Abstract: An interlaced input picture signal having a field frequency of 50 Hz is supplied. A class detecting circuit detects a class corresponding to a pattern of a level distribution of input pixels in the vicinity of an output pixel to be generated. A predictive coefficient set corresponding to the class is read from a predictive coefficient memory. Sum-of-product calculating circuits calculate data of an output picture signal using a linear estimating expression of predictive taps (pixels of an input picture signal) and predictive coefficient sets. The sum-of-product calculating circuits output pixel values M and S of an output picture signal having a field frequency of 50 Hz. The pixel values M and S that are output from the sum-of-product calculating circuits are converted into a signal having a frequency of 60 Hz by respective field memories. A selector alternately selects outputs of the field memories and generates an output picture signal (having a field frequency of 60 Hz).

Abstract: A first motion vector is estimated by using a first frame and a second frame that follows the first frame. A support frame is generated from at least either the first or the second frame by using the first motion vector. The support frame is divided into a plurality of small blocks. Motion vector candidates are estimated by using the first and second frames, in relation to each of the small blocks. A small block on the first frame, a small block on the second frame and the small blocks on the support frame are examined. The small block on the first frame and the small block on the second frame correspond to each of the motion vector candidates. A second motion vector is selected from the motion vector candidates, and points the small block on the first frame and the small block on the second frame which have the highest correlation with each of the small blocks on the support frame. An interpolated frame is generated from at least either the first or the second frame by using the second motion vector.

Abstract: A de-interlacing process takes a weighted sum of pixels in a filter aperture to generate a pixel in an output picture, the weighted sum including products of triplets of pixels. Using a training sequence of progressive material, it is possible to calculate the weighting coefficients necessary to minimize the mean square error between the filter output and the desired result.

Abstract: In an apparatus and a method for executing generation and reproduction processing of picture data suitable for picture display devices having differing processable frame rates, low frame rate picture data is generated on the basis of a plurality of temporally continuous pictures having a high frame rate to provide picture data having a plurality of layers. Decimated data may be set as the high frame rate layer data. In this manner, the quantity of data to be transmitted or stored is reduced.

Abstract: A data rate conversion apparatus of the present invention is a data rate conversion apparatus, comprising: an information input device for receiving frame information at a first data rate; an information storage memory including a plurality of buffers for storing the frame information; a write control device for selecting one of the buffers to which the frame information is to be written, and writing the frame information to the selected buffer; a read control device for selecting one of the buffers from which the frame information is to be read, and reading the frame information from the selected buffer; and an information output device for outputting the frame information, which is read by the read control device, at a second data rate which is different from the first data rate.

Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus which performs a frame-rate conversion of a progressive line-scan video signal based on a film source of M film frames per second (wherein M is a natural number) into a video signal in which a same film frame is repeated N times for each 1/M second, and mixes, frame by frame, a video signal of a preceding frame and a video signal of a following frame of the converted progressive line-scan video signal. Thus, the display quality of telecine-converted images can be improved.

Abstract: Deinterlacing is applied to a composite video image that includes alternating even and odd rows of pixels. The even rows form a first image; the odd rows, a second image; these are recorded at different times, introducing a possibility of motion artifact. A first average horizontal intensity difference is computed between the first image and the second image. The first image is offset by one pixel in each horizontal direction to form a horizontally offset image, and another average horizontal intensity difference is computed. A minimum average intensity difference is determined from a comparison of the average horizontal intensity differences. The first image is shifted in a horizontal direction determined to achieve the minimum average horizontal intensity difference, and the horizontally shifted first image is combined with the second image to form an improved composite image. An analogous series of steps is carried out in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A combined de-interlacing and frame doubling system (114, 114′ and 114″) advantageously serves to de-interlace successive lines of Present Field Video data at twice the field rate to yield an output bit stream suitable for display on display device that utilizes progressive scanning. The de-interlacing and frame doubling system in accordance with present principles includes a frame memory mechanism (116, 116′ and 116″) for storing at least one frame of interlaced video having a prescribed field rate. At least one de-interlacing circuit (11401, 1140′1, 1140″) pulls at least two fields of video data from the memory mechanism at a rate of at least twice the field rate for performing a full de-interlacing function in half of a field period to generate the a progressive, frame doubled signal for receipt at the display device.

Abstract: A frame-rate converting device in a moving picture decoder which realizes a smooth display of pictures at a frame rate of 30 Hz or 60 Hz based on stream data whose frame rate of 24 Hz is provided. A control section performs a 3:2 pull-down processing when the output frame rate is 24 Hz and when a re-display of picture is indicated. When a re-display of picture is not indicated, the control section detects that the picture is of a progressive material, and repeats one field every two frames. When the picture is not a progressive material, the control section determines whether the top and the bottom of the picture are of the same time instant and repeats one field every two frames when they are of the same time instant but repeats one frame every four frames when they are not of the same time instant.

Abstract: The process is characterized in that it stores a position of the write pointer PW on receipt of the synchronization signal S1 relating to the input signal so as to provide a value PW-IN, and on receipt of the synchronization signal S2 relating to the output signal so as to provide a value PW-OUT, in that it dynamically calculates an interpolation phase &agr; (12, 13, 14, 15) such that: α = P W ⁢   ⁢ _OUT - P W ⁢   ⁢ _IN Δ ⁢  

Abstract: A method for determining labels for video fields by identifying the state of the field is disclosed. Some examples of a video field's state include the origin of the field as film or video, its relative location with respect to edit points, and in the case of film-originating material, the location within the standard sequential pattern which results from converting film to video. To determine the label of a video field, the conditional probability distribution for a particular sequence of states given the entire video sequence is calculated. This may be optimized by using dynamic programing to maximize the conditional probability function and thus the labels. To determine the conditional probability, first the joint probability distribution is determined for the observed video fields and the states. This joint probability is calculated by creating a data model and a structure model for the video sequence.

Abstract: A video format bridge employs a plurality of techniques to insure that the line buffer does not suffer underflow or overflow conditions, and that the output frame rate matches the input frame rate. The bridge handles the problem of residue lines, addresses fluctuations in the input and output clock rates, and allows adjustment of the ratio of the input and output the number of lines per frame or number of pixels per line so that output device specifications are not exceeded. A single integrated circuit may provided which is adapted to perform a plurality of techniques, and includes resources by which the user is able to enable and disable such techniques as needed for the particular bridging operation being executed.

Abstract: A digital processor to synchronize ancillary information with film images during a film conversion session is described. The ancillary information includes metadata information and audio information. The digital processor advantageously processes the ancillary information at a speed to support faster than real-time film conversion. The ancillary information can come from various sources and in various forms. Information from analog sources is digitized for processing using digital technology. A pitch adjuster frequency shifts digitized analog signals and digital input signals to achieve a selected data rate that matches the rate of film conversion. Digitally encoded input data can be decoded and re-encoded to achieve the selected data rate. A formatter manipulates the ancillary information at the selected data rate to conform to a standard format and combines the formatted ancillary information with film images conforming to a standard motion picture format.

Abstract: The present invention provides a movement correction frame count transformation apparatus for carrying out frame count transformation processing on a picture signal. In the apparatus, an input picture signal (S1) of interlaced scanning is converted into a signal (S2) of sequential scanning by an IP conversion unit (1). A movement detecting unit (3) detects movement detection signals (MD1 and MD2). A block unit movement vector searching unit (4) detects a block unit movement vector (BMV) by carrying out block matching processing. A movement vector correcting unit (5) carries out miniblock division processing to generate a movement vector (BV) if a movement correction error is equal to or greater than a threshold value. A pixel unit movement vector generating unit (6) generates a movement vector with a smallest error component between a frame signal of a current frame and a frame signal of an immediately preceding frame as a movement vector of a pixel.

Abstract: An image display device includes a display panel having predetermined numbers of pixels defined in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, and an interpolated-data generation circuit whereby an expanded image data is produced in such a manner that when the number of pixels in the horizontal direction of the display panel is greater than the number of pixels in the horizontal direction of a given image signal, the interpolated-data generation circuit directly stores a plurality of image data A, B, C, D, E of the original image signal along one horizontal line at data storage locations closest to the original locations, and data at data storage locations remaining after storing all original data are given the results X, Y, and Z obtained by calculation from two original image data at locations adjacent to the respective remaining data storage locations thereby expanding the original image signal to have a resolution well matched to the resolution of the display panel without causing a reduction in con

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus according to the present invention receives an image signal inputted thereto that is generated by subjecting a telecine-converted image to double speed conversion, in which signal one film frame is formed by four fields, identifies a first field on the basis of a difference value calculated between pixel signal levels, and shifts the position of a detected pixel in a vector direction of a motion vector such that an amount of shift is progressively increased as transition is made from the identified first field to the subsequent fields.

Abstract: A method for format conversion includes providing a first interlaced video signal including non-progressive video of a first resolution, downconverting fields of the first resolution to fields of a second resolution, and combining and interlacing the fields at a third resolution. The video signal is transmitted at the third resolution. The video signal of the third resolution is deinterlaced to form a progressive format video. The progressive format video is converted to the first non-progressive resolution by alternately adjusting position of the progressive format of the third resolution up and down to make upper and lower fields, respectively, of the first resolution for display.

Abstract: A digital image processor is provided. The digital image processor includes a deinterlacing processor that is implemented upon a digital processing unit. The deinterlacing processor is coupled to an input operable to receive an interlaced video stream, a digital memory for storing portions of the interlaced video signal, and an output operable to transmit a deinterlaced video stream. The deinterlacing processor is operable to detect the source type of the received interlaced video stream to generate the deinterlaced video stream having reduced or no motion artifacts.

Abstract: In motion compensated standards conversion, an output video field is constructed from four input fields (two inner fields and two outer fields) by shifting pixel information from an outer field to the output field position in two stages, the first stage using a first motion vector between the outer field and the adjacent inner field and the second stage using a second motion vector being derived from a motion vector pointing from one inner field to the other inner field.

Abstract: A human vision model based slow motion interpolation apparatus and method that renders smooth interpolated video at a desired rate from a slower rate video source up-samples the slower rate video to the desired rate. The up-sampled video is input to a human vision model based adaptive filter that has recursive characteristics. The output from the adaptive filter is the smooth interpolated video without a direct current component. A direct current restorer may be used to add to the smooth interpolated video the direct current component from the up-sampled video signal.

Abstract: In a regulation of a total image quality for an encoded picture, parameter conversion data which define applicable coding bit rates and coding frame rates for each image format are previously stored in a storage 13. An image quality regulating parameter is input through a parameter input section 11 and is used as a key in an image quality regulator 12 to make a reference to the parameter conversion data in the storage 13 in order to determine a coding frame rate and an image format. By delivering the coding frame rate and the image format to picture encoding means, a regulation of a total image quality is achieved through a single operation without independently operating two parameters, the image format and the frame rate.

Abstract: A home entertainment appliance includes a computer system and a television system. A video monitor or television monitor of the home entertainment system shows a sequence of video frames generated in the appliance based upon at least one received sequence of interlaced video fields each containing a number of scan lines. A video system of the appliance receives a first field, temporarily stores the first field in an input buffer, and then in a loop, while video fields are being received, performs various other steps. The other steps include receiving a next field, compensating the field in the input buffer, deinterlacing the received field with the compensated field in the input buffer, temporarily storing the received field, merging the received field and the compensated field into a video frame of the second sequence, and providing the video frame of the second sequence to a subsequent device.

Abstract: An apparatus for electronic format and frame rate conversion in a multiple format video processing system adapted to avoid display motion artifacts causes by 3:2 conversion of 24 Hz video source video by tripling the frame rate of the source video and responsively adjusting the format of the resultant video signal.

Abstract: A frame rate converter that receives segments having an input frame rate and provides the segments at a rate of N times the frame rate, where each segment is selected from a group consisting of a frame or field, including: a storage device which stores the segments, where the segments include a first, second, and third segments; and a display device coupled to receive the segments from the storage device and to provide the first, second, and third segments, where the display device provides the first segment and then provides the second segment following completion of providing the first segment where the second segment is previously available or otherwise again provides the first segment. The frame rate converter further includes a decoder device, where the third segment includes a field that includes a top line of an alternate frame and is encoded in 3:2 format and where the decoder device adjusts a time stamp of the third segment.

Abstract: A method for reordering an edited digital video sequence composed of digital video fields from multiple sources is disclosed. When the digital video sequence is reordered temporal cadence is provided which will allow for the conversion to a digital film format through a reverse 3:2 pulldown. Let Fold=(F1old,F2old, . . . ,FNold) be the given edited sequence of video fields. In one embodiment, the method calculates an instruction set which is then used to transform Fold into a new sequence of video fields, denoted Fnew, where most of the fields in Fnew come from Fold and the remaining fields are “upconverted” fields from Fold. This reconstitution of Fold is obtained by optimizing a set of instructions based on various constraints which express the characteristics of the pattern AaBbBcCdDd. By assigning a cost to each violation of the constraints, and to each disruption of the natural flow of time, and to other undesirable properties, a real-valued function is constructed.

Abstract: A device for receiving, storing and displaying television images. The device comprises a buffer (2) for storing television images. Television images having a first frame frequency are received at an input (4). Television images having a second frame frequency are supplied at an output (6). The buffer is adapted to store and read television images. A number of X consecutive television images stored in the buffer lie between a television image read at a given instant from the buffer and a television image stored at substantially the same instant. In a first state, X increases with time. In a second state, X decreases with time. The device further comprises a control device (12) for generating a first control signal (14) for bringing the device from the first to the second state, and a second control signal (16) for bringing the device from the second to the first state.

Abstract: When converting a predetermined time code into another time code in a different format while increasing or decreasing a count value for one second corresponding to the format of the time code thus converted, first of all, a time code 210 which has not been converted is read in a frame pulse 207 corresponding to a time code 213 obtained after the conversion so that intermediate data 213′ are generated. Next, an overlapping count value generated in the intermediate data 213′ is corrected to add a continuity, thereby generating the time code 213 after the conversion.

Abstract: An inverse telecine converting device and method converts quasi-television motion picture information back to original cinema motion picture information, wherein the quasi-television motion picture information had been obtained by quasi-converting the original cinema motion picture information.

Abstract: An inventive method for adapting a display frame rate in a receiver to a picture frame rate of a received signal includes the steps of comparing a picture frame rate of a received signal with a display frame of a receiver, adjusting lines per field or lines per frame displayed in response to the comparing step, and generating a display frame rate control signal for the receiver in response to the adjusting step.

Abstract: Whether or not an input video signal is an video signal telecine-converted is decided on the basis of correlation values between an interpolated field and fields located one-field-period before and after the interpolated field. Where the interpolated field is an editing point field of a film frame of one field, adaptive interpolating processing is executed instead of film interpolating processing.

Abstract: A method for converting between relatively close field rates of perhaps 60 Hz and 59.94 Hz, monitors the phase difference between input and output field rates. Initially, output fields are created by synchronizing input fields. As the measured phase passes a threshold, the method switches to interpolation mode for a short, fixed interval and then returns to synchronization. The method offers much of the sharpness associated with simple synchronization but avoids the visible discontinuities of field drops or repeats.

Abstract: An image signal processor is provided which accurately detects duplicate fields of a telecinema signal. The image signal processor includes a duplicate field detecting means for detecting duplicate fields of the telecinema signal and a duplicate field removing means for removing the duplicate fields. The duplicate field detecting means uses a threshold value for detecting a duplicate field and a threshold value for detecting a non-duplicate field to improve the accuracy of detection.

Abstract: A method for the presentation of digital motion image sequences includes the steps of capturing a digital motion image sequence at a given frame rate; temporally interpolating the digital motion image sequence to a higher frame rate than the given frame rate to produce interpolated digital image frames; and storing the digital motion image sequence and the interpolated digital image frames as extensions to the stored digital image sequence, whereby the stored digital image motion sequence can be presented at the given frame rate or combined with the interpolated digital image frames for display at the higher frame rate.

Abstract: When there is an inability to convey motion that is occurring in the frames of a video source by a full-frame-rate transmission, a surrogate effect, other than another form of motion, may be used as a compensation technique to better convey motion to a viewer. The surrogate effect employed may be a) fading, b) wiping, c) dissolving, d) blurring, e) enhancing the contrast, f) enhancing one or more colors, g) enhancing the brightness, h) scaling the image, and i) the like. How the surrogate effect is applied to any frame may be a function of one or more video frames. Optionally, more than one effect may be used in combination. Advantageously, a more continuous sense of motion is perceived by a viewer. In one embodiment of the invention, full-frame-rate video is initially available. A controller monitors the ability to transmit or display full-frame-rate video.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing video data in which a decoder receives video data and decodes the video data into fields based on content format. The decoder generates a flag associated with the content format, which is used to control how the fields are stored and retrieved from memory for display on a display device.

Abstract: A motion-adaptive interpolation apparatus and method are disclosed. After an image signal is received and horizontal directional inter-frame motion information of a field to be currently interpolated is estimation, and interpolating is suitably performed based on the motion information. According to one aspect of the present invention, a basic unit image region is set for a pizel to be interpolated, a block matching error (BME) is obtained by moving the basic unit image region at certain intervals in a different direction, a linear interpolated pixel value is detected in consideration of the block matching error, and a final interpolation value is calculated and outputted by applying a rule and filtering based on the linear interpolated pizel value. Thus, a picture quality is improved after de-interlacing, and a circuit for implementation of the operation is simplified, so that a unit cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A method for multiplying the frame rate of an input video signal having a line rate fHin and a frame rate fVin, comprising the steps of: propagating the input video signal through just enough memory to delay the input video signal by a fraction of a frame period 1/fVin; speeding up the delayed video signal to a first line rate faster than fHin; speeding up the input video signal to a second line rate faster than fHin; supplying the speeded up video signal and the delayed speeded up video signal sequentially, one line at a time; and, writing the sequentially supplied lines into a liquid crystal display at the faster line rate, thereby writing at least some of the lines multiple times within each the frame period. A corresponding apparatus can comprise: a partial frame memory; two speedup memories; a multiplexer; and, a source of clock and control signals.

Abstract: A redundant picture detecting device includes: a calculator for calculating difference information indicating a difference between a unit picture and a subsequent unit picture having an identical phase for each of the unit pictures; a multiplier for multiplying the difference information of a unit picture preceding an object unit picture by a predetermined first constant to produce a preceding difference information and for multiplying the difference information of a unit picture following the object unit picture by the first constant to produce a following difference information, the first constant being greater than zero and smaller than 1; and a judging unit for judging that the object unit picture is a redundant picture if the difference information of the object information is smaller than both of the preceding difference information and the following difference information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a decoding circuit block decoding a coded image input signal specified by NTSC system with a frame rate of the NTSC system and writing a decoded image signal in an image memory as image data, and a display-image producing circuit block producing a display image data by reading the image data from the image memory with a frame rate specified by PAL system, thereby achieving the frame rate transformation from the NTSC system to PAL system, and at this time, carrying out the skipping for display at every one extent field.

Abstract: High definition video signals are pre-filtered and down-sampled by a video converter system to standard definition picture sizes. Standard definition motion estimators employed for field rate up-conversion are then utilized to estimate motion vectors for the standard definition pictures. The resulting motion vectors are scaled and post-processed for motion smoothness for use in motion compensated up-conversion of the field rate for the high definition pictures. The associated memory size and bandwidth requirements and overall cost render consumer electronics implementations for motion compensated field rate up-conversion of film material to high definition video commercially viable while preserving picture quality.

Abstract: The telecine display method calculates a first timing signal based on the refresh rate of a video signal having a telecine conversion applied from an original picture image of a film source, and a second timing signal based on the refresh rate of the original picture image of the film source. And, the method applies the 2-3 pull-down processing to the video signal in synchronization with the first timing signal, stores the video signal in a first memory, reads out the video signal from the first memory on the basis of the second timing signal, and outputs it to a plasma display module. Thereby, the video signal presented on the plasma display module is to hold the refresh rate of the original picture image of the film source, thus displaying a smooth picture image without unnaturalness.

Abstract: Film frames, or other images in which fields are captured at the same point in time, may be processed as a sequence of temporally coherent image fields or as progressive images. Such images may be obtained, for example, by digitizing signals from a telecine and dropping redundant fields inserted by the telecine. These fields may be stored in a buffer. Two fields of a given frame are read from the buffer by a resizer in accordance with read instructions, which may be determined according to any specified pulldown sequence, an output image size, and resize instructions, such as pan and scan or letterbox instructions. The resizer also may be informed of the input image size if it is not presumed. Thus, the full input image from which an output image may be generated is used by the resizer to generate output image. The resizer uses data in the input image received at one rate to generate one output image at the output rate.

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.

Abstract: There is provided a signal processing device in which its structure is simplified and a source subjected to a pull-down processing is detected at high precision. The signal processing device includes a comparison portion and a detection portion in which fields constituting a signal source are successively inputted, two fields are compared with each other, and it is judged whether or not there is a motion between the two fields, and a logic block for shifting a state on the basis of a judgement result as to whether or not there is a motion in the detection portion and for controlling judgement characteristics of the detection portion on the basis of the shifted state.

Abstract: In an image converting apparatus for converting image data of a field format in which a frame consists of a first field and a second field into image data of a resultant frame with a predetermined size. The apparatus includes an even-numbered field decoder for decoding each line of scanning line data of the even-numbered field, an odd-numbered field decoder for decoding scanning line data of the even-numbered field by thinning out every second line, and an original image frame buffer for combining the decoded image data with each other into one frame of image data and for storing the resultant data therein.

Abstract: A signal processing unit for a digital TV system comprises a first device which acts on a video signal with graphical picture elements and text characters. A second device performs frame-rate conversion on the output of the first device. The output of the second device drives a display driver.

Abstract: A format converter which performs frame rate conversion and de-interlacing using a bi-directional motion vector and a method thereof are provided. The method includes the steps of (a) estimating a bi-directional motion vector between the current frame and the previous frame from a frame to be interpolated; setting the motion vector of a neighboring block that has the minimum error distortion, among motion vectors estimated in step (a), as the motion vector of the current block; and (c) forming a frame to be interpolated with the motion vector set in step (b).

Abstract: A digital processor to synchronize ancillary information with film images during a film conversion session is described. The ancillary information includes metadata information and audio information. The digital processor advantageously processes the ancillary information at a speed to support faster than real-time film conversion. The ancillary information can come from various sources and in various forms. Information from analog sources is digitized for processing using digital technology. A pitch adjuster frequency shifts digitized analog signals and digital input signals to achieve a selected data rate that matches the rate of film conversion. Digitally encoded input data can be decoded and re-encoded to achieve the selected data rate. A formatter manipulates the ancillary information at the selected data rate to conform to a standard format and combines the formatted ancillary information with film images conforming to a standard motion picture format.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing method capable of improving the picture quality. The image processing method comprises: incorporating input frame pictures to be displayed on a display device, on the basis of an input picture signal and an input synchronizing signal which is synchronized with the input picture signal; recording the incorporated input frame pictures in an input frame memory; and producing output frame pictures from input frame pictures, which have been recorded in the input frame memory, by producing an interpolated picture or inserting a black raster picture or thinning out the frame pictures, between input frame pictures corresponding to a picture information of the input frame picture to be displayed, on the basis of the picture information and the input synchronizing signal and an output synchronizing signal.

Abstract: An image display device includes a display panel having predetermined numbers of pixels defined in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, and an interpolated-data generation circuit whereby an expanded image data is produced in such a manner that when the number of pixels in the horizontal direction of the display panel is greater than the number of pixels in the horizontal direction of a given image signal, the interpolated-data generation circuit directly stores a plurality of image data A, B, C, D, E of the original image signal along one horizontal line at data storage locations closest to the original locations, and data at data storage locations remaining after storing all original data are given the results X, Y, and Z obtained by calculation from two original image data at locations adjacent to the respective remaining data storage locations thereby expanding the original image signal to have a resolution well matched to the resolution of the display panel without causing a reduction in con