Abstract: A method of estimating an edge orientation located in a neighborhood of a particular pixel (100) of an image is disclosed. The method comprises creating a set of candidate edge orientations; evaluating the candidate edge orientations by means of computing for each of the candidate edge orientations a match error for a corresponding pair of groups (104, 106) of pixels, on basis of a difference between pixel values of the two groups (104, 106) of the corresponding pair of groups of pixels; and selecting a first one of the candidate edge orientations from the set of candidate edge orientations on basis of the respective match errors and assigning the first one of the candidate edge orientations to the particular pixel (100). An advantage of the method is that a relatively low number of computations is required. This is achieved because creating the set of candidate edge orientations is based on previous computations.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interpolating filter with coefficients that depend on the motion vector value, which uses samples that exist in the current field and additional samples from a neighboring field shifted over a part of a motion vector. Using samples from the current field and the motion compensated previous field that are not for vectors on a vertical line, the robustness of the de-interlacing may be increased. The interpolation quality may be better without increasing the number of input pixels.

Abstract: A method of converting an input image into an enhanced output image is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of estimating an edge orientation located in a neighborhood of a particular pixel (100) of an image is disclosed. The method comprises creating a set of candidate edge orientations; evaluating the candidate edge orientations by means of computing for each of the candidate edge orientations a match error for a corresponding pair of test groups (104, 106) of pixels, on basis of a difference between pixel values of the test two groups (104, 106) of the corresponding pair of test groups of pixels; and selecting a first one of the candidate edge orientations from the set of candidate edge orientations on basis of the respective match errors and assigning the first one of the candidate edge orientations to a target block of pixels (102). An advantage of the method is that a relatively low number of computations is required. This is achieved because the estimated edge orientation is assigned to a target block of pixels (102).

Abstract: An image conversion unit (100) for converting an input image into an output image includes a first computing device (104) for computing a first weighted sum of a first group of pixel values, the first group of pixel values corresponding to pixels of the input image; a second computing device (102) for computing a second weighted sum of a second group of interpolated values, the second group of interpolated values being computed by interpolation for spatial locations which are not present at the sampling grid of the input image; a combining device (106) for computing a third sum by combining the first weighted sum and the second weighted sum; and a clipping device (108) for clipping the third sum between a minimum value and a maximum value, the minimum value and the maximum value being derived from pixel values of the input image.

Abstract: In a video processing system where motion vectors are estimated for a subset of the blocks of data forming a video frame, and motion vectors are interpolated for the remainder of the blocks of the frame, a method includes determining, for at least at least one block of the current frame for which a motion vector is not estimated (204), whether a block to the left or right has an estimated zero motion vector (206), determining whether the at least one block had an estimated zero motion vector in a previous frame (206), and if both determinations are affirmative (208), providing a predetermined motion vector for the at least one block. The predetermined motion vector may be a zero motion vector (208).

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for creating a story-board of video frames from a stream of video data wherein only the video frames of the story-board are transmitted to the portable electronic devices. A content controlled summary is generated from input video data. The content control summary is then synchronized with a continuous audio signal. The summary is encoded along with the continuous audio for transmission.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image conversion unit (200) for converting an input image with a first resolution into an output image with a second resolution being different from the first resolution. The image conversion unit (200) comprises: a coefficient-determining means (106) for determining a first filter coefficient on basis of pixel values of a group of pixels of the first image; combining means (204-210) for combining the first filter coefficient with a predetermined filter coefficient into a final filter coefficient; and an adaptive filtering means (104) for computing a second pixel value of the second image on basis of a first one of the pixel values of the first image and the final filter coefficient.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image conversion unit (100) for converting an input image with a first resolution into an output image with a second resolution being higher than the first resolution the image conversion unit (100) comprises: a coefficient-determining means (108) for determining a first filter coefficient on basis of pixel values of the input image; and an adaptive filtering means (106) for computing a second pixel value of an intermediate image on basis of a first one of the pixel values of the input image and the first filter coefficient; and a low-pass filter the intermediate image resulting in the output image.

Abstract: An edge enhancement unit (100) for calculating a sharpened edge for an original edge in an image on basis of the properties of the original edge. The original edge is represented by a transient (112) in a signal representing values of pixels of the image. The edge enhancement unit (100) comprises: an edge determining unit (104) for determining properties of the transient (112) on basis of values of a first number of pixels around the original edge; and a filter unit (102) for calculating the sharpened edge on basis of values of a second number of pixels around the original edge and the properties of the transient (112).

Abstract: A luminance and color separation filter unit (300) for extracting a luminance signal (Y) and two color signals (U, V) from a composite color television signal (CVBS).

Abstract: A motion-compensated image signal interpolation unit (200) for generating an interpolated image being located at a first predetermined temporal distance (a) from the first image and being located at a second predetermined temporal distance (1?a) from the second image is disclosed.

Abstract: A motion sequence pattern detector (300,301) for detecting presence of film material in a series of consecutive video fields (pp,p,c), is arranged to compute for a first one of the consecutive fields a value of a video motion measure and a value of a film motion measure and to determine the presence of film material on basis of both motion measures. The value of the video motion measure is computed by: establishing a plurality of motion patterns for respective groups of pixels of the first one of the consecutive fields; comparing each of the plurality of motion patterns with a predetermined video motion pattern and conditionally increasing the value of the video motion measure. The value of the film motion measure is computed by comparing each of the plurality of motion patterns with a predetermined film motion pattern and conditionally increasing the value of the film motion measure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing signals representing a series of colored pictures, which colored pictures are to be displayed on a color sequential display. In order to enable a presentation of high quality images using a color sequential display device at reduced costs, it is proposed that the method comprising applying a motion compensation (6-8) on received signals in a color space (Y, U, V) which is different from a primary color space (R, G, B) to obtain at least partly motion compensated signals. The at least partly motion compensated signals can then be converted (9) to at least three primary color components (R, G, B) of the series of colored pictures. Finally, the at least three primary color components are displayed (3) for each of the colored pictures, wherein the at least three primary color components are displayed at least partially in sequence. The invention relates equally to an apparatus and a system comprising means for realizing the proposed method.

Abstract: A luminance and color separation filter unit (300, 400, 500, 600, 700) for extracting a luminance signal (Y) and two color signals (U, V) from a composite color television signal (CVBS), comprising a chrominance (C) signal being modulated on a subcarrier which is located in the high-frequency part of the frequency spectrum of the luminance signal (Y), is disclosed. The filter unit (300, 400, 500, 600, 700) is arranged to compute at least one value of a set of values comprising an output luminance value (Y(x, n)) of a particular output pixel (x), a first color value (U(x, n)) of the particular output pixel (x) and a second color value (V(x, n)) of the particular output pixel (x) on basis of a first (F1), a second (F2) and a third (F3) sample derived from the composite color television signal (CVBS), where the first (F1), the second (F2) and the third (F3) sample have mutually different sub-carrier phases.

Abstract: In a method of locating problem areas in an image signal (I), a motion vector field (Df) is estimated for the image signal (I), and edges are detected in the motion vector field (Df). In a corresponding method of interpolating images between existing images (I), image parts are interpolated (MCI) in dependence upon a presence of edges; preferably, an order statistical filtering (med) is used at edges.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recursively estimating local vectors from at least one picture taken from an image sequence. To reduce the computational complexity of the estimation method without deteriorating its accuracy, it is proposed that the method comprises the steps of generating a first set of candidate vectors under at least partial use of recursion, selecting candidate vectors from the first set of candidate vectors according to a first criterion to form a smaller second set of candidate vectors, evaluating the candidate vectors of the second set of candidate vectors for a group of pixels based on a second criterion, determining the best vectors from the second set of candidate vectors according to said second criterion and assigning said determined best vectors to a group of pixels that is related to the group of pixels the candidate vectors of the second set of candidate vectors were evaluated for.

Abstract: A selector (502) for selecting a background motion vector for a pixel in an occlusion region of an image, from a set of motion vectors being computed for the image, comprises: computing means (510) for computing a model-based motion vector for the pixel on basis of a motion model being determined on basis of a part of (402-436) a motion vector field (400) of the image; comparing means (511) for comparing the model-based motion vector with each of the motion vectors of the set of motion vectors; and selecting means (512) for selecting a particular motion vector of the set of motion vectors on basis of the comparing and for assigning the particular motion vector as the background motion vector.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (100) comprises: receiving means for receiving a video signal representing input images; a film-detector unit (108) for detecting whether the input images have been captured by a film camera or by a video camera; and a sharpness enhancement unit (106) for calculating sharpness enhanced images on basis of the input images. The sharpness enhancement unit (106) is controlled by the film-detector unit (108), whereby the sharpness enhancement is larger if the film-detector unit (108) has detected that the input images have been captured by the film camera than if the film-detector unit (108) has detected that the input images have been captured by the video camera.

Abstract: An image conversion unit (100,200,300) for converting a first image (101) with a first resolution into a second image (103) with a second resolution, the second resolution being higher than the first resolution is disclosed. The image conversion unit (100,200,300) comprises a noise generator (106) for generating noise and a combining unit (104) arranged to add the noise to the second image (103). Preferably the noise that is added comprises spectral components which are in a part of a frequency spectrum which is above the Nyquist frequency of the first image. Optionally the image conversion unit comprises a noise measurement unit (302) to control the noise generator (106).