Abstract: Provided is a frame rate conversion apparatus for inputting a video signal and inserting an interpolation frame into the video signal so as to convert a frame rate of the video signal. The apparatus includes: an input unit for inputting the video signal; a video interpolation unit for generating an interpolation frame and performing an interpolation process of the video signal; and a control unit for controlling the generation process of the interpolation frame by the video interpolation unit. The video interpolation unit performs the interpolation frame generation process by using a plurality of methods, and the control unit controls switching between the plurality of interpolation frame generating methods.

Abstract: An RGB signal from an input terminal is supplied to a triple over-sampling/sub-pixel control processing unit and a brightness signal generating circuit in which a brightness signal is generated. A brightness edge detection/judgment unit detects an edge from this brightness signal, judges the kind of the edge, fetches a coefficient select signal corresponding to the judgment result from a memory and supplies the signal to the control processing unit. A tap coefficient corresponding to this coefficient select signal is set in the control processing unit and a triple over-sampling processing is executed for each of RGB. For edge parts, R and B sub-pixels the timings of which are displaced by ±? pixel from the input R and B sub-pixels and the pixel gravitys of which are displaced by ±? or ±? pixel in accordance with the kind of the edge are generated.

Abstract: A three-dimensional video image processing device includes an input unit for receiving a video image, an analysis unit for generating a histogram of a color space for each of a left and right eye video image contained in the video image to detect a feature parameter for each of the video images, and a correction unit for implementing a correction on the color space, for reducing a difference of the feature parameter of the left eye video image and the feature parameter of the right eye video image detected in the analysis unit, thereby preferably correcting a color deviation on the left and right video image of a three-dimensional video image.

Abstract: An image processor includes a motion vector acquisition section for acquiring and outputting an image motion vector in pixel or a predetermined block unit from plural frames included in an input image signal; and a frame interpolation section for generating an interpolated frame by using the motion vector provided by the motion vector acquisition section and for combining the interpolated frame with a frame of the input image signal, thereby composing a signal of a new frame sequence. The motion vector acquisition section includes a first motion vector acquisition section acquiring a motion vector by matching process and a second motion vector acquisition section acquiring a motion vector based on a relative misalignment of a predetermined edge component between two temporally successive frames in a specific area of an input image signal's frame.

Abstract: A technique for flexibly converting the number of frames of a displayed image on the basis of a motion in the image or information of an image signal such as a program genre is provided. An image processing apparatus includes an input unit to which an image signal having a predetermined frame rate is input, an information acquirer for acquiring information concerning the input image signal, and a frame rate converter for converting the frame rate of the input image signal and outputting a resultant signal. The frame rate converter conducts the frame rate conversion of the input image signal on the basis of the information (such as the motion in the image or the program genre) of the input image signal acquired by the information acquirer.

Abstract: An interpolation frame producing method when a frame rate converting operation is carried out, the method comprising a motion vector detecting step for detecting a motion vector of a picture; a frame rate calculating step for calculating a frame rate based upon the detected motion vector; and an interpolation frame producing step for producing an interpolation frame based upon the calculated frame rate; in which in the frame rate calculating step, a movement feature amount of a picture is calculated from the motion vector detected in the motion vector detecting step; and the frame rate is calculated in such a manner that a frame rate of a picture, the movement feature amount of which exceeds a predetermined threshold value, becomes lower than a frame rate of a picture, the movement feature amount of which is smaller than, or equal to the predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having the cold-warm color producing processing unit for producing the cold-warm color frame, and an interpolation frame producing unit for producing an interpolation frame of the image signal, wherein the interpolation frame producing unit produces the interpolation frame of the image signal, using the cold-warm color frame produced in said cold-warm color producing processing unit.

Abstract: More accurate frame-rate conversion is carried out in a simpler circuit configuration. Search areas SA+1 and SA?1 in each of which the pixel facing the interpolation position P0 of a pixel in an interpolation frame is taken as a central pixel are set in the current frame and immediately previous frame of an image signal, a set of pixels point-symmetrical to the interpolation position P0 in each of the search areas SA+1 and SA?1 are defined as pixel pairs, and differential luminance values between the individual pixels in the pixel pairs are calculated for each pixel pair. Of all these pixel pairs, only that having the minimum absolute differential value is selected as interpolation pixel pair, an interpolation frame is generated from the current frame and the immediately previous frame on the basis of the interpolation pixel vector of that interpolation pixel pair.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an element portion provided in the semiconductor substrate, and a connecting portion connected to the semiconductor substrate electrically, in which the connecting portion is formed of a conductive material in order to perform an electrical connection to an outside. The connecting portion is directly in contact with a surface of the semiconductor substrate such that the connecting portion and the semiconductor substrate are connected electrically.

Abstract: A motion vector detection apparatus is disclosed capable of detecting accurate motion vectors from between a previous frame of image and the presently displayed frame of image even in edge regions of the frames where inaccurate motion vectors would normally tend to be detected. A motion vector-detecting portion reads in an image signal from the signal input portion as well as image signals entered through first through third frame memories. Processing for detecting motion vectors is performed, based on four frames entered in synchronism to the motion vector-detecting portion out of the frames forming the image signals. Vectors produced between the image signal from the first frame memory delayed by one frame relative to the image signal from the signal input portion and the image signal from the second frame memory delayed by two frames relative to the image signal from the signal input portion are detected as motion vectors.

Abstract: Image processing apparatus and image processing method including an image separation processing section for separating an inputted image signal into a transparent image portion having transparency and a background image by detecting a pixel data common among a plurality of frames within the inputted image signal; a frame interpolator that performs frame interpolation using the separated background image; and a composition processing section for combining the frame-interpolated background image with the separated transparent image portion, wherein the frame interpolation is performed only to the background image so that the influence on the frame interpolation of the transparent image portion is reduced.

Abstract: There is provided a video processing apparatus comprising a motion vector detection unit for detecting data on the motions of objects by using at least two frames, an interpolation frame generation unit for generating interpolation frames in the horizontal/vertical and temporal directions in accordance with the motion vectors obtained by the motion vector detection unit, and an image feature detection unit for detecting the features of motions extended over the at least two frames, wherein the procedures, performed by the image feature detection unit, of generating interpolation frames in the horizontal/vertical and temporal directions are switched over in accordance with the features of motions.

Abstract: An RGB signal from an input terminal is supplied to a triple over-sampling/sub-pixel control processing unit and a brightness signal generating circuit in which a brightness signal is generated. A brightness edge detection/judgment unit detects an edge from this brightness signal, judges the kind of the edge, fetches a coefficient select signal corresponding to the judgment result from a memory and supplies the signal to the control processing unit. A tap coefficient corresponding to this coefficient select signal is set in the control processing unit and a triple over-sampling processing is executed for each of RGB. For edge parts, R and B sub-pixels the timings of which are displaced by ±1/3 pixel from the input R and B sub-pixels and the pixel gravitys of which are displaced by ±1/3 or ±1/8 pixel in accordance with the kind of the edge are generated.

Abstract: A picture signal processing apparatus is provided with: a motion vector detecting unit for detecting information as to a motion vector of a picture from a plurality of frames contained in an input picture signal; an interpolation frame producing unit for producing an interpolation frame by employing the motion vector; and a frame stream producing unit for producing a picture signal of a new frame stream by combining the interpolation frame produced with the frames of the input picture signal so as to output the produced picture signal of the new frame stream. When the picture signal processing apparatus performs a converting operation in such a manner that a plurality of interpolation frames are continued between two frames of the input picture signal, at least one interpolation frame among the plurality of interpolation frames is formed as such an interpolation frame formed without employing the motion vector (namely, not depending upon motion of picture).

Abstract: Provided is a frame rate conversion apparatus for inputting a video signal and inserting an interpolation frame into the video signal so as to convert a frame rate of the video signal. The apparatus includes: an input unit for inputting the video signal; a video interpolation unit for generating an interpolation frame and performing an interpolation process of the video signal; and a control unit for controlling the generation process of the interpolation frame by the video interpolation unit. The video interpolation unit performs the interpolation frame generation process by using a plurality of methods, and the control unit controls switching between the plurality of interpolation frame generating methods.

Abstract: A technique for flexibly converting the number of frames of a displayed image on the basis of a motion in the image or information of an image signal such as a program genre is provided. An image processing apparatus includes an input unit to which an image signal having a predetermined frame rate is input, an information acquirer for acquiring information concerning the input image signal, and a frame rate converter for converting the frame rate of the input image signal and outputting a resultant signal. The frame rate converter conducts the frame rate conversion of the input image signal on the basis of the information (such as the motion in the image or the program genre) of the input image signal acquired by the information acquirer.

Abstract: An image displaying apparatus, for improving motion blur, in particular, on an image displaying apparatus of hold-type, such as, a liquid crystal display element, etc., comprising: sub-frame producing portions (5, 6) for producing a first sub-frame, a second sub-frame being lower in the gradation than the first sub-frame, from an image of one (1) frame of an image signal inputted; a histogram detection portion (2) for detecting brightness histogram of the image signal; an image determination portion (3) for determining on whether the image signal inputted is a high-gradation image or not, from that brightness histogram; and a level compensation portion (4) for lowering a gradation level of that image signal inputted. And, according to the present invention, lowering the gradation of the high-gradation image keeps the difference in brightness between the first and the second sub-frames, and thereby increasing an effect of improving the motion blur.

Abstract: More accurate frame-rate conversion is carried out in a simpler circuit configuration. Search areas SA+1 and SA?1 in each of which the pixel facing the interpolation position P0 of a pixel in an interpolation frame is taken as a central pixel are set in the current frame and immediately previous frame of an image signal, a set of pixels point-symmetrical to the interpolation position P0 in each of the search areas SA+1 and SA?1 are defined as pixel pairs, and differential luminance values between the individual pixels in the pixel pairs are calculated for each pixel pair. Of all these pixel pairs, only that having the minimum absolute differential value is selected as interpolation pixel pair, an interpolation frame is generated from the current frame and the immediately previous frame on the basis of the interpolation pixel vector of that interpolation pixel pair.

Abstract: An MIS transistor fabricated in a manner that minimizes the occurrence of leak currents and that improves overall transistor performance by minimizing variation in location of the transistor source and drain during fabrication thereof. A gate electrode is first fabricated on a substrate. Next, a thermal oxide layer is formed on a side of the gate electrode. A masking process is then performed with the thermal oxide layer to form a source and a drain. A silicon oxide layer is then deposited over the gate electrode, the source and the drain. An etching process is performed on the silicon oxide to form a side wall oxide film over the thermal oxide layer on the side of the gate electrode and to expose surfaces of the gate electrode, the source and the drain. A metal film is then deposited over the gate electrode, the source and the drain and is heat treated to form a metal silicide film on the exposed surfaces of the gate electrode, the source and the drain.