Format Detection Patents (Class 348/558)
  • Publication number: 20020130970
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventor: HONG JIANG
  • Patent number: 6429894
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for equally aging a cathode ray tube (CRT). In the preferred embodiment, a standard CRT having a 4:3 aspect ratio is provided. An external video terminal is coupled to the CRT and receives any number of external video signals, one or more of which may be non-standard external video signals having a 16:9 aspect ratio. In response to a non-standard external video signal, the CRT is illuminated with a mismatched illumination ratio, i.e., a primary CRT region is illuminated and a secondary CRT region is not illuminated, resulting in an unequally aged CRT. A video pattern generator is coupled to the CRT and generates an internal video signal, such that the secondary CRT region is illuminated in response to the internal video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Digital Electronics
    Inventor: James E. Hicks
  • Publication number: 20020085120
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus which can process video signals with different formats simply by switching between programs for processing video signals. Different system clock signals are sent to the input and output processes by employing a programmable signal processor 4, input synchronizing signal processor 8, programmable signal processor 6 and output synchronizing pulse processor 9. A method for processing the video signal can be flexibly changed simply by switching between signal processing programs for programmable signal processors. In addition, the use of a memory 5 enables the signal, which is processed using the system clock signal in the input process, to be processed using the system clock signal in the output process. The present invention thus allows the processing of video signals with many different signal formats. The design of efficient circuitry will greatly reduce costs and production processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: TAKASHI YAMAGUCHI, YUTAKA NIO, TOSHIAKI KITAHARA
  • Publication number: 20020063798
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus provided with an analyzer adapted to analyze a reception signal, a memory adapted to store therein information on plural broadcasting systems, a judgement unit adapted to judge a signal broadcasting system on the basis of the results of an analysis made by the analyzer and the information on the broadcasting systems stored in the memory, and a reception processor adapted to receive and process a signal on the basis of the results of a judgement outputted from the judgment unit. This enables a receiving apparatus capable of judging and receiving broadcasts of plural broadcasting systems automatically with a high accuracy to be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventor: Hajime Koyama
  • Patent number: 6396548
    Abstract: There is disclosed a digital filter cell capable of processing in a first mode a first signal having real data components only and processing in a second mode a second signal having real data components and imaginary data components. The digital filter cell comprises: 1) a plurality of serially coupled coefficient registers for receiving a sequence of coefficients; 2) a plurality of serially coupled data registers for receiving a sequence of digital data samples, each register having a tap output; 3) a data multiplexer having a plurality of input channels for receiving the tap outputs from the plurality of serially coupled data registers; and 4) a product summation circuit having a first input coupled to an output of the data multiplexer and a second input coupled to an output of a selected one of the plurality of serially coupled coefficient registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Viktor Gornstein, Gennady Turkenich, Patrick D. Kelliher
  • Patent number: 6396542
    Abstract: A television receiver receives HDTV video signals and scan converts them to a lower line scanning rate with field-to-field interlace. This scan conversion is done to conserve the power consumption by the magnetic deflection system for the kinescope, which has a display screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a dot pitch for displaying a 480 scan line frame. The receiver receives scan converts NTSC video signals using time compression circuitry to present them in variants of letter-box form in which the images fill the full height of the display screen, but not its full width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chandrakant B. Patel
  • Patent number: 6392642
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display device for displaying video frame signals transmitted from a computer. When the display device receives the video frame signals, it detects the number of horizontal scanning lines first, and then compares the number with a sampling reference table to obtain a target sampling number. If the number of pixel clocks generated by a phase locked loop does not match the target sampling number, the display device will adjust the frequency of the phase locked loop until the number of pixel clocks matches the target sampling number so that the display device can display video pictures correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Acer Communications and Multimedia Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung-Hsun Wu
  • Publication number: 20020057368
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventor: Muzaffar Husain Bin Fakhruddin
  • Publication number: 20020057369
    Abstract: There is provided an image display apparatus which automatically detects a picture defect and shifts an image region to eliminate the picture defect. The image display apparatus includes a memory unit for temporarily storing an input image signal, a memory control unit for controlling a readout start address for the memory unit, a display unit to which the image signal read out of the memory unit is supplied, a detection unit of an aspect ratio of the input image signal, and an address control signal generation unit to which an aspect ratio detection output is supplied from the detection unit and which generates a readout start address control signal for the memory unit from the input image signal. When the input image signal having an aspect ratio different from an aspect ratio of image screen display of the display unit is supplied, a readout start address is controlled on the basis of the address control signal generated by the address control signal generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aya Takechi, Hiroyuki Kojima, Nobuo Ueki
  • Patent number: 6388713
    Abstract: A high definition display unit which demodulates, decodes, and processes in relation to chroma and displays a television signal in which a PI (picture) signal and an SI (service information) signal are mixed. A changeover switch 13 connected to an image quality adjusting circuit in a video chroma processing circuit 7 is opened or closed according to an on-off signal S1, showing the superposed period of both signals detected by a decoder 4. If the above on-off signal S1 is on, the changeover switch 13 is opened and the adjustment of image quality is disabled. Therefore, SI display never disappears due to the adjustment of image quality, and the quality of an image can be also adjusted according to an ambient status. Other approaches are also disclosed from preventing image quality adjustment of at least portions of a displayed image containing an information image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Video and Information System, Incorporated
    Inventors: Yukimi Saiki, Masahisa Tsukahara, Toshimitsu Watanabe, Kazuhiko Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 6384867
    Abstract: A video display apparatus comprises a video-signal processing circuit for processing an input video signal, a PLL circuit for generating a clock signal, a discrimination circuit for identifying the format of the input video signal and a specification circuit for specifying the format of video information to be displayed. In addition, the video display apparatus also includes a diver-control-signal generation circuit, a driver-control-signal switching circuit and a PLL-signal control circuit. The diver-control-signal generation circuit is used for generating control signals for controlling a gate driver and a source driver which are used for driving a display panel in accordance with the identified format of video information to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Seino, Mitsuo Kamiko, Tomoyasu Katsuyama, Yoshihiro Date, Naoki Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 6384870
    Abstract: A decoder of a digital television signal includes apparatus for synchronizing changes in the format of the digital television signal to corresponding changes in the format of an on-screen display. The apparatus includes a video decoder that receives the digital television signal, determines the format of the digital television signal and whether this format represents a format change. When the decoder identifies a format change, it generates an output signal indicating the format change and assigns a unique identifier to the format change. This output signal is sent to an on-screen display processor and to a user interface processor. The user interface processor is coupled to the video decoder and to the on-screen display processor to receive the output signal and to generate commands for the on-screen display processor. With one of these commands, the user interface sends the unique identifier received from the decoder to the on-screen display processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mark Kempisty
  • Patent number: 6377309
    Abstract: Upon implementing multi-functional TV broadcast and the like, it is desired to obtain information that pertains to a main image or that the user wants occasionally, if it does not pertain to the main image, in the form of an image as sub data with a small information size which is appended to the main image. For this purpose, MPEG4 data of sub TV information multiplexed in an MPEG2 datastream of the received and selected digital TV broadcast program is detected, and it is checked based on that detection result if MPEG4 data is included in the MPEG2 datastream. If MPEG4 data is included, an MPEG4 datastream is demultiplexed from the MPEG2 datastream, MPEG2 and MPEG4 data are respectively demultiplexed into sound, image, and system data, the demultiplexed data are decoded, and the output formats of MPEG2 image and sound data and MPEG4 scene and sound data are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masamichi Ito, Koji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6377310
    Abstract: In a receiver capable of receiving a plurality of television systems, a color transmission system discrimination circuit is provided, which is capable of exactly and rapidly determining a color transmission system which is being received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Okamoto, Takeshi Misaku
  • Patent number: 6377251
    Abstract: A timing data table in which timing data is registered for respective types of video signals defined by frequency and polarity of a respective synchronizing signal is provided in a nonvolatile memory. A main control part retrieves the timing data table with the type of the video signal as a retrieval key to acquire pertinent timing data, and, using this timing data, necessary adjustment parameters (that is, horizontal position adjustment parameter, horizontal size adjustment parameter, vertical position adjustment parameter and vertical size adjustment parameter) are calculated by operations and outputted to a horizontal deflection control circuit and to a vertical deflection control circuit. Thereby, a video display apparatus and a video display method capable of reducing time required to make adjustments and performing correct and highly responsive video display regardless of the types of video signals are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Takasu, Motosuke Irie, Satoru Suzuki, Motoki Ouchiyama
  • Publication number: 20020044221
    Abstract: A color system discriminator is provided with a frequency detector, a vertical-synchronizing frequency detector, a plurality of color demodulators, a demodulating switch, and a controller. The type of the color system of a received signal is determined with reference not only to the burst lock frequency indicated in the tuner detection signal and the phase of the R-Y color difference signal of the image signal, but also to the frequency of the sound carrier signal and the vertical synchronizing frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masao Okada
  • Patent number: 6373527
    Abstract: A high definition television (HDTV) for displaying an image contained in a broadcasting signal of mutually different broadcasting systems is provided. The HDTV restores a first image signal which is an image signal contained in an HD digital broadcasting signal and a second image signal which is an image signal contained in an NTSC analog broadcasting signal which are input from an antenna and an external input port, and format-converts each restored image signal into an image signal having a predetermined frame format. An image signal synthesizer including two memories and a timing signal generator time-base-compresses the format-converted first and second image signals so as to correspond to a main picture and a sub-picture of a PIP image to be displayed, and synthesizes the first and second image signals into a single PIP image signal. A CRT displays a PIP image contained in the PIP image signal on a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-Sung Lee
  • Patent number: 6369857
    Abstract: A receiver requiring only a single IF SAW filter and IF amplifier receives signals in both analog format and in digital format, such as the NTSC, PAL and SECAM analog television signal formats and the ATSC and DVB digital television signal formats. IF signals from the IF amplifier are sub-sampled to digital signal form and are processed by respective analog format and digital format processors. Control circuitry responsive to the presence of certain unique components of the signals in analog format and digital format determine which of the analog format and digital format processors is producing valid data and selects the valid data to be utilized. In a television receiver, the unique components of the signals may include carrier signals, synchronization signals, pilot signals and symbol timing, and valid data is applied to a television display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: Alvin Reuben Balaban, Michael Louie Low, Edward Coley Fox
  • Patent number: 6369855
    Abstract: An improved audio-visual circuit is provided that includes a transport packet parsing circuit for receiving a transport data packet stream, a CPU circuit for initializing said integrated circuit and for processing portions of said data packet stream, a ROM circuit for storing data, a RAM circuit for storing data, an audio decoder circuit for decoding audio portions of said data packet stream, a video decoder circuit for decoding video portions of said data packet stream, an NTSC/PAL encoding circuit for encoding video portions of said data packet stream, an OSD coprocessor circuit for processing OSD portions of said data packets, a traffic controller circuit moving portions of said data packet stream between portions of said integrated circuit, an extension bus interface circuit, a P1394 interface circuit, a communication coprocessors circuit, an address bus connected to said circuits, and a data bus connected to said circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard Chauvel, Serge Lasserre, Mario Giani, Tiemen Spits, Gerard Benbassat, Frank L. Laczko, Sr., Y. Paul Chiang, Karen L. Walker, Mark E. Paley, Brian O. Chae
  • Patent number: 6366326
    Abstract: A receiver system automatically adaptively tunes to broadcast signals that are variable in the number of channels that are transmitted, their signal coding type and their modulation format. A system receives a digital bitstream representing video information encoded in one of a plurality of different formats, and transmitted on one of a plurality of transmission channels. In the system, a method for acquiring data transmitted on a transmission channel involves selecting a transmission channel from the plurality of channels and selecting a modulation format. The method also involves tuning to receive the modulation format and determining whether valid data is being received on the selected transmission channel. The method steps are repeated until valid data is received. The method may also involve selecting a coding type, and tuning to receive the coding type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Mehmet Kemal Ozkan, Kumar Ramaswamy, John Sidney Stewart
  • Patent number: 6366327
    Abstract: A technique for detecting three modes of video input signal and outputting a vertical sync signal based on the input signal. In a first mode, a standard video signal is received and a line counter is used to decode and output the vertical sync. In a second mode where a non-standard signal is received, line counter cannot be used, but a vertical sync is detected and output. In a third mode, no video input signal is received, yet a vertical sync is output in free-running mode so that a blank screen is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl H. Renner, Weider Peter Chang
  • Publication number: 20020036709
    Abstract: A TV broadcasting reception apparatus 100 has a following function: when the same program is being broadcasted at the same time between digital TV broadcasting and analog TV broadcasting, even if the user selects reception of the analog TV broadcasting, the same program in the digital TV broadcasting is found out and the analog TV broadcasting is preferentially and automatically switched to the digital TV broadcasting. Further, the TV broadcasting reception apparatus 100 has a following function: when the same program is being broadcasted at the same time between digital TV broadcasting and analog TV broadcasting, in case that during receiving the digital TV broadcasting, the reception state of its digital TV broadcasting worsens so that the digital TV broadcasting cannot be received, the program in the digital TV broadcasting is preferentially and automatically switched to the same program in the analog TV broadcasting that has been previously searched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventor: Yusuke Nishida
  • Patent number: 6356313
    Abstract: A system for overlaying a motion video signal onto an analog signal on a display. The system includes a motion video processing unit for receiving and processing the motion video signal into a signal having an analog video format, a video format analyzer and synchronizer device for receiving the analog signal and for determining video timing parameters and a corresponding original pixel clock of the analog signal and for controlling video timing parameters of the motion video signal to match the video timing parameters of the analog signal determined by the video format analyzer and synchronizer device so as to provide an output motion video signal which is synchronized with the analog signal and a display determining device for determining the display of the analog output signal or the synchronized output motion video signal on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Champion, David H. Bessel
  • Publication number: 20020027614
    Abstract: It is determined whether or not an input video signal is a side panel signal, a letter box signal, or a full line signal. If the input video signal is a side panel signal or a letter box signal, when a multiple-picture displaying process or a reduced picture displaying process is performed, only a signal of an effective picture area is extracted. With only the signal of the effective picture area, the picture sizes are adjusted and the pictures are combined. Thus, even if an input video signal is a side panel signal or a letter box signal, the picture does not become small. In addition, when the reduced picture displaying process is performed, since a wasteful picture portion is not processed, the utilization efficiency of the screen is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Konuma
  • Patent number: 6353460
    Abstract: The television receiver including a display device capable of displaying a video signal having a predetermined display former of this invention includes; a plurality of video signal sources; a selection circuit for selecting one of a plurality of video signals output from the plurality of video signal sources; and an image processor for converting a format of the video signal selected by the selection circuit into the predetermined display format, wherein a video signal output from the processor is supplied to the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Texas Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenta Sokawa, Kazuki Ninomiya, Yoichiro Miki, Naoya Tokunaga, Masahiro Tani, Hiroshi Miyaguchi, Yuji Yaguchi, Tsuyoshi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 6340997
    Abstract: A worldwide television tuning system is configurable to the television standards and channel frequencies of multiple different countries based on a country's ITU long-distance country code. The television tuning system is architected in parallel hardware and software components. The hardware components include tuner circuitry to tune to various television frequencies carrying television video signals and video decoder circuitry coupled to receive a television video signal from the tuner circuitry and to convert the television video signal to digital video data. The software components include a tuner module coupled to adjust the tuner circuitry to a particular television frequency and a video decoder module to decode the digital video data according to a particular video standard. A driver interface layer interfaces the software layer and the hardware circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Jay Alan Borseth
  • Patent number: 6337716
    Abstract: A receiver for simultaneously displaying signals having different display formats and/or different frame rates, and a method thereof are provided. The receiver includes a signal generator, a first display processor, and a second display processor. The signal generator generates a first vertical synchronous signal for a high definition (HD) image, a first field identification signal for coping with a case in which an HD image is an interlace image, a second vertical synchronous signal for a standard image, and a second field identification signal for a standard image. The first display processor processes a received HD decoded image to an HD display format according to the first vertical synchronous signal and the first field identification signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myung-sik Yim
  • Patent number: 6335762
    Abstract: Circuit and method for determining a received signal for a receiver such as a simulcast receiver or an HDTV receiver are provided. The circuit includes a first detector for detecting a first reference signal included in a received signal and outputting a first detection signal, and a second detector for detecting a second reference signal included in the received signal and outputting a second detection signal. The circuit also includes a generator for generating a determination signal which indicates that the received signal is an analog broadcasting signal in the event the first detection signal is detected, and indicates that the received signal is a high definition signal in the event if the second detection signal is detected. Therefore, the received signal can be determined correctly, according to channel selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myeong-hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 6335769
    Abstract: A circuit for automatically discriminating audio intermediate frequencies of a received television signal that has a simple, compact and inexpensive circuit structure and can operate stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Misaku
  • Patent number: 6333767
    Abstract: A radio receiver uses the same tuner for receiving a selected digital television (DTV) signal, irrespective of whether it is a quadrature-amplitude-modulation (QAM) or a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal. The tuner supplies a final IF signal in a 6-MHz-wide frequency band, the lowest frequency of which is not appreciably more than 2.69 MHz. The final IF signal is digitized at a rate that is a multiple of both the symbol frequencies of the QAM and VSB signals, for synchrodyning to baseband, with the 2.69 MHz difference between the carrier frequencies of QAM and VSB signals being taken into account in the digital synchrodyning circuitry. The carrier frequencies of the QAM and VSB final IF signals are regulated to be submultiples of the multiple of both the symbol frequencies of the QAM and VSB signals by applying automatic frequency and phase control signals developed in the digital circuitry to a local oscillator of the tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chandrakant B. Patel, Allen LeRoy Limberg
  • Patent number: 6329981
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the video mode of a video data, the apparatus capable of receiving a plurality of synchronous signals along with the transmission of the video data, comprises: a first counter stage capable of receiving the synchronous signals and generating a first counter stage output signal that represents the number of total lines in a frame of the video data; a second counter stage capable of receiving an active line indicator signal that indicates an active line in the video data, the second counter stage capable of generating a second counter stage output signal that represents the number of active lines in a frame of the video data; and a logic circuit coupled to the first counter stage and to the second counter stage, the logic circuit capable of detecting the video mode of the video data based upon the values of the first counter stage output signal and the second counter stage output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: NeoParadigm Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhihao Lin, Hsi-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 6323907
    Abstract: A frequency converter is disclosed, which improves processing time and reduces hardware costs, in converting input data sampled at a first frequency into output data compatible with a system operating at a second frequency. The frequency converter has first and second coefficient generators for calculating first and second coefficient values, respectively. The frequency converter uses an interpolator for interpolating input data using the first and second coefficient values into the output data. In addition, a dual-port memory stores the output data in accordance with the first frequency and outputs the stored data in accordance with the second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-Hoon Hwang
  • Patent number: 6310659
    Abstract: A graphics processing device includes a graphic and video blender having an input operative to receive graphics or video data obtained from a frame buffer containing multiple formats of data for display on at least one of an RGB monitor and a television monitor. The processing device has an output and is operative to assign pixel type flags to output pixels in a blended image. A signal scaler is operatively coupled to receive the blended image from the graphic and video blender. A coefficient multiplexor selects coefficients for the signal scaler from a plurality of sets of coefficients in response to the assigned pixel type flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventor: David Glen
  • Patent number: 6310654
    Abstract: An object of the present application is to provide the display of motion picture data used in both of analog and digital broadcasts with high picture quality and a common user interface. The above object can be achieved by providing a plurality of picture format converting means, a plurality of OSD means and means for taking motion picture data used in an analog broadcast in a common memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masuo Oku, Hironori Komi, Keisuke Inata, Ryosuke Toya, Kenji Katsumata, Shigeru Komatsu, Shinobu Torikoshi, Takaaki Matono, Fumihito Tanaka, Masaaki Hisanaga
  • Patent number: 6307595
    Abstract: Television signal reception apparatus for receiving a television signal selected from among transmitted television signals of different types includes a respective receiver portion for each of the different types. The current reception or non-reception of NTSC signal is detected by ascertaining whether or not 4.5 MHz intercarrier sound intermediate-frequency signal is generated in the receiver portion used for NTSC signal reception. When reception of NTSC signal is detected, the television signal reception apparatus is automatically conditioned for selecting the demodulated NTSC signal for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Allen LeRoy Limberg
  • Patent number: 6307600
    Abstract: A tuner, for example, for a television receiver, includes a UHF and a VHF section and a mixer oscillator stage. It is known that the VHF frequency band has to be split in at least two parts to handle the VHF signals. To that end, the mixer oscillator stage uses two separate VHF oscillators and a detector to switch tuned parts of the VHF section. In this way, the performance of the tuner is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Meye Wink
  • Publication number: 20010028409
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Watanabe, Masahisa Tsukahara, Nobuaki Kabuto
  • Publication number: 20010026326
    Abstract: A video display system comprising a plurality of video display apparatuses 11 to 13 for displaying video signals Sv being supplied as video. A specific video display apparatus 11 out of a plurality of the video display apparatuses 11 to 13 discriminates video characteristics Pv1 to Pv5 of the video signal Sv to output identification signals IDa to IDd that correspond to the discriminated video characteristics (Pa1 to Pa5) to (Pd1 to Pd5) and simultaneously displays the video signal Sv according to the display characteristic characteristics (Qa1 to Qa3) to (Qc1 to Qc3) stored in correspondence to the identification signals IDa to IDd. The other video display apparatuses 12 and 13 than the specific video display apparatus 11 display the video signals Sv according to the display characteristic characteristics (Qa1 to Qa3) to (Qc1 to Qc3) stored in correspondence to the identification signals IDa to IDd.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Youichi Itaki, Kouichi Ara, Satoshi Wakasugi, Michio Tomizawa, Atsuhiko Saitou
  • Publication number: 20010026328
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for encoding video signals corresponding to a sequence of frames constituted either from video-type images or film-type images. These film-type images are obtained by means of the 3:2 pull-down technique involving a subdivision of each film frame into two fields and a duplication of two fields within each group of four subdivided frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventor: Sandra Del Corson
  • Patent number: 6297858
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting validity of video transmissions in accordance with one of a plurality of channel identification plans is be accomplished by first detecting selection of a channel, wherein the channel corresponds to a particular video transmission. The signal strength of the video transmission is then tested over a frequency range relating to the channel. When the signal strength of the video transmission at a particular frequency exceeds a threshold, a video tuner utilizes the frequency to detect the video transmission. Upon detecting the video transmission, the video tuner outputs a base band signal of the video transmission to a video decoder. The video decoder converts the base band signal into a digitized video, which is checked to determine whether it includes a synchronization signal. If the digitized video includes a synchronization signal, the video transmission is deemed to be valid, i.e., it is in accordance with one of the plurality of channel identification plans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: ATI Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ivan W Y Yang
  • Publication number: 20010019365
    Abstract: A method of displaying a digital broadcasting signal using a digital broadcasting receiver and a digital display device is disclosed. In the present invention, information on a display mode of the display device is communicated to the digital broadcasting receiver through a bi-directional communication line. As a result, the digital broadcasting receiver can process the input digital broadcasting signal according to the display mode. Thus, the digital broadcasting signal can be displayed in an optimum display mode through the digital display device. Accordingly, the received digital broadcasting signal can be displayed in diverse formats and in an optimum condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Eun Joo Kim, Choon Lee, Teag I1 Cho
  • Patent number: 6281939
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding data encoded in the horizontal overscan portion of a video signal. A video data detector is configured to decode data encoded in a video signal in a first type of video signal format, such as NTSC. When the detector receives the video signal, it enters a “fast acquisition” loop in which it attempts to decode a sequence of valid data from several consecutive frames of the video signal. If the detector cannot decode a sequence of valid data from the consecutive frames of the video signal, the detector is reconfigured to decode data encoded in the video signal in a second type of video signal format, such as PAL. The detector then attempts to decode a sequence of valid data from the next several consecutive frames of the video signal. If the detector is unable to decode a sequence of valid data from the consecutive frames, the detector is reconfigured for the first type of video signal format and the above process repeats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Leonardo G. Del Castillo, Douglas Beck
  • Publication number: 20010015769
    Abstract: A sync frequency conversion circuit comprises first circuits for forming a write control signal changeable in synchronism with horizontal and vertical sync frequencies of an input video signal; a memory where the input video signal is written by the write control signal; a discriminator for discriminating the horizontal and vertical sync frequencies of the input video signal; a phase locked loop controlled by the discrimination result obtained from the discriminator, and serving to output a clock signal of a frequency changeable in accordance with such discrimination result; and second circuits for forming a read control signal from both of the discrimination output of the discriminator and the clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventor: Nobuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6275267
    Abstract: Display source memories of resolutions according to image formats are prepared. The image format is discriminated from an extracted video packet. A font or a bit map is read out from the display source memory corresponding to the image format. The font or bit map corresponding to the image format is developed in an OSD plane memory and synthesized to a video signal by a mixing circuit. Thus, a character or a bit map picture plane of similar quality and size can be always seen irrespective of the received image format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6262772
    Abstract: When viewing a 4:3 aspect ratio image on a widescreen display, disturbing black bands appear to the left and right of the displayed image. Similarly, when viewing a letterbox image on a 4:3 aspect ratio display, disturbing black bands appear above and below the displayed image. These black bands result in uneven ageing of the phosphors in the display screen. An apparatus is provided which detects these black bands and automatically expands the image in the appropriate direction such that these black bands are automatically eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventors: Richard C. Shen, Alan Cavallerano
  • Patent number: 6262766
    Abstract: A method assesses the quality of a television image. In diversity reception installations including several receivers, it is necessary to establish a criterion for selecting the receiver with the best image quality. For this purpose, the five vertical connection impulses are first detected in the video signal. The detection of the five equalization impulses initiates only after the vertical connection impulses have been detected. Then, the detection of the horizontal synchronization impulses, interfering impulses and the echo impulses is carried out only after the equalization impulses have been detected. The number of horizontal synchronization impulses, interfering impulses, and echo impulses detected is used as criterion for selecting the best receiver. The invention is applicable to diversity reception installations including several television receivers, in particular, for mobile installations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: XSYS Interactive Research GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Schradi
  • Publication number: 20010006404
    Abstract: A combined terrestrial wave/cable broadcast receiver is disclosed which identifies if a cable broadcast program being carried and received or a cable broadcast program to be received is a HD broadcast and receives a HD broadcast from a terrestrial wave broadcasting station in the form of a HD terrestrial wave broadcast automatically or according to a user's selection, and a program information processing method therefor which processes program information such that it can identify a cable broadcast program as a HD broadcast in an EIT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventor: Hwa Young Yun
  • Publication number: 20010002853
    Abstract: A film mode detection method using a periodic pattern of a video sequence comprises the steps of: computing every absolute value of differences between every pair of corresponding pixels in two fields which are arranged within a predetermined distance on a time line; comparing a sum of the absolute value of differences between every corresponding pixels in two fields with the first predetermined threshold value M1 and limiting the sum to the first threshold value if the sum is greater than the first threshold value; filtering the video sequence and calculating a power of the filtered sum; and comparing the calculated power with the second predetermined threshold value M2 so as to determine the signal as a film mode if the power of the sum is greater than the second threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Il Taek Lim
  • Patent number: 6243032
    Abstract: An A/V signal pickup unit receives an audio digital data stream. A CPU carries out a decode process, and adds tag data indicating the attribute of audio sample data to provide the same to an audio signal converter unit. The audio signal converter unit controls the timing of the output operation of sample data according to the tag data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Uramoto, Tetsuya Hara
  • Patent number: 6229574
    Abstract: A system for converting from an image with one aspect ratio to another aspect ratio includes a plurality of simple converters and a selector which selects one of the plurality of converters to convert from one image size to another. The selector divides the image into a plurality of pixel portions and establishes a rule to select the appropriate converter for each of the plurality of pixel portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Dongil Han