Noise Or Undesired Signal Reduction Patents (Class 348/607)
  • Patent number: 9026451
    Abstract: Methods and systems for using pitch predictors in speech/audio coders are provided. Techniques for optimal pre- and post-filtering are presented, and a general result that post-filtering is more effective than pre-filtering is derived. A practical paired-zero filter design for the low-rate regime is proposed, and this design is extended to handle frequency-dependent periodicity levels. Further, the methods described provide a general performance measure for a post-filter that only uses information available at the decoder, thereby allowing for the optimization or selection of a post-filter without increasing the rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Bastiaan Kleijn, Jan Skoglund
  • Patent number: 9007529
    Abstract: A filtering system includes a first filtering module, which includes a first frequency translating device and a first filter. The first frequency translating device includes a center frequency control end that receives a first control signal and an input end that receives an input signal, and performs a first frequency translation on the input signal by utilizing a first control frequency of the first control signal as a center frequency. The first filter performs a first filter on the input signal according to equivalent impedance of a circuit coupled to the input end, and generates in collaboration with the first frequency translating device a first filtered input signal at an output end of the filtering system. The equivalent impedance determines a bandwidth of the first filtered input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Chieh Yen, Chao-Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 9007395
    Abstract: Devices, systems, apparatuses, methods, and other embodiments associated with bit resolution enhancement are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes logic configured to produce a high-resolution pixel from a low-resolution pixel. The apparatus includes logic configured to classify the high-resolution pixel as being in a smooth region of an image based on at least one of a gradient value and a variance value associated with the low-resolution pixel. The apparatus includes logic configured to selectively re-classify the high-resolution pixel as not being in the smooth region of the image based on a set of neighboring high-resolution pixels associated with high-resolution pixel. The apparatus includes logic configured to selectively filter the high-resolution pixel based on whether the high-resolution pixel remains classified as being in the smooth region of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Vasudev Bhaskaran, Nikhil Balram, Sujith Srinivasan, Sanjay Garg
  • Patent number: 9001275
    Abstract: HDMI is a digital audio and video communications protocol commonly used in consumer electronics. HDMI is particularly synonymous with high fidelity audio and video. Even though HDMI is a digital communications protocol, the audio quality can be impaired by analog signal impairments and distortions even if there are no digital decoding errors. In particular, the very process by which the audio is converted from Digital (HDMI) to human audible “Analog Audio” can be prone to errors. This occurs when the Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) clock, which is derived from the HDMI TMDS clock or HDMI source, is “distorted” due to its jitter, resulting in erroneous sampling or outputting of vital audio samples, thereby reducing the audio quality of the experience. The present invention reduces the jitter on the TMDS clock, and hence the audio DAC clock, resulting in lower audio distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventors: Andrew Joo Kim, David Anthony Stelliga
  • Patent number: 9001274
    Abstract: An image processing method for processing an input image is provided. The image processing method includes: performing a plurality of first imaging processing operations on the input image to generate a first image; and performing a plurality of second imaging processing operations on the first image. Each of the first imaging processing operations is along a first direction, and the plurality of first imaging processing operations include a first scaling operation for increasing resolution. Each of the second imaging processing operations is along a second direction different from the first direction, and the plurality of second imaging processing operations include a second scaling operation for increasing resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Teng-Yi Lin, Wei-Fu Chen, Wei-Jen Lo
  • Patent number: 8994882
    Abstract: Systems and methods may provide for conducting a real-time perceptual quality analysis of a video, wherein the perceptual quality analysis includes at least one of a noise measurement, a contrast measurement and a sharpness measurement. One or more strength parameters of one or more post-processing modules in a video processing pipe may be set based on the perceptual quality analysis resulting in overall video processing that adapts to the changing perceptual quality of the input. In one example, the strength parameters include at least one of a contrast parameter and a de-noising parameter. The invention results in visually enhanced video at the output of the post-processing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kalpana Seshadrinathan, Jorge E. Caviedes
  • Publication number: 20150070588
    Abstract: An imaging processing circuit includes at least a pixel sensor and a processing unit. The pixel sensor includes a photo detector and a storage capacitor. The photo detector is arranged for generating a first pixel signal. The storage capacitor is arranged for storing a second pixel signal. The processing unit is coupled to the pixel sensor, and arranged for generating an updated second pixel signal during a current operating cycle of the imaging processing circuit according to the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal. The updated second pixel signal is stored in the storage capacitor before a next operating cycle of the imaging processing circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Himax Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Ping-Hung Yin
  • Patent number: 8976186
    Abstract: This invention provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method. By calculation of the pixel difference that is the difference of each corresponding pixels between the current image and the previous image with its neighbor pixel difference, this invention can determine the blending value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chung-Ping Yu, Cheng-Han Li
  • Patent number: 8977049
    Abstract: A method for estimating signal-dependent noise includes defining a plurality of pixel groups from among the image pixels. The method further includes computing, for one or more signal levels of the image, a difference value between two pixel groups, whereby a respective one or more difference values are computed collectively. The method determines an estimated noise response of the image as a function of the one or more computed difference values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Timo Aila, Samuli Laine
  • Patent number: 8976298
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for performing video denoising (VDN). An adaptive noise threshold is dynamically determined and used to distinguish between frame to frame differences in pixel values that relate to image motion from those differences that relate to noise. The disclosed techniques enable the noise threshold to be continuously updated, for example as frequently as once per frame, so that the noise threshold may closely track to varying levels of noise in the input video data. The techniques may be implemented in, for example, a video format conversion apparatus. Advantageously, the techniques may be incorporated in programmable logic devices (PLD's) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA's) configurable to perform video format conversion, while adding only modest additional computational demands on the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Kieron Turkington, Vivek Gowri-Shankar
  • Patent number: 8970710
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the quality of a video is provided. The method comprises: generating a frame loss pattern of the video by indicating whether each frame in the video is lost or successfully transmitted; and evaluating the quality of the video as a function of the generated t came loss pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Xiao Dong Gu, De Bing Liu, Zhi Bo Chen
  • Patent number: 8970787
    Abstract: Disclosed are an image quality improvement device and method. The image quality improvement device includes a filter which separates an input video signal into a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, and a noise reduction unit which detects a motion in the input video signal by using the luminance signal separated by the filter, and thereby performing different filtering operations according to the existence of the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-han Jung, Dong-soo Koo, Sung-hee Kim
  • Publication number: 20150049221
    Abstract: A video device continuously monitors the current frame rate and the speed of its processor to determine how much pre-processing the device can carry out on each individual frame. Based on this knowledge, the device continuously adjusts the pre-processing methodology in order to ensure that processing is completed before the next frame is likely to arrive. The device may carry out these adjustments on raw video frames received from the video capture unit (e.g., the camera of a smartphone).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
    Inventor: Russell W. Knize
  • Patent number: 8941785
    Abstract: A projector includes a moving unit adapted to move positions of at least six correction points, which are included in a correcting image, a reception unit adapted to receive a designation on a value of a parameter representing linearity, a derivation unit adapted to derive a correspondence relationship of the coordinates between and input image and the correcting image using coordinates of the at least six correction points moved by the moving unit, and the parameter having the value designation of which is received by the reception unit, and a processing unit adapted to perform a correction process on the input image based on the correspondence relationship derived by the derivation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Saigo
  • Publication number: 20150015790
    Abstract: Computer implemented techniques that involve captured, e.g., self-captured video for educational and other uses such as improving job performance of geographically distributed employees and incremental video optimizations and compressions are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: ALLEGO INC.
    Inventors: Yuchun Lee, Andre Black, Edward Chin, Mark Magnacca
  • Patent number: 8934720
    Abstract: An image processing device preventing the effect of noise from restricting the processing range of the super resolution process. The image processing device classifies each of a plurality of pieces of input pixel data that represent the input image into high-frequency region data or non-high-frequency region data, and generates, as at least part of output pixel data that represents the output image, one or more pieces of output pixel data in correspondence with one or more pieces of input pixel data classified as the high-frequency region data, by using the super resolution process data in accordance with amounts of noise of the one or more pieces of input pixel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventor: Masao Hamada
  • Patent number: 8929434
    Abstract: Image or video from a cell phone is processed to expand the image in a way to display it on a high definition video screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ubiquity Broadcasting Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Stephen Bailey, Christopher Carmichael
  • Publication number: 20150002746
    Abstract: A filtering system includes a first filtering module, which includes a first frequency translating device and a first filter. The first frequency translating device includes a center frequency control end that receives a first control signal and an input end that receives an input signal, and performs a first frequency translation on the input signal by utilizing a first control frequency of the first control signal as a center frequency. The first filter performs a first filter on the input signal according to equivalent impedance of a circuit coupled to the input end, and generates in collaboration with the first frequency translating device a first filtered input signal at an output end of the filtering system. The equivalent impedance determines a bandwidth of the first filtered input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Shih-Chieh Yen, Chao-Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 8922714
    Abstract: A video processing system includes a network processing module configured to receive video content. A decoder module is configured to decode the video content received from the content transmitting system, and separately provide each of the decoded video content and data describing transmission features of the video content. A video quality estimation module is configured to estimate a quality factor based on the data describing the transmission features of the video content, wherein the quality factor corresponds to an estimation of a visual quality of the video content. A database control module configured to select, based on the quality factor, one of a plurality of predetermined settings for video post-processing. A video post-processing module is configured to receive the decoded video content separately provided from the decoder module, and process the decoded video content based on the selected one of the predetermined settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Vasudev Bhaskaran, Mainak Biswas, Nikhil Balram
  • Publication number: 20140368700
    Abstract: A method for cross-modal signal denoising, the method comprising using at least one hardware processor for: providing a first multi-modal signal comprising at least two relatively clear modalities; correlating features exhibited simultaneously in the at least two relatively clear modalities of the first multi-modal signal; providing a second multi-modal signal comprising at least one relatively noisy modality and at least one relatively clear modality; and denoising the at least one relatively noisy modality of the second multi-modal signal by associating between (a) features exhibited in the at least one relatively noisy modality of the second multi-modal signal and (b) the features of the first multi-modal signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Dana Segev, Yoav Schechner, Michael Elad
  • Patent number: 8913194
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method to reduce the deterioration of visibility of an image displayed on an image display device occurring under various lighting conditions when the brightness of ambient light is brighter than that of the image display device, and includes a sensor to sense the brightness of an external light, a unit to store a luminance-contrast model curve representing an optimal contrast value for a particular luminance for each brightness of the external light, a unit to determine a target luminance value according to the sensed brightness of the external light, to obtain a contrast value corresponding to the target luminance value with reference to the luminance-contrast model curve corresponding to the sensed brightness, and to adjust an input image to have the target luminance value and the obtained contrast value, and a unit to adjust the saturation of the adjusted input image according to the target luminance value and the obtained contrast value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-ji Kim, Hyun-wook Ok, Chang-Yeong Kim, Du-sik Park, Young-ran Han, Won-hee Choe
  • Patent number: 8907974
    Abstract: When a single pixel is displayed by four color sub-pixels, or R (red), G (green), B (blue), and G, in a Bayer array, this invention sets the scaling rate of a scaling process to 3/2 times when executing the scaling process on image data having three color components, or R, G, and B, and then executes a color conversion process for finding four color components from the three color components; after this, a decimation process for reducing the number of pixels is carried out. Setting the scaling rate of the scaling process to an integer proportion, moirés caused by the scaling process can be made less noticeable. Note that it is desirable for the scaling rate of the scaling process to be close to ?2 and for the denominator of the integer proportion to be lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8908100
    Abstract: Image data is processed to present a pleasing display. According to an example embodiment, each pixel of an input video frame is filtered using a variable frequency response filter that is responsive to the motion velocity of the pixel being filtered (e.g., filters data above or below a threshold based upon the motion velocity). A peaked video frame and a blurred video frame are generated for each input video frame using the filtered pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Entropic Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Haiyan He, Johan Gerard Willem Maria Janssen, Erwin Ben Bellers
  • Patent number: 8907284
    Abstract: A pixel circuit may include a detection circuit having first and second transistors coupled in series between differential output nodes of an antenna. The antenna may be configured to be sensitive to terahertz radiation. The pixel circuit may also include a capacitor coupled to an intermediate node between the first and second transistors, and control circuitry coupled to control nodes of the first and second transistors. The control circuitry may be configured for selectively applying to the control nodes a gate biasing voltage for biasing the control nodes of the first and second transistors during a detection phase of the pixel circuit, and/or a reset voltage for resetting a voltage stored by the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Hani Sherry, Andreia Cathelin, Ullrich Pfeiffer, Janusz Grzyb, Richard Al Hadi
  • Patent number: 8907973
    Abstract: An image processor includes generates a content adaptive kernel from an image block with noise of a luminance component signal with a low resolution. The content adaptive kernel is convolved with the luminance component signal. A noise signal and an extracted texture which excludes noise are generated. The luminance component signal is filtered as function of the noise signal to generate an enhanced luminance component signal. Horizontal and vertical scaling is performed on the enhanced luminance component signal, the extracted texture, and the luminance component signal, with the luminance component signal adaptively scaled as a function of the extracted texture. The horizontally and vertically scaled enhanced luminance component signal, extracted texture and luminance component signal are then combined to generate an output luminance component signal with a high resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventor: Chandranath Manchi
  • Patent number: 8908101
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing noise of a video image are provided. The method includes: reducing noise in a difference between a current frame and a previous frame in which temporal noise is reduced; detecting motion information about the current frame based on the difference in which the noise is reduced; reducing temporal noise in the current frame via a weighted sum of the current frame and the previous frame in which the temporal noise is reduced, according to the motion information; and reducing spatial noise in the current frame based on an edge direction of the current frame in which the temporal noise is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University
    Inventors: Chang-min Lee, Moon-gi Kang, Sang-wook Park, Min-seok Lee
  • Publication number: 20140354886
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of blind deblurring and blind super-resolution utilizing internal patch recurrence. Small signal patches tend to repeat “as is” across multiple scales of a natural signal. This fractal-like behavior is utilized for signal processing tasks, including “Blind Deblurring” or “Blind Super-Resolution”, namely, removing signal blur or increasing signal resolution without a-priori knowledge of the underlying blur kernel. While the cross-scale patch recurrence is strong in signals taken under ideal conditions, the cross-scale patch recurrence significantly diminishes when the acquisition blur deviates from an ideal blur. These deviations from ideal patch recurrences are used for recovering the underlying (unknown) blur kernel. The correct blur kernel is recovered by seeking the kernel which maximizes the patch similarity across scales of a related “reference” signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Tomer MICHAELI, Michal Irani
  • Publication number: 20140354885
    Abstract: A method for generating a noise profile of noise in an image sequence and an apparatus configured to generate such a noise profile are described. An image sequence is retrieved via an input. An image analyzer then determines image regions in the image sequence suitable for measuring noise properties. A noise analyzer measures noise properties in the determined image regions. The measured noise properties are provided to a profile generator, which determines a noise profile from the measured noise properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventor: Dietmar HEPPER
  • Patent number: 8902366
    Abstract: In order to trigger an out of focus alert when the focus level of a video frame meets a focus criteria, a method is performed including the operations of: receiving a video frame, partitioning the video frame into a plurality of blocks, calculating an array of discrete cosign transformation (DCT) coefficients for at least one of the plurality of blocks using a DCT, classifying each of the at least one of the plurality of blocks based on the array of DCT coefficients for that block, calculating a focus level of the video frame from the block classifications, and triggering an out of focus alert if the focus level meets a focus criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Verint Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Fuk Sang Mak, Hing Yip Chung, Tao Luo, Wai Shing Yiu, Chi Kin Lee, Shiu Hang Tsang
  • Patent number: 8903191
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of processing a video sequence may include receiving an input video sequence having an input video sequence resolution, aligning images from the input video sequence, reducing noise in the aligned images, and producing an output video sequence from the reduced noise images, wherein the output video sequence has the same resolution as the input video sequence resolution. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Oscar Nestares, Horst W. Haussecker, Scott M. Ettinger, Yoram Gat, Sreenath Kurupati
  • Patent number: 8902365
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a universal television receiver that is capable of processing television channel signals broadcast according to a variety of analog and digital broadcast standards. In particular, various embodiments are provided for avoiding interferers in a desired television channel signal and these embodiments generally include changing sampling rate, shifting certain oscillation frequencies or changing sampling rate and shifting certain oscillation frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventors: Lance Greggain, Vyacheslav Shyshkin, Chris Ouslis, Steve Selby
  • Patent number: 8896766
    Abstract: A display apparatus that displays an image by causing a light emitting device to emit light includes a detection unit configured to detect flicker information that indicates a likelihood of occurrence of a flicker based on input image information, and a control unit configured to control both a light emission luminance and a duty ratio of a light emission time of the light emitting device according to the flicker information detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eisaku Tatsumi
  • Publication number: 20140333804
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a lens unit, an image sensor, a processing unit, and a display unit. The image sensor is configured to output a first data based on a subject image through the lens unit. The processing unit is configured to correct a distortion of the first data caused by an optical property of the lens unit and to output a second data. The display unit is configured to display based on the second data for each of predetermined lines in a display area. The first predetermined line is a line displayed at a first or last horizontal synchronization time. The second predetermined line is a line displayed at horizontal synchronization time other than the first or last horizontal synchronization time. The first or last horizontal synchronization time is longer than the horizontal synchronization time other than the first or last horizontal synchronization time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventor: Ryuichi SHIOHARA
  • Patent number: 8885969
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding apparatus for detecting coding artifacts in an image. The proposed apparatus comprises an edge position detector that detects an edge position of an edge in said image, a border position detector that detects a border position of a border between a texture area and a flat area in said image, and an artifact position defining unit that defines the area between said edge position and said border position as artifact area potentially comprising coding artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Frank Moesle, Zhichun Lei, Matthias Brueggemann
  • Patent number: 8879003
    Abstract: Various implementations address distortion and quality measurements. Certain implementations relate to distortions resulting in a freeze-with-skip and/or a freeze-without-skip. In one implementation, a pause term provides an indication of distortion associated with a pause arising from not displaying one or more consecutive pictures that are not to be displayed. A motion term provides an indication of distortion associated with a related change in motion. A combined indicator is based on an addition of the pause term and the motion term. In another particular implementation, a first indicator indicates distortion across one or more types of distortive effects that results from not displaying a first set of pictures. A second indicator indicates corresponding distortion with respect to a second set of pictures. The first indicator and the second indicator are combined in a non-linear manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Xiaodong Gu, Debing Liu, Zhibo Chen
  • Patent number: 8878904
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for enhancing a viewing experience when display content is viewed utilizing stereo glasses. In use, display content is received for being outputted utilizing a display. Further, a duration of a vertical blanking interval associated with the display content is increased for enhancing a viewing experience when the display content is viewed utilizing the stereo glasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Gerrit A. Slavenburg, Thomas F. Fox, David Robert Cook
  • Patent number: 8879000
    Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a processor, such as a video processor, may determine a flatness value for a current video picture and may adjust a mosquito noise filtering of a subsequent video picture based on the determined flatness value. The flatness value may be determined within a predetermined region of the current video picture, which may be dynamically modified by the processor. The flatness value may be associated with the presence of analog noise in the current video picture, and may be determined based on horizontal and vertical variance values determined for one or more portions of the current video picture. The processor may adjust a mosquito noise strength value of the current video picture based on the determined flatness value and may adjust the mosquito noise filtering of the subsequent video picture based on the adjusted mosquito noise strength value of the current video picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jaewon Shin, Brian Schoner
  • Patent number: 8875200
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for outputting video frames while changing channels using a digital broadcast receiver are provided. The method includes sequentially tuning to a plurality of channels and receiving a plurality of digital broadcast signals from the respective channels; extracting a plurality of video frames from the respective digital broadcast signals and storing the video frames; receiving a digital broadcast signal from a desired channel to be tuned upon receiving a channel-change command; and outputting at least one of the stored video frames before a digital broadcast signal of the desired channel is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Min-Kyu Park
  • Patent number: 8872978
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems that provide automatic compensation for frequency attenuation of a video signal transmitted over a cable. In accordance with an embodiment, a system includes an equalizer and a compensation controller. The equalizer receives a video signal that was transmitted over a cable, provides compensation for frequency attenuation that occurred during the transmission over the cable, and outputs a compensated video signal. The compensation controller automatically adjusts the compensation provided by the equalizer based on comparisons of one or more portions of the compensated video signal to one or more reference voltage levels. One or more values indicative of one or more levels of compensation provided by the equalizer are stored in memory and/or registers for each time, of a plurality of times. A monitor monitors for changes in the cable and/or the video signal transmitted over the cable based on the stored values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC
    Inventors: David W. Ritter, Kathryn M. Tucker
  • Patent number: 8872977
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes performing a local content analysis on video data to classify pixels into singular pixels, motion pixels and static pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Yi-Jen Chiu
  • Publication number: 20140307169
    Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus includes a scene change frame detection unit that detects at least one of frames immediately before and immediately after a scene change among frames included in a video signal and a time-difference signal having a time difference from the video signal based on the video signal and the time-difference signal and a noise reduction processing unit that weakens noise reduction of inter-frame noise superimposed between frames for at least one image signal of the at least one frame detected by the scene change frame detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: Yoshimitsu Murahashi
  • Patent number: 8861885
    Abstract: Techniques in accordance with the following disclosure enable digital images to be filtered (smoothed) to reduce noise and, at the same time, preserve the image's underlying structure. In general, image pixels are analyzed to identify those that participate in, or belong to, structure within the image and those that do not. For those pixels determined to be part of the image's structure, the direction of that structure is determined and filtering or smoothing along that direction is provided. Contrast enhancement in a direction perpendicular to the detected edge's direction may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Zimmer
  • Patent number: 8860885
    Abstract: The display apparatus includes a video receiver which receives a video signal from an external source; a video processor which processes the video signal received in the video receiver to be displayable on a display unit; and a noise processor which determines frequency position information of an interference signal component from a frequency domain of sync sections extracted from the video signal with regard to the interference signal component mixed in a predetermined frequency band of the video signal and causing noise in a display image displayed on the display unit, and compensates the display image based on the determined frequency position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-ho Choi
  • Patent number: 8860880
    Abstract: Apparatus for interpolating images generates motion vectors having a vector confidence value and has a motion compensated interpolation to use the motion vectors to interpolate a new image from two input images at a position determined by a phase control signal. The vector confidence values are used to generate an interpolation confidence measure. The phase control signal is then modified to offset the position at which the new image is interpolated toward the position of the closer of the two input images, if said interpolation confidence measure reduces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Snell Limited
    Inventor: Michael James Knee
  • Publication number: 20140300818
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for performing video denoising (VDN). An adaptive noise threshold is dynamically determined and used to distinguish between frame to frame differences in pixel values that relate to image motion from those differences that relate to noise. The disclosed techniques enable the noise threshold to be continuously updated, for example as frequently as once per frame, so that the noise threshold may closely track to varying levels of noise in the input video data. The techniques may be implemented in, for example, a video format conversion apparatus. Advantageously, the techniques may be incorporated in programmable logic devices (PLD's) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA's) configurable to perform video format conversion, while adding only modest additional computational demands on the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Kieron Turkington, Vivek Gowri-Shankar
  • Patent number: 8854550
    Abstract: A data processing device includes a clock converter, a data converter, and an error detector. The clock converter is configured to receive a first clock signal, convert the first clock signal into a second clock signal, and output the second clock signal. The data converter is configured to receive first data, convert the first data into second data using the second clock signal, and output the second data. The error detector is configured to check whether the first clock signal is in a first clock state or a second clock state upon the first data transitioning to a first data state, and output an enable signal to the clock converter upon determining that the first clock signal has transitioned to the first clock state from the second clock state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Pyeong Kim, Han-Kyul Lim, Cheon-Oh Lee
  • Patent number: 8854541
    Abstract: A demodulator of a video demodulation device includes an analog-to-digital converter converting an analog IF signal into a digital IF signal, a luminance gain adjuster performing gain adjustment of a luminance component included in the digital IF signal such that a maximum of the luminance component within a predetermined period becomes equal to a predetermined reference value, and a synchronization corrector receiving as input a result of the gain adjustment, correcting a signal corresponding to a signaling period of the horizontal synchronizing signal, and outputting the signal as a CVBS signal. The synchronization corrector outputs, as the CVBS signal, a composite signal containing the luminance component and a color component included in the gain adjustment result when the composite signal is smaller than the reference value, or the reference value when the composite signal is equal to or greater than the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Haruka Takano
  • Publication number: 20140293133
    Abstract: A projector includes a moving unit adapted to move positions of at least six correction points, which are included in a correcting image, a reception unit adapted to receive a designation on a value of a parameter representing linearity, a derivation unit adapted to derive a correspondence relationship of the coordinates between and input image and the correcting image using coordinates of the at least six correction points moved by the moving unit, and the parameter having the value designation of which is received by the reception unit, and a processing unit adapted to perform a correction process on the input image based on the correspondence relationship derived by the derivation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Manabu SAIGO
  • Patent number: 8842220
    Abstract: This invention enables, for example, reduction of motion blur in a hold-type display device and reduce flicker in an impulse-type display device by a simple process. For this purpose, an LPF filters a frame of input image data (A[i]) to generate low-frequency image data (L). A subtractor and an adder generate high-frequency image data (SH). Another adder adds the low-frequency image data (L) from a delay circuit to subsequent low-frequency image data. A divider halves the sum to generate low-frequency averaged image data (SL). A switch alternately outputs the high-frequency image data (SH) and the low-frequency image data (SL) every time a frame of image data is input. As a result, the apparatus of this invention can generate output image data having a frame rate twice that of the input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiwamu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: RE45506
    Abstract: An enhanced VSB receiver includes a tuner which tunes an RF signal and converts it into an IF signal, an IF mixer which converts the IF signal into a baseband signal, and a demodulator which demodulates the baseband signal into a VSB signal. The enhanced VSB receiver further includes a map recovery unit which recovers VSB map information of the VSB signal, an enhanced equalizer for compensating channel distortion of the VSB signal and outputting an equalized symbol, and an enhanced Viterbi decoder for estimating whether polarity inversion occurred during a symbol period of the equalized symbol and Viterbi-decoding the equalized symbol based on the polarity estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: In Hwan Choi, Kyong Won Kang