes a single potential synchronizing signal that a synchronizing signal has been detected, and deciding when the refined set of potential synchronizing signals has more than one potential synchronizing signal that further processing is required.

A synchronizing signal detecting apparatus comprising:

• detecting means for detecting, during a plurality of time frames 1 to N, potential synchronizing signals;
• monitoring means for monitoring potential synchronizing signals which occur during a plurality of the time frames 1 to N, and generating a count value for each of the monitored potential synchronizing signals based on the number of time frames the potential synchronizing signal occurs in;
• and
• deciding means for deciding, based on the count values generated by said monitoring means, a synchronizing signal.

A synchronizing signal detecting apparatus comprising:

• detecting means for detecting, during each of a plurality of time frames 1 to N, potential synchronizing signals;
• monitoring means for monitoring potential synchronizing signals which occur during a number of successive time frames 1 to N, and generating a count value for each of the monitored potential synchronizing signals based on the number of successive time frames the monitored potential synchronizing time signal occurs in;
• and
• deciding means for deciding, based on the count values generated by said monitoring means, a synchronizing signal.

A method of detecting a synchronizing signal comprising:

• detecting potential synchronizing signals occurring during a first time frame to generate a first set of potential synchronizing signals, and detecting potential synchronizing signals occurring during a second time frame to generate a second set of potential synchronizing signals;
• generating a refined set of potential synchronizing signals corresponding to potential synchronizing signals which occur in both the first set and the second set;
• and
• deciding when the refined set of potential synchronizing signals includes a single potential synchronizing signal that a synchronizing signal has been detected, and deciding when the refined set of potential synchronizing signals has more than one potential synchronizing signal that further processing is required.

A method of detecting a synchronizing signal comprising:

• detecting, during a plurality of time frames 1 to N, potential synchronizing signals;
• monitoring potential synchronizing signals which occur during a plurality of the time frames 1 to N, and generating a count value for each of the monitored potential synchronizing signals based on the number of time frames the monitored potential synchronizing signal occurs in;
• and
• deciding, based on the count values generated by said monitoring means, a synchronizing signal.

A method of detecting a synchronizing signal comprising:

• detecting, during each of a plurality of time frames 1 to N, potential synchronizing signals;
• monitoring potential synchronizing signals which occur during a number of successive time frames 1 to N, and generating a count value for each of the monitored potential synchronizing signals based on the number of successive time frames during which the monitored potential synchronizing signals occurs in;
• and
• deciding, based on the count values generated by said monitoring step, a synchronizing signal.