U.S. patent number 3,783,192 [Application Number 05/317,134] was granted by the patent office on 1974-01-01 for decoder for use in matrix four-channel system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sansui Electric Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Susumu Takahashi.
United States Patent |
3,783,192 |
Takahashi |
January 1, 1974 |
DECODER FOR USE IN MATRIX FOUR-CHANNEL SYSTEM
Abstract
A decoder for use in an SQ matrix four-channel system comprises
first and second matrix circuits for forming a difference signal
and a sum signal of the first and second channel signals
respectively. The output signals from the first and second matrix
circuits are supplied to third and fourth matrix circuits to
produce reproduced rear signals which are supplied to two rear
loudspeakers disposed to the rear of a listener. Between the first
and second matrix circuits and third and fourth matrix circuits is
connected at least one phase shifter which gives a phase difference
of about 90.degree. between the output signals from the first and
second matrix circuits. The first and second channel signals are
supplied to respective ones of two front loudspeakers disposed in
the front of the listener.
Inventors: |
Takahashi; Susumu (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Sansui Electric Co., Ltd.
(Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
26336686 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/317,134 |
Filed: |
December 21, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 30, 1971 [JA] |
|
|
47/3172 |
Nov 30, 1972 [JA] |
|
|
47/120033 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
381/22;
381/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04S
3/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04S
3/00 (20060101); H04S 3/02 (20060101); H04r
005/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;179/1GQ,1G,1GP,15BT,1.4ST,1.1TD |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
A compatible Stereo-Quadraphonic (SQ) Record System by Bauer, Sept.
71, Journal AES..
|
Primary Examiner: Cooper; William C.
Assistant Examiner: D'Amico; Thomas
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ford W. Harris, Jr. et al.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A decoder for decoding a first channel signal normally
containing one front signal and two rear signals having a phase
difference of 90.degree., and a second channel signal normally
containing another front signal and said two rear signals having a
phase difference of 90.degree. to produce reproduced four-channel
signals which are to be supplied to two front loudspeakers and two
rear loudspeakers which are disposed about a listener, said decoder
comprising:
a first matrix circuit connected to receive said first and second
channel signals for forming a difference signal between said first
and second channel signals;
a second matrix circuit connected to receive said first and second
channel signals for forming a sum signal of said first and second
channel signals;
a third matrix circuit connected to receive the output signals of
said first and second matrix circuits for additively combining said
output signal to form an output signal to be supplied to one of
said rear loudspeakers;
a fourth matrix circuit connected to receive the output signals
from said first and second matrix circuits for subtractively
combining said output signals to form an output signal to be
supplied to the other of said rear loud-speakers;
at least one phase shifter connected between said first and second
matrix circuits and said third and fourth matrix circuits for
providing a phase difference of about 90.degree. between the
outputs from said first and second matrix circuits;
first and second coupling means for coupling said first and second
channel signals to respective ones of said two front loudspeakers;
and
third and fourth coupling means for coupling the outputs from said
third and fourth matrix circuits to respective ones of said two
rear loudspeakers.
2. The decoder according to claim 1 which further comprises a
second phase shifter for coupling said first channel signal to said
first matrix circuit and said first coupling means; and a third
phase shifter for coupling said second channel signal to said first
matrix circuit and to said second coupling means, said second and
third phase shifters having the same phase shift characteristic
over the entire audio frequency range and said first phase shifter
having a phase shift characteristic which is different by about
90.degree. from those of said second and third phase shifters over
the entire audio frequency range.
3. The decoder according to claim 1 wherein first and second phase
shifters are connected between said first and second matrix
circuits and said third and fourth matrix circuits, said first
phase shifter is connected to receive the output from said first
matrix circuit, said second phase shifter is connected to receive
the output from said second matrix circuit and said first and
second phase shifters have phase shift characteristics of about
90.degree. difference over the entire audio frequency range.
4. The decoder according to claim 1 wherein said phase shifter has
a phase shift characteristic such that it provides a 90.degree.
phase difference between the input and output signals at a given
frequency in the entire audio frequency range.
5. The decoder according to claim 4 wherein said phase shifter
comprises a transistor including a base electrode, a collector
electrode and an emitter electrode, and a series circuit connected
across the collector and emitter electrodes of said transistor,
said series circuit including a capacitor and resistor, and wherein
the base electrode of said transistor is connected to receive said
input signal and said output signal is taken out from the junction
between said capacitor and said resistor of said series
circuit.
6. The decoder according to claim 1 which further comprises a fifth
matrix circuit connected to receive said first and second channel
signals for forming a sum signal of said first and second channel
signals; a sixth matrix circuit connected to receive said first and
second channel signals for forming a difference signal of said
first and second channel signals; a seventh matrix circuit
connected to receive the output signals from said fifth and sixth
matrix circuits for forming a signal to be supplied to said first
coupling means; an eighth matrix circuit connected to receive the
output signals from said fifth and sixth matrix circuits for
forming a signal to be supplied to said second coupling means; a
control unit for detecting the phase relationship between said
first and second channel signals to form first and second control
signals; a first variable gain amplifier connected to the output
side of said sixth matrix circuit to vary the amplification factor
thereof in response to said first control signal from said control
unit; and a second variable gain amplifier connected to the output
side of said second matrix circuit to vary the amplification factor
thereof in response to said second control signal from said control
unit.
7. The decoder according to claim 6 wherein said first variable
gain amplifier includes means responsive to said first control
signal from said control unit for setting the amplification factor
of said first variable gain amplifier to be substantially unity
when said first and second channel signals are in phase, and to be
substantially zero when said first and second signals have opposite
phases, and said second variable gain amplifier includes means
responsive to said second control signal from said control unit for
setting the amplification factor of said second variable gain
amplifier to be substantially zero when said first and second
channel signals are in phase, and to be substantially unity when
said first and second channel signals have opposite phases.
8. The decoder according to claim 1 wherein one of said third and
fourth matrix circuits is an adder and the other is a
subtracter.
9. The decoder according to claim 8 wherein said adder includes two
equally valued resistors and said subtracter includes a series
connection of an inverter and two equally valued resistors.
10. The decoder according to claim 6 wherein said seventh matrix
circuit is an adder, and said eighth matrix circuit is a
subtracter.
11. The decoder according to claim 10 wherein said adder includes a
series connection of two equally valued resistors, and said
subtracter includes a series connection of an inverter and two
equally valued resistors.
12. A signal converting apparatus for converting two channel
signals into four channel output signals which are coupled to four
loudspeakers disposed around a listener, said apparatus
comprising:
first means for producing a sum signal of said two channel
signals;
second means for producing a difference signal of said two channel
signals;
third means for additively combining only said sum and difference
signals to produce a first output signal;
fourth means for subtractively combining only said sum and
difference signals to produce a second output signal;
fifth means for additively combining only said sum and difference
signals to produce a third output signal;
sixth means for subtractively combining only said sum and
difference signals to produce a fourth output signal; and
seventh means for introducing a predetermined phase difference
between said sum and difference signals which are supplied to said
fifth and sixth means.
13. The signal converting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein
said predetermined phase difference is about 90.degree..
14. The signal converting apparatus according to claim 12 further
comprising:
eighth means for detecting phase relationship between said two
channel signals to produce first and second control signals;
ninth means responsive to said first control signal from said
eighth means for varying the level of said difference signal which
is supplied to said third and fourth means; and
tenth means responsive to said second control signal from said
eighth means for varying the level of said sum signal which is
supplied to said fifth and sixth means.
Description
This invention relates to a decoder suitable for use in a matrix
four-channel system wherein four-channel original signals are
encoded into two-channel signals and the two-channel signals are
decoded into four-channel signals closely resembling the original
signals.
In recent years, various types of matrix four-channel reproducing
systems have been developed wherein four-channel original signals
are convertd into two-channel signals, the two-channel signals are
sent to a decoder through a transmission medium such as a stereo
disc, a magnetic tape or an FM stereo broadcasting system to be
converted into four-channel signals which are closely resembling
the original signals and the decoded four-channel signals are
supplied to four loudspeakers arranged about a listener. A typical
example is known as the "CBS SQ system."
However, as the decoder used in the conventional SQ system requires
four expensive phase shifters the construction of the decoder is
complicated and expensive.
In the SQ system, while the separations between the front channels
and between the rear channels are complete, the separation between
the front and rear channels is poor. Especially, the poor
separation between rear and front channels for the signals to be
located at the front center or rear center presents a serious
problem.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved decoder of
a simple and inexpensive construction which requires to use at most
three phase shifters.
Another object of this invention is to provide a decoder especially
suitable for use in the SQ system which can improve the separation
between the front and rear channels by adding additional means to
the above described type of a decoder for use in the SQ system.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a
decoder for decoding a first channel signal normally containing one
front signal and two rear signals having a phase difference of
90.degree., and a second channel signal normally containing another
front signal and said two rear signals having a phase difference of
90.degree. to produce reproduced four-channel signals which are to
be supplied to two front loudspeakers and two rear loudspeakers
which are disposed about a listener, said decoder comprising: a
first matrix circuit connected to receive said first and second
channel signals for forming a difference signal between said first
and second channel signals; a second matrix circuit connected to
receive said first and second channel signals for forming a sum
signal of said first and second channel signals; a third matrix
circuit connected to receive the output signals of said first and
second matrix circuits for forming an output signal to be supplied
to one of said rear loudspeakers; a fourth matrix circuit connected
to receive the output signals from said first and second matrix
circuits for forming an output signal to be supplied to the other
of said rear loudspeakers; at least one phase shifter connected
between said first and second matrix circuits and said third and
fourth matrix circuits for providing a phase difference of about
90.degree. between the outputs from said first and second matrix
circuits; first and second coupling means for coupling said first
and second channel signals to respective ones of said two front
loudspeakers; and third and fourth coupling means for coupling the
outputs from said third and fourth matrix circuits to respective
ones of said two rear loudspeakers.
The present invention can be more fully understood from the
following detailed description when taken in connection with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a connection diagram showing a basic construction of a
decoder embodying the invention;
FIGS. 2A and 2B show vector diagrams of two-channel signals
utilized in a matrix four-channel system to which the invention is
suitable;
FIGS. 3A to 3D show vector diagrams of the four-channel reproduced
signals produced by a conventional decoder;
FIGS. 4A to 4D show vector diagrams of the reproduced four-channel
signals produced by a decoder;
FIG. 5 is a connection diagram of the most ideal decoder embodying
the invention;
FIG. 6 shows a modification of the circuit shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 shows a connection diagram of a phase shifter;
FIG. 8 is a graph showing the phase shift characteristic of the
phase shifter shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a graph showing the separation characteristic between the
rear signals obtained by using the phase shifter shown in FIG. 7 in
the decoder shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a modified decoder capable of
improving the separation between the front and rear channels;
FIG. 11 shows one example of the variable gain amplifiers shown in
FIG. 10; and
FIG. 12 shows the relationship between the amplification factors of
the variable gain amplifiers shown in FIG. 10 and the phase
difference between two-channel signals.
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings which shows
the basic construction of an SQ decoder embodying the invention,
two front loudspeakers SFL and SFR and two rear loudspeakers SRL
and SRR are disposed to surround a listener 1 in a listening room
2, in a manner well known in the conventional four-channel
reproducing systems. A first channel signal or left signal L and a
second channel signal or right signal R which are in a stereophonic
relationship are produced from an SQ matrix four-channel medium
such as a stereo phonograph record, a magnetic tape of an FM stereo
receiver. The left signal L is applied to the loudspeaker SFL
through a power amplifier 3 as a front-left signal FL' while the
right signal R is applied to the loudspeaker SFR through a power
amplifier 4 as a front-right signal FR'. Further, the left and
right signals L and R are applied to a first matrix circuit 5 which
produces a difference signal (L - R) and to a second matrix circuit
6 which produces a sum signal (L + R). The sum signal (L + R) is
passed through a -90.degree. phase shifter 7 to produce a signal
whose phase is lagged 90.degree. with reference to the difference
signal (L - R). The difference signal (L - R) and the phase shifted
sum signal (L + R) are applied across a third matrix circuit or
subtracter circuit 8 comprising resistors 9 and 10 having equal
value and an inverter 11 which are connected in series and a fourth
matrix circuit or adder circuit 12 comprising serially connected
resistors 13 and 14 of equal value. A rear-left signal RL' is
derived out from the junction between resistors 9 and 10 of the
third matrix circuit 8 and this signal is applied to the
loudspeaker SRL via a power amplifier 15, whereas a rear-right
signal RR' derived out from the junction between resistors 13 and
14 of the fourth matrix circuit 12 is applied to the loudspeaker
SRR via a power amplifier 16.
The purpose of phase shifter 7 is to establish a 90.degree.
difference between the difference signal (L - R) and sum signal (L
+ R). Instead of inserting the -90.degree. phase shifter 7 in the
circuit of the sum signal (L + R), it is also possible to insert a
+90.degree. phase shifter in the circuit of the difference signal
(L - R). The phase shifter 7 may be a +90.degree. phase shifter, in
which case the inverter 11 is to be connected in the fourth matrix
circuit 12. Alternatively, a -90.degree. phase shifter may be
connected in the circuit of the difference signal (L - R) in which
case too, the inverter 11 is included in the fourth matrix circuit
12. It should be understood that phase shifter 7 is designed to
give a definite phase difference between input and output signals
thereof over the entire audio frequency range.
The SQ decoder shown in FIG. 1 operates as follows. The left and
right signals L and R produced from an SQ matrix four-channel
medium are expressed, respectively, by the following equations:
L=fl + 0.7rr + 0.7rl <-90.degree.
r = fr + 0.7rr <+90.degree. - 0.7rl
where FL, FR, RL and RR represent the four-channel original
signals. The vector diagrams of the signals L and R are shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively.
Four-channel signals reproduced from a conventional SQ decoder are
expressed by the following equations:
Fl1 = lf + 0.7rr + 0.7rl <-90.degree.
fr1 = fr + 0.7rr <+90.degree. - 0.7rl
rl1 = rl + 0.7fl <+90.degree. - 0.7fr
rr1 + rr + 0.7fl + 0.7fr <-90.degree.
the vector diagrams of these reproduced four-channel signals are
shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D repsectively.
The reproduced four-channel signals FL', FR', RL' and RR' produced
by the SQ decoder shown in FIG. 1 are expressed by the following
equations:
Fl' = fl + 0.7rr - j0.7RL
Fr' = fr + j0.7RR - 0.7RL
Rl' = 1/2[l - r + j(L + R)] = 1/2[L + jR - (R - jL)] = 1/2[ -j1.4RL
+ FL + jFR - (-1.4RL - jFL + FR)] = 1/2(2RL <-45.degree. + 1.4FL
<+45.degree. + 1.4RR<+135.degree.) = RL <-45.degree. +
0.7FL <+45.degree. + 0.7FR <+135.degree.
Rr' = 1/2[l - r - j(L + R)] = 1/2[(L - jR - (R + jL)] = 1/2[1.4RR +
FL - jFR -(j1.4RR + jFL + FR)] = 1/2(2RR<-45.degree. + 1.4FL
<-45.degree. + 1.4FR<-135.degree.) = RR<-45.degree. +
0.7FL<-45.degree. + 0.7FR<-135.degree.
The vector diagrams of these reproduced four channel signals are
shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D, respectively. It can be noted that the
vector diagrams of the reproduced front signals FL' and FR' are the
same as those of signals FL1 and FR1 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As
will be seen from the vector diagrams of the reproduced rear
signals RL' and RR' shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, the original signals
RL and RR contained therein are in phase with each other, although
being lagged by -45.degree. in phase with respect to the original
signals FL and FR contained in the reproduced front signals FL' and
FR' shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Yet the separation between the
reproduced front signals FL' and FR' with respect to the original
front signals FL and FR and the separation between reproduced rear
signals RL' and RR' with respect to the original rear signals RL
and RR are perfect as in the conventional decoder.
Although above description is based on the assumption that the
phase shifter 7 shown in FIG. 1 gives phase shifts of a definite
amount to the input signals over the entire audio frequency range,
in practice, this is not possible with a single phase shifter.
For this reason, in order to preserve the desirable phase
characteristics of the SQ system over the entire audio frequency
range it is advantageous to use an SQ decoder as shown in FIG. 5 in
which circuit elements corresponding to those shown in FIG. 1 are
designated by the same reference characters. In the decoder shown
in FIG. 5, the output signals from phase shifters 7B and 7C which
are connected to receive the left and right signals L and R
respectively are utilized as the front signals FL' and FR'
respectively and supplied to first matrix circuit 5. The second
matrix circuit 6 is arranged to receive directly the left and right
signals L and R.
.phi. - 0.degree. phase shifters 7B and 7C have the same
frequency-phase shift characteristic, the amount of phase shift
.phi. varying with frequency. A .phi. - 90.degree. phase shifter 7A
having a -90.degree. lagging phase characteristic with respect to
the phase shifters 7B and 7C over the entire audio frequency range
is connected with the output side of the second matrix circuit 6.
Thus, it will be clear that there is a 90.degree. phase difference
between the output (L - R)<.phi. of the first matrix circuit 5
and the output (L + R)<.phi.-90.degree. of the phase shifter 7A
over the entire audio frequency range. Accordingly, in the decoder
shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to perform the same function as the
conventional decoder by utilizing three phase shifters 7A, 7B and
7C. In this case, since it is necessary for one phase shifter to
have several stages of phase shifters, each as shown in FIG. 7,
possibility of elimination of one phase shifter provides a very
economical advantage.
FIG. 6 shows a modification of the decoder shown in FIG. 5 wherein
instead of using phase shifters 7B and 7C in FIG. 5, a single .phi.
- 0.degree. phase shifter 7D having the same phase shift
characteristic is connected to the output side of the first matrix
circuit 5, whereby a 90.degree. phase shift is provided between the
difference signal (L - R) and sum signal (L + R) over the entire
audio frequency range, thus obtaining a perfect separation between
the rear signals RL' and RR'. Although, with the decoder shown in
FIG. 6 there occur phase differences which vary dependent upon
frequencies between the reproduced front signals FL' and FR' and
the reproduced rear signals RL' and RR', such phase differences do
not cause any practical trouble.
The phase shifter 7 utilized in the decoder shown in FIG. 1 may be
substituted by a phase shifter shown in FIG. 7 and having a phase
shift characteristic as shown in FIG. 8. The phase shifter shown in
FIG. 7 comprises a transistor 20 with its collector-emitter path
connected across a source of supply indicated by B+ and the ground.
Across the collector-emitter path there is connected a series
circuit including a capacitor 21 and resistor 22. The base
electrode of transistor 20 is connected to receive an input signal,
i.e., the sum signal (L + R) in this case, and the phase shifted
sum signal is taken out from the junction between the capacitor 21
and resistor 22. Various circuit elements of the phase shifter
shown in FIG. 7 are selected such that the phase angle of the
output signal is shifted by -90.degree. with respect to the input
signal at a predetermined frequency f.sub.0, for example at 1 KHz,
in the audio frequency band. Consequently, at the frequency
f.sub.0, a 90.degree. phase difference is given between the sum
signal (L + R) and the difference signal (L - R), and thus the
separation between the rear signals RL' and RR' will be
infinitively large at the frequency f.sub.0 as shown in FIG. 9.
With an SQ decoder comprising only one phase shifter shown in FIG.
7, the separation between the reproduced rear signals RL' and RR'
in a frequency band separated from the predetermined frequency
f.sub. 0 is poor as shown in FIG. 9. Such poor separation, however,
does not cause any substantial trouble.
In the SQ system, both the separations between front signals FL'
and FR' and between rear signals RL' and RR' are infinity as shown
by the above described equations regarding reproduced four-channel
signals, but the separation between the front and rear channels is
poor. Especially, the cross talk between the front and rear
channels with reference to the front-center signal (in the case of
FL=FR) or to the rear-center signal (in the case of RL=RR) presents
a problem.
A decoder is shown in FIG. 10 which can improve the separation
between front and rear channels of the SQ decoder shown in FIG. 5
which is the most ideal one to this invention. The circuit elements
corresponding to those shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same
reference characters. In the circuit shown in FIG. 10, there are
added a fifth matrix circuit 25 and a sixth matrix circuit 26 which
produce the sum signal (L + R) and the difference signal (L - R),
respectively in response to the left and right signals L and R
which are supplied to the matrix circuits 25 and 26 through phase
shifters 7B and 7C respectively. Further, a first variable gain
amplifier 27 is connected to the output of the sixth matrix circuit
26. The outputs from the fifth matrix circuit 25 and amplifier 21
are applied across a seventh matrix circuit or adder 28 including
serially connected resistors 29 and 30 of the equal value and
across an eighth matrix circuit or subtracter 31 including
resistors 32 and 33 of equal value and an inverter 34 which are
connected in series. Output signals FL' and FR' are derived out
respectively from the junction between resistors 29 and 30 of the
seventh matrix circuit 28 and the junction between resistors 32 and
33 of the eighth matrix circuit 31. Further, a second variable gain
amplifier 34 is connected between the second matrix circuit 6 and
the phase shifter 7A. There is also provided a control unit 35 for
detecting the phase relationship between the left and right signals
L and R to form first and second control output sgnals EC1 and EC2.
The first control signal EC1 is applied to the first variable gain
amplifier 27 to control the amplification factor f thereof, whereas
the second control signal EC2 is applied to the second variable
gain amplfier 34 to control the amplification factor b thereof. It
will be clear that where the first and second variable gain
amplifiers 27 and 34 and the control unit 35 are eliminated, the
decoder shown in FIG. 10 operates identically with that shown in
FIG. 5.
As above described, the purpose of the control unit 35 is to detect
the phase relationship between the left and right signals L and R
and may comprise a phase discriminator which detects the phase
difference between the left and right signals L and R or a level
comparator which detects the phase relationship between the left
and right signals in accordance with the difference in the levels
of the sum and difference signals of the two signals. As such a
phase discriminator or level comparator may be used the ones
disclosed in the copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 298,933,
filed Oct. 19, 1972, entitled "Decoder for use in 4-2-4 playback
system."
As shown in FIG. 12, the amplification factor f of the first
variable gain amplifier 27 is set to be unity when the phase
difference between the left and right signals L and R is in a range
of from -90.degree. to +90.degree., whereas the amplification
factor b of the second variable gain amplifier is set to be in a
range of from 0 to unity. Thus, for example, the case wherein the
phase difference is zero corresponds to a condition where the left
and right signals L and R contain only the front-center signals
(FL=FR). In such a case, the amplification factor b of the second
variable gain amplifier 34 is set to be nearly equal to zero so as
to substantially block the output signals from the second matrix
circuit 6. The relationship between the levels of the sum and
difference signals under this condition is expressed by L + R >
L - R .
When the phase difference between the left and right signals L and
R is in a range of from +90.degree. to +270.degree. the
amplification factor b of the second variable gain amplifier 34 is
set to be unity whereas that f of the first variable amplifier 27
is set to be in the range of from zero to unity. Thus, a case where
the phase difference is +180.degree. corresponds to a case wherein
the left and right signals L and R contain only the rear-center
signals (RL=RR). Under these conditions, the amplification factor f
of the first variable gain amplifier 27 is set to be substantially
zero so as to block output signals from the sixth matrix circuit
26. The relationship between the levels of the sum and difference
signals under this condition is expressed by an equation L + R >
L - R .
The construction of the first and second variable gain amplifiers
27 and 34 will be described briefly with reference to the
connection diagram shown in FIG. 11. Since both amplifiers have the
same construction only one of them is described. The illustrated
amplifier comprises a transistor 40, and a field effect transistor
41 acting as a variable resistor connected across an emitter
resistor 42. Upon the gate electrode of the field effect transistor
41 is impressed a predetermined bias voltage (for example +13
volts) from a bias circuit so as to set the amplification factor of
transistor 40 to be unity. A diode 43, poled as shown, is connected
between the gate electrode of the field effect transistor 41 and
the output terminal of the control unit which produces the control
output EC. The control unit 35 is constructed such that it produces
the control signals EC1 and EC2 of the same voltage (+13 volts for
example) when the phase difference between the input signals L and
R equals 90.degree.. For this reason, under these conditions, the
control signal EC from the control unit balances with the gate
voltage of the field effect transistor 41 to maintain the
amplification factor of the transistor 40 at unity. When the phase
difference between the input signals L and R is in a range of from
-90.degree. to +90.degree. the control signal EC1 varies greatly in
the positive direction from +13 volts, but such a voltage variation
is blocked by the diode 43 from being transmitted to the gate
electrode of the field effect transistor 41. Accordingly, the
amplification factor of transistor 40 will not be varied. On the
other hand, the control signal EC2 from the control unit 35 varies
greatly in the negative direction from +13 volts and this voltage
variation in the negative direction is transmitted to the gate
electrode of the field effect transistor 41 through the diode 43.
This decreases the bias voltage to the gate electrode below +13
volts, thus decreasing the amplification factor of transistor 40
below unity. Thus, it will be understood that the amplification
factors f and b of the first and second variable gain amplifiers 27
and 34 vary as shown in FIG. 12.
The decoder shown in FIG. 10 operates as follows: Where the phase
difference between the left and right signals L and R is zero
degree, that is, where only the front-center signals, for example,
are present, the amplification factors f and b of the first and
second variable gain amplifiers 27 and 34 are set to be unity and
zero, respectively. As a result, signals L and R are utilized as
the reproduced front signals FL' and FR'. On the other hand, as the
output (L - R) from the first matrix circuit 5 is substantailly
zero and the output (L + R) from the second matrix circuit 6 is
essentially blocked by the second variable gain amplifier 34 (in
this case b=0), the reproduced rear signals RL' and RR' are
substantially zero. In other words, the separation between the
front and rear channels is essentially infinity for the
front-center signal.
Where the phase difference between the left and right signals L and
R is equal to 180.degree., that is, where only the rear-center
signals are present, the amplification factors f and b of the first
and second variable gain amplifiers 27 and 34 are equal to 0 and
unity respectively. For this reason, the output (L + R) from the
fifth matrix circuit is essentially zero and the output (L - R)
from the sixth matrix circuit 26 is blocked by the amplifier 27
whose amplification factor f has been set to zero so that the
reproduced front signals FL' and FR' are substantially zero. On the
other hand, signals RL<-45.degree. and RR<-45.degree. are
derived out as the reproduced rear signals RL' and RR'. Thus, the
separation between the front and rear channels for the rear-center
signal is substantially infinite.
It will be clear that control means similar to that shown in FIG.
10 can be provided for the decoders shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
* * * * *