Abstract: A horizontal contour correction circuit for correcting a horizontal contour of a video signal to output as a corrected signal, comprising: a delay circuit for outputting video signal values of a video signal at at least three different times either before or after a reference time, the video signal containing video signal values being input in a time serial manner; a plurality of selection circuits each for combining video signal values selected in advance from a group of video signal values output from the delay circuit, and selecting one video signal value from each combination of the video signal values to output; and a switch circuit for selecting one video signal value from among the video signal values output from the plurality of selection circuits. The video signal values before and after the reference time are respectively subtracted from a video signal value at the reference time, whereby horizontal contour of a video signal is corrected.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus and method is capable of variably performing format conversion and image quality improvement according to a kind of an inputted image signal. A detecting section detects a kind of image signal inputted from an external device. A control section controls the format of the image signal to be converted by selecting the format converting coefficient from the first storing section in accordance with the kind of the image signal. A format converting section converts a format of the inputted video signal by the selected format converting coefficient. The control section selects an image quality improving converting coefficient corresponding to the video signal from the second storing section. The image quality improving section improves a quality of the video signal converted by the selected image quality improving converting coefficient.

Abstract: To enable a satisfactory suppression of overemphasized component after converting the number of scanning lines of video signal, when the video signal is converted in the number of scanning lines and a high-frequency component at least in a vertical direction of the converted video signal is emphasized, signals delayed by a plurality of stages of time equal to or more than a time required for converting the number of scanning lines are obtained by a delay circuit 18, and an appropriate delay signal is selected from among the plurality of delay signals by a selection circuit 19. The selected delay signal is compared with the emphasized video signal in emphasized-component detector circuits 16a, 16b and the overemphasized component is detected. Processing to suppress the emphasis is performed by suppressor circuits 13a, 13b with respect to a portion where the overemphasized signal component is detected.

Abstract: An adaptive contrast enhancement (ACE) method and apparatus provide a natural enhancement in accordance with the time-varying characteristics of a video sequence. Characteristics of a time varying video sequence are specified and a nonlinear transform over the input video sequence is performed to enhance mainly the contrast of the input. A probability density function (PDF) of a time varying input video sequence is computed and then some predetermined video parameters relating to contrast is extracted from the PDF. Based upon the extracted video parameters, a nonlinear transform function is then constructed and updated as a look up table (LUT), which is synchronized with the associated video picture or field SYNC signal. The transform LUT is then applied to the input video to provide an enhanced video output signal.

Abstract: Certain disclosed implementations use digital image processing to reduce the differential resolution among separations or images in film frames, such as, for example, red flare. A location in the red image may be selected using information from another image. The selected location may be modified using information from that other image. The selection may include comparing features of an edge in the first image with features of a corresponding edge in the other image. The modification may include performing wavelet transformations of the two images and copying certain coefficients (or a function of these coefficients) produced by the application of the transformation to the second image to the coefficients produced by the application of the transformation to the first image. The copied coefficients may be correlated with the selected location. Other disclosed techniques vary from the above and may be applied to other fields.

Abstract: An electro-optical device and a method for displaying an image are disclosed. A clear image with a clear profile can be displayed therein by processing input image data, for example input image data of TV broadcasting received by the device.

Abstract: A circuit for selectively controlling signal baseline and frequency emphasis. An amplifier with selectively controllable feedback circuitry allows higher frequency components of a signal to be emphasized over lower frequency components while also allowing control over the baseline of the signal. Additionally, a multiplexed video signal interface provides a multiplexed component video signal which includes component video signals with OSD data and user-controllable contrast, video gain and signal baseline, along with the ability to individually control such signal components.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for enhancing the quality of a digital video signal uses coding information for use in connection with spatial domain sharpness enhancement algorithms used in multimedia devices. The sharpness of previously encoded or transcoded digital video images is enhanced without enhancing encoding artifacts. The apparatus includes a usefulness metric generator that identifies a limit to the sharpness enhancement of an image that can be applied to a previously coded digital video that represents a sequence of images without enhancing coding artifacts. The usefulness metric generator applies the usefulness metric to at least one sharpness enhancement algorithm. The usefulness metric and the sharpness enhancement algorithm are separate so that the usefulness metric can be used with a variety of video enhancement algorithms.

Abstract: A vertical sharpness adjustment device with which a viewer of a TV receiver can choose a degree of vertical sharpness adjustment to enhance a contour of a picture in vertical direction is offered. The vertical sharpness adjustment device includes a terminal to which a vertical sharpness control signal given by the viewer is applied, a control circuit to which the vertical sharpness control signal from the terminal is applied and a vertical sharpness adjustment circuit which adjusts the degree of the vertical sharpness of a video signal according to the vertical sharpness control signal from the control circuit.

Abstract: A method of de-interlacing a video signal by conducting three linear filtering operations on the input to produce three filtered signals, each linear filtering operation comprising the taking of a weighted sum of pixels; and multiplying together the three filtered signals to produce an output video signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sharpness improvement apparatus of an image signal which improves a sharpness of an analogue image signal so as to display a clear image. A display device which displays an inputted image signal on a screen can display a clear image with a digital sharpness improvement apparatus which realizes a sharpness of the image signal into a digital method by improving a degradation phenomenon of a signal generated at an analogue image processing into a simple digital circuit.

Abstract: An image detail enhancement method and apparatus that is suitable for different types of digital images, regardless of their signal frequency range or noise level. The detail enhancement apparatus has multiple filters termed, detail filter bank. A detail filter can be e.g. a high pass filter (HPF) or a band pass filter (BPF). In a detail filter bank, each detail filter has a pass band covering a specific frequency range and can therefore be used to obtain the detail signal in the corresponding frequency range from the original signal. The detail signals from those detail filters can then be processed before added back to the original signal as enhancements. This provides image detail enhancement that is suitable for different types of digital images (regardless of their signal frequency range or noise level).

Abstract: A method is provided for deriving an objective sharpness metric for objectively determining the level of image sharpness of many and unspecific images having different degrees of sharpness. The method for deriving the objective sharpness metric utilizes sub-band frequency information and false edge information for both an original video sequence and a sharpened sequence to be scored.

Abstract: A video signal processing circuit, which performs contour adjustment by means of digital signal processing, is applicable to a viewfinder apparatus for a television camera and an image monitor apparatus, which can be operated both in an NTSC/PAL system and an HDTV system.

Abstract: A detail enhancement system uses a detail filter bank including multiple detail filters covering different frequency ranges. An input video signal representing a digital image is processed in the detail filter, wherein detail signals are extracted by the detail filters at different frequency ranges. Shoot suppression blocks and coring blocks are provided for each detail filter to prevent overshoot/undershoot artifacts and small ringing artifacts, respectively. The overall detail signal is amplitude scaled, and added back to the input signal as an enhancement, to generate a detail enhanced output signal.

Abstract: A picture quality improvement device has two-dimensional low-pass filter that takes as input a luminance signal YIN that is obtained from a video signal and that extracts low-pass components for a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the input luminance signal YIN. The picture quality improvement device adds an edge signal, which is obtained by subtracting from luminance signal YIN the low-pass extraction signal (LPF) that has been extracted by two-dimensional low-pass filter, to luminance signal YIN. Two-dimensional low-pass filter is constituted such that the extraction gain of the vertical direction low-pass component and the extraction gain of the horizontal direction low-pass component are independently adjusted.

Abstract: A time-discrete picture signal is formed from an analog picture signal, such as a luminance signal or a chrominance signal. Corresponding to the time-discrete picture signal, a time-discrete filter signal is formed, specifically a so-called “peaking signal,” which has a sequence of peaking signal values, of which one value each is associated with one signal value of the time-discrete picture signal. The discrete peaking signal is formed by a digital peaking filter from the discrete picture signal or by an analog peaking filter from the analog picture signal during subsequent sampling of the analog peaking signal. The peaking filter increases the amplitude of selected frequency components of the picture signal.

Abstract: An image signal processing device of the present invention includes an RGB-YC conversion for converting color component signals output from a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor to luminance signals and components thereof lying in a high frequency range. The luminance signals and their components lying in a high frequency range are fed to a first, a second and a third low pass filter (LPF), respectively. Luminance signals output from a third LPF are fed to an adder while components lying in a high frequency range are fed from the first LPF to a selector. Further, the components output from the second LPF are fed to the selector via a resolution correcting section. The selector selects either one of the two different kinds of components input thereto. The adder adds the luminance signals output from the third LPF and the components selected by the selector and thereby outputs second luminance signals.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional image data enhancement system is configured to reduce the effect of blanking areas on the large kernel processing of pixel data. Thus, when pixels comprising blanking data are processed, additional blanking data can be added to the blanking data such that the additional “fictional blanking data” will occupy an area within the kernel size instead of image data in an adjacent frame or non-related areas of the current frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a true horizontal resolution by determining a temporal spacing of a cumulated sum pattern of a detected rising feature edge. If the temporal spacing is approximately equal to n (which is a positive, non-zero integer, and is equal to the number of sub-pixels associated with a pixel) then the estimated horizontal resolution is the true horizontal resolution.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a display device include receiving a source video signal from a video source; storing video pixels in one or more line buffers; enhancing the video signal on the fly using data stored in the line buffers; if image enhancement is not necessary, rendering the source video signal and otherwise rendering the enhanced video signal.

Abstract: An edge correction apparatus and a method of performing an effective edge correction of an image signal in horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions include generating a two-dimensional (2D) second differential signal from the image signal, generating first differential signals in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions from the image signal, selecting one of the first differential signals, combining the selected one and the 2D second differential signal, and correcting the edge of the image signal using the combined signal. Therefore, it is possible to effectively correct edges of the image signal in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions.

Abstract: A sharpness filter processes a video signal that is to be displayed in a windowed environment. The windowed environment may contain windows that for displaying television images derived from video standards such as NTSC, PAL, and SECAM. Displaying windowed television images results in line scan rates and spatial frequencies that differ from the line scan rate and spatial frequency specified by the original video standard. The sharpness filter of the invention emphasizes certain high frequency components of the video signal in accordance with the encountered spatial frequencies. A control circuit for the sharpness filter provides a linear correlation between a user control and the center frequency of the sharpness filter. The sharpness filter shapes the output signal to avoid saturation and overdriving of video input amplifiers. The circuit can be implemented using a low-cost CMOS process.

Abstract: A control apparatus and method for processing a signal, and more particularly, a control apparatus and method for preventing a signal from being processed repeatedly by transmitting and receiving information related to a signal processing in a composite signal processing system that contains a television and a peripheral device. A signal providing device transmits enhancer information related to the signal processing by means of a wired or wireless communication. A signal receiving device uses the enhancer information and controls a signal processing block. Therefore, since the signal receiving device prevents the enhancer signal from being processed repeatedly, distortion of the signal can be avoided and an optimum signal can be output.

Abstract: An interlaced to progressive scan video converter which identifies object edges and directions, and calculates new pixel values based on the edge information. Source image data from a single video field is analyzed to detect object edges and the orientation of those edges. A 2-dimensional array of image elements surrounding each pixel location in the field is high-pass filtered along a number of different rotational vectors, and a null or minimum in the set of filtered data indicates a candidate object edge as well as the direction of that edge. A 2-dimensional array of edge candidates surrounding each pixel location is characterized to invalidate false edges by determining the number of similar and dissimilar edge orientations in the array, and then disqualifying locations which have too many dissimilar or too few similar surrounding edge candidates.

Abstract: An electronic circuit 100 and method for enhancing an image, in particular, for use in TV-applications, includes a N-dimensional image enhancement filter 130 for receiving an image signal and at least one further image signal, all image signals representing different pixels of said image. An intermediate signal output from the N-dimensional image enhancement filter 130 is combined with a high-frequency component of the image signal in order to generate an enhanced image output signal. The electronic circuit also includes at least one adjusting element 140-1, 140-2 for adjusting the intermediate signal and/or said high-frequency component in response to a determined amount of image enhancement applied to the image signal in the image enhancement filter 130 before being combined.

Abstract: A gray scale correction unit intended to provide a gray scale correction unit for preventing aliasing-like noise generation and gray-scale degradation of a gradation portion adaptively controls a correction value in accordance with the slope of a video signal, detects generation of aliasing-like noise, steepens an edge having a large amplitude without deterioration in the image quality, and improves a spatial frequency of the video signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of processing data, which may be pixels (P[i,j]) representing a sequence of pictures, previously encoded and decoded. The method comprises at least in series a first step (ED) of detecting edge pixels within a picture, followed by a subsequent step (TEST) in which a choice is made from the pixels not detected as edges in the previous step, as to whether these pixels are to be filtered or not. Then, the method comprises a filtering step (SAF) which consists in replacing at least a pixel to be filtered with a pixel belonging to a close neighborhood of said pixel, said close neighborhood comprising said pixel and pixels adjacent to said pixel.

Abstract: More natural contour emphasizing processing is performed by detecting the direction of a contour with respect to a point where horizontal and vertical contours cross and a diagonal contour point. The times of an objective pixel and all the pixels adjacent to the objective pixel in the horizontal, vertical, diagonal directions are made to agree with one another, contour emphasis values weighted with respect to the brightness of the pixel that has the largest difference in brightness among the pixels adjacent in the directions and the brightness of the objective pixel are calculated and added to the objective pixel. In order to solve the problem in a diagonal contour point, if two weighted continuous contour emphasis values have the same signs, the before and after contour emphasis values are adopted, and otherwise, diagonal optimization that the before and after contour emphasis values are made zero is performed and they are added to the objective pixel. Thus, more natural contour emphasis is performed.

Abstract: An apparatus displays a video signal (VID) by means of a scan (SCAN). The apparatus may be, for example, a television set. The apparatus comprises a device (SCAVEM) for modulating the scanning rate (Vscan) as a function of the derivative (DLUM) of a luminance signal (LUM) extracted from the video signal (VID). This enables the subjective display quality to be improved. The apparatus has the following characteristic feature in order to obtain an even better quality, notably when the apparatus is used for displaying video signals of different types. The derivative (DLUM) of the luminance signal, as a function of which the scanning rate (Vscan) is modulated, is obtained by means of a difterentiator circuit (DIFF) having a controllable frequency response (CFR).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing circuit and an image processing method, and is applied to, for example, a video camera, an electronic still camera and the like, for compressing the dynamic range at a high compression rate with evading the lowering of an impression concerning the contrast and the unnatural edge emphasis. The present invention smoothes an input image X while preserving the edge to obtain a gain correction coefficient, and corrects the pixel value x(i, j) of the input image X with the gain correction coefficient.

Abstract: Certain disclosed implementations use digital image processing to reduce the differential resolution among separations or images in film frames, such as, for example, red flare. A location in the red image may be selected using information from another image. The selected location may be modified using information from that other image. The selection may include comparing features of an edge in the first image with features of a corresponding edge in the other image. The modification may include performing wavelet transformations of the two images and copying certain coefficients (or a function of these coefficients) produced by the application of the transformation to the second image to the coefficients produced by the application of the transformation to the first image. The copied coefficients may be correlated with the selected location. Other disclosed techniques vary from the above and may be applied to other fields.

Abstract: Certain disclosed implementations use digital image processing to reduce the differential resolution among separations or images in film frames, such as, for example, red flare. A location in the red image may be selected using information from another image. The selected location may be modified using information from that other image. The selection may include comparing features of an edge in the first image with features of a corresponding edge in the other image. The modification may include performing wavelet transformations of the two images and copying certain coefficients (or a function of these coefficients) produced by the application of the transformation to the second image to the coefficients produced by the application of the transformation to the first image. The copied coefficients may be correlated with the selected location. Other disclosed techniques vary from the above and may be applied to other fields.

Abstract: A video signal enhancement unit (100) and an image display apparatus containing the unit have a processing unit (102) for contrast modification of the video signal. The processing unit (102) receives input data from a contrast counter (112), designed to store a contrast count. The contrast count is decreased by a pixel counter (104) each time the total number of pixels which have video signal levels that are higher than a predetermined video level, exceeds a predefined threshold. The contrast count is increased each time a trigger means (114) generates a pulse. A contrast comparator (116) can be coupled to the contrast counter (112) to limit the contrast count to a maximum contrast value.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: discriminating between a still picture area and a motion picture area in an input image; enhancing edges with a quantity of edge enhancement larger in the motion picture area than in the still picture area; and outputting the input image having the enhanced edges. The output having the enhanced edges is displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: A parallel scanning circuit outputs a parallel scanning signal for making forward and backward scanning lines parallel. A vertical correlation detection circuit detects a portion where the change in luminance in the vertical direction exceeds a predetermined value on the basis of a luminance signal, and outputs a movement control signal representing the distance of movement on the screen of the scanning line. A retrace period reversion circuit reverses the lime axis of the movement control signal in a retrace period. A clamping circuit clamps the movement control signal to a predetermined DC voltage at the timing of horizontal synchronizing signal. A synthesizing circuit synthesizes the parallel scanning signal and the movement control signal, and feeds a synthesized signal as a vertical velocity modulation signal to a vertical velocity modulation coil.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for performing segmentation-based enhancements of a video image. The apparatus comprises: 1) an input buffer for storing video frames of an incoming video signal; 2) a segmentation controller capable of segmenting a first stored frame into a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments comprising a plurality of pixels having at least one common property; 3) an image processor capable of calculating a probability function associated with at least one pixel in the first stored frame, the probability function indicating a probability that the at least one pixel belongs within a first selected one of the plurality of segments; and 4) an enhancement controller capable of enhancing a parameter of the at least one pixel as a function of the probability function of the at least one pixel.

Abstract: A horizontal contour signal generation circuit in a single chip color camera comprises a first horizontal contour signal generation circuit provided in a stage succeeding a first horizontal low-pass filter, a second horizontal contour signal generation circuit provided in a stage succeeding a second horizontal low-pass filter, and a selection circuit for adaptively selecting and outputting the first horizontal contour signal generated by the first horizontal contour signal generation circuit and the second horizontal contour signal generated by the second horizontal contour signal generation circuit on the basis of chroma information for each predetermined area calculated on the basis of a color difference signal, the first horizontal low-pass filter having the property of passing a higher frequency component, as compared with the second low-pass filter.

Abstract: A method for generating an enhanced image includes the steps of: (a) receiving a matrix of pixels representative of an image; (b) generating a gradient image representative of a difference between values of adjacent pixels; (c) calculating a center of mass for each pixel of the gradient image in response to gradient intensity values and location values of neighboring pixels; and (d) generating an enhanced image by modifying intensity values of pixels of the matrix of pixels that are located in a vicinity of local centers of mass in response to intensity values of pixels that are further displaced from the local centers of mass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for evaluating the quality of video data without gaining access to the source data. The system is configured to estimate sharpness metrics by detecting edge pixels and enclosing them with 8×8 pixel blocks. For each block, the sharpness according to the Kurtosis of the DCT is computed. The final metric is the average sharpness of the blocks in the edge profile and includes a robust combination of spatial and frequency domain information.

Abstract: A scanning velocity modulation deflection signal generator comprises a variable conduction device coupled to said scanning velocity modulation deflection signal generator. In a first condition the variable conduction device provides a feedback path to control a scanning velocity modulation deflection signal, and in a second condition the variable conduction device interrupts the feedback path and inhibits generation of the scanning velocity modulation deflection signal.

Abstract: In an image processing device, an edge detecting circuit 1 produces edge signals that represent edge components present in image signals, and an adder circuit 2 superimposes the edge signals on the image signals to produce edge-enhanced image signals. The image signals before edge enhancement are fed to a range setting circuit 3 so that, based on the image signals preceding and following a target image signal that is about to be processed by a clipper 4, a range in which the data value of the target image signal is allowed to vary is set. Based on the range of data values thus set by the range setting circuit 3, the clipper 4 clips the data values of the edge-enhanced image data.

Abstract: An image emphasizing apparatus includes: an outline component extraction section; a threshold value calculation section for calculating first and second threshold values; and an outline correction section for generating an outline emphasizing signal from the outline component based on the first and second threshold values, and adding the outline emphasizing signal to the input video signal, thereby generating an output video signal, wherein the outline correction section includes: an emphasizing signal generation section for generating the outline emphasizing signal, which is generated while limiting an absolute value of the outline component so as to be equal to or smaller than the first threshold value when the absolute value of the outline component is equal to or smaller than the second threshold value; and a signal addition section for adding the outline compensation signal generated based on the outline emphasizing signal to the input video signal.

Abstract: A screen-noise eliminating apparatus including beam-spot-length control means for increasing or decreasing the vertical length of a beam spot on a display screen generated by an electron of a cathode-ray tube for displaying a TV signal; vertical enhancement means for enhancing a given vertical-direction spatial frequency characteristic of said TV signal; and noised elimination control means for controlling said beam-spot-length control means and said vertical enhancement means so as to compensate according to the increase of decrease of said beam spot length.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing an edge transient contained in a video signal include identifying the edge transient and the edge center of the edge transient in the video signal; selecting a side of the edge transient, relative to an edge center thereof, to enhance; and adding an edge change signal to the video signal to asymmetrically enhance the selected edge transient.

Abstract: In an edge correcting circuit of an image to be represented by a digitized image signal, a high-frequency signal extracting circuit (5) extracts a high-frequency signal of the image by calculation based on a signal of a target pixel, a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by m (m being an integer not smaller than 2) pixels in the right or lower direction, and a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by m pixels in the left or upper direction, an amplitude-restricting signal generator (6) determines an amplitude-restricting signal (Si) based on a minimum value or a maximum value of an absolute value of a difference between the signal of the target pixel and a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by n (n being an integer not smaller than 1 and smaller than m) pixels in the right or lower direction, and an absolute value of a difference between the signal of the target pixel and a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by n pixels in the left or upper direction, an amplitu

Abstract: An edge correction apparatus for a digital video camera includes horizontal and vertical edge signal generators, horizontal and vertical edge signal gain controllers, an adder, a slice processor, and a vertical edge component suppression position detector. The horizontal and vertical edge signal generators respectively generate horizontal and vertical edge correction signals in the horizontal and vertical directions of a sensed image obtained via the image sensing element of a digital video camera. The horizontal and vertical edge signal gain controllers control the gains of the horizontal and vertical edge correction signals. The adder adds the horizontal and vertical edge correction signals whose gains are controlled. The slice processor adds, to the image processing signal of the digital video camera, an edge correction signal obtained by performing slice processing for an edge signal output from the adder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for error reduction during interpolation of pixels in a video image along edges. By combining the output of two interpolation methods (4,6) and by calculating a mix factor (k) using only the output of one interpolation method, the interpolation results may be improved. When applying the estimation error of edge-dependent interpolation in direction of a pixel obtained with a second interpolation method, the output is improved.

Abstract: In each of stages of a nonlinear filter, a successively determined target signal and plural adjacent signals are weighted-averaged with plural sets of different coefficients to calculate plural smoothed signals. Differences in level between the target signal and each of adjacent signals and signals arranged within the predetermined interval from the each of the adjacent signals are compared with a threshold value. According to the comparison, flags are set to the adjacent signal, to an adjacent signal arranged at a symmetrical position, and to adjacent signals arranged beyond the adjacent signals. The intervals of adjacent signals are different among stages. The target signal in level is used instead of the adjacent signals with smoothed signals, which are selected according to the flags. Weighting coefficients may be calculated on the basis of the comparison result, and smoothed signals may be synthesized according to the weighting coefficients.

Abstract: An improved interpolation method in which a threshold value used for determining a pixel value of a pixel generated by interpolation according to a context which is a state value of adjacent pixels. In the interpolation method, the ambiguity between the interpolation value and the threshold value is removed by using the context, thereby reducing the blocking and smoothing phenomena in the restored binary image.