Abstract: A method is described for selecting a motion vector for a first image block of an image of an image sequence from a number of test vectors, to which respectively a significance measurement is assigned, wherein at least one of these test vectors is a motion vector of a further image block that is arranged temporally and/or spatially adjacent to the first image block, or a vector formed by modification of this motion vector, and wherein the method covers: Determining a distance measurement for each test vector, Determining a modified distance measurement to each test vector depending on the distance measurement determined to this test vector and additionally at least on the significance measurement assigned to this test vector, Selecting one of the test vectors as motion vector depending on the modified distance measurements, Determining a new distance measurement of the test vector selected as motion vector depending on whether the selected motion vector meets at least one significance criterion, and assign

Abstract: An image sequence includes consecutive video images each exhibiting at least one image region having a number of pixels, where each pixel includes at least one intensity value. For each image a motion measure value is determined indicative of temporal change of a video content of the image region and varying the intensity values of the pixels of the image region relative to the associated intensity values from video image to video image, a measure for the variation of the intensity values being dependent on the motion measure value determined and the change in the intensity values relative to the associated intensity values being greater the larger the motion represented by the motion measure value.

Abstract: The invention relates to an iterative method for determining an interpolated video information value in an image that exhibits a number of image regions arrayed for example in matrix fashion, at least one of which is an image region to be interpolated, and that is disposed temporally between a first image and a second image of an image sequence.

Abstract: A method for detecting a video signal that represents an image sequence and exhibits linewise repeated video data comprises selecting a plurality of line groups each having a first, a second and a third line, which originate from two consecutive fields in the case of a field sequence and from one field in the case of a frame sequence. The method determines for each line group a first line-distance measure for a difference between video contents of the first and second lines and a second line-distance measure for a difference between video contents of the second and third lines. The method then interprets the first and second line-distance measures with regard to the presence of a significant difference between these line-distance measures.

Abstract: A method and device for interpolating a pixel of an interline of a first field in a sequence of interlaced fields includes selecting at least one first pixel and one second pixel from scan lines of the first field adjacent the interline, and a third pixel from a second field temporally preceding or following the first field. The image position of the third pixel corresponds to the image position of the pixel to be interpolated. Also selected are fourth and fifth pixels which lie vertically adjacent the third pixel in the second field. A first filter value is generated by low-pass filtering the at least one first and second image information values. A second filter value is generated by high-pass filtering the third, fourth and fifth image information values. An image information value of the interpolated pixel is generated using the first and second filter values.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for increasing the resolution of a data sequence, such as for example a video data sequence. Between two data values of a given data sequence at least one intermediate value is interpolated by applying low-pass filtering and at least one first and one second high-pass filterings to data values of the data sequence, subjecting the filter values obtained by the high-pass filterings to rank-order filtering and combining the filter result so obtained with the filter result obtained by low-pass filtering.

Abstract: A method and device operable per the method for high-pass filtering an input signal having a sequence of signal values to provide a high-pass filtered output signal having a sequence of filtered signal values. The method includes selecting a first signal value of the input signal and a second signal value preceding the first signal value and a third signal value following the first signal value, determining an interval defined by the second and third signal values, determining a mean value of the interval, and determining whether the first signal value lies within the interval.

Abstract: The invention relates to an iterative method for determining an interpolated image information value in an image that comprises a number of image regions arranged in a matrix-like fashion having original image regions to which one image information value has been assigned, and having at least one image region to be interpolated.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for motion-vector-aided interpolation of a pixel in an intermediate image lying temporally or spatially between first and second images, motion vectors are assigned to the pixel to be interpolated, one pixel in each image being assigned to each vector. Video information values (e.g., luminance or chrominance values) are determined based on the video information values of pixels assigned to the motion vectors. A further video information value is generated by mixing certain of the video information values, and other video information values form a value interval, the mathematical position of the further video information value being determined relative to the interval boundaries. The video information value to be interpolated is determined depending on the position of the further video information value relative to the interval boundaries.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for interpolating a pixel from an intermediate line of a first field of a sequence of interlaced fields.

Abstract: In a method to determine a selection vector that indicates a displacement of an image area from a first position in a first image to a second position in a second image, a set of prediction vectors and a set of test vectors are provided. Using selected test vectors, an image comparison is performed to supply an image comparison result for each selected test vector. The selected test vectors and at least one prediction vector are compared to provide at least one test vector comparison result for each selected test vector. The image comparison result and the at least one test vector comparison result are linked to provide at least one quality characteristic for each selected test vector. A ranking order is determined for these quality characteristics, where at least one test vector is selected as the displacement vector based on the ranking order determined.

Abstract: An image to be interpolated is subdivided into a number of image blocks and a motion estimation technique is implemented to provide at least one initial motion vector for each of the image blocks. A modified motion vector is generated for each image block based on the initial motion vectors assigned to the individual image blocks. At least one additional image block is determined through which the motion vector assigned to the given image block passes at least partially, and the modified motion vector is generated as a function of the initial motion vector that is assigned to this at least one additional image block.

Abstract: In a method and device for determining the spacing between first and second sequences of signal values, first and second successive signal values of the first sequence have assigned thereto a third signal value of the second sequence, the third signal value being located temporally or spatially between the first and second signal values of the first sequence.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for interpolating a pixel from an intermediate line of a first field of a sequence of interlaced fields.

Abstract: A time-discrete picture signal is formed from an analog picture signal, such as a luminance signal or a chrominance signal. Corresponding to the time-discrete picture signal, a time-discrete filter signal is formed, specifically a so-called “peaking signal,” which has a sequence of peaking signal values, of which one value each is associated with one signal value of the time-discrete picture signal. The discrete peaking signal is formed by a digital peaking filter from the discrete picture signal or by an analog peaking filter from the analog picture signal during subsequent sampling of the analog peaking signal. The peaking filter increases the amplitude of selected frequency components of the picture signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to interpolating a pixel in an image that includes a number of pixels arrayed in matrix-like fashion, to each of which a video information value is assigned, in which method a gradient for the video information value is determined at, at least, a first and a second pixel adjacent to the pixel to be interpolated and, in the formation of the interpolated video information value, a greater weight is accorded to the video information value of the adjacent pixels whose associated gradient is smaller.

Abstract: To determine the noise contained in a picture, it is proposed first to determine homogeneous picture regions of the picture (100-102) and then to measure the high-frequency signal component in these homogeneous picture regions (BR). The measurement of the high-frequency signal components is here averaged over many measurement points, i.e. over many homogenous picture regions (BR), and is processed into a noise figure (NOISE_SUM) (103-104). In this way, the quality of the picture can be measured directly in the picture content.

Abstract: A graphic character that has a character matrix with a number of character units that are indivisible at least in either a horizontal direction or a vertical direction is scaled by dividing the character matrix into one first and at least one second character segment, each comprising at least one of the character units. The first character segment is symmetrically scaled using a first scaling factor and the second character segment is scaled using a second scaling factor different from the first scaling factor.

Abstract: A device for processing a first video signal and a second video signal that contain image data which overlap within a combined picture includes a processing element and a controller. The processing element receives the first video signal containing first image pixel data and receives the second video signal containing second image pixel data, and processes the first video signal and the second video signal to generate a third video signal indicative of an overlap region of images formed by the first and second video signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for rendering an image sequence. wherein an individual image is rendered by rendering monochromatic subimages in temporal succession. A subimage sequence obtained by temporal sequencing of the subimages is generated in motion-compensated fashion.