For Format With Different Aspect Ratio Patents (Class 348/556)
  • Patent number: 5646695
    Abstract: In shuffling used as an efficient coding method for an input digital video signal, input digital television signals of different standards are judged in an input judging circuit, the judged information is sent out into a memory write control circuit and a memory read control circuit. The memory write control circuit determines the offset value of the vertical address according to the judgement signal, and writes the input signal at a position corresponding to the screen of the determined shuffling region of the shuffling range corresponding to each signal in the shuffling memory, or writes the block out of the shuffling range into the shuffling memory according to the specified control method in the vacant region of the shuffling range. The memory read control circuit changes over the offset value of the vertical address to be read out from the memory and the address control according to the judgement information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Fujiwara, Shouichi Nishino, Sigeru Awamoto, Toyohiko Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5638130
    Abstract: A system and method for receiving a video sequence with a given aspect ratio and displaying that sequence on a device with a different aspect ratio in letterbox form by performing letterbox type conversion immediately before display. In letterbox form, the viewer sees the entire active region of the picture but the whole screen is not used. In one embodiment a video sequence with a given aspect ratio can be displayed on a device with a different aspect ratio in letterbox or pan-scan form, at the users discretion, by performing, respectively, letterbox or pan-scan conversion immediately before display. Thus, the user can decide to use the entire screen or to see the entire picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 5638132
    Abstract: An image pick up and displaying system comprises an image pick up device being provided with a signal superimposing unit for superimposing a recognition signal at a predetermined portion on any of synchronous pulse signals, except for any image signals, the recognition signal indicating any kind of the image pick up device; and a display device being connected to the image pick up device and further being provided with a signal detecting and sweeping control section for detecting any recognition signal to control a sweeping speed and a sweeping time of sweeping on a screen of the display device at least in any one of vertical and horizontal directions thereby the image is displayed on an entire of the screen without any distortion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Hokari, Akiyoshi Kohno
  • Patent number: 5638485
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus including an input unit for inputting a video signal, a detecting unit for detecting an aspect ratio of the video signal inputted to the input unit, a holding unit for holding aspect information representing the aspect ratio detected by the detecting unit, an abnormal state detecting unit for detecting an abnormal state of the video signal inputted to the input unit, and an output unit for selectively outputting aspect information outputted from the aspect ratio detecting unit and the aspect information held by the holding unit, in accordance with an output of the abnormal state detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Takimoto, Taizou Hori, Hiroyuki Fukuoka, Yoshihiro Nakatani, Jun Makino, Shinichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 5635985
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing a reduced cost HDTV/SDTV video decoder are disclosed. The described joint video decoder is capable of decoding HDTV pictures at approximately the resolution of standard definition television pictures and can be used to decode HDTV and/or SDTV pictures. The described video decoder may be used as part of a picture-in-picture decoder circuit for providing picture-in-picture capability without providing multiple full resolution video decoders. The reduction in decoder circuit complexity is achieved through the use of a plurality of data reduction techniques including the use of a preparser, downsampling, and truncating pixel values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi America, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jill M. Boyce, Larry Pearlstein
  • Patent number: 5631708
    Abstract: An automatic phase control apparatus for controlling the frequency of a sine wave produced from a variable frequency oscillator to be equal to that of the carrier wave of the extracted chrominance signal. A phase difference detector 4 detects a phase difference between the sine wave and the carrier wave. The detected phase difference is integrated to obtain an integrated value which is applied to the frequency oscillator for determining the oscillation frequency. A deviation detector is provided for detecting a deviation of the integrated value with respect to an expected frequency control data calculated by a calculator. When the deviation is greater than a predetermined range, the integrated value is replaced with the calculated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Nakagaki
  • Patent number: 5631710
    Abstract: A television system containing a video CD reproducer intended for reducing picture distortion (aspect distortion) occurring when picture information recorded on a video CD in a standard different from the television standard is reproduced for displaying a picture on a cathode-ray tube of the television. To reduce the aspect distortion, the television system containing a video CD reproducer comprises determination means for determining the standard type of picture information recorded on a video CD played back by the video CD reproducer and deflection control means for controlling deflection of a video signal in response to the determination result of the determination means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Kamogawa, Yasuhiro Yakushiji, Hisashi Komedashi
  • Patent number: 5629744
    Abstract: an active matrix display device comprises a plurality of pixels, a vertical scanning circuit, a horizontal scanning circuit and a thinning-out circuit. The plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix on a normal standard screen. The vertical scanning circuit is for sequentially selecting pixels every line. The horizontal scanning circuit is for writing single horizontal period portions of a wide standard image signal for selected lines of pixels and the thinning-out circuit is for controlling timing of the vertical scanning circuit sequential selection and thinning-out a prescribed number of horizontal period portions from a wide standard image signal in such a manner that wide displaying compressed in the longitudinal direction of the screen is carried out. It is therefore possible for a normal standard screen to change over to displaying a wide standard image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5629776
    Abstract: A VCR or laserdisc player includes circuitry for detecting a code provided by VCR tapes, tape cassettes, or laser videodiscs, which indicates that the material recorded on the videotape or videodisc has been recorded in a compressed fashion to enable proper playback on a 16.times.9 television receiver. In response to detection of this code, the VCR or laserdisc player applies a DC signal to the chrominance output terminal of its S-Video connector. Circuitry in the television receiver detects the DC signal on the chrominance terminal of its S-Video input connector, and controls a wide-screen processor to expand the image by displaying it over the entire width of the 16.times.9 display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Lagoni
  • Patent number: 5627598
    Abstract: A display apparatus wherein a video signal of a child picture read out at a double speed is inserted accurately with a high resolution into a parent picture of another video signal having a double frequency. Control signals for designating a write area and a read-out area of a four field sequence memory provided for forming a double speed field frequency is formed in accordance with odd/even number field discrimination signals for write and read-out video signals, a vertical synchronizing signal prior to double speed conversion and a double speed synchronizing signal for a parent picture so that, even when the parent picture is scrolled, passing of the read-out side memory area does not take place. Where the parent picture is formed from a video signal of the interlace system by a line double speed, the double speed child picture video signal is delayed, upon reading out in an even-numbered field, by one horizontal scanning period so that lines may be overlapped between the parent and child pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 5614956
    Abstract: A wide display screen television receiver having a plurality of video display modes, the optimum display mode is automatically selected depending on a kind of material of an input video signal includes a display control for displaying a picture corresponding to the input video signal on the display screen in a plurality of display modes by controllably changing a size of the picture in the horizontal direction and/or vertical direction. The number of horizontal lines from the heading line of each field of the input video signal is counted up with a counter. A detection region setting circuit respectively sets, in the upper and lower regions and the center region of the display screen, the detection region in the predetermined range designated by a single line to a plurality of lines for each field of the input video signal on the basis of the counted value of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuji Matsuura
  • Patent number: 5587744
    Abstract: An input image signal is converted along a time base into an image signal having an aspect ratio different from that of the input image signal. An image corresponding to the converted image signal is supplied to an image display unit, thereby faithfully displaying an image corresponding to the input image signal without degrading the image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5581304
    Abstract: A screen detecting system of a wide screen television for detecting blank top and bottom areas of a video frame contained in conventional video signals and generating top and bottom display limits is disclosed. The top and bottom display limits are used by a display control system of the wide screen television to eliminate the blank top and bottom areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Acer Peripherals, Inc.
    Inventor: Cheng-Chung Wang
  • Patent number: 5579056
    Abstract: A digital multi-standard TV composite video encoder is provided for converting digital RGB signals, such as those generated by high color resolution TV game machines, into analog composite video signals that can be accepted by TV systems of various standards including NTSC-M, NTSC 4.43/50, NTSC 4.43/60, PAL-B/G/I/D, PAL-M, and PAL-N. The present invention integrates encoder and TV game machine in a single chip of integrated circuit, which employs only one single crystal oscillator and three jump lines for selection of the six standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Syntek Design Technology Limited
    Inventor: Albert Yi-Long Chang
  • Patent number: 5576769
    Abstract: A video display system comprises a video display for simultaneously displaying pictures representative of first and second video signals, having first and second synchronizing signals respectively. A switch selectably couples the video display with one of the first and second synchronizing signals. A horizontal synchronizing component of the first synchronizing signal is detected by a sensing circuit, the switch being responsive to the sensing circuit. The video display is synchronized with the first synchronizing signal when the horizontal synchronizing component of the first video signal is sensed and is otherwise synchronized with the second synchronizing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery B. Lendaro
  • Patent number: 5576771
    Abstract: A circuit in a widescreen television receiver effects horizontal picture compression on a standard aspect ratio video signal by storing at least one field of the video signal, generating a read clock signal for reading the video signal from storage, wherein the read clock signal has a frequency equal to F.sub.R, generating a write clock signal for writing the video signal into storage, wherein the write clock signal has a frequency equal to F.sub.W =3/4 F.sub.R. The circuit arrangement includes a write circuit for writing each line in the video signal into a memory using the write clock signal, and a read circuit for reading each line of the stored video signal from the memory using the read clock signal, whereby the read-out video signal forms, on display, a picture occupying 3/4 of the horizontal width of a display of the widescreen television receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventor: Willem C. Van Tol
  • Patent number: 5572264
    Abstract: To make it possible to receive a modulated signal which is obtained by suppressing a carrier signal such as a high definition TV signal which is digitally demodulated such as QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation), a receiver of the double super-heterodyne system having the first and second mixers 9 and 13 is a basic constitution. A band pass filter having a flatness in pass band and a small deviation of group delay which will prevent the demodulation of a high definition TV signal from degradation is used a first intermediate frequency filter 11. An SAW filter is used as a second intermediate frequency filter 16. The third mixer 28 for converting a second intermediate frequency signal to a third intermediate frequency signal in frequency is installed and the frequency of the third intermediate frequency signal to be converted is set to a value lower than the frequency of the second intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Mizukami, Yutaka Igarashi, Toshio Nagashima
  • Patent number: 5557336
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal having different aspect ratios on a record medium comprises a record circuit for recording the video signal on the record medium, a circuit for inserting an aspect ratio indicating signal which indicates the different aspect ratios in a vertical blanking period of the video signal, and a playback circuit for reproducing the video signal from the record medium, and a circuit for reproducing the aspect ratio indicating signal and controlling a display means in response to the aspect ratio indicating signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5548337
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus has an A/D converter for converting a video signal to a first digitized video signal, a timing pulse generator for generating a plurality of timing pulses, a multiplexer for selecting an output signal, a serial video processor for storing the first digitized video signal and outputting a digitized video signal in accordance with the selected output signal of the multiplexer, and D/A converter for converting the digitized video signal to a video signal. A panoramic picture can be obtained so that a display cutting problem in a zoom display and a lack of realistic display in a wide-aspect display can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwon-Hag Kang
  • Patent number: 5539474
    Abstract: In order to reduce nonuniform deterioration of a display screen, such as a fluorescent screen, an image reproducing system such as a television receiver is so arranged that the position of a small picture is shifted automatically. The small picture may be a picture displayed on a larger display screen with blank margins, or a sub-picture displayed in a larger picture, or an image of alphanumeric data items. For example, a 4:3 aspect ratio picture is displayed in a 4:3 center section of a 16:9 wide aspect ratio screen between left and right blank margins. In this case, the system comprises a control section, such as a microcomputer, for determining whether a special display mode to display a small picture is selected or not, each time the power supply is turned on, and for shifting the position of the small picture in the larger screen when the special display mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Tsunetomi, Toshihide Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5539470
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus which comprises an inputting part for inputting an image signal, an attenuating part for attenuating a predetermined frequency portion of the image signal inputted by the inputting part, and a controlling part for controlling an attenuation characteristic of the attenuating part for attenuating the predetermined frequency portion, in accordance with a compression ratio of the image signal inputted by the inputting part. There is also provided an image processing apparatus which comprises an inputting part for inputting an image signal, an enhancing part for enhancing a high frequency band of the image signal inputted by the inputting part, and a controlling part for controlling a high-frequency-band enhancement characteristic of the enhancing part in accordance with a compression ratio of the image signal inputted by the inputting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fukuoka, Hiroyuki Takimoto, Taizo Hori, Takashi Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Nakatani, Jun Makino, Shinichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 5537149
    Abstract: A display device having a display screen of 16:9 aspect ratio for displaying fully a video image of 4:3 aspect ratio without leaving a blank space and a display device having a display screen of 4:3 aspect ratio for displaying fully a video image of 16:9 aspect ratio without leaving a blank space are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Teraoka, Yasuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 5537157
    Abstract: An audio/video production system facilitates professional quality image manipulation and editing using an enhanced general-purpose hardware. A program input may be translated into any of a variety of graphics or television formats, including NTSC, PAL, SECAM and HDTV, and stored as data-compressed images, using any of several commercially available methods such as Motion JPEG, MPEG, etc. While being processed, the images may be re-sized to produce a desired aspect ratio or dimensions using conventional techniques such as pixel interpolation. Frame rate conversion to and from conventional formats is performed by using the techniques employed for film-to-NTSC and film-to-PAL transfers, or by inter-frame interpolation, all well known in the art. By judicious selection of the optimal digitizing parameters, the system allows a user to establish an inter-related family of aspect ratios, resolutions, and frame rates, yet remain compatible with currently available and planned graphics and television formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Kinya Washino
    Inventors: Kinya Washino, Barry H. Schwab
  • Patent number: 5534940
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving a liquid crystal display can receive and adjust to image signals from one of a plurality of image signal formats such as those of the HDTV and NTSC systems, and includes plural shift registers, a sampling and holding (S/L) circuit and a Y driver. When receiving an image signal in the HDTV system, the shift registers receive and shift that image signal in series, and supply each bit data shifted thereby in a horizontal period to the S/L circuit. When receiving an image signal in the NTSC system, the shift registers are functionally divided into one for shifting that image signal and the other for shifting another image signal provided for displaying some pattern, and each bit data of these image signals is supplied to the S/L circuit. The S/L circuit provides the received data for driving data electrodes of the display, while the Y driver drives scanning electrodes of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Japan
    Inventors: Masayori Sato, Kouichi Tago
  • Patent number: 5534934
    Abstract: To provide an image which is matched with an aspect ratio of a screen of a display unit by compressing and enlarging the whole of the image to a desired size. A video signal is sequentially written into a field memory in response to a write clock from an input terminal. A clock generating circuit supplies the field memory with a read clock having a frequency which is about 4/3 times as high as that of the write clock. A vertical enlargement control circuit reads a video signal from the field memory with a line period corresponding to a magnification factor and inhibits writing to a one-line memory with the same period to provide a line delayed output for an output signal from the field memory. A vertical interpolating circuit generates a scanning line signal by an interpolation operation in accordance with a control signal from the vertical enlargement control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Katsumata, Shigeru Hirahata, Toshinori Murata, Haruki Takata, Shinobu Torikoshi, Takanori Eda, Kouichi Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 5530484
    Abstract: An adaptive scan format converter (14, FIG. 1; FIG. 2) at a transmitter/encoder of a video signal processing system such as a high definition television (HDTV) system, as a function of what format is desired for coding and transmission via an output channel. Similarly, at a receiver, a received scan format is automatically converted (36, FIG. 1; FIG. 2) to a desired format for display as needed. For example, a received interlaced signal (I) will be automatically converted to progressive (P) format to be compatible with a progressive scan display device (39). A received progressive signal will be passed to the display device without format conversion. Automatic scan conversion is performed seamlessly so that, for example, the conversion between progressive main television program material and interlaced commercial material is produced without artifacts and is essentially invisible to a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Thomson Multimedia S.A
    Inventors: Bhavesh B. Bhatt, Nicola J. Fedele, Glenn A. Reitmeier
  • Patent number: 5528305
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing empty sides of a wide screen decreases no-signal area on the left and right sides of the wide screen by differing time compression ratio of a video signal when an NTSC video signal having an aspect ratio of 4:3 is displayed on the wide screen having an aspect ratio of 16:9. A controller sets the frequency of read clock signals supplied to a line memory which are varied with respect to each sub-section within an effective horizontal scanning section to compress the NTSC video signal in the central sub-section of the effective horizontal scanning section. By compressing the video signal, the central portion of the wide screen displays the time-compressed picture while the left and right portions displays a broader picture which is not subjected to the time compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 5519447
    Abstract: A wide aspect television receive corrects variations in the luminance between the center and peripheral portion of the screen that occur due to changing vertical deflection widths by suppressing a video signal amplitude at the top and/or bottom of the screen to be smaller than that at the center of the screen. The wide aspect deflection may also correct over-correction of the lateral pincushion distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Juichi Shima, Yoshinori Ishii
  • Patent number: 5519445
    Abstract: A television received fop supplying video signals to a picture tube so as to display pictures on the screen in a first mode of the normal state and a second mode with the vertical amplitude expanded, includes, a vertical sawtooth waveform generator for generating sawtooth signals in a period corresponding to the vertical sync signals that are input to the vertical sawtooth waveform generator, an amplitude controller for switching amplitudes of the sawtooth signals from the vertical sawtooth waveform generator according to the first and the second modes and for expanding the amplitude in the second mode rather than the first mode, an inclination controller for making the inclination of the vertical sawtooth signal gentle at the timing corresponding to the end of the vertical scanning period in the second mode, and a brightness controller for controlling the brightness of the video signal corresponding to the end period of the vertical scanning to be decreased in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Ohira
  • Patent number: 5519446
    Abstract: A digital video signal reception apparatus comprising a multiplexer selection controller for outputting a plurality of control signals according to a format of a compressed input digital video signal, a decoder for decoding the compressed input digital video signal, a frame rate conversion circuit for convening a frame rate of the decoded digital video signal from the decoder into a desired value under the control of the multiplexer selection controller, a multiplexer for selecting one of the decoded digital video signal from the decoder and an output video signal from the frame rate conversion circuit under the control of the multiplexer selection controller, a decimation circuit for performing a decimation operation to convert the number of horizontal scanning lines of an output video signal from the multiplexer into a desired value, a display mode conversion circuit for performing a display mode conversion operation so that an output video signal from the decimation circuit can be displayed in a desired di
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong H. Lee
  • Patent number: 5510848
    Abstract: A system for receiving and decoding digital signals in accordance with two image definition levels. The system includes a transmission channel decoding sub-assembly; a source decoding sub-assembly for decoding signals of a higher definition level or signals of a lower definition level; a device for displaying the decoded signals available at the output of this sub-assembly; at a second output of the sub-assembly, a device for detecting errors during source decoding, followed, in series, by a decision circuit for controlling the switch in accordance with the output signal of said error detection device, as well as for controlling the change-over of the decoding sub-assembly from one of the two source decoding modes to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Gilles Nocture, Thierry Fautier
  • Patent number: 5504535
    Abstract: A display is to be produced based on video signals having aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. Controller 21 turns on switches SW1 and SW2 so that the digitalized video signal of the first picture is compressed at a rate of 3/8 in the time axis. Simultaneously, the video signal of the second picture is converted digitally, written into memory 14 in synchronization with the first picture video signal, read out based on a delay of 3H/8 from the synchronization with the first picture video signal, and sent to a digital processing circuit 13. The controller 21 controls the digital processing circuit 13 so as to compress in the time axis the video signal of the second picture at a compressing rate of 5/8. Also, the controller 21 controls a vertical amplitude switching signal generator 19 to adjust a vertical deflecting current in a deflecting circuit 18 based on an operation by the audience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hirotoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 5488432
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a processing method for a video signal coded in the form of blocks of K words, this signal being written to or read from two frame memories (FM1, FM2) each including an input port, a high speed output port and a low speed output port. According to this method, the input digital video signal is formed by sets of M' blocks with N' block containing luminance data (Y1, Y2 . . . ) and M'-N' blocks containing chrominance data (C1, C2 . . . ), the blocks containing the chrominance data (C1) are written in the first memory (FM1) and the blocks containing luminance data (Y1) are written in the second memory (FM2). Then the blocks containing the luminance data and the blocks containing the chrominance data are read simultaneously on the high speed output port of each memory, the memories being inverted at each frame, and the data eventually being processed to obtain video data in output that presents a compression ratio M/N with M>N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Laboratoire Europeen de Recherches Electroniques Avancees Societe en Nom Collectif
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Guillon, Laurent Perdrieau
  • Patent number: 5486871
    Abstract: A video control system, comprises a deflection system having a dimensionally adjustable raster, a circuit for detecting a letterbox video signal source and a circuit for dimensionally controlling the raster of the deflection system responsive to the detecting circuit. The detecting circuit and the control circuit are operable automatically. The detection circuit can comprise a circuit for measuring video luma levels of the video signal source in at least two regions of each video field and a circuit for comparing the luma levels from each of the regions to respective threshold levels. In an alternative, the detection circuit comprises a circuit for comparing respective minimum and maximum luminance values for a plurality of successive video lines, a circuit for storing minimum and maximum luminance values for the plurality of video lines, a circuit for generating gradients indicative of the stored values and a circuit for comparing the gradients to threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Filliman, Nathaniel H. Ersoz, Timothy W. Saeger, David J. Duffield, Karl F. Horlander
  • Patent number: 5486870
    Abstract: A picture display apparatus adapted to pictures having an aspect ratio 16/9, permitting the simultaneous control of the line length and the vertical spacing of the lines. For the reception of pictures having an aspect ratio 4/3, the two control circuits are coupled in such a manner that the length of the lines of the displayed picture is decreased (2, 20) when the vertical spacing of the lines is normal or that the length of the lines of the displayed picture is normal when the vertical spacing between the lines is increased (3, 6). In addition, the control circuits are a continuously variable type, and access of the user to the control circuits is effected by remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Alain Decreamer
  • Patent number: 5485217
    Abstract: A line tripler for an NTSC/HDTV dual receiver includes a control signal generation section for generating write enable signals and read enable signals. A FIFO line memory section writes each line of an NTSC video signal three times at a predetermined write sampling rate in response to the write enable signals from the control signal generation section to triple each line. The memory section sequentially outputs the stored three lines of the NTSC video signal at a predetermined read sampling rate in response to the plurality of read enable signals from the control signal generation section. The increase in the number of samples of each line of the NTSC video signal is made possible by adjusting the sampling rate or clock signal frequency in reading the stored three lines of the NTSC video signal. A format of the NTSC signal can be converted into an HDTV format of 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong S. Park
  • Patent number: 5475442
    Abstract: A television signal processor selectively processing each television signal transmitted by a plurality of different television systems and displaying the processed television signal using any of multiple displays having different synchronizing frequencies and aspect ratios. The television signal processor includes a signal processing device for decoding a received signal in accordance with the system generating the received television signal, and a control mechanism for processing a television signal from the signal processing device in accordance with specification data corresponding to a display for displaying the television signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akira Matsushita, Hiroyuki Iga, Masahiro Yamada, Kiyoshi Hoshino
  • Patent number: 5467142
    Abstract: A television receiver for displaying a video signal representing a first frame with a first aspect ratio is described wherein the video signal includes a coded character signal to be reproduced within the first frame. The receiver includes: a decoding unit for decoding the coded character signal; a first converter for converting the video signal into a second video signal to be reproduced to have a second frame with a second aspect ratio in accordance with a mode signal; a second converter for converting the decoded character signal into a second character signal to be reproduced to have a third frame smaller than the second frame; and a displaying unit for displaying the second video signal and the second character signal with characters from the second character signal being superimposed on a video image reproduced from the second video signal. The second converter controls start position and size of displayed characters by controlling counters used for determining the start position and size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ichinokawa
  • Patent number: 5461427
    Abstract: A television receiver system includes an HDTV tuner, and an NTSC tuner. In response to the entering of a channel number, a CHANNEL UP or CHANNEL DOWN command, or a channel label, in a channel selection mode, a controller searches a "paired channel" table for associated HDTV and NTSC channels. If an HDTV channel is associated with that channel number or channel label, the HDTV tuner is controlled to select the HDTV channel. If no HDTV channel is associated with that channel number or channel label, the NTSC tuner is controlled to select the corresponding NTSC channel. In another embodiment, the controller determines if HDTV signals are actually being received. If not, the controller causes the NTSC tuner to select the corresponding NTSC channel. In yet another embodiment, the "paired channel" data is sent via an Extended Data Services (EDS) transmission and automatically loaded into memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Duffield, Robert D. Altmanshofer
  • Patent number: 5461428
    Abstract: A broadcasting mode name display apparatus is disclosed. A broadcasting mode detector selects the broadcasting channel and detects the broadcasting mode of a video signal. A mode converter converts a conventional broadcasting mode into a high definition mode. If the mode converter receives a high definition mode signal instead, it is passed as it is. A recorder records the video signal, together with a mode identification signal representing the correspondingly detected broadcasting mode, on a recording medium. A reproducer and detector reproduces the video signal from the recording medium and simultaneously detects the mode identification signal. A switching portion selectively outputs the video signal from either the mode converter or the reproducer and detector according to a control signal. A microprocessor supplies the control signal, the value of which is based on the operation mode of the apparatus, to the switching portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jaechern Yoo
  • Patent number: 5461431
    Abstract: A display apparatus for a television having a screen of an aspect ratio different from that of an original image, wherein an image is distorted in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions such that an expansion ratio or a reduction ratio gradually changes, and the distorted image is displayed on the screen. With the display apparatus, an image with a different aspect ratio can be displayed on the whole screen with minimally reduced missing image portions and distortion. Also, a vista size image can be displayed with an impression that a zoom-up effect is emphasized, while missing image portions are minimally reduced in left and right side portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Takebuchi, Kazuhisa Ata, Kiyoyuki Tanaka, Chuichi Nohara
  • Patent number: 5459521
    Abstract: A teletext signal processing apparatus displays a teletext signal on a display screen at a predetermined aspect ratio. The teletext signal is stored in a memory and is written to and read from the memory at variable speeds. A control circuit commands the memory to operate and adjusts the reading speed with respect to the writing speed, so as to display the teletext signal at the specified aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Morio Usami
  • Patent number: 5455631
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal having different aspect ratios on a record medium includes a record circuit for recording the video signal on the record medium, a circuit for inserting an aspect ratio indicating signal which indicates the different aspect ratios in a vertical blanking period of the video signal, a playback circuit for reproducing the video signal from the record medium, and a circuit for reproducing the aspect ratio indicating signal and controlling a display in response to the aspect ratio indicating signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5444492
    Abstract: A processing circuit converts a 16:9 aspect ratio video signal into a 4:3 video signal and includes a time division multiplexer that multiplexes the two video signals and a selector that selects one of the multiplexed signal for display. A mark is added to identify the range in which the 4:3 aspect ratio video signal is displayed relative to the 16:9 aspect ratio video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Taku Kihara
  • Patent number: 5436669
    Abstract: In order to display a video signal having an aspect ratio of 4 to 3 on a video display screen having a 16 to 9 aspect ratio a nonlinear vertical deflection signal is used to compress the video image along the top and bottom edges of the 16 to 9 aspect ratio screen. The video image is compressed only along the top and bottom edges of the screen because it has been found that motion of the point of view of the viewer relative to the displayed image is generally horizontal but is infrequently vertical. One approach to providing the non-linear vertical deflection waveform is to detect whether the input video signal for display on a 16 to 9 aspect ratio screen is a 4 to 3 aspect ratio signal and, if so, to read out special, non-linear data from a memory. This special waveform data is used to generate the non-linear vertical deflection waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Sumio Baba, Toshiyuki Ogura
  • Patent number: 5420641
    Abstract: A display apparatus comprising a field frequency converter for converting the field frequency of a parent-picture video signal; an aspect ratio converter for converting the aspect ratio of the video signal after the field frequency conversion; a child-picture processor for generating a child-picture video signal; and a switch for synthesizing the aspect-converted video signal with the video signal obtained from the child-picture processor. In one embodiment, the storage capacity of a memory required in the field frequency converter can be minimized. The apparatus further comprises a selector for selecting either the parent-picture video signal of the second aspect ratio or the parent-picture video signal of the first aspect ratio which has been converted to the second aspect ratio, wherein merely one switch is sufficient for synthesizing the video signal obtained from the child-picture processor with the selected parent-picture video signal of the second aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 5400077
    Abstract: A system for generating a video signal in a selected one of multiple aspect ratios from play of a disk on which is recorded a motion picture in only one aspect ratio. The disk includes a code indicative of the recorded aspect ratio, and the player has a default aspect ratio setting which can be changed by the user. Typically, the recorded aspect ratio is 16:9, and the player can generate a video signal having any of 16:9, center cut 4:3, pan scan 4:3, and letter box aspect ratios. The player automatically generates the appropriate video signal in accordance with both its default aspect ratio setting and the disk code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Co., L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Cookson, Lewis S. Ostrover, Warren N. Lieberfarb
  • Patent number: 5389975
    Abstract: In a video additive information identifying device, one of plural video signal inputs each containing a video ID signal is inserted as video additive information on one line at a predetermined position within a vertical blanking period. The selected video signal input is subjected to a Y/C separation processing, and the video ID signal of the selected video signal is extracted from a Y-signal after separation to identify the content of the extracted video ID signal, that is, a frame mode. On the basis of the identification result, a display frame mode of a video display is controlled to be corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Maeshima, Masayuki Suematsu, Masahiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 5386236
    Abstract: A television screen aspect ratio converting method and the device thereof which is suitable to display a video signal having a 4:3 screen aspect ratio on a screen having a 16:9 aspect ratio. According to the present invention, scanning lines amounting to 30 lines or less having unimportant information are removed in a vertical direction from an input video signal having a 4:3 screen aspect ratio, vertical interpolation is performed for the removed scanning lines, and then 4/5 time-compression in a horizontal direction is performed, so that the video signal is displayed on a screen having a 16:9 aspect ratio. Accordingly, picture loss in a vertical direction is minimized and the screen expansion in a horizontal direction is within a range such that a general televiewer cannot perceive a variation of image, so that integrity of image to be displayed after the conversion of screen aspect ratio can be maintained as is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung H. Hong
  • Patent number: 5384600
    Abstract: A television receiver which can display images in different displaying forms on a display screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9 by controlling the video chroma processing circuit by the micro computer by operating the remote controlled signal acceptor or the key switch has memories. The first memory stores video control data for each displaying form and the second memory stores appointed data for designating predetermined video control data. When the displaying form is changed by operating the remote controlled signal acceptor or the key switch, the micro computer reads the video control data corresponding to the displaying form which is newly set from the first memory according to the appointed data of the second memory and changes, for example, the contrast characteristic in the signal processing circuit according to the read data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kaizaki, Masako Kamimura, Takaaki Matono, Sadao Kubota