Abstract: A method and an apparatus for motion vector estimation using motion vectors of neighboring image blocks are provided. The method includes dividing a current image block into a plurality of sub-blocks; and estimating motion vectors of the sub-blocks using the motion vectors and pixel weights of the neighboring image blocks adjacent to the sub-blocks.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of estimating a motion vector for a video image block are provided. The apparatus includes an error calculation unit calculating a motion estimation error for a predetermined prediction motion vector of the image block, an information extraction unit extracting geometric information regarding the image block, an update motion vector generation unit generating an update motion vector based on the motion estimation error calculated by the error calculation unit and the geometric information extracted by the information extraction unit, and an addition unit adding the prediction motion vector to the generated update motion vector.

Abstract: A contrast compensation apparatus and a method thereof utilize a simplified hardware structure and a low contrast distortion. The contrast compensation apparatus includes a pixel value detection unit to detect a distribution of pixel values of respective pixels of an input image signal, a pixel value limit unit having pre-set luminance limit values and re-configuring the distribution of the pixel values of the respective pixels based on the pre-set luminance limit values, and a mapping unit to set luminance for the respective pixels based on a cumulative distribution function with respect to the re-configured pixel values. When certain portions of an image are rendered very bright or dark, the phenomenon in which the entire image becomes abruptly bright or dark is reduced. Further, the contrast compensation apparatus uses the minimum number of multipliers, adders, and subtractors only, thus having an advantage of simplified structure and using less electric power.

Abstract: A de-interlacing apparatus with a noise reduction/removal device. The noise reduction/removal device can include a motion prediction unit that predicts motion vectors between an image one period ahead of a previous image and a current image with respect to individual images which are sequentially inputted; a motion checking unit that applies the motion vectors predicted by the motion prediction unit to the image one period ahead of the previous image and two different images ahead of the current image in time, and checks whether the motion vectors are precise motion vectors; a motion compensation unit that compensates for motions in use of the motion vectors checked for preciseness thereof by the motion checking unit; and a noise removal unit that removes noise on images using the motion-compensated images by the motion compensation unit and the inputted images. Accordingly, the noise reduction/removal device can reduce or remove noise through simple procedures on noise-bearing images.

Abstract: A deinterlacing apparatus and method thereof include a motion compensation unit implementing motion-compensated temporal interpolation for each of estimated motion vectors with reference to a previous field and a next field, which are respectively ahead of and behind a current field to be interpolated, producing interpolation values of a pixel to be interpolated, and outputting a selected value from the interpolation values as a first interpolation value. Further, a spatial interpolation unit producing a second interpolation value of the pixel to be interpolated using values of pixels around the pixel to be interpolated, and an output unit mixing the first and second interpolation.

Abstract: An image resolution conversion method and apparatus based on a projection onto convex sets (POCS) method are provided. The image resolution conversion method comprises detecting an edge region and a direction of the edge region in an input low-resolution image frame in order to generate an edge map and edge direction information, generating a directional point spread function based on the edge map and the edge direction information, interpolating the input low-resolution image frame into a high-resolution image frame, generating a residual term based on the input low-resolution image frame, the high-resolution image frame, and the directional point spread function, and renewing the high-resolution image frame according to a result of comparing the residual term with a threshold.

Abstract: Provided are an image processing method and apparatus for enhancing contrast. The image processing apparatus includes a determination unit that determines whether contrast enhancement processing should be performed on an input image; an intensity mapping unit that generates a plurality of images having different exposure times from the input image, using intensity mapping, if the contrast enhancement processing should be performed on the input image; and an image composition unit that composes the plurality of images into a composed image. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a color change or a false contour phenomenon that are generated in a related art contrast enhancement process.

Abstract: A method of improving picture quality in a composite video burst signal includes dividing the composite video burst signal into a plurality of frequency bands using a low pass filter and a high pass filter, performing wavelet packet filtering of frequency bands including a chrominance signal having energy higher than a specified threshold among the plurality of frequency bands, and performing Wiener filtering of frequency bands including a chrominance signal having energy lower than a specified threshold.

Abstract: An image format conversion apparatus including a 3:2 pull-down detection part determining whether a current field out of plural fields continuous in time is an image of a 3:2 pull-down format produced by a 3:2 pull-down process; a scroll text/graphic data detection part determining whether scroll motions exist on the current field; a 3:2 pull-down compensation part calculating interpolation values for pixels of the current field to be interpolated by using a 3:2 pull-down interpolation method; an IPC part calculating interpolation values for pixels of the current field to be interpolated by using a second interpolation method; and an output selection part for selectively outputting either the interpolation values of the 3:2 pull-down compensation part or the interpolation values of the IPC part based on results of the determinations of the scroll text/graphic detection part and the 3:2 pull-down detection part.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes forming an active pattern and a data line on a substrate, forming a first insulating layer on the data line, forming a second insulating layer on the substrate, forming a gate electrode on the second insulating layer above the active pattern, forming a third insulating layer on the substrate, forming first and second contact holes through the second and third insulating layers to expose first and second portions of the active pattern, and forming a third contact hole through the first, second, and third insulating layers exposing a portion of the data line, respectively, and forming source and drain electrodes on the third insulating layer, the source electrode connected to the first exposed portion of the active pattern through the first contact hole and connected to the first exposed portion of the data line through the third contact hole, and the drain electrode connected to the second exposed portion of the active pattern through the second

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting whether an image signal is in a film mode, includes a first field buffer, a second field buffer and a third field buffer that sequentially buffer respective fields of the image signal by order of input, using the respective fields stored in the first, the second and the third field buffers.

Abstract: An image signal format detection apparatus and method. The image signal format detection apparatus includes a first summed absolute difference (SAD) value calculation unit for calculating, from a previous field, a current field, and a next field of a time-consecutive image signal, a first SAD value with reference to pixel values of the current field and the previous field. A second SAD value calculation unit calculates a second SAD value with reference to pixel values of the current field and the next field. A pattern generation unit generates a detection pattern based on a result of a comparison of the first and second SAD values,; and a pattern analysis unit stores the detection pattern by field, compares the stored detection pattern of a series of fields with a predetermined verification pattern, and determines whether the image signal is an image signal produced in 2:2 pull-down.

Abstract: An array substrate for a transflective liquid crystal display device includes: a substrate; a gate line and a data line on the substrate, the gate line and the data line crossing each other to define a pixel region including a transmissive area and a reflective area surrounding the transmissive area; a thin film transistor having a gate insulating layer, the thin film transistor electrically connected to the gate line and the data line; a first passivation layer having a drain contact hole exposing a drain electrode of the thin film transistor and a through hole exposing the substrate in the transmissive area; a pixel electrode on the first passivation layer, the pixel electrode contacting the substrate in the transmissive area through the through hole; and a reflective plate on the pixel electrode, the reflective plate being electrically connected to the drain electrode through the drain contact hole and to the pixel electrode.

Abstract: An image enhancement apparatus using motion estimation includes: a motion estimation unit estimating a degree of motion between an input image on which image enhancement is performed and a temporally successive image; and an enhancement unit applying the image enhancement to an area without motion in the input image while not applying the image enhancement to an area with motion in the input image on the basis of the motion degree. Accordingly, by performing image enhancement on an area without motion in an input image while not performing image enhancement on an area with motion in the input image, it is possible to prevent image noise from being generated in the area with motion.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting an image signal includes a motion estimation unit which estimates a motion vector using current and reference fields; a ticker region detection unit which detects a ticker region of an image using the estimated motion vector where an image moving with a constant speed and direction in a current field is found; a motion information analysis unit which determines whether or not there exists an image moving with a constant speed and direction in the ticker region based on the frequency of a motion vector estimated within the detected ticker region; and an interpolation unit which interpolates the current field by controlling a degree of temporal and spatial interpolations using an output of the motion information analysis unit. Accordingly, interpolation is differently applied in accordance with characters and graphics moving with a constant speed and direction in an input image, so that picture quality can be enhanced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for image contrast enhancement using an RGB value. The method includes the steps of: determining a 1st and a 2nd mapping function for contrast enhancement in consideration of a mean luminance value per frame; calculating a first mapping function value by sustituting an input RGB value to the 1th mapping function; and calculating an enhanced RGB value by substituting the first mapping function value to the 2st mapping function. Therefore, by using an RGB signal, instead of a luminance signal, for contrast enhancement, the loss of color is prevented. Furthermore, the effect of contrast enforcement can be maximized by adaptively applying mapping functions to the brightness level of an image.

Abstract: A field sequential display apparatus and an image display method thereof are provided. A field sequential display apparatus includes: a color-coordinate conversion unit which analyses image state information of a plurality of input image signals of primary colors representing one image and converts the input image signals of primary colors into image signals of primary colors and at least one image signal of specific colors by using the image state information; a display panel displaying the converted image signals; and a light source driving unit which sequentially drives light sources corresponding to colors of the converted image signals. Accordingly, color breakup can be prevented, and image quality can be improved.

Abstract: A transflective-type liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate and data lines crossing each other on a substrate to define a plurality of pixel regions, a thin film transistor at each crossing of the gate and data lines, the thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes contacting source and drain regions, respectively, a projection seed pattern within the pixel region along a same layer as the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor, and a reflective electrode contacting the drain electrode of the thin film transistor and having a reflective projection corresponding to the projection seed pattern.