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.

Abstract: A line doubling processing system has an input signal switching output section for receiving sequential input fields and for outputting, based on the sequential input fields, a plurality of fields obtained from the same image, and a line doubling device for generating one line-doubled field using the plurality of fields that are output from the input signal switching output section.

Abstract: Fuzzy logic based system and method for 3:2 pull-down film mode detection that detects whether a stream of NTSC video fields originate from film source via 3:2 pull-down technique. Fuzzy logic is used to generate a reference sequence of symbols from the stream of NTSC video fields. This reference sequence is adapted for indicating whether or not the video fields originate from film source.

Abstract: Non-standard broadcast television signals are processed and converted for proper reception and display. Extra or missing horizontal lines are processed using modulo or digital phase lock loop-type circuit to change clock output signal proportionately according to a difference determined by comparing a standard video signal value with an actual input signal line count value, such that modified clock output signal serves as a clock input signal for circuit accepting standard video format. Non-standard video signal having improper odd-even field sequencing is also processed and converted.

Abstract: One of an output picture signal with a field double speed of AABB type and an output picture signal with a field double speed of ABAB type is selectively generated with selection signals SL1 and SL2. In the AABB type, among first, second, third, and fourth output fields, the vertical pixel position of the second output field is the same as the vertical pixel position of the first output field. In addition, the vertical pixel position of the fourth output field is the same as the vertical pixel position of the third output field. In the ABAB type, among first, second, third, and fourth output fields that are chronologically successive, the vertical pixel position of the second output field deviates from the vertical pixel position of the first output field. In addition, the vertical pixel position of the third output field deviates from the vertical pixel position of the second output field.

Abstract: A method for optimizing the performance of an algorithm for detecting predetermined content in a media information stream, and a program and apparatus that operate in accordance with the method. The algorithm is a function of a set of parameters. The method comprises the steps of performing the algorithm at least once to detect the predetermined content in the media information stream, while employing a respective set of parameters in the algorithm for each performance thereof, and automatically evolving at least one respective set of parameters employed in the algorithm to maximize the degree of accuracy at which the algorithm detects the predetermined content in the media information stream.

Abstract: A home theater comprises a video processing sub-system and a PC capable of controlling the sub-system. The sub-system has a de-interlacer/line doubler and the PC has a graphics controller with scaling capability. The combination of the line doubler and the scaler is made to function as a line quadrupler.

Abstract: A progressive video frame is detected in a sequence of video fields, wherein the sequence of video fields includes a target video field. Detection includes generating one or more metrics by comparing the target video field with an immediately preceding and/or immediately succeeding video field. The metrics are compared with one or more threshold values. The immediately preceding and/or immediately succeeding video field is determined to have been derived from a same progressive video frame as the target video field if the one or more metrics are less than their respective threshold values. The metrics in this case may be indicative of a quantity of interlace artifacts. Alternatively, metrics indicative of an amount of represented motion may be derived by comparing a target video field with each of an immediately preceding and immediately succeeding video field.

Abstract: In order that such a signal as is conventionally determined to be a standard signal in the unit of one field and determined to be a non-standard signal in the unit of a plurality of fields can be determined to be a non-standard signal, the following are provided: a clock generating circuit for generating a clock of a frequency being a constant multiple of the color carrier frequency; a register for setting the clock count of one field section of a standard signal; a vertical counter for counting the number of clocks generated by the clock generating circuit, and being reset when the clock count reaches the value of the register; and a flip-flop receiving the counter output as the input and using an external vertical synchronizing signal as a load hold pulse.

Abstract: An image data display apparatus includes a terminal display unit, an NTSC display unit, and a frame memory having a first port and a second port, for storing an image data. A display timing control unit generates a terminal display timing signal and an NTSC display timing signal. A frame memory control unit generates a first read control signal in response to the terminal display timing signal such that the image data is read out from the first port of the frame memory, and a second read control signal in response to the NTSC display timing signal such that at least a part of the image data is read out from the second port of the frame memory. A first converting unit converts the image data read out from the first port of the frame memory into a terminal display signal such that the read out image data is displayed on the terminal display unit.

Abstract: A home theater comprises a video processing sub-system and a PC capable of controlling the sub-system. The sub-system has a de-interlacer/line doubler and the PC has a graphics controller with scaling capability. The combination of the line doubler and the scaler is made to function as a line quadrupler.

Abstract: When a video signal is double-speed processed by the first device, a slight vertical deflection process is performed for redundant similar scan lines by the second device, and any slight deflection in the second device is controlled by the first device to enable setting so as to display images with excellent resolution. The first device generates a discrimination signal to designate interlaced scanning and flag a need for vertical scan-line deflection, and such signal is provided to the second device such that the second device can always appropriately determine need for vertical scan-line deflection. Through monitoring for the discrimination signal, an image display apparatus can prevent vertical resolution from deteriorating when video signals possibly requiring vertical line-shifting are inputted from an external source, and can prevent vertical resolution from deteriorating when displaying images of video signals having different systems within different areas on the same screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for converting an interlaced television display to a progressive, scan, or non-interlaced display where artifacts are removed if the source of the signal is from a movie film to television converter, a video recording of a movie, a live camera, or a camera output captured on a video recording system, or any sequence of the above, by utilizing three motion detection stages.

Abstract: Visible artifacts introduced into a digitally sampled video signal are removed from a non-interlaced version of the video signal. The non-interlaced version of the video signal is generated by a converter that converts a digitally sampled interlaced video stream to a non-interlaced video stream. An artifact removal module responds to at least a first component of the non-interlaced video stream by adaptively modifying the first component of the non-interlaced video stream to reduce artifacts introduced into the non-interlaced video stream by the converter to generate a modified non-interlaced video stream.

Abstract: When a video signal is double-speed processed by the first device, a slight vertical deflection process is performed for redundant similar scan lines by the second device, and any slight deflection in the second device is controlled by the first device to thereby enable setting so as to always display images with excellent resolution. More particularly, a discrimination signal is generated by the first device to designate interlaced scanning and flag a need for vertical scan-line deflection, and such discrimination signal is provided to the second device such that the second device can always appropriately determine the need for vertical scan-line deflection. Through monitoring for the discrimination signal, an image display apparatus is capable of preventing vertical resolution from being deteriorated when video signals possibly requiring vertical line-shifting are inputted from an external source.

Abstract: A system processes an image containing a first line and a second line, where the first and second lines includes a plurality of pixels, to generate an interpolated line. The system selects a first and second set of pixels from the lines and generates a first set and second set of filtered values. The system identifies in the first line an edge location in the first set of the filtered values by a first filtered value of the first set of filtered values being at least one of less than and equal to a first predetermined value and a second filtered value of the fist set of the filtered values being at least one of greater than and equal to the first predetermined value.

Abstract: The generation of progressive output video from interlaced source video is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, a computerized system includes an interlaced source video and a progressive output video. The interlaced source video has a number of lines and includes a first field having odd lines and a second field haveing even lines. The progressive output video has a number of lines half that of the number of lines of the interlaced source video. Each line of the progressive output video heavily weight weights a corresponding line of each of the first field and the second field of the interlaced source video. Desirably, each line of the progressive output video also lightly weights an immediately successive and an immediately preceding line of each of the first field and the second field of the interlaced video source.

Abstract: In a scanning line interpolation apparatus, a scanning line delay element obtains a signal B by delaying an image input signal D by one scanning line. A first pixel delay element obtains a signal A by delaying the signal B output from the scanning line delay element by one pixel. A second pixel delay element obtains a signal C by delaying an input signal D by one pixel. A level comparator compares correlation of the signals A, B, C, and D to detect signals of pixels having the strongest correlation from the four pixels corresponding to the signals A, B, C, and D. An interpolated data calculator performs average value processing on the basis of detection results of the comparator to generate interpolated data Z. The scanning line delay element and the first and second pixel delay elements generate the four pixel signals A, B, C, and D of two pixels on an upper scanning line n of the input signal D and two pixels on a lower scanning line n+1 adjacent to the upper scanning line n.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for receiving an interlaced color video signal, and processing the signal to produce a progressively scanned video signal. An embodiment of the method of the invention includes the following steps: scan converting, by field combining and high pass filtering, the luminance component of the received signal, to obtain a progressively scanned high pass luminance component; deriving, from the luminance component of the received signal, a low pass luminance component; scan converting, by line rate conversion, to progressively scanned format, the chrominance components of the received signal and the low pass luminance component; and combining the progressively scanned low and high pass luminance components.

Abstract: A system processes an interlaced video image that contains at least a first line and a second line, where each of the first and second lines includes a plurality of pixels. The system generates an interpolated line with a plurality of interpolated pixels located intermediate the first and second lines. The system selects a first set of the pixels from the first line and selects a second set of pixels from the second line. The first set of pixels are fitted to a first function and the second set of pixels are fitted to a second function. Preferably, the first and second functions are quadratic and independent of each other. The system calculates a shift factor based on either the zero of a first derivative of the first function and a zero of the first derivative of the second function or a horizontal shift of a first edge feature in the first function and a second edge feature in the second function. Depending upon the system these two shift factor calculation factors may describe the same technique.

Abstract: A process for converting interlaced frames into progressive frames comprising a change of frame frequency by interpolation and motion compensation, wherein when a motion vector associated with a pixel to be interpolated is non-zero or when the motion vector is zero but the confidence accorded to this vector is less than a given threshold, the interpolation of the pixel of a frame situated temporally between two input frames is carried out by a median filtering pertaining to the values obtained by a first motion compensated linear temporal filter, a second motion compensated linear filter, and a motion compensated median temporal filter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system (100, 200), device (300) and method (400) for facilitating automatic capture of internet access information in a broadcast signal for use by an internet access unit. The system includes: a broadcasting unit having an internet access information unit, IAIU, coupled to receive internet access information, for encoding the internet access information into a broadcast signal to provide an augmented signal and broadcasting said augmented signal; a receiving unit for receiving the augmented signal for a user; a capture unit, coupled to the receiving unit and interfaced with the internet, for automatically storing/utilizing the internet access information in accordance with a predetermined scheme; a display/television screen/audio unit, coupled to the capture unit and, where selected, to the capture unit, for displaying at least one of: information obtained by utilizing the internet access information and information from the broadcast signal.

Abstract: A sample rate conversion device for processing a non-standard television signal converts a sample rate of an output signal component of a color decoder that uses a BL (Burst Locked) clock, which is applied to a memory application part that uses a LL (Line Locked) clock, for a digital television system, such as an IDTV (Improved Definition Television) system, to prevent the degradation of picture quality which may develop when digital processing a non-standard TV signal. The conversion is done by repeating the signal component processed according to the BL clock every time the LL clock is ahead of the BL clock by one clock cycle in the situation when the LL clock is faster than the BL. When the LL clock is slower than the BL clock, the converter skips the signal component processed according to the BL clock every time the LL clock is behind the BL clock by one clock cycle.

Abstract: A method for determining which of similar video fields may be excised to enhance video signal compression evaluates parameters of four successive fields denoted 0, 1, 2, and 3. Accumulated differences d(0, 2) and d(1,3) of corresponding pixels in successive frames are generated. In addition a determination is made whether fields 1 and 2 exhibit interlace characteristics. If they do not exhibit interlaced characteristics, a comparison is made of d(0, 2) and d(1, 3). If d(0, 2) is less than d(1, 3) by a predetermined amount, field 2 is excised from the signal stream and a code is generated to condition a receiver to display two of the remaining four fields in a three field interval. Subsequently the latter two fields of the set of 0, 1, 2 and 3 fields, and the next two occurring fields are similarly analyzed.

Abstract: A method for determining which of pairs of successive video fields have interlace scan characteristics includes generating accumulated differences FD of pixels in successive lines of respective fields of successive pairs of fields and generating accumulated differences FR of pixels in successive lines of interlaced said pairs of fields. The accumulated differences FD and FR are compared and pairs of said fields are classified as interlaced if the ratio of accumulated differences FR/FD is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A film mode detection method and corresponding relatively non complex hardware implementation compares the amplitudes of pixels of corresponding image areas of three successive field to determine if the pixel amplitudes are monotonically increasing or decreasing. Depending on the comparison a positive or negative polarity indication is generated and these indications are combined within each field to generate a polarity indication representing each respective field. The field sequence of such field polarity indications are thereafter compared with a predetermined pattern to determine whether the video signal is from a film or video-mode source.