Patents Examined by Michael H. Lee
-
Patent number: 6806914Abstract: An image size changing apparatus has a relatively smaller circuitry arrangement for producing a size changed image which exhibits minimum artifacts such as foldover. The image size changing apparatus of the present invention allows image data to be interpolated with a ratio between a visual area determined by pixel data DS0, DS1, and DS2 of an original image and a visual area determined by pixel data DD0 and DD1 of its size changed image, hence yielding the size changed image with less artifacts such as foldover in its relatively smaller circuitry arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2000Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Seiki Onagawa
-
Patent number: 6807677Abstract: A TV program usage information setting method and apparatus using the same which simply reserve information of a specific TV program which is periodically broadcasted on certain day and time and selectively or automatically receives and shows the TV program when it becomes the certain day and time which have been reserved. According to the present invention, usage information, such as broadcasting day and time, channel, volume and screen size, related to a specific TV program is stored by pressing a usage key when the specific TV program which is periodically or recurringly broadcasted is shown on a TV set, and the specific TV program is automatically and recurringly broadcasted in accordance with the stored usage information when the stored day and time are identical to the current day and time.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1998Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Jae Kyung Lee
-
Patent number: 6806912Abstract: A method and an apparatus for switching input terminals based on a transmitted signal format are disclosed. The method includes issuing a command to a receiver (12) when a format of the signal has changed from digital to analog. The receiver (12) switches to an analog input terminal (122) according to the command. The apparatus includes a transmitter (10) and a receiver (12) connected with each other with a digital interface (14) and an analog interface (16). The transmitter (10) has a command generator (106) that issues the command. The receiver (12) includes a switch (128) to select an input terminal, and a selector to control the switch according to the command provided from the transmitter. The receiver also includes a digital signal processor (124) coupled to the digital interface to decode digital signals.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2003Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Takano, Satoshi Kobayashi, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Makoto Sato, Yuji Kimura
-
Patent number: 6806908Abstract: A cathode current limiting circuit and method, for use with projection color television display systems to prevent overheating and possible cracking of the blue cathode ray tube (CRT) when a continuous blue background is presented, monitors differences between the respective low level red, green, blue (RGB) signals sent from the video signal processor to the CRT drive which produces the respective RGB cathode or beam currents. When the low level blue signal exceeds both of the red and the green signals by a predetermined differential, the circuit sends a feedback signal to the video signal processor to limit the blue signal and, thus, the cathode current from the CRT drive.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2001Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: William G. Miller
-
Patent number: 6803966Abstract: A digital TV receiver and a method for receiving a digital TV signal are disclosed, in which timing recovery and segment synchronizing signal recovery are independently implemented and VSB demodulation is digitally implemented.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2001Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Inventor: Sung Ryong Hong
-
Patent number: 6803968Abstract: An image synthesizing system is provided that can prevent image deterioration resulting from synthesis applied to a predictive image to be used for the next frame. The image synthesizing system decodes and synthesizes a main frame and a sub-image compressed in different modes. The image synthesizing system includes a main image frame buffer 122, an alpha blending section 133, and an image synthesis and display 140. The main image frame buffer 122 stores a main image to be referred to in the next frame decoding process. The alpha blending section 133 alpha-blends a main image from the main image frame buffer with a decoded sub-image to produce a translucent composite image. The image synthesis and display 140 superimposes the translucent composite image on the main image.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2000Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Kohji Numata
-
Patent number: 6802075Abstract: The invention relates to a TV signal receiver (5) having a first input terminal (7) for receiving a first input signal, a first unit (11) for deriving a first TV signal from the first input signal, a second unit (xx) for supplying a second TV signal. A signal combination unit (19) replaces in response to a first control signal at least a part of the first TV signal by the second TV signal so as to obtain a composite TV signal. The composite TV signal is supplied to an output terminal. Control signal generator means (25) are provided for generating the first control signal. The TV signal receiver further comprises a storage device (17) for storing and reading the first TV signal so as to enable to delay the first TV signal prior to submitting the first TV signal to the signal combination unit, the storage device being adapted to suspend reading the first TV signal in response to the first control signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2001Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Johan Hendrik Antoon Gelissen
-
Patent number: 6801262Abstract: Channel changing apparatus for automatically scanning or incrementing the channel on a radio, television or other receiver and pausing for a set period of time on each channel to allow a user to preview to content. A scan speed adjustment control allows the user to vary the length of the preview period. The channel changing apparatus may be provided on a remote control device or integral to the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2001Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Inventor: John B. Adrain
-
Patent number: 6798460Abstract: A high definition display unit which demodulates, decodes, and processes in relation to chroma and displays a television signal in which a PI (picture) signal and an SI (service information) signal are mixed. A changeover switch 13 connected to an image quality adjusting circuit in a video chroma processing circuit 7 is opened or closed according to an on-off signal S1 showing the superposed period of both signals detected by a decoder 4. If the above on-off signal S1 is on, the changeover switch 13 is opened and the adjustment of image quality is disabled. Therefore, SI display never disappears due to the adjustment of image quality, and the quality of an image can be also adjusted according to an ambient status. Other approaches are also disclosed from preventing image quality adjustment of at least portions of a displayed image containing an information image.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2003Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Video and Information System, IncorporatedInventors: Yukimi Saiki, Masahisa Tsukahara, Toshimitsu Watanabe, Kazuhiko Yoshizawa
-
Patent number: 6798462Abstract: An image processing apparatus operates to process signal samples in a form of color reference signal samples representative of at least part of a color video image to produce legal color signal samples representing a legal color version of the image. The apparatus comprises a color conversion processor arranged to receive the input signal samples and which operates to convert the color reference signal samples from a unipolar form, to bipolar form on a scale between two maxima having opposite polarity, an adjustment factor generator, which operates to generate a plurality of adjustment factors which when combined with the input signal samples have an effect of converting illegal color pixels of the color image into legal color pixels, and a color legalizer coupled to the adjustment factor generator, which operates to combine the adjustment factors with the input signal samples to produce the legalized color signal samples.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2000Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Sony United Kingdom LimitedInventors: James Hendrie McIntyre, Ian McLean
-
Patent number: 6798443Abstract: A head guide with a display is attitudinally controlled for guiding the head of a passive viewer wherein the display is for viewing images that are emulative of images viewed by a cameraman with head mounted cameras whose head attitude is monitored for controlling the head guide in synchronism with the images gathered by the cameras. Additionally, the viewer's eyes may be induced to follow a sequence of visual fixations at the same time as the passive viewer's head is induced to execute attitudinal movements consistent therewith.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2001Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Inventor: Francis J. Maguire, Jr.
-
Patent number: 6798444Abstract: In performing a predetermined adjustment of the TV set 12, the computer 11 plays a most active part in the television-set adjusting system. The computer 11 sends adjusting parameters necessary for the adjusting process to the TV-set adjusting instrument 13; the TV-set adjusting instrument 13 performs the adjusting process by using the parameters; and the computer 11 gathers the result of executing the adjusting process, and sets the TV set 12. This feature eliminates a manual work in executing the adjusting process. The adjusting process is executed through the computer processing. As a result, the cost for the adjusting process is reduced and the adjusting process is executed at high speed.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2001Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Zainuddin Bin Adan
-
Patent number: 6798458Abstract: In an image signal converter (ICp1) converting a component video signal (Scv) of an interlaced scanning format for image display on a display device for an image signal of a progressive scanning format (Scv, p) for image display on the display device, an up-converter (11) converts the component video signal (Scv) of the interlaced scanning format into the one of the progressive scanning format. A scanning format determination part (4, 14, 15) determines based on a luminance signal (Y) included in the component video signal (Scv1, Scv2) whether the component video signal (Scv1, Scv2) is of the interlaced or progressive scanning format. Based on the determination result of the scanning format determination part (15), an output destination selector (3B, 15A) selects an output destination of the component video signal (Scv1, Scv2).Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2000Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toyoaki Unemura
-
Patent number: 6798461Abstract: An interactive video system is provided that includes an input device configured to produce an input signal, and a video-mixing device configured to interpret the input signal and to receive a video-source signal. The video-mixing device includes a video-image processor configured to selectively alter the video-source signal based on the interpreted input signal and transmit a selectively altered-video signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Inventor: Shmuel Shapira
-
Patent number: 6795113Abstract: Apparatus for interactive display of any portion of a spherical image preferably comprises a personal computer or other digital processor apparatus for storing digital data representative of at least one image having a 180 degree or greater field of view (or hemispherical image). In order to view a selected image portion without warp or distortion at the seam between opposite hemispherical images, edge filtering is applied to eliminate a halo effect. Moreover, an opposite hemispherical image may either be obtained by creating a mirror image of a first hemispherical image or by capturing a second hemispherical image by means of an oppositely directed camera and storing the digital image. Equations for image transformation are based on a lens' characteristics including the lens' radius R. An input interface preferably comprises a display including a magnification region and a directional cursor for pointing the direction to a next spherical image.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1999Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Ipix CorporationInventors: Laban Phelps Jackson, Alexis S. Pecoraro, Peter Hansen, Martin L. Bauer, H. Lee Martin
-
Patent number: 6795125Abstract: The present invention presents an apparatus for receiving a television signal having a plurality of channels, assigning images of different channels included in the television signal to a main picture and a sub-picture, and synthesizing the main picture and the sub-picture in a same picture and displaying the synthesized pictures by a display apparatus, characterized in that in response to an instruction for a channel change of the sub-picture, the channel on the sub-picture is changed from a first channel to a second channel while an image from the first channel displayed on the sub-picture and an image from the second channel are synthesized within a predetermined duration of time.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hideaki Yui
-
Patent number: 6795130Abstract: A signal receiving apparatus of the present invention has a receiver for receiving television signals, a processor for processing the television signals received by the receiver to obtain image signals, a display unit for displaying images according to the image signals obtained by the processor, a transmitting and receiving unit for receiving information sent from the remote controller and transmitting information to the remote controller, and a control unit for performing control operations so as to transmit setting information concerning operation setting conditions of the receiver to the remote controller in accordance with a command associated with a manipulation of a predetermined key, which is transmitted from the remote controller.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2001Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshikazu Shibamiya
-
Patent number: 6791627Abstract: In a television signal receiver for receiving and processing television signals (RF) that comprise modulated video signals and modulated audio signals, a tuner (16) receives selected television signals and furnishes at least intermediate frequency (IF) signals, a SAW filter (17) is connected to the tuner (16), a video demodulator (18) demodulates the video signals from the SAW filter (17) to obtain demodulated video signals for further processing, a generator (16) supplies signals (SIF) comprising the modulated audio signals on a carrier frequency equal to the difference between a carrier frequency of the modulated video signals and a carrier frequency of the modulated audio signals in the television signals, an audio demodulator (5) demodulates audio signals from the signals (SIF) from the generator (16) to obtain demodulated audio signals for further processing. According to the invention, the generator (16) is connected with the tuner (16) and the audio demodulator (5) is connected with the generator (16).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2001Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Janardhana Bhat
-
Patent number: 6791622Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the artifacts associated with still frame display and video capture of interlaced video are provided. Tuner 100 receives an interlaced video signal having an image frame with first and second fields. Motion detector 55 detects whether motion is present between the first and second fields. Memory 40 stores one or both of the fields for processing when motion is detected. Processor 30 processes the stored field(s) to provide an image frame with reduced artifacts. Various processing techniques are provided to generate the image frame from the stored field(s), without duplicating the stored field for use as the other field. Memory 40 stores the image frame. If motion is not detected, the first and second fields are both stored to provide the image frame. The stored image frame can then be continuously displayed to provide still frame display, or can be captured for subsequent use.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2001Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: General Instrument CorporationInventors: David E. Zeidler, Robert M. Simons, Constance J. Borges
-
Patent number: 6791628Abstract: A portable computer system incorporating a rear projection display. The rear projection display is housed in a display enclosure that is movable between an open and closed position, and incorporates either a pliable or deformable projection surface or a projection surface formed of multiple rigid components. When the display enclosure is open, the projection surface is configured to expand beyond the form factor dimensions of the base portion of the portable computer. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the projection surface is a pliable material that can be safely deformed or collapsed within the display enclosure when it is closed. The rear projection display thereby allows the effective viewing area of a portable computer display to be increased without negatively impacting the form factor dimensions or weight of the portable computer.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2000Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: Charles A. Sellers