IP Library › Granted Patent US 12677065

Granted Patent B2

US 12677065 · App. 18/396,484 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Time code generation circuit, time coder, and signal generation method of time coder

Inventors: Lu Li (Shenzhen, CN); Yi Xie (Shenzhen, CN); Xiangjun Zhou (Shenzhen, CN)

Assignee: Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd.

H04N23/667 G03B31/00 G11B27/10

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12677065
App. No.: 18/396,484
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A time code generation circuit includes: a port; a time code switching module connected to the port; an amplitude adjustment module connected to the time code switching module; and a main control module respectively connected to the time code switching module and the amplitude adjustment module. The amplitude adjustment module is configured to receive a time code signal generated by the main control module and perform amplitude adjustment to generate time code signals with different amplitudes. The time code switching module is configured to receive a time code signal undergone amplitude adjustment. The main control module is configured to receive first operation input to generate a time code signal and configure the time code signal to be input into the amplitude adjustment module for amplitude adjustment. The time code signal undergone amplitude adjustment is transmitted into the port through the time code switching module.

Claims (65)

1 . A time code generation circuit, comprising:

a port;

a time code switching subcircuit connected to the port;

an amplitude adjustment subcircuit connected to the time code switching subcircuit; and

a controller connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit,

wherein the controller is configured to receive a first operation input to generate a time code signal and transmit the time code signal to the amplitude adjustment subcircuit, and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit is configured to perform amplitude adjustment on the time code signal to generate an amplitude-adjusted time code signal to be transmitted to the port through the time code switching subcircuit.

2 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

an audio acquisition subcircuit connected to the port and the controller, and configured to acquire an audio signal,

wherein the controller is further configured to receive a second operation input to control the audio acquisition subcircuit to transmit the audio signal to the port.

3 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a third operation input to configure the port to receive an external time code signal to be transmitted to the controller through the time code switching subcircuit.

4 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the audio acquisition subcircuit comprises a microphone and a first switch, the microphone is connected to the controller and the first switch and configured to acquire the audio signal, and the U 1 first switch is connected to the port and the controller, and

the controller is further configured to control the first switch to be turned on, to transmit the audio signal to the port.

5 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the time code switching subcircuit comprises a second switch and a time code constant circuit, the second switch is connected to the port and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit, and the time code constant circuit is electrically connected between the controller and the second switch,

the controller is further configured to control the second switch to be turned on, to configure the port to receive an external time code signal or configure the port to output the amplitude-adjusted time code signal, and an amplitude of the external time code signal is different from an amplitude of the amplitude-adjusted time code signal, and

the time code constant circuit is configured to receive the external time code signal, and output a constant time code signal to the controller.

6 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amplitude adjustment subcircuit comprises a potentiometer connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the controller, and

the controller is further configured to control the potentiometer to adjust an amplitude of the time code signal.

7 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amplitude adjustment subcircuit comprises a buffer connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the controller, and

the controller is further configured to control the buffer to buffer the time code signal before subjected to the amplitude adjustment.

8 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amplitude adjustment subcircuit comprises a follower connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the controller, and

the controller is further configured to control the follower to enable the amplitude-adjusted time code signal to be stably input into the time code switching subcircuit.

9 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the port is any one of a tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS) port, a Type-C port, or a universal serial bus (USB) port.

10 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a working mode switching subcircuit for generating the first operation input, a second operation input, and a third operation input,

wherein the working mode switching subcircuit is connected to the controller and is configured to drive the controller to generate a control signal, to enable the port to be in a time code signal output mode, a time code signal and audio signal output mode, or a time code signal input mode.

11 . The time code generation circuit as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the working mode switching subcircuit comprises an encoder connected to the controller, and

the control signal is generated by the controller based on a pulse signal from the encoder.

12 . A time coder, comprising:

a housing;

a port;

a time code switching subcircuit connected to the port;

an amplitude adjustment subcircuit connected to the time code switching subcircuit; and

a controller connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit,

wherein the controller is configured to receive a first operation input to generate a time code signal and transmit the time code signal to the amplitude adjustment subcircuit, and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit is configured to perform amplitude adjustment on the time code signal to generate an amplitude-adjusted time code signal to be transmitted into to the port through the time code switching subcircuit.

13 . The time coder as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising:

an audio acquisition subcircuit connected to the port and the controller, and configured to acquire an audio signal,

wherein the controller is further configured to receive a second operation input to control the audio acquisition subcircuit to transmit the audio signal to the port.

14 . The time coder as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a third operation input to configure the port to receive an external time code signal to be transmitted to the controller through the time code switching subcircuit.

15 . The time coder as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the audio acquisition subcircuit comprises a microphone and a first switch, the microphone is connected to the controller and the first switch and configured to acquire the audio signal, and the first switch is connected to the port and the controller, and

the controller is further configured to control the first switch to be turned on, to transmit the audio signal to the port.

16 . The time coder as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the time code switching subcircuit comprises a second switch and a time code constant circuit, the second switch is connected to the port and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit, and the time code constant circuit is electrically connected between the controller and the second switch,

the time code constant circuit is configured to receive the external time code signal, and output a constant time code signal to the controller.

17 . The time coder as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the amplitude adjustment subcircuit comprises:

a potentiometer connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the controller; and

a buffer connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the controller,

wherein the controller is further configured to: control the potentiometer to adjust an amplitude of the time code signal; and control the buffer to buffer the time code signal before subjected to the amplitude adjustment.

18 . The time coder as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the amplitude adjustment subcircuit comprises a follower connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the controller;

the controller is further configured to control the follower to enable the amplitude-adjusted time code signal to be stably input into the time code switching subcircuit; and

the port is any one of a TRRS port, a Type-C port, or a USB port.

19 . The time coder as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising:

a working mode switching subcircuit for generating the first operation input, a second operation input, and a third operation input,

the working mode switching subcircuit comprises an encoder connected to the controller, and the control signal is generated by the controller based on a pulse signal from the encoder.

20 . A signal generation method by a time coder, wherein the time coder comprises:

a port;

a time code switching subcircuit connected to the port;

an amplitude adjustment subcircuit connected to the time code switching subcircuit; and

a controller connected to the time code switching subcircuit and the amplitude adjustment subcircuit,

the signal generation method comprising:

turning on a power switch of the controller;

in response to receiving the first operation input, the controller generating the time code signal based on the first operation input and transmitting the time code signal to the amplitude adjustment subcircuit, so that the amplitude adjustment subcircuit performs the amplitude adjustment on the time code signal to generate the amplitude-adjusted time code signal and transmits the amplitude-adjusted time code signal to the port through the time code switching subcircuit;

in response to receiving a second operation input, the controller controlling an audio acquisition subcircuit to transmit an audio signal, acquired by the audio acquisition subcircuit, to the port based on the second operation input; and

in response to receiving a third operation input, the controller configuring the port based on the third operation input to receive an external time code signal and transmit the external time code signal to the controller through the time code switching subcircuit.