Patents by Inventor Michael L. Lightstone

Michael L. Lightstone has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8094239
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 8068181
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 8035750
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 8004613
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 7995150
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 7894002
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 7800699
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 7584475
    Abstract: A software program includes at least two performance levels. Each performance level has an associated processor utilization. Each performance level corresponds to optimization criteria, such as a quality of data processing performed by the software program. The performance level is selected to maintain processor utilization by the software program within constraints, such as a desired range of processor utilization and a minimum idle thread allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Lightstone, Stefan Eckart, Hassane S. Azar
  • Patent number: 7535959
    Abstract: A video encoder includes a programmable rate controller. In one embodiment, the programmable rate controller includes a variable bit rate controller, a constant bit rate controller, and an arbitration logic for selecting one of the two outputs. An embodiment of a variable bit rate controller tracks long-term changes to average bit rate. An embodiment of a constant bit rate controller classifies macroblock types, determines a statistical indicator of complexity for each macroblock type, and generates a target bit rate based on estimated complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Lightstone, Stefan Eckart
  • Patent number: 7277581
    Abstract: The invention provide methods and code for better detecting 3:2 pulldown or other video formats. In one respect, embodiments of the invention improve the way in which fields of video data are compared. In another respect, embodiments of the invention provide pattern matching techniques and code for processing the field difference data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Lightstone, Stefan Eckart
  • Publication number: 20040207751
    Abstract: Field-based detection of 3:2 pulldown in a sequence of digital video fields using a programmable graphics processor is described. The detection is performed using a threshold value to determine equivalence between a pair of fields of digital video data. Furthermore, additional threshold values may be used to control switching into a mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed and out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed. Look ahead can be used to detect when to switch into or out of the mode where duplicated fields of digital video data are identified and not displayed, reducing the occurrence of visual artifacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Jonathan B. White, Michael L. Lightstone
  • Patent number: 6400895
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving playback consistency of an encoded video stream. The method of the present invention first determines whether a series of values of the progressive_frame flag of consecutive frames of the encoded video stream are arranged in a predetermined pattern. If the values are arranged in the predetermined pattern, an image of at least one of the frames is displayed progressively regardless of the value of the progressive_frame flag of that frame. As a result, the video stream is played back as if the movie had been consistently encoded in the first place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Richard Whitby Webb, Michael L. Lightstone