Abstract: A method (200) and system (100) for performing a trick mode on a video signal. The method includes the steps of receiving (210) a trick mode command, in response to the trick mode command, repeating (212) a picture in the video signal to form a trick mode video signal in which the picture contains a display indicator; setting (214) the display indicator of the picture being repeated to a predetermined value; and setting (216) the display indicators of subsequent repeated pictures of the picture being repeated to the predetermined value. In one arrangement, the trick mode can be a freeze trick mode, and the picture to be repeated can be a bidirectional predictive picture. In addition, the display indicator can be a temporal reference field having an integer value.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method (200 or 300) and system (100) for performing a trick mode operation on a video signal containing a plurality of progressively scanned original pictures. The method (200) includes the step of selectively skipping (214) at least one of the original pictures to convert the video signal to a trick mode video signal in response to a trick mode command and the step of selectively inserting (216) at least one dummy predictive picture in the trick mode video signal. In addition, the method (300) can include the step of monitoring (316) the trick mode video signal so that the dummy predictive picture is selectively inserted when the bit rate exceeds a predetermined threshold. Display indicators of certain pictures in the trick mode video signal can also be modified (226) (328) to reflect an intended display order.

Abstract: Upon user selection of a particular trick mode, the number of pictures that are displayed can be accordingly adjusted to correspond with the selected trick mode speed based on a determined display time. Subsequently, the bandwidth usage can be can be determined to ensure that the channel capacity between a playback device (100) and a remote decoder (136) has not been exceeded. For forward trick modes, in a case where the bandwidth between the playback device (100) and the remote decoder (136) would be exceeded, B-pictures can be uniformly eliminated throughout the playback segment. Where B-pictures were present and they have been eliminated, they can be replaced by dummy B-pictures. Again, if there is still insufficient bandwidth available between the playback device (100) and remote decoder (136), then P-pictures can be eliminated from the playback segment and uniformly replaced by dummy P-pictures.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method (200) and system (100) for producing an optimal slow forward trick mode playback of a portion of video containing a plurality of pictures wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pictures are predictive pictures. The invention includes the steps of: receiving (210) a slow forward trick mode command; and inhibiting (216) the display of an initial set of the plurality of pictures prior to obtaining a properly decoded predictive picture from the initial set of the plurality of pictures. The invention can also include the steps of: selectively decoding (214) the plurality of pictures to obtain the properly decoded predictive picture from the initial set of the plurality of pictures; and decoding (218) subsequent pictures in the portion of video using the properly decoded predictive picture to obtain subsequent properly decoded pictures.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method (200) and system (10) for recording onto a storage medium (26) a video segment. The method includes the steps of: receiving the video segment (210) in which the video segment contains at least one predictive picture; and selectively converting the at least one predictive picture into an intra picture thereby replacing the at least one predictive picture with the intra picture. In one arrangement, the video segment can contain at least one introductory predictive picture, and the converting step can further include selectively decoding a predetermined number of the introductory predictive pictures to obtain a properly decoded predictive picture (212).

Abstract: A system (10) and method (500) of black line insertion for overly tall imagers having random row access includes the step (502) of periodically writing in a predetermined number of input video lines into a memory (12) and the step (504) of speeding up the reading of the predetermined number of input video lines out from the memory to provide a time enhancement. The method further includes the step (506) of multiplexing (14) a black input line with the sped-up predetermined number of input video lines during the time enhancement to provide an output image. The method can include the step (508) of presenting on the overly tall imager (16) the output image using the random row access to place the lines in the correct vertical position.

Abstract: A flicker reduction system (20) for an imager (24) having random row access includes a memory (22) coupled to the imager and a controller (26) coupled to the memory and the imager. Preferably, the controller is programmed to interleave stripes (12, 14, 16, 18) of opposing polarity on the imager for a current frame, wherein each stripe has a plurality of horizontal lines and further programmed to overwrite the plurality of horizontal lines in each stripe for a subsequent frame with another plurality of horizontal lines having an opposing polarity to the plurality of horizontal lines for the current frame.

Abstract: A method (400) of aspect ratio conversion for an imager (16) having random row access includes the steps of periodically receiving (402) a predetermined number of input video lines, vertical format converting (404) the predetermined number of input video lines to provide a converted video input having a portion of the predetermined number of input video lines, and periodically multiplexing (406) a black input line with the converted video input during a waiting period during the vertical format converting step. The method can also include the step of presenting (408) on the imager the converted video input along with a plurality of black lines that were periodically multiplexed with the converted video input.

Abstract: A method for controlling MPEG compatible data reproduced in sectors by a digital video disk player. The method comprises the steps of transducing groups of sectors including requested sectors having MPEG compatible data required for processing, and unrequested sectors having MPEG compatible data not required for processing. Coupling the requested sectors exclusive of the unrequested sectors to a data processor for processing. Processing the requested data sectors to extract the required MPEG compatible data representative of video information.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing a digitally encoded signal from a disk medium, comprises a transducerwhich transduces the digitally encoded signal. A memory is coupled to the transducer for storing the digitally encoded signal. A decoder is responsive to the digitally encoded signal for decoding a picture therefrom. A controller for the memory, wherein a first operational mode the controller controls the memory to read the stored digitally encoded signal from the memory responsive to a first sequence and in a second operational mode the controller controls the memory to read the stored digitally encoded signal from the memory in a second sequence.

Abstract: A method for multiplying the frame rate of an input video signal having a line rate fHin and a frame rate fVin, comprising the steps of: propagating the input video signal through just enough memory to delay the input video signal by a fraction of a frame period 1/fVin; speeding up the delayed video signal to a first line rate faster than fHin; speeding up the input video signal to a second line rate faster than fHin; supplying the speeded up video signal and the delayed speeded up video signal sequentially, one line at a time; and, writing the sequentially supplied lines into a liquid crystal display at the faster line rate, thereby writing at least some of the lines multiple times within each the frame period. A corresponding apparatus can comprise: a partial frame memory; two speedup memories; a multiplexer; and, a source of clock and control signals.

Abstract: A video signal is decomposed into a higher brightness level signal and a lower brightness level signal. The threshold between higher and lower brightness levels is adjustable and related to the transition between lower and higher gain portions of the gamma table for an associated liquid crystal imager. The lower brightness level signal is slew rate limited to reduce the difference in brightness between adjacent pixels. The higher brightness level signal is delayed in time to match the processing delay through the slew rate limiter. The delay matched signal and the slew rate limited signal are combined to form a modified video signal less likely to result in sparkle artifacts in the imager. Sparkle reduction processing can be applied to luminance signals and to video drive signals in various combinations, based on independently selectable thresholds.

Abstract: A method for reducing sparkle artifacts in a liquid crystal imager, comprises the steps of: low pass filtering only a first lower brightness level signal component of a video signal; and, slew rate limiting only a second lower brightness level signal component of the video signal having the low pass filtered signal component, the video signal having the low pass filtered and the slew rate limited signal components being less likely to result in sparkle artifacts in the imager. Brightness thresholds for defining the lower brightness level signal components and slew rate limits can be selected in accordance with transitions between lower and higher level gain portions of a gamma table associated with the imager, for example an LCOS imager.

Abstract: A video signal is decomposed into a higher brightness level signal and a lower brightness level signal. The threshold between higher and lower brightness levels is adjustable and related to the transition between lower and higher gain portions of the gamma table for an associated liquid crystal imager. The lower brightness level signal is low pass filtered to reduce the difference in brightness between adjacent pixels. The higher brightness level signal is delayed in time to match the processing delay through the low pass filter. The delay matched signal and the low pass filtered signal are combined to form a modified video signal less likely to result in sparkle artifacts in the imager. Sparkle reduction processing can be applied to luminance signals and to video drive signals in various combinations, based on independently selectable thresholds.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing sparkle artifacts (10) in a liquid crystal imager includes a device (16) for gamma correcting a video drive signal for providing a gamma corrected video drive signal and a slew rate limiter (22) for slew rate limiting the gamma corrected video drive signal. The apparatus also includes a deinterlacer (12) and a color space converter (14) for color space converting a deinterlaced video drive signal, wherein the device for gamma correcting corrects the color space converted video drive signal. One or more of the video drive signals, for example R, G and B, is slew rate limited after gamma correction to limit the difference in brightness levels between adjacent pixels.

Abstract: A circuit for automatically biasing a common electrode of a liquid crystal on silicon imager comprising an imager with a common electrode and a plurality of cells. A varying voltage signal is provided to the plurality of cells. A low pass filter is coupled between the varying voltage signal and a common junction coupled to the common electrode such that a bias voltage is formed at the common electrode having a value that approximates an average of the varying voltage signal.

Abstract: A method (300) of converting interlaced Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) video signals to progressive video signals can include receiving an interlaced video signal representing a luma component specifying luma lines and a chroma component specifying chroma lines (310) wherein the chroma component can specify approximately one-half the number of lines of the luma component. The interlaced video signal can be decoded and the number of the chroma lines can be increased to approximately the same as the number of the luma lines (320). The number of chroma lines of the interlaced video signal then can be decreased (340), to substantially reverse the previous increase. The interlaced video signal then can be deinterlaced to produce a progressive video signal (350), which can be processed further (360) as needed.

Abstract: A method (30) of reducing contouring in a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display can include receiving a frame-doubled input signal (32) comprising a positive picture and a negative picture. A first dither (36) specified by a gamma table can be applied to the input signal. The first dither can selectively modify a primary-color gamma value of the negative picture or the positive picture. Also, a second dither (34) can be applied to the input signal at an input of the gamma table. The first and second dither can result in an output signal having reduced brightness level repetition for consecutive input levels.

Abstract: A method of displaying a standard definition television signal (20 and 30 or 40) on a high definition matrix display (10) includes the steps of receiving (22) the standard definition television signal to provide a received signal, sampling (24) the received signal to provide a sampled digital video signal, and deinterlacing (26) the sampled digital video signal to provide a progressive line signal. The method further includes the steps of doubling (34 or 42) the progressive line signal to provide a predetermined number of active lines of video in a frame) and displaying (34 or 46) the predetermined number of active lines of video on the high definition matrix display in a shortened vertical interval.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the display of an up-converted interlaced video frame signal from a received progressive video frame signal (11) comprises the steps of receiving a progressive video frame signal, decoding (12) the progressive video frame signal using an interpolation function (18) to provide an interpolated interlaced video signal, deinterlacing (14) the interpolated interlaced video signal, and deinterpolating (16) the deinterlaced interpolated interlaced video signal to provide an optimized progressive video frame signal (17).