Abstract: Methods and systems are described for detecting a video field parity pattern in a video signal comprising a plurality of interlaced video fields, wherein each video field includes a plurality of pixels located in a plurality of positions in a plurality of scan lines. One method includes receiving pixel data of a plurality of current pixels in a current video field, and pixel data of a plurality of first pixels in a first previous video field, where the first previous video field immediately precedes the current video field and together form an image frame.

Abstract: A method for interpolating a pixel value of a pixel located at an OSD object during frame rate conversion includes determining current forward motion vectors between a first previous video frame and a current video frame, and at least one other set of forward motion vectors between two temporally consecutive previous video frames. The method also includes determining that a block adjoining a target block includes pixels depicting at least a portion of an OSD object. The method also includes determining that a position of the adjoining block relative to the target block coincides with a direction of a current forward motion vector associated with the target block, setting a magnitude of the current forward motion vector to zero (0), and calculating a pixel value of a pixel in the target block in the interpolated video frame based on the current forward motion vector associated with the target block.

Abstract: A method for automatically detecting and suppressing cross-color and cross-luma present in a baseband component video signal includes receiving component pixel data of a current pixel, a first previous pixel and a second previous pixel. First, second and third differences are calculated based on the component pixel data of the current, first previous and second previous pixels, and the presence of cross-luma and/or cross-color is determined for the current pixel based on an absolute value of at least one of the first, the second and the third differences. A per pixel count associated with the component pixel data of the current pixel is determined based on the determined presence of at least one of cross-luma and cross-color, and the component pixel data of the current pixel is modified based on the per pixel count.

Abstract: An image scaling system includes a single set of line buffers that receive and store input image pixel data in an input video frame. The scaling system also includes a linear two-dimensional sharpness enhancement unit configured to receive input pixel data from the line buffers and to generate sharpened pixel data by enhancing high frequency components of the input pixel data at an input image resolution, a linear two-dimensional image scaling unit configured to receive the sharpened pixel data and to convert the sharpened pixel data into scaled sharpened pixel data at an output image resolution, and a transient improvement unit configured to receive the input pixel data from the line buffers, sharpened pixel data and scaled sharpened pixel data to improve transient responses at edges in an output image, and to generate output image pixel data at the output image resolution.

Abstract: A method of reducing noise levels in an input video signal comprising pixel data includes receiving input pixel data of the input video signal, where the input pixel data comprises luminance data and chrominance data, and estimating a noise level of the input video signal using the luminance data of the input pixel data. A plurality of filter parameters are identified based on the estimated noise level, and the input pixel data is filtered using a three dimensional spatiotemporal noise reduction filter that is controlled by a first set of the plurality of filter parameters.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting the motion between a video field and its previous and subsequent video fields at a specified position. The motion detection scheme and system allows signal values of one set of vertically adjacent pixels from a video field of one parity and two other sets of vertically adjacent pixels from two neighboring video field of opposite parity to be measured such that when taken together, these pixels represent relevant sample of an image near the vertically and temporal position of the video field. The motion detection scheme also allows the calculation of three motion values between the video field and its previous video field, the video field and its subsequent video field and the previous and subsequent fields of the same video field. The overall level of motion at the field being measured is determined by combining the information from the three motion values calculated at the specified spatial and temporal location.

Abstract: A method and system for scaling video images between differently formatted display devices. The image scaling scheme of the present invention provides a method of receiving video signals of a first format, scaling the video signal to a second format by remapping pixels included in the first format to the second format by time delaying the input clock signal provided with the input video signal so that short or long line that typically accompany such signals are avoided.

Abstract: A system for calibrating a display device to improve its perceived image quality includes a calibration module configured to determine, for each of a plurality of white colors associated with a plurality of gray levels, a measured chromaticity point on a chromaticity diagram and a measured luminance level. The calibration module calculates, for each gray level, a differential change in each primary color component that simultaneously moves the measured chromaticity point to a target chromaticity point and adjusts the measured luminance level to a target luminance level on a predetermined luminance curve having a target gamma value, and calculates correction values for each primary color component and each gray level based on the calculated differential changes. The system also includes means for outputting the calculated correction values to the display device, which corrects the primary color components of a color video signal based on the calculated correction values.

Abstract: A method for automatically adjusting chrominance data of an input pixel from a color video signal includes receiving and temporarily storing the chrominance data of the input pixel in a transmission format comprising a color difference representation and converting the chrominance data from the color difference representation in Cartesian coordinates to color hue and color saturation representation in polar coordinates such that color attributes of the input pixel can be analyzed according to hue and saturation values. The method also includes determining a hue adjustment value and a saturation adjustment value based on the color hue value and color saturation value associated with the chrominance data, applying the hue adjustment and the saturation adjustment directly to the chrominance data in its transmission format, and outputting the adjusted chrominance data to an output color video signal.

Abstract: An image scaling system for converting a sampling rate of an input video signal comprising input pixel data to produce a magnified or reduced output video image comprising output pixel data includes a first one-dimensional image scaler comprising a single-stage finite-duration impulse response (FIR) filter structure with poly-phase filter responses that receives and scales the input pixel data by a scaling factor in either a horizontal or vertical direction to produce output pixel data and a second one-dimensional image scaler comprising a single-stage FIR filter structure that is coupled in tandem to the first one-dimensional image scaler and scales by the scaling factor the output pixel data from the first one-dimensional image scaler in a direction perpendicular to that of the first one-dimensional image scaler to produce the magnified or reduced output video image.

Abstract: A method for determining a value for a missing target pixel in an interlaced video field during a de-interlacing process includes providing at least one lookup table that correlates motion data to at least one of a plurality of de-interlacing methods, generating motion data related to the missing target pixel, utilizing the related motion data to perform a lookup on the at least one lookup table, and selecting the at least one de-interlacing method correlated to the motion data to generate the value for the missing target pixel.

Abstract: An image brightness and contrast management module for automatically adjusting brightness and contrast of an input video signal includes a histogram generation unit that generates a pixel luminance histogram based on pixel luminance values in a frame, whereby the histogram shows a distribution of luminance values in the frame and indicates the dynamic range and the dominant luminance value(s) for the frame. The module includes a histogram characterization unit that uses the pixel luminance histogram to identify which of a plurality of brightness/contrast properties is exhibited in the frame. The module also includes a brightness and contrast adjustment unit that nonlinearly adjusts, in real-time, the pixel luminance values in a next frame based on the identified brightness/contrast properties exhibited in the preceding frame.

Abstract: A method for de-interlacing an interlaced video signal includes generating a per-field motion pattern set for a subject video field, where the motion pattern set comprises a same-parity motion pattern and an opposite-parity motion pattern pair, providing a plurality of progressive mode pattern pairs, where each progressive mode pattern pair is unique and characteristic of one of a plurality of progressive frame-to-interlaced field conversion techniques, and comparing the same-parity and opposite-parity motion pattern pair for the subject video field with each progressive mode pattern pair to determine whether the subject video field is derived from a progressive source and to identify the progressive frame-to-interlaced field conversion technique used. Based on the comparison, a field-merging de-interlacing technique or a per-pixel de-interlacing technique is utilized to de-interlace the subject field to produce a progressive video signal.

Abstract: A method for determining a value for a missing target pixel in an image frame includes generating a classification index from a plurality of classification pixels in a classification window associated with the missing target pixel where the classification index indicates whether a recognizable pattern is detected in the classification window, using the classification index to select a filter index via a lookup table associated with the classification index, using the selected filter index to select a set of filter coefficients via a lookup table associated with the filter index, and calculating the value for the missing target pixel using the selected set of filter coefficients.