Patents Examined by Michael H. Lee
  • Patent number: 7042520
    Abstract: A method for adjusting and limiting a color saturation level S of a color pixel of an input image includes steps of: obtaining a first chrominance value U and a second chrominance value V representing the color pixel of the input image; determining the color saturation level S in dependence on the first chrominance value U and the second chrominance value V; determining a saturation limiting parameter ? in dependence on the color saturation level S; obtaining an adjusted first chrominance value by multiplying the first chrominance value U by the saturation limiting parameter ?; obtaining an adjusted second chrominance value by multiplying the second chrominance value by the saturation limiting parameter ?; and representing a color pixel of an output image with the adjusted first and second chrominance values. The process is repeated for each pixel of each image of the input video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yeong-Taeg Kim
  • Patent number: 7042529
    Abstract: In a tuner unit, a metal shielding plate standing upright on a circuit board is provided between circuit blocks formed on the circuit board so as to electrically shield the circuit blocks from each other. A metal bridge that connects the shielding plate and a frame is provided between some circuit blocks and at a distance from the circuit board so that an electrical component can be mounted on a portion of the circuit board opposing the bridge. This makes it possible to reduce the mounting space for the electrical component and to achieve a small tuner unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Wakamori, Norio Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7042516
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a video signal switching apparatus having editing function to select an arbitrary video signal from plural video signals or carry out synthesis thereof, which allows an operation unit to be of modular configuration every respective functions to electrically connect adjacent modules of panel modules (22A to 22D) which serve as respective operation modules to each other by relay bases (23), (24) to carry out transmission of signals between both modules, and to allow connection between the panel modules (22A to 22D) and the relay bases (23), (24) to be connector connection to thereby have ability to freely change layout of the panel modules (22B to 22D) of division size in which 19 inches rack size is fundamental in accordance with fondness of operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinari Moriya, Atsushi Kouda, Harutoshi Matsushita, Tetsuro Tsubota, Kenji Inoue, Chikatomo Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 7042522
    Abstract: The contrast of a time varying video signal is enhanced. Each digital picture is represented by samples having gradation levels in a range from a lower limit C to an upper limit U. The mean value of the gradation levels of the samples representing a first digital picture is determined. A first transform function is constructed in dependence on a distribution of samples with gradation levels less than or equal to the mean value. A second transform function is constructed in dependence on a distribution of the samples with gradation levels equal to or greater than the mean. The first transform function and the second transform function are used to form a contrast enhancement transform, which is preferably constructed in the form of a look-up table. The contrast enhancement transform is applied to a set of samples representing the first digital picture or representing the temporally subsequent picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yeong-Taeg Kim
  • Patent number: 7038735
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed that correct pixel values for output on a video display utilizing gamma correction. The method provides improved gamma correction by determining a first range of pixel values to be displayed on the video display and then determining a second range of pixel values to be displayed on the same display. Next, the method determines a first level of gamma correction to be provided for the first range of pixel values. This first level of gamma correction is provided at a first level of precision. Next, the method provides a second level of gamma correction to the second range of pixel values at a second level of precision. The second level of precision is different than that of the first level and is typically less than the first level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Terrence J. Coleman, Kenneth C. George
  • Patent number: 7034902
    Abstract: An image display system has an image display apparatus and a peripheral device that can be mounted on the image display apparatus. The image display apparatus includes a first electrode for electrically connecting the image display apparatus and peripheral device, and the peripheral device includes a second electrode for electrically connecting the image display apparatus and peripheral device. These electrodes are placed so as to have contact with one another when the peripheral device is mounted on the image display apparatus. In addition, the image display system moves the mounting position of the peripheral device on the image display apparatus as appropriate. The system minimizes cables used for electrical connections between the image display apparatus and peripheral devices, makes the apparatus compact and allows adoption of a variety of layouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisao Tajima
  • Patent number: 7027104
    Abstract: In video scratch repair, scratches are treated as additive pedestals which are constant or slowly changing along the scratch. For a given picture, these pedestals are estimated and subtracted from the video input to reveal original picture detail. The pedestal can be estimated by heavily filtering along the direction of the presumed scratch, the output of a prior art scratch detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Snell & Wilcox Limited
    Inventors: Martin Weston, William Beningfield Collis
  • Patent number: 7023471
    Abstract: A test video sequence for testing quality loss in processed video. When video clips are transmitted, compressed/decompressed, or otherwise processed, measuring the loss of quality that occurs during processing can be improved by inserting specific types of overhead video data into the test video sequence before processing. When the processed test video sequence is compared to the pre-processed test video sequence, the overhead video data enables improvements in the comparison operation. In one embodiment, padded areas such as uniform-color frames are inserted at specified points to absorb some of the quality loss and/or to enable identification of starting and/or ending points of the video clips. In another embodiment, a special color bar is inserted before processing and used after processing to detect changes that should be corrected before comparing the video clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vivaik Balasubrawmanian, Phillip G. Austin, Stephen Wolf, Margaret H. Pinson
  • Patent number: 7023486
    Abstract: A source original HD video signal S1 of 24-frame rate is subjected to 2-3 pull-down process, thereby generating a 30-frame rate SD video signal S5. The 24-frame rate time code added to the source video signal S1 is described in the user area of the VITC data (201) inserted into the 30-frame rate video signal. The sequence number 301 indicating the order of fields in one sequence of the pull-down process is described in the user area of the VITC data (201) inserted in the 30-frame rate video signal. Inverse 2-3 pull-down process is performed on the 30-frame rate video signal recorded on tape, by using the sequence number 301 described in the user area of the VITC data, thereby generating a 24-frame rate video signal. The 24-frame rate video signal is recorded on a hard disc. A nonlinear editing device (19) uses the 24-frame rate time code inserted in the user area of the VITC data, thereby generating an edition list that will be supplied to an on-line editing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masamichi Takayama
  • Patent number: 7023497
    Abstract: A clamping circuit disclosed herein has two modes of operation which include both a bottom level and mid-level clamping mode for clamping automatically onto the sync tip of a video signal and customizably clamping onto the front porch, back porch/pedestal or anywhere within the signal. The clamping circuit (400) includes a clamping capacitor (404) that couples to an automatic clamping circuit portion (405) to automatically clamp the synchronization pulse of the video input signal to a first predetermined reference voltage (Vref1) of a first clamping pulse signal during an automatic clamping mode of operation. The automatic clamping portion (405) connects to the customizable clamping circuit portion (411) to clamp any portion of the video input signal to a second predetermined reference voltage (Vref2) of a second clamping pulse signal during a customizable clamping mode of operation. A buffer (416) connects between the customizable clamping circuit portion and the output node of the clamping circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lieyi Fang, Haydar Bilhan, Gonggui Xu, Ramesh Chandrasekaran, Feng Ying, Erkan Bilhan, Jason Meiners
  • Patent number: 7019787
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically selecting caption language, includes a receiving unit for receiving a data stream, an input control unit with which a user can select a caption language and a caption selection unit for automatically selecting the caption language among pluralities of languages included in the data stream and displaying the caption language on a screen, to continuously output captions corresponding to the language selected by a user in advance in caption broadcasting of a digital TV. Accordingly, with the present invention, the user can watch the preferred caption language conveniently by automatically searching the caption service ID of the selected language from the image signal when the user selects the preferred language among the caption languages in the caption menu of the TV in advance and displaying the corresponding language on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Il Seong Park
  • Patent number: 7019789
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for use in a color display system, for calculating a color temperature. The apparatus for calculating color temperature includes a color temperature selecting portion for selecting a left color temperature and a right color temperature that are most adjacent to a one-dimensional chroma inputted from a mapping table, the mapping table consisting of chroma and color temperature, a distance calculating portion for calculating distance between the selected left color temperature and the inputted one-dimensional chroma, and between the selected right color temperature and the inputted one-dimensional chroma, respectively, and a color temperature calculating portion for calculating a color temperature corresponding to the one-dimensional chroma inputted in accordance with a ratio of the calculated distance. Accordingly, the apparatus and method can be established using little hardware since the color temperature is calculated at a one-dimensional level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong soon Kang, Geun-sik Jang
  • Patent number: 7012654
    Abstract: A focus control apparatus for a display is provided. The focus control apparatus adjusts the focus of a lens through a simple manipulation of an adjusting knob which adjusts a position of a connection tube connecting an image engine and a lens of the apparatus. The focus control apparatus adjusts the focus of the lens by the backward and forward movement of the connection tube, thereby simplifying the structure of the apparatus, improving productivity, and reducing the production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Chi Young Choi
  • Patent number: 7006160
    Abstract: A signal transmitter prevented from outputting an unwanted signal to the outside, which is generated at the time of changing any of various setting parameters such as a channel through which a signal is to be transmitted and the degree of modulation of an intermediate frequency signal to be supplied without deteriorating impedance matching between circuits. This signal transmitter has a local oscillator for outputting a local oscillation signal; a mixer for mixing a supplied television intermediate frequency signal with the local oscillation signal and frequency-converting the resultant signal to a television signal of a specific channel through which the signal is to be transmitted among television channels; and a variable band-pass filter connected at a post stage of the mixer and tuned to the frequency of the specific channel. The tuning frequency of the variable band-pass filter can be shifted out of the frequency band of the specific channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuharu Kudo
  • Patent number: 7006157
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for performing frame rate conversion. With the apparatus, current video data and previous video data are compared with each other and a motion vector is detected based on the compared result; an error in the detected motion vector is compensated for based on adjacent motion vectors; and one of the detected motion vector and a compensated motion vector is selected as a final motion vector, based on errors in the detected and compensated motion vectors. Accordingly, a more reliable motion vector can be selected to perform frame rate conversion, thereby more naturally depicting an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-wook Sohn
  • Patent number: 7002636
    Abstract: A gray scale correction unit intended to provide a gray scale correction unit for preventing aliasing-like noise generation and gray-scale degradation of a gradation portion adaptively controls a correction value in accordance with the slope of a video signal, detects generation of aliasing-like noise, steepens an edge having a large amplitude without deterioration in the image quality, and improves a spatial frequency of the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ishikawa, Mitsuaki Shinba
  • Patent number: 6999133
    Abstract: Digital correction module for video projector where a correction module is provided to give a non-linear re-imaging of an image so that it is displayed correct on a non-ideal screen (curved screen) where a correction module is provided in each of a plurality of video projectors after a common image source in order to create a large, of several composite sub image, projected image of said image source. The correction module comprises a sequencer (1), a pixel write control (2), a parameter storage (7), a read address generator (13), a coefficient generator (5), a scaling generator (6), an adder (8), a pixel storage (3), a vertical mixer (9), a horizontal mixer (10) and a look up function means (12) for correction of differences in the border area of the image of the respective projectors such as geometry correction, soft transition tuning, vignette correction and gamma correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventors: Knut Krogstad, Johan Henrik Litleskare
  • Patent number: 6995811
    Abstract: A high-brightness projection television is provided which includes a screen having a first lens for refracting an incident beam into a convergent beam, a second lens for refracting the beam refracted by the first lens into a divergent beam, and a protection plate for protecting at least the second lens, wherein an optical emission material is included in at least one of the above elements to convert invisible lights included in the incident beam into visible lights. Alternatively, the projection television may include an optical emission layer having the optical emission material between a light source and an image generator such as a liquid crystal display (LCD). Accordingly, vertical and horizontal angles of view are increased and overall brightness of the image is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-il Yoon, Gyu-hwan Hwang
  • Patent number: 6995803
    Abstract: The described arrangements and procedures anti-alias a character for display on a monitor such as an interlaced television monitor. In one implementation, an expanded character is generated by increasing a character's original dimensions. The expanded character includes multiple sub-blocks and each sub-block includes multiple pixels. The pixels of each sub-block are mapped to a single destination color that is based on specific numbers of foreground pixels in the sub-block and a particular number of gray levels used to represent the character. Subsequent to this mapping, the expanded character is scaled back to its original size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Rong Wang, You-Shun Liu, Zhi-Guang Zhou, Shan Xu
  • Patent number: 6995806
    Abstract: An amplifier (125) includes a gain stage (210) for amplifying a signal received by the amplifier (125). The amplifier (125) also includes an AGC circuit (400) that adjusts the amplification of the gain stage (210) and that includes a comparator (440) for determining whether the input signal is one of a digital pilot signal and one of an analog pilot signal. The AGC circuit (400) processes both digital and analog pilot signals and automatically adjusts the processing method depending upon the type of pilot signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.
    Inventors: Saleh Al-Araji, John A. Ritchie, Jr.