Abstract: A method for the conversion of grayscale images with a non-white background into halftone images is disclosed. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention addresses the difficulties current conversion methods have in converting multi-bit grayscale images with a non-white background into single bit halftone images. Through manipulation of the grayscale image data, the edges of text and line art features in the grayscale image data are located and extracted from the non-white background through the use of a weight driven conversion algorithm resulting in more defined halftone images.

Abstract: The present invention provides an approach to simulating increased printer resolutions. The present invention comprises a printing system that includes a print engine for printing at a native resolution. Also, the printing system includes a bitmap for at least a portion of an image at a higher resolution, wherein the higher resolution is higher than the native resolution. Further, the printing system has a processing unit for using a window structure for processing the bitmap to generate output for controlling the print engine to produce a printed output that simulates the higher resolution.

Abstract: A fast-acting method of regenerating track crossing signals for track searches across unrecorded areas on read/write optical discs is provided. This is accomplished by comparing the in-phase and quadrature-phase track crossing signals generated by the optical pickup head when a track search is being performed. A blank signal is generated when no quadrature-phase signal transition occurs between two successive in-phase signal transitions. Fake quadrature-phase signals are continuously generated. Upon occurrence of a blank indicating signal, the fake quadrature-phase signals are immediately supplied to the track crossing counter mechanism in place of the missing quadrature-phase signals. As a result, there is no loss of track count.

Abstract: Method and device to update a data count in a data transfer operation in which a data counter generates an intermediate count value in accordance with a first amount of data to be transferred to a storage media; and an augmenter augments the intermediate count value by a specified count value in accordance with data to be transferred to the storage media in addition to the first amount of data, wherein the updated count value is loaded into the data counter such that the intermediate count value becomes equal to the updated count value during the data transfer operation.

Abstract: An audio interface is coupled to received a music signal and a microphone signal. The music signal and a volume control signal are combined in a multiplier to produce a volume adjusted music signal. In response to an input signal from a user, the volume control signal is gradually changed in predetermined increment levels. Thus, the multiplier gradually changes the audible volume in these predetermined increment levels. The resulting music and microphone signal are stored in corresponding partitions of a single memory, and thereafter provided to a mixing circuit. The mixing circuit combines signal samples read from the memory to produce four output signals each containing first and second channel samples. The resultant 8 channel samples are gated in a formatter with respective channel mute signals which, when asserted, effectively mute their corresponding channel sample.

Abstract: A controller architecture optimized for processing audio and video information in playback systems used for reproducing information stored on optical discs such as CDs and DVDs. The controller uses a unique parallel interface to facilitate the transfer of CD data and DVD data from the controller to a MPEG decoder. The controller also performs servo control operations, data processing and error detection and correction operations for CD data and DVD data, and provides shared memory resources for internal operations of the controller. DVD/CD playback systems incorporating the present invention occupy less real estate, have smaller pin counts, are less complex, and are cheaper to manufacture than conventional playback systems.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a digitized analog signal read from a DVD media and provided to a digital processing system is described herein. The apparatus includes a DVD reading apparatus for providing a signal comprised of a stream of actual data read from a DVD media; and a processor for determining, based upon the comparison of actual data to the known ideal contents of the data on said DVD media, the magnitude of no more than two variables representing at least three coefficients in an impulse response equation which models the digital processing system. The magnitude of the two variables are determined by the processor so that the error rate between the first and second sets of data is minimized.

Abstract: Methods and devices for selectively highlighting one or more regions of arbitrary shape on a display. The method for creating highlight effects in multimedia data (data including video and/or graphics, for example) includes the steps of receiving a video and/or graphics data stream from an input source; performing an arithmetic operation upon at least one color component value of constituent pixels of the data stream that are to be hightlighted to provide a selectively highlighted video and/or graphics data stream; and outputting the selectively highlighted video and/or graphics data stream directly to a display. The arithmetic operation may include addition or subtraction. Because the original multimedia data in memory is not modified or copied in order to create the highlight effects, both memory bandwidth and area are saved. Moreover, once highlighting is turned off, the original (non-highlighted) data may be immediately re-displayed.

Abstract: In a circuit to provide a high precision delay signal, an oscillator generates oscillator pulses, each with an oscillator period. A counter, in response to an enable signal, counts the oscillator pulses and outputs a count signal. The enable signal is a reference clock signal having a reference-clock period that is greater than the oscillator period. A delay generator delays an input signal to provide a sequence of incrementally delayed delay-signals. A multiplexor, in response to the count signal, selects one of the delayed signals. In another aspect of the invention, a disc controller uses the circuit to provide a high precision delay to a write data signal. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of providing the high precision delay.

Abstract: A method for the conversion of grayscale images with a non-white background into halftone images is disclosed. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention addresses the difficulties current conversion methods have in converting multi-bit grayscale images with a non-white background into single bit halftone images. Through manipulation of the grayscale image data, the edges of text and line art features in the grayscale image data are located and extracted from the non-white background through the use of a weight driven conversion algorithm resulting in more defined halftone images.

Abstract: Method and system for estimating processing time delay &Dgr;td of a selected signal processing device and temperature T of the device. A selected input signal is received by a first sub-system that includes the selected device and by a second sub-system having a controllable time delay, producing first and second sub-system output signals. The first and second sub-system output signals are compared to estimate the time delay of the selected device. A known relationship T=f(&Dgr;td) is used to estimate temperature of the selected device and to determine whether this temperature is higher than a permitted or threshold device operating temperature. First and second signals, having the same or different shape parameters, may be processed by the system, and a statistical average of estimated device time delay can be computed to estimate device temperature.

Abstract: The location of a bug resulting from processing a sequence of input files is determined by generating a potentially smaller sequence of the files which result in the bug. Such files can include data, instruction, or both. The smaller sequence can be determined by excluding portions from the sequence, and or returning portions to the sequence, and testing the sequence to determine if it results in the bug. In one embodiment of the present invention, excluded and returned portions become successively smaller by about a quotient of two. In another embodiment, individual files are excluded from a sequence of files, preferably in reverse order to their appearance in the sequence of files. The resulting sequence is tested to determine if it results in the bug. If not, the file can be returned to the sequence, and the bug location method continued with another file of the sequence.

Abstract: A stochastic screening mask is provided for rendering halftone images. A filter controlled force masking method is used to vary the mask patterns from regularity to randomness. Dot size (amplitude), dot number (frequency), and dot shape are modulated integrally at each gray level during the generation of the mask. The single pixel limit for blue noise making is broken down by this approach. The halftone patterns generated with this method can have visually pleasing blue noise attribute. This new screening method would provide flexible solutions for different types of printing processes.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically rendering both encoded and unencoded data files comprises a data processor and a decoder. The data processor receives a set of input data from a storage medium, such as an optical storage medium, and determines whether the set of input data is encoded or unencoded. If the input data is encoded, then the data processor provides to the decoder a set of encoded data, and generates an indication signal to cause the decoder to be activated. In response, the decoder decodes the set of encoded data and provides as output a set of decoded data. This decoded data may then be provided to a signal transport mechanism, such as a digital signal bus, to be rendered by a digital device such as a computer, or to a digital to analog converter which converts the decoded data into analog signals for driving an analog device, such as a speaker.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting zero-crossings and correcting asymmetry of an RF signal. The RF signal is first converted into a digital signal having a plurality of samples. Zero-crossings detection is achieved by calculating the differences between neighboring samples, and by determining whether the differences exceed a pre-determined threshold value. Zero-crossings are also detected by comparing the differences to a pre-determined negative threshold value when the differences are negative. If a zero-crossing sample, a sum of the data values of the neighboring samples is used to generate an asymmetry offset value.

Abstract: A method and device for sharpening detected edges in an image to compensate for a corruption that occurs during the scanning and printing processes. Edges are enhanced by increasing the contrast between two sides of an edge region according to the amount of distortion in the image signal at that location. Each pixel in the image is analyzed in the context of neighboring pixels in the image to determine the presence of an edge and the degree of sharpening required. A filter is applied to adjust the intensity value of pixels in an edge region to correct for distortion and to emphasize the edge. The resulting final image contains sharpened edges with little effect on the smooth transition regions of the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for enabling blocks of various sizes to be read from a storage medium without causing subsequent errors to be experienced by a host. According to one embodiment, the present invention receives information read from a block, and maintains a count of the amount of information received. As the information is received, a determination is made as to whether an indication of the beginning of a subsequent block has been detected. If so, then a determination is made as to whether the current count is within a predetermined guardband. If the current count is not within the guardband, then a buffer page pointer or a block counter is incremented. However, if the current count is within the guardband, then the buffer page pointer or the block counter is not incremented but is rather maintained at its current value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed within a DVD player that allows multiple view angles to be displayed on a common display with one view angle designated as a primary view and the remaining view angles being subordinated to the primary view angle. The system and method also provide that any Modifications to the primary view similarly affect the secondary views. Any of the secondary views may be selected at any time to become the primary view whereupon the remaining viewing angles are subordinated and synchronized with the newly selected primary view.

Abstract: AGC Circuitry for an optical PRML read channel that is insensitive to low frequency disturbances of an RF input signal. The AGC Circuitry includes a VGA amplifier, a low pass filter, an ADC, a baseline Wander Correction Circuit, a digital gain control circuit, and a DAC. The VGA amplifier amplifies the RF input signal to produce a second RF signal. The low pass filter filters the second RF signal to produce a first analog signal. The ADC converts the first analog signal into a digital AGC output signal suitable for decoding. The baseline Wander Correction Circuit removes from the digital AGC output signal effects of low frequency disturbance of the RF input signal to produce a second digital signal. The digital gain control circuit controls the gain of the VGA amplifier by producing a digital gain control signal in response to the second digital signal.

Abstract: Two banks of memory are selectively accessed from a first interface terminal and a second interface terminal through multiplexer circuitry whereby one memory bank can be read by one terminal while the other memory bank is being updated from the other interface terminal. The multiplexer circuitry is controlled by a control register which responds to an operation code whereby either memory bank can be updated while the other memory bank is being read for hardware parameters, for example.