Abstract: A method of producing a composited video image based on depth uses a serial combiner to which a plurality of video input signals, representing video images, and priority signals are input. The video input signals each have an associated depth signal. The depth signals are sorted from farthest to nearest and a matrix control signal is generated from the depth signals. The matrix control signal is used to route the video input signals to appropriate inputs of the serial combiner in order from farthest to nearest. The priority signals are derived from the depth signals either serially or in parallel.

Abstract: A digital video effects apparatus comprises an input for receiving a digital input video signal representing the distribution of optical information over a video field, and a key signal generator for providing a digital key signal that defines an area of the video field. A mask signal generator provides a digital mask signal that defines at least a portion of said area of the video field. The digital mask signal is combined with the digital key signal to provide a modified digital key signal, and the input video signal is acted on in accordance with the modified key signal to provide an output video signal.

Abstract: Video signal processing apparatus comprises at least first and second source selectors each having a plurality of input terminals, for receiving a plurality of video signals respectively, and at least two output terminals. A set of video processors each have an input terminal and an output terminal. A processor selector is provided for connecting each source selector output terminal selectively to each video processor input terminal. First and second output devices each have a plurality of input terminals connected to the output terminals of the video processors respectively and also have an output terminal. Operator interfaces are connected to the processor selector for defining a first subset of video processors having their input terminals connected to the output terminals of the first source selector and a second subset of video processors having their input terminals connected to the output terminals of the second source selector.

Abstract: A video switcher comprises a source selector having a plurality of input terminals for connection to a plurality of video sources respectively, and at least two output terminals. At least two processing channels each have an input terminal connected to an output terminal of the source selector and also have an output terminal. A video combiner has video input terminals connected to the output terminals of the processing channels and is operative to combine the output signals provided by the processing channels in dependence upon priority signals.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for a digital signal processor, having an input module, an output module and a plurality of successive processing modules defining a signal processing path, monitors various internal test points within each module. Any one of the test points may be connected to a diagnostic bus. The output of the diagnostic bus may be appropriately modified and input to the output module in lieu of the digital signal from the last processing module to provide a diagnostic display.

Abstract: A video difference key generator has a stored reference video image. An input video image is compared with the reference video image by an absolute difference circuit which substracts corresponding pixels of the two video images, the smaller from the larger, to produce a difference video image. The difference video image may be filtered, and then is input to a transfer function circuit to produce an output which may be used as a key signal for compositing video images.

Abstract: An intra-field recursive interpolator reads stored output video from one field store while writing output video into a second field store. The read stored output video is spatially corrected by vertical interpolation prior to being multiplied by a decay constant and being combined with an input video which has been multiplied by the inverse of the decay constant to produce the output video. The resulting output video is a combination of the current input field of video and each preceding field of the output video.

Abstract: A picture transformation memory has three field stores which rotatively store a next field of video data, output a prior field of video data and output a current field of video data to provide a full frame output for each field input period. Each field store has four planes which contain identical fields of data and are read from sequentially pixel by pixel. Each plane has four banks with the field data being read into the banks sequentially pixel by pixel such that when one pixel is addressed, a local address generator addresses the neighboring pixels as well to produce a multi-pixel output to an interpolator. Four half bandwidth data the first and third planes contain identical data and the second and fourth planes contain identical data in the same address locations as the corresponding data in planes one and three.