Conversion Between Standards With Different Aspect Ratios Patents (Class 348/445)
  • Patent number: 7773151
    Abstract: A device and a method of deinterlacing a sequence of images from an interlaced format to a progressive format. The sequence of images being composed of successive frames. A plurality of pixels of missing lines of a current frame to be completed, an evaluation of the values of these pixels according to a spatially consistent order. The evaluation comprises, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, estimating a direction of interpolation, spatial interpolation according to the estimated direction of interpolation. According to the invention, the estimation step comprises, for at least one current pixel of the plurality of pixels, calculating a score for at least two directions, and selecting the direction of interpolation on the basis of the calculated scores and of the estimated direction of interpolation for a distinct pixel situated in the neighborhood of the current pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Barnichon
  • Publication number: 20100177240
    Abstract: An adaptive compensation system for aspect ratio conversion. Video information, intended for her first aspect ratio display, e.g. the standard NTSC aspect ratio, is processed to determine additional information that can enable that video to be displayed and fill a wider aspect ratio screen. The processing can be a calculation which calculates, for example, texture, color and/or brightness of the edge portions, and automatically calculates video information to match the texture, brightness or color. The processing can be a database lookup, which automatically looks up likely portions from a database. The processing can also be an adaptive determination of what vertical portions of the image can be stretched without affecting the viewability, and then an adaptive stretching of different portions by different amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: HARRIS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventor: Scott C. Harris
  • Patent number: 7750938
    Abstract: An arrangement for maintaining even tube burn-in. The arrangement identifies active and inactive display regions on a display unit when video content is displayed on the display unit. When inactive display regions are identified the arrangement monitors the duration that the active display regions remain active. After the active display regions become inactive and a predetermined time period has passed the arrangement displays a corrective image on the identified inactive regions. The predetermined time period may be set by a user or based on the user's viewing habits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Kevin Lloyd Grimes, Charles William Worrell
  • Patent number: 7750920
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a color reference for an image to be printed for visualizing the same on a true-color monitor is disclosed. Lower-resolution image data are generated from high-resolution raster data for the image to be printed which are obtained from page description data for the image to be printed. The lower-resolution data are converted into display data which serve as color reference for the image to be printed and which can be visualized on a true-color monitor. An actual transmission characteristic is ascertained. The actual transmission characteristic ascertained is compared with a specified (desired) transmission characteristic, where, on the basis of this comparison, a correction curve is calculated which is required to arrive at the desired transmission characteristic starting with the actual transmission characteristic. The display data are ascertained using the calculated correction curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Florian Fejfar
  • Patent number: 7751996
    Abstract: A D/U ratio is measured for desired and undesired signals in a wireless video transmission system at a shared channel frequency based on a received signal at a geographic location in proximity to regions within respective service areas for the desired and undesired signals. A video tuner demodulates the received signal to generate a baseband video signal. A leveling circuit normalizes the baseband signal. A video processor identifies horizontal sync pulses within the baseband signal, generates a sampled signal comprising the horizontal sync pulses, and removes components of the desired signal from the sampled signal to generate an undesired signal component. A D/U analyzer determines a Fourier transform having a plurality of bins in response to the undesired signal component, identifies at least one of the bins having a spectral peak corresponding to an undesired signal, and calculates the D/U ratio in response to a magnitude of the identified peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Ardizzone, Robert C. Tenten
  • Patent number: 7746384
    Abstract: An image data recorder coding a still image in accordance with a moving image coding system, and recording a still-image-converted moving image acquired by coding onto a recording medium includes: a reading unit reading out an aspect ratio set for the recording medium; a determining unit acquiring an aspect ratio of the still image, and determining whether the acquired aspect ratio is the same as the aspect ratio for the recording medium; a coding unit adding an interpolation area on the top and bottom, or left and right of the still image in accordance with the result of the determination to generate an interpolation-area-added still image whose aspect ratio matches the aspect ratio for the recording medium, and coding the interpolation-area-added still image in accordance with a moving image coding system to generate the still-image-converted moving image; and a recording unit recording the still-image-converted moving image onto the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Saitou, Takeshi Harada, Tatsuhito Tabuchi
  • Publication number: 20100157145
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for panoramically interpolating a video from a first aspect ratio to a second aspect ratio comprising the steps of: (a) receiving at least one frame; (b) tracking said frame horizontally or vertically pixel line by pixel line; (c) computing the average luminance value of each of said pixel lines; (d) comparing each said average luminance value to a set threshold for finding the superfluous lines; (e) trimming said frame by deleting said superfluous lines; (f) calculating the required curve for the panoramic scaling of said trimmed frame; and (g) interpolating said trimmed frame into a panoramic display based on said calculations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: HORIZON SEMICONDUCTORS LTD.
    Inventor: Ilan Dimnik
  • Publication number: 20100134633
    Abstract: A letterbox detector includes a detection module configured to determine aspect ratio changes in an input signal. A transition module is configured to transition between a plurality of display modes associated with the aspect ratio changes. A first display mode to a second display mode transition is performed over a first period of time, and a second display mode to a first display mode is performed gradually over a second period of time, that is different from the first period of time. The letterbox detector may be included in digital and analog displays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Severin Werner Engeli, Roger Dominik Bozzini, Magdy Megeid
  • Publication number: 20100123822
    Abstract: A device (10) and method for converting display information between graphics scales, e.g., between a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The method includes arcuately converting at least a portion of at least one dimension of display information between an arcuate format and a chordal or subtense format by scaling display information between the length of an arc length of a curve having a first endpoint and a second endpoint and a linear line segment of the arc length of the curve from the first endpoint to the second endpoint. For example, for a circular curve, arcuate conversion occurs between the length of an arc having a first endpoint and a second endpoint and the length of the chord or subtense of the arc from the first endpoint to the second endpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yeqing Wang
  • Publication number: 20100110286
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a receiving unit, which is configured to receive video data, caption data, and program information data, a first on-screen unit, which is configured to display a caption, upon a basis of a second on-screen unit, which is configured to display program information, a format converting unit, and a display unit. When a video on which a caption is displayed is displayed by the display unit, a picture format of a caption is converted by the format converting unit in accordance with conversion of a picture format of a video, and when a video on which program information is displayed by the display unit, a picture format of a program information is not converted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Masuo Oku, Hironori Komi, Keisuke Inata, Ryosuke Toya, Kenji Katsumata, Shigeru Komatsu, Shinobu Torikoshi, Takaaki Matono, Fumihito Tanaka, Masaaki Hisanaga
  • Publication number: 20100100900
    Abstract: A transcoder 22 receives encoded streams of image contents and decoding information in pluralities of sorts, and it once decodes the respective image contents by using the encoded streams and the decoding information. The transcoder 22 subjects each of the decoded images to the reduction or enlargement of a screen size and synthesizes the resulting images into one image, it re-encodes the synthesized image, and it outputs the stream and the decoding information after the re-encoding, to a transmission unit 23. The transmission unit 23 receives the re-encoded decoding information and the re-encoded stream from the transcoder 22 and outputs them to a terminal 3 through a transmission line 102.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunori Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20100073556
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a video signal processing method and a video signal processing apparatus. The video signal processing apparatus receives a picture datum, which includes M×N pixel data, wherein a scan orientation of the pixel data includes M pixel data. The video signal processing apparatus includes a horizontal scaling unit and a timing control unit. The horizontal scaling unit scales the pixel data of the scan orientation of the picture datum to obtain P pixel data. The timing control unit transfers the P pixel data to a scan-line signal of the video signal, determines the number of times of outputting the scan-line signal according to a ration of Q to N, sequentially outputs the scan-line signal according to the number of times of outputting the scan-line signal and thus outputs the video signal with a resolution of P×Q.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventor: Shang-Min JIANG
  • Patent number: 7684437
    Abstract: A system and method transmits graphic data received at varying frequencies at a fixed data rate. The frequency dependent data and associated data clock signal are received and the frequency dependent data is converted to frequency independent data. A ratio of a number of data clock cycles to a number of reference clock cycles is determined and transmitted. The frequency independent data and header data are transmitted, at a fixed rate, to a receiver, the fixed rate being a frequency greater than the frequency of the associated data clock signal. The received the frequency independent data is converted to frequency dependent data based upon the received determined ratio. The communication channel may include an optical fiber and a tension member wherein control data is transmitted along the tension member and graphic data is transmitted along the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Rod Miller, Paul Lanier
  • Patent number: 7679675
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a data conversion apparatus and a learning device in which an image can be converted into a higher-quality image. A class-tap generating circuit (2) and a predictive-tap generating circuit (3) generate, from an SD image, a predictive tap used for determining the HD pixel of a specified block of an HD image. A classification circuit (4) classifies the HD pixel of the specified block based on the class tap. A coefficient RAM (7) obtains a tap coefficient for the class of the HD pixel of the specified block from tap coefficients obtained by learning the relationship between supervisor data and learner data for each class of at least one class by giving a predetermined constraint condition to the supervisor data. A predictive-computation circuit (8) and a decoding circuit (9) determine the HD pixel of the specified block by using the tap coefficient and the predictive tap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 7675480
    Abstract: An image display device comprises a first clock generator for generating and outputting a first clock based on input horizontal synchronizing signals corresponding to horizontal lines making up input image signals, a second clock generator for generating and outputting a second clock, storage configured so as to accumulate image data sampled from the input image signals based on the first clock using the first clock output from the first clock generator and read out the accumulated image data using the second clock output from the second clock generator, a controller for outputting control signals for controlling the cycle of output horizontal synchronizing signals at the time of reading out and displaying the accumulated image data from the storage, according to image size information of the input image signals, cycle information of the input horizontal synchronizing signals, display panel size information, and cycle information of the second clock, and a synchronizing signal generator for outputting the out
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Okuno, Jun Someya
  • Patent number: 7675574
    Abstract: A display mode switching device and method automatically switches a display mode of a television set to an overscan mode or to an underscan mode depending on a content of a screen. In a case of connecting a television set to a computer, a call from an application for an API in an OS is detected by a device driver when a user starts playing a DVD or a game. Accordingly, an output mode for the television set is switched to the overscan mode. In this way, a motion video or a game is displayed on the television set in the overscan mode. Meanwhile, when the user finishes playing the DVD or the game, a call for the API to release resources is detected by the device driver, and the output mode is restored to the underscan mode. In this way, a computer screen is displayed on the television set in the underscan mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Ishii, Masaki Oie, Yasumasa Takeda
  • Patent number: 7672539
    Abstract: A method (30) and apparatus (10) for scaling selected areas of a graphics display. The method (30) includes removing distortion-sensitive information from the graphics display, scaling or converting the format of the distortion-nonsensitive information, such as from one aspect ratio to another, and then compositing the removed distortion-sensitive information with the scaled distortion-sensitive information. Alternatively, the removed distortion-sensitive is scaled, distortion-free, before combining it with the scaled distortion-nonsensitive information. The apparatus (10) uses a recognition comparator (16) to identify distortion-sensitive information, a graphics remover (18) to remove the distortion-sensitive information, a first scaler (22) to scale the distortion-nonsensitive information, a second scaler to provide distortion-free scaling of the distortion-sensitive information, and a compositer (26) to combine the distortion-sensitive information with the scaled distortion-nonsensitive information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Yeqing Wang
  • Patent number: 7667713
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided with a process unit to carry out a resolution conversion process and an image division process with respect to an input image, and a control unit to control a division number of the image division process depending on a size of an image display region and a resolution after the resolution conversion process. The division number indicates a number of divided image portions into which the input image is divided into by the image division process. The control unit may control the division number of the image division process depending on an image size of the input image in addition to the size of the image display region and the resolution after the resolution conversion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tooru Suino, Takanori Yano
  • Patent number: 7667770
    Abstract: In a television set, image quality is adjusted in accordance with parameters calculated on the basis of adjustment values used in the past, depending on a feature of an image and an environmental status. A weight calculator determines a weight depending on the manner in which a user performs a volume control operation. A cumulative weight memory outputs a cumulative weight corresponding to the feature value. Output volume values used in past are stored in a volume value generator. The volume value generator calculates output volume values corresponding to a feature value on the basis of parameters indicating final adjustment values, the feature value, the weight, and the cumulative weight. The calculated volume values are stored in the volume value generator. Under the control of a system controller, the volume values stored in the volume value generator are output to a coefficient generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Naoki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100020231
    Abstract: A video processing method and a device thereof are described. The method includes the steps as follows. An input video signal is received, in which a single period of the input video signal has a plurality of first input frames and a plurality of second input frames. The input video signal is processed, so as to generate an output video signal, in which a single period of the output video signal has a plurality of first output frames and a plurality of second output frames, and an amount of the first output frames is the same as an amount of the second output frames. A sum of the amount of the first output frames and the amount of second output frames is an integer multiple of a sum of an amount of the first input frames and an amount of the second input frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Jin-Sheng GONG, Hsieh Chun-Hsing
  • Patent number: 7649552
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus able to obtain a suitable still image from a squeezed video signal, including a converting unit configured to judge whether or not a video signal has been squeezed based on an input video signal and aspect information indicating the aspect ratio of the video signal and to inverse-squeeze it to the designated video signal when judging that it was squeezed as a result of the judgment to convert it to a video signal of a still image of a prescribed image size and a still image recording and/or reproduction unit configured to record the video signal of the still image converted by the converting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7649567
    Abstract: A format conversion apparatus for subjecting data having a predetermined resolution to conversion of the resolution according to a resolution of a display screen, comprises: a timing generation unit for generating a timing for thinning out inputted signal data, using a resolution conversion coefficient that is calculated on the basis of a conversion ratio of the resolution; and a selection unit for selecting, from two pieces of input signal data existing before and after the timing generated by the timing generation unit, the signal data that is timewise closer to the timing; wherein resolution conversions in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction are carried out while maintaining the combination of the inputted signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Tanigawa
  • Publication number: 20100007788
    Abstract: A system that intelligently manages the empty spaces on a digital television screen when video images other than the native aspect ratio of the screen are being displayed. These spaces are typically presented as black bars on either side and/or above and below a video image that is not the same aspect ratio as the aspect ratio that is native to the display screen. The invention allows for non-contrasting bars to minimize burning of the bar image onto screens that are susceptible to retention of a high contrast image. The invention also allows for the display of metadata such as current program related information and other data that may be of interest to the viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: VIZIO, INC.
    Inventors: Man Kit Lee, Kenneth Lowe
  • Publication number: 20100011398
    Abstract: According to this invention content can be uploaded by an upload device (1) to a content distribution system (10) after which the content is broadcast automatically to a content receiving device (5). Information additional to the uploaded content can be used to determine via which broadcast channel the content should be broadcasted. The additional information is analyzed by the control unit (15) that is comprised by the content distribution system (10). The content distribution system (10) also may comprise an encoding unit (12) that can be used for the automatically conversion between different encoding formats of the uploaded content and the content to be distributed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE KPN N.V.
    Inventor: Ate Sander Van Steenbergen
  • Patent number: 7643091
    Abstract: An adaptive compensation system for aspect ratio conversion. Video information, intended for her first aspect ratio display, e.g. the standard NTSC aspect ratio, is processed to determine additional information that can enable that video to be displayed and fill a wider aspect ratio screen. The processing can be a calculation which calculates, for example, texture, color and/or brightness of the edge portions, and automatically calculates video information to match the texture, brightness or color. The processing can be a database lookup, which automatically looks up likely portions from a database. The processing can also be an adaptive determination of what vertical portions of the image can be stretched without affecting the viewability, and then an adaptive stretching of different portions by different amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Harris Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Scott C. Harris
  • Publication number: 20090271833
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling access to a video system based on bandwidth consumption include processing that begins as the server monitors bandwidth utilization of connections within the video system. The processing continues when the server receives a request to access a video program via the connection from a client device of the video system. The processing then continues as the server determines whether determine whether the client device has subscribed to receive the video program at the first quality level. When the client device has not subscribed to receive the video program at the first quality level, the video quality of the video program is converted from the first quality level to a video quality subscribed to by the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: VIXS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Indra Laksono, Paul Ducharme
  • Patent number: 7609328
    Abstract: A state-setting changing apparatus for a television receiver allows a user to easily change the aspect ratio of a picture displayed on the display screen or make other settings without the need for additional operation keys or dedicated keys on a remote controller and without displaying a setup screen or the like on the display screen. The remote controller includes a specific key for a user to operate at least when making a state setting change, numeric keys assigned to predetermined state settings, and an enter key for a user to confirm a command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Toshiya Iwahashi
  • Patent number: 7609325
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for calculating source image coordinates. In an embodiment, a variation rate of the source image coordinate with respect to a converted image coordinate is calculated by a recursive computation, and variation rates are accumulated to obtain the source image coordinate. Because the converted image coordinate sequentially increases one-by-one, the variation rate may be obtained by using adding operations of previously obtained source image coordinate, rather than multiplying operations with the all of the converted image coordinates. Therefore, the source image coordinates may simply and effectively be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-Jun Park, Gwang-Sun Lee, Yong-In Han, Jung-Tae Kim
  • Publication number: 20090262240
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provide graphics using a graphical engine are provided. In one example, a system may provide layered graphics in a video environment. The system may include a bus, a graphical engine and a graphical pipeline. The graphical engine may be coupled to the bus and may be adapted to composite a plurality of graphical layers into a composite graphical layer. The graphical engine may include a memory that stores the composite graphical layer. The graphical pipeline may be coupled to the bus and may be adapted to transport the composite graphical layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Baer, Darren Neuman
  • Publication number: 20090262239
    Abstract: There is provided a system (200) and method (400) of displaying video content. In a method (400) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a native aspect ratio of the video content is determined (404) and an optimized viewing format is selected (406) from a plurality of viewing formats based at least in part on the native aspect ratio of the video content. The video content is displayed (408) in the optimized viewing format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
    Inventors: Nam Chin Cho, Dallas Dwight Hickerson
  • Patent number: 7605865
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for video data processing in digital video decoding, such as digital video disk (DVD) decoding, which produces new video data according to main picture data, sub-picture unit (SPU) data, and an aspect ratio. The apparatus includes a sub-picture-unit-decoding and color-determining device, a mixer, a buffer, and an interpolator. The sub-picture-unit-decoding and color-determining device is used for performing sub-picture decoding and color determination on the SPU data, and producing decoded SPU data. The mixer, coupled to the SPU-decoding and color-determining device, is employed to mix the main picture data and the decoded SPU data, and outputting combined video data. The buffer, coupled to the mixer, for storing the combined video data outputted from the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventor: Tzu-Ping Lin
  • Patent number: 7596297
    Abstract: An encoded bit stream having a frame rate of 24 Hz or 23.976 Hz and a progressive format for both NTSC and PAL is recorded on a recording medium. An encoded stream reproduced from the recording medium is supplied to a decoder 20. In the decoder 20, the encoded stream is decoded and 24 p or 23.976 p video is obtained. A video converting portion 25 converts the reproduced video into a display video in accordance with the display format of a monitor 26. For the NTSC range, 29.97 i or 59.94 p display format can be used. For the PAL range, 25 i or 50 p display format can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Kato
  • Patent number: 7593062
    Abstract: When showing a picture without trimming it while a video signal stored in a frame memory 26 has an aspect ratio different from that of a screen of a plasma display panel 29, with respect to video signals E2a and E2b in areas bordering on blank zones E1 and E3 containing no picture appearing in upper and lower or right and left ends of the screen of the plasma display panel 29, a video signal processor 23 reduces a luminance difference by lowering levels of overshoots 30a and 30b and undershoots 30c and 30d accompanying sharpness processing applied to cope with blurring in edge portions caused by bilinear interpolation, thereby suppresses burn-in of the video signals E2a and E2b in said areas bordering on the blank zones on the plasma display panel 29.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Norihiro Higashi
  • Patent number: 7593017
    Abstract: A system for generating and providing a simulated image. Based upon a source image and first parameters for a first display device, the system generates and displays a simulated image on second display device having second parameters. The first parameters are different from the second parameters, and the simulated image displayed on the second display device provides a visual indication of how the source image would appear when displayed on the first display device. The parameters can include a resolution in pixels per inch and a fill factor for the display device. The system can also be used to provide a visual indication of how the source image would appear when displayed on the second display device under varying lighting conditions and viewing angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James A. Thielen, Scott J. Reckinger, Richard J. Moore, Patrick A. Thomas, Manoj Nirmal
  • Patent number: 7589762
    Abstract: Video signals such as television reception signals are recorded in a suitable manner taking into consideration the use of external devices each having a different aspect ratio. The aspect ratio of an original video signal is converted so that the image has roundness of 1 and has the maximum size fitting in the particular screen reproducing the recorded video signal. Then, a background signal of a size the same as the screen size or a size needed for video combination is generated, and the result is added around the video signal to generate any desired video signal size. In such a manner, the recorded image has the aspect ratio matching that of the reproduced image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Takashi Hoshi, Yuzo Murayama
  • Publication number: 20090201416
    Abstract: Described herein is a method and system for video format conversion. Aspects of the current invention may convert decoded video data from 4:2:2 format to 4:4:4 format. Aspects of the current invention may also convert decoded video data from 4:2:0 format to 4:4:4 format. Aspects of the current invention may further convert decoded video data from 4:2:0 format to 4:2:2 format. Aspects of the current invention may provide a region-aware conversion system that monitors the edges of mosaic windows in order to apply proper boundary conditions during the conversion process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Genkun (Jason) Yang, Yao-Hua (Steven) Tseng
  • Publication number: 20090190027
    Abstract: A method for viewer based control of video display aspect ratios, the method includes: applying an initial video display aspect ratio to a selected signal source; determining if the selected signal source has a viewer assigned video display aspect ratio; modifying the initial video display aspect ratio of the selected signal source in response to the viewer assigned video display aspect ratio; wherein the viewer assigned video display aspect ratio is a subset of one or more of the viewer assigned video display aspect ratios that are stored in a non-volatile memory medium; wherein the one or more viewer assigned video display aspect ratios are each individually associated with a signal source; and wherein a viewer assigned video display aspect ratio is retrieved from the non-volatile memory medium in response to the selection of an associated signal source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David J. Delia, Wayne M. Delia
  • Patent number: 7554612
    Abstract: A method and system for buffering pixels of a pixel line such that complex processing circuitry between a horizontal format converter buffer and a horizontal format converter filter is not required. The horizontal format converter buffer includes multiple parallel circular buffers that are addressable by a controller such that a variable sequence of pixels may be read from the horizontal format converter buffer to the horizontal format converter filter. The controller may turn off selected circular buffers of the horizontal format converter buffer if the selected buffers are not necessary for processing a pixel line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Dinakaran Chidambaram, Guenter Anton Grimm
  • Patent number: 7551803
    Abstract: An image adapter transforms an input image into an output image by successively processing tiles and by changing numbers of columns and of rows of image points. The image adapter includes queue memories connected in series so as to receive values associated with the points of a tile of the input image. A module for calculating a weighted average possesses inputs connected respectively to an output of one of the memories. The module produces values sampled in a direction parallel to the columns and corresponding to the values associated with points of the input image. A sampling rate converter, connected to the output of the module, produces values associated with the points of the output image according to a sampling rate determined for a direction parallel to the rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Pascal Urard, Laurent Paumier, Yan Meroth
  • Publication number: 20090153730
    Abstract: A moving image sequence is automatically reframed for a small display. The framing is adjusted in dependence upon foreground and background segment weights derived for pixels in images in the sequence. Reframed images are formed from only those input pixels which fall within a reframing window within the input image area and the position or size of the reframing window is adjusted so as to maximise a weighted total of the sum of the foreground weights of pixels within the window and the sum of the background weights of pixels outside the window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Michael James Knee, David Brooks, Roberta Piroddi
  • Patent number: 7548662
    Abstract: A system and process for creating an apparently higher resolution image on a display exhibiting a lower resolution is presented. The basic idea is to make multiple decimated versions of an image at different offsets in a smooth path (all of which will contain different bits of detail), and then animate through the resulting decimated images (i.e., show them in rapid succession). The viewer sees what looks like a higher-resolution image moving in a smooth path. The viewer sees this since the human eye is capable of integrating details over the continuous motion. Thus, images such as text enjoy an enhanced legibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sumit Basu, Patrick Baudisch
  • Publication number: 20090147131
    Abstract: An image editing apparatus capable of easily setting an aspect ratio for use when edited image data are output. The image editing apparatus includes a determination unit for determining, among a plurality of images, which of vertically long images or horizontally long images are larger in the number of images, a decision unit for deciding an aspect ratio of images which are the largest in the number of images among the vertically or horizontally long images, whichever are determined as being larger in number by the determination unit, and an output unit for outputting the plurality of images at the aspect ratio decided by the decision unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuma Mikawa
  • Publication number: 20090115894
    Abstract: A video playback control method adapted for a video playback device including the following steps. First, at least one source frame is fetched, with the source frame being corresponding to the video content that is to be displayed on the video playback device. Next, a first aspect ratio of the source frame is compared with a second aspect ratio of the video playback device, and the source frame is directly displayed on the video playback device when the first aspect ratio is the same as the second aspect ratio. Also, when the first aspect ratio is different to the second aspect ratio, the periphery of the source frame is overscanned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Tzung-I Lin, Chia-Yin Lu
  • Patent number: 7525589
    Abstract: A video outputting method is provided, in which a standard image is displayed, and has a standard aspect ratio. A widescreen (wide) image is displayed, and has a widescreen aspect ratio that is horizontally longer than the standard aspect ratio. Upper and lower blank masked regions are created along and outside upper and lower edges of the standard and widescreen images irrespective of the standard and widescreen aspect ratios. So first and second processed images are created by addition of the upper and lower blank masked regions, for outputting to a widescreen (wide) display device. A lateral blank masked region is created along and outside each one of two lateral edges of the standard image. The first processed image is created further by addition of the lateral blank masked region. The widescreen display device, when the processed images are input, cuts off the upper and lower blank masked regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Sasagawa
  • Patent number: 7495680
    Abstract: A display apparatus that displays a composite image signal obtained by combining an image signal for a side panel with an input image signal corresponding to a picture region and carries out a picture display based on peak luminance enhancement control, first detects an average brightness level of the input image signals when generating the image signal for the side panel. This sets the brightness level of the image signal for the side panel before the composition based on the detection result of the average brightness level of the input image signals so as to obtain a display brightness level in which the visual brightness of the displayed side panel is substantially constant, as a result of the peak luminance enhancement control. Accordingly, the brightness of the side panel becomes constant, thereby alleviating a burn-in phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Kimura
  • Publication number: 20090027550
    Abstract: A method for determining the aspect ratio of an image signal and an image apparatus using the same is provided. The image apparatus includes a sync signal separation unit which separates a sync signal from an image signal, an aspect ratio determination unit which determines an aspect ratio of the image signal using a voltage level of the separated sync signal, and a signal processing unit which processes the image signal according to the aspect ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Deok-jin YANG
  • Patent number: 7474316
    Abstract: A dithering pattern that is generated based on a spatial operation is used for a Bit-Depth Extension (BDE) technique for preventing contouring artifacts in an image displayed by a display having a bit-depth that-is less than the bit-depth of the image. The dithering pattern can be based on achromatic visual model or a spatio-chromatic visual model. The dither pattern is formed by shaping a pseudo-random noise signal by an equivalent noise visual model that is based on an array of pixels. Alternatively, the array of pixels is based on an image, or a determinate array of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott J. Daly
  • Patent number: RE40905
    Abstract: Disclosed is a video signal converting apparatus and a display device having the same which may convert a low-resolution video signal from a host into a different-resolution video signal capable of being displayed on the entire screen of a high-resolution supporting display device. The apparatus has a detector for detecting a first resolution signal indicative of a resolution of the first display signal using horizontal and vertical synchronization signals related to the first display, a comparator for comparing the first resolution signal with a second resolution signal indicative of a reference resolution; and a converter for converting the first display signal into the second resolution signal, if there is a difference between the first and the second resolution signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Byoung-Han Kim
  • Patent number: RE40906
    Abstract: Disclosed is a video signal converting apparatus and a display device having the same which may convert a low-resolution video signal from a host into a different-resolution video signal capable of being displayed on the entire screen of a high-resolution supporting display device. The apparatus has a detector for detecting a first resolution signal indicative of a resolution of the first display signal using horizontal and vertical synchronization signals related to the first display, a comparator for comparing the first resolution signal with a second resolution signal indicative of a reference resolution; and a converter for converting the first display signal into the second resolution signal, if there is a difference between the first and the second resolution signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Byoung-Han Kim
  • Patent number: RE41200
    Abstract: In digital data conversion apparatus and method, class data are generated in association with reference interpolated data for each of a plurality of classes on the basis of a reference high definition digital video signal which includes a reference standard definition digital video signal in addition to the reference interpolated data. The class data is stored at respective addresses in a memory. A standard definition digital video signal representing pixel values is received and then clustered so as to produce a class corresponding to the pixel values of the standard definition digital video signal. The class data is retrieved from the memory address which corresponds to the class of the standard definition digital video signal, and interpolated data is generated in accordance with the standard definition digital video signal and the retrieved class data with such interpolated data constituting a high definition digital video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo