Abstract: A distance image acquisition apparatus includes a projection unit which projects a first pattern of structured light in a plurality of wavelength bandwidths, an imaging unit which is provided in parallel with and apart from the projection unit by a baseline length, performs imaging with sensitivities to a plurality of wavelength bandwidths, and generates a plurality of captured images corresponding to a plurality of wavelength bandwidths, a determination unit which determines whether or not a second pattern of structured light projected from another distance image acquisition apparatus is included in the captured images, and a pattern extraction unit which extracts the first pattern from a captured image determined as the second pattern being not included by the determination unit, and a distance image acquisition unit which acquires a distance image indicating a distance of a subject within a distance measurement region based on the first pattern.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The signal processing apparatus includes: a comb filter which divides a luminance signal and a chrominance signal from an input video signal and outputs a luminance level of the luminance signal and a color level of the chrominance signal; an output unit which outputs one of the luminance level output by the comb filter and a blurred luminance level obtained by blurring the luminance level; and a controller which determines whether the luminance level output by the comb filter includes the color level, and controls the output unit to output the blurred luminance level if the color level is included in the luminance level, and output the luminance level if the color level is not included therein.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing chroma signals are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include compensating a modulated chroma signal for distortions due to audio trap filtering. The compensated chroma signal may be demodulated to generate U and V chroma signals. The U and V chroma signals may be low pass filtered, and then YC aligned. YC alignment may comprise correcting portions of the U and V chroma signals based on the luma signal. The correction may be based on, for example, correlation between the U and V chroma signals and the Y luma signal, and/or energy level of the Y luma signal. The corrected U and V chroma signals may be chroma sharpened, where a gain parameter may be changed to change a transition slope for the U and V chroma signals. The chroma sharpened signals may also be clamped to reduce overshoot and undershoot.

Abstract: A method to enhance detail of an image based on noise elimination includes calculating a noise weight corresponding to a probability that a center pixel, located in a block of pixels of a region of the image, is noise by using a difference between the center pixel and a surrounding pixel located in the block of pixels, calculating a first substitution value for the center pixel based on the noise weight; and calculating a second substitution value for the center pixel by using the noise weight and a sharpen filter.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a cartoon are provided. The method includes receiving a digital image for processing at a server. The method includes executing a color structure coding procedure to produce a color-reduced interim image. The method includes generating a sketch from the digital image with a Difference of Gaussian procedure. The method includes combining the color-reduced interim image and the sketch into a processed cartoon.

Abstract: Techniques for designing a communications unit including a signal separation module for energy harvesting. In an exemplary aspect, the signal separation module includes first and second quadrature hybrids coupled by band-pass filters (BPF's). Incoming signals within the pass-band of the BPF's are directed through the quadrature hybrids and through the BPF's, and emerge as a desired pass-band signal to be processed by an RX processing module. Incoming signals lying outside the pass-band of the BPF's are reflected from the BPF's back to the first quadrature hybrid, and output as a non-pass-band signal to be processed by an energy harvesting module. In a further exemplary aspect, the signal separation module resides in a detachable module coupleable to a wireless communications device, and a signal transmitted by the wireless communications device is coupled to the signal separation module for energy harvesting.

Abstract: Motion detection in interlaced video fields, as useful in de-interlacing, includes spatial-temporal maximum filtering, temporal IIR filtering dependent upon spatial-temporal variance, and spatial variance dependent moving-still interpolation blending factor.

Abstract: A method of noise filtering of a digital video sequence to reduce ghosting artifacts, the method including computing motion values for pixels in a frame of the digital video sequence based on a reference frame, computing blending factors for the pixels based on the motion values, generating filtered output pixel values by applying the blending factors to corresponding pixel values in the reference frame and the frame, wherein selected filtered output pixel values are converged toward corresponding pixel values in the frame to reduce ghosting artifacts, and outputting the filtered frame.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are disclosed for separating a current frame of a composite video signal into a luminance signal and a chroma signal. A relative chroma correlation value is generated using a plurality of lines of the current frame. A weighted sum of inter-line pixel differences of the current frame is generated using the relative chroma correlation value. A frame difference signal is generated by subtracting a previous frame of the composite video signal from the current frame. A detected motion signal is generated that corresponds to motion detected in the current frame. The weighted sum of inter-line pixel differences, the frame difference signal, and the detected motion signal are combined to generate the chroma signal. The chroma signal is subtracted from the current frame to generate the luminance signal.

Abstract: A signal separator for separating luminance and color signals from a composite video signal includes: a first line delay element for delaying the composite video signal by one line period; a second line delay element for delaying the composite video signal by two line periods; an adder element for adding the first and second delay signals; a subtraction element for subtracting the second delay signal from the first delay signal; a control signal generator for passing a part of the addition signal within a predetermined frequency band therethrough; and a gain control element for reducing a level of the subtraction signal based on the control signal.

Abstract: A signal separator for separating luminance and color signals from a composite video signal includes: a first band pass element for passing a part of the composite video signal within a color signal band and within a predetermined frequency band; a second band pass element for passing a part of the first filtered signal within the color signal band and without the predetermined frequency band; and a first subtraction element for subtracting the first filtered signal from the composite video signal, wherein the predetermined frequency band is a frequency range in which the separation of the composite video signal into the color and the luminance signals is difficult.

Abstract: To provide a three-dimensional Y/C separating circuit that has a high responsibility to a motion in a video signal and can reduce a memory capacity, a three-dimensional Y/C separating circuit has a 2-frame memory 14 that delays a color signal by an inversion period thereof to produce a delayed composite video signal, a luminance motion detecting part that produces a first frame correlation signal by a subtraction processing between the delayed composite video signal and a composite video signal, an adding circuit 23 that produces a mixed video signal by an addition processing between the delayed composite video signal and the composite video signal, a frame memory 24 that delays the mixed video signal by one frame period, a subtracting circuit 25 that produces a second frame correlation signal by a subtraction processing between the mixed video signal and the mixed video signal delayed by one frame period, a determining circuit 26 that determines a motion from the first and second frame correlation signals an

Abstract: A system and method for improving decisions for 2D combing of a video. A 2D-comb is applied to a baseband video signal, thus producing a chroma component of the signal, and an associated combing error. A narrowband filter is applied to the chroma component to produce a filtered chroma component. The chroma component and the filtered chroma component are blended in proportions based on the amount of combing error to produce a new chroma component. A larger combing error induces selection or blending a larger portion of the filtered chroma component, which as a result of narrowband filtering contains less cross-chroma error. Subtracting the new chroma component from the baseband video signal produces a new luma component. The chroma component can also be filtered using a wider band filter to produce a non-complementary chroma component to be subtracted from the baseband video signal to produce the new luma component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blending a video signal responsive to a chroma motion result is disclosed. The method and apparatus are configured to determine whether any chroma motion exists within the video signal and providing the chroma motion result, to provide a first blending signal based on the chroma motion result; to provide a second blending signal based on the chroma motion result; to modulate temporal filtered luma and chroma components of the video signal with the first blending signal, to modulate spatial filtered luma and chroma components of the video signal with the second blending signal, and to add the modulated temporal luma and chroma signals to the modulated spatial luma and chroma signals to provide a blended video signal.

Abstract: Separation of luma and chroma in a video. In an embodiment, values on a current line of the sampled video signal, at ¼-period intervals, are compared with values on a previous line of the sampled video signal, at ¼-period intervals. Values on the current line of the sampled video signal are compared to values on a subsequent line of the sampled video signal. This gives information about the vertical frequency content. Values on the current line are compared with values having the same chroma phase on the same line to provide information about horizontal frequency content. The data of vertical and horizontal frequency logic are used by the decision logic to determine the appropriateness of combing based on these comparisons. If combing is not appropriate, the signal is bandpass filtered instead of combed. The low-pass and combing filters are applied to the original signal, not an interpolated or resampled signal.

Abstract: To improve accuracy of determining the average brightness level and maximum and minimum levels of the brightness signals for the entire screen. There are included a differential operation circuit that detects and differentiates rise or breaking edges in horizontal and vertical synchronous signals of an input image signal, thereby outputting horizontal and vertical differential signals synchronized with the horizontal and vertical synchronous signals, respectively; a sample window circuit that detects the beginning and ending positions of horizontal and vertical intervals to produce sample window signals established in any desired vertical and horizontal positions on the screen in accordance with the horizontal and vertical differential signals; and a brightness signal output circuit that outputs sampled brightness signals when the sample window circuit is operative.

Abstract: We describe and claim a fuzzy logic based adaptive Y/C separation system and method. The fuzzy logic based adaptive Y/C separation system includes an adaptive Y/C separator to use fuzzy logic to separate chrominance data in a video signal, and a panel to display the chrominance data. The adaptive Y/C separator includes a plurality of filters, each to separate chrominance data in a video signal, and a blending circuit to use fuzzy logic to blend the chrominance data.

Abstract: The present invention uses a 2D comb filter 20 to output a 2D chrominance signal C2d by comparing the current scan-line signals with the signals before and after the current scan-line signals. A 3D chrominance signal C3d is then acquired by directly subtracting two adjacent 2D image signals and then dividing by 2 to get an approximate chrominance signal C3d of the two 2D images. Ratio mixing is performed on the 2D chrominance signal C2d and the 3D chrominance signal C3d to output a near-actual chrominance signal. A chrominance variation value can be acquired by comparing the chrominance signals of the two adjacent images. Finally, an actual luminance signal of the current scan-line is separated by deducting the near-actual chrominance signal from the signals of the current scan-line to restore the luminance signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing chroma signals are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include compensating a modulated chroma signal for distortions due to audio trap filtering. The compensated chroma signal may be demodulated to generate U and V chroma signals. The U and V chroma signals may be low pass filtered, and then YC aligned. YC alignment may comprise correcting portions of the U and V chroma signals based on the luma signal. The correction may be based on, for example, correlation between the U and V chroma signals and the Y luma signal, and/or energy level of the Y luma signal. The corrected U and V chroma signals may be chroma sharpened, where a gain parameter may be changed to change a transition slope for the U and V chroma signals. The chroma sharpened signals may also be clamped to reduce overshoot and undershoot.

Abstract: A system which utilizes the processing capabilities of the graphics processing unit (GPU) in the graphics controller. Each frame of each video stream is decoded. After decoding the compressed image is separated into an image representing the luminance and an image representing the chroma. The chroma image is resampled as appropriate using the GPU to provide chroma values corresponding to each luminance value at the proper locations. The resampled chroma image and the luminance image are properly combined to produce a 4:4:4 image, preferably in the RGB color space, and provided to the frame buffer for final display. Each of these operations is done in real time for each frame of the video.

Abstract: We describe and claim a fuzzy logic based adaptive Y/C separation system and method. The fuzzy logic based adaptive Y/C separation system includes an adaptive Y/C separator to use fuzzy logic to separate chrominance data in a video signal, and a panel to display the chrominance data. The adaptive Y/C separator includes a plurality of filters, each to separate chrominance data in a video signal, and a blending circuit to use fuzzy logic to blend the chrominance data.

Abstract: A signal separator for separating luminance and color signals from a composite video signal includes: a first band pass element for passing a part of the composite video signal within a color signal band and within a predetermined frequency band; a second band pass element for passing a part of the first filtered signal within the color signal band and without the predetermined frequency band; and a first subtraction element for subtracting the first filtered signal from the composite video signal, wherein the predetermined frequency band is a frequency range in which the separation of the composite video signal into the color and the luminance signals is difficult.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for luma-chroma separation. A demodulator system demodulates a composite video signal to produce at least two baseband chroma signals. A given baseband chroma signal contains chroma information for one of a plurality of video frames comprising the composite signal. A three-dimensional (3-D) comb filter removes luma information from a given baseband chroma signal by combining sets of at least two baseband chroma signals to form a 3-D filtered baseband signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for correlation sharpening filtering of a composite video signal are provided. A correlation between a current pixel and at least one adjacent pixel may be determined. A plurality of chroma video signal components of a composite video signal may be blended based on the determined correlation. A luma video signal component may be determined based on the blended chroma video signal components. At least a portion of the plurality of chroma video signal components may be filtered, resulting in filtered chroma video signals. At least a portion of the plurality of chroma video signal components may be blended with the filtered chroma video signal based on the determined correlation. The blended at least a portion of the plurality of chroma video signal components may be removed from the composite video signal to obtain the luma video signal component.

Abstract: A simplified Y/C separation circuit separates a composite video signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal without subjecting the composite video signal to three-dimensional processing. A color demodulation circuit color-demodulates the first color signal into a first color difference signal. A three-dimensional processing portion removes an image quality debasing component by performing three-dimensional processing with respect to the first luminance signal and the first color difference signal or a second luminance signal constituting a component video signal and a second color difference signal. A selector selectively supplies the first luminance signal and the first color difference signal or the second luminance signal and the second color difference signal to the three-dimensional processing portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating color and luminance signals from a composite video signal in consideration of the existence and degree of a motion of the video image. The apparatus includes an output section, a first filter, a second filter, a third filter, a motion detector, a motion estimator, a color selector and a luminance selector. The color and luminance selectors select and output the color and the luminance signal from the output signals of the filters in accordance with the existence and degree of the motion.

Abstract: An adaptive comb filter small in circuit scale and simple in circuit constitution is provided. The frequency band component of chrominance signal is extracted from a composite color video signal by a bandpass filter. The extracted chrominance signal is delay by a delay circuit by one horizontal period. A subtraction output is obtained by a first subtracting circuit between the output signal of the bandpass filter and the output signal of the delay circuit. An addition output is obtained by a adding circuit between the output signal of the bandpass filter and the output signal of the delay circuit. A correlation detecting circuit is provided that outputs a binary signal k0 based on a relationship between the output of the first subtracting circuit and the output of the adding circuit. This binary signal k0 and a signal k1 obtained by delaying this binary signal k0 by a second delay circuit by one horizontal period are supplied to an arithmetic block.

Abstract: A video, audio and graphics system uses multiple transport processors to receive in-band and out-of-band MPEG Transport streams, to perform PID and section filtering as well as DVB and DES decryption and to de-multiplex them. The system processes the PES into digital audio, MPEG video and message data. The system is capable of decoding multiple MPEG SLICEs concurrently. Graphics windows are blended in parallel, and blended with video using alpha blending. During graphics processing, a single-port SRAM is used equivalently as a dual-port SRAM. The video may include both analog video, e.g., NTSC/PAL/SECAM/S-video, and digital video, e.g., MPEG-2 video in SDTV or HDTV format. The system has a reduced memory mode in which video images are reduced in half in horizontal direction only during decoding. The system is capable of receiving and processing digital audio signals such as MPEG Layer 1 and Layer 2 audio and Dolby AC-3 audio, as well as PCM audio signals. The system includes a memory controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image data expansion processor for digital still camera. Two blocks of 8-bit luminance data and one block of 8-bit color difference data are repeatedly output from a compressing/expanding unit in the above order and are supplied to a buffer memory. Two blocks of 16-bit data to be written are generated corresponding to the two blocks of 8-bit luminance data and one block of 8-bit color difference data, are sequentially supplied from the buffer memory to a frame memory in units of block and are written to the frame memory. Each of luminance data and color difference data is not written to the frame memory in units of block but 16-bit data to be written composed of these luminance data and color difference data is written to the frame memory in units of block. The number of blocks written to the frame memory can be reduced and total time required for switching an address in the direction of lines can be reduced.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method which can reduce the size of circuits for &agr;-blending and dithering and realize high speed processing which perform in parallel processing for finding an amount of update of present image data to be drawn with respect to image data already stored in a display buffer by using a blending coefficient in a subtractor and a multiplier and processing for adding noise data to the image data already stored in the display buffer in a first adder and adding the data obtained by the two processing at a second adder so as to find data comprised of noise data added to data obtained by linear interpolation of two colors, then extracting color valid values at a clamp circuit, thinning out the extracted data in a rounding-off circuit, and writing it back to the display buffer.

Abstract: A color comb filter (46), video decoder (40) and method for separating chroma (U,V) and luma (Y) signals from a composite video signal (41). The comb filter (46) includes circuitry (48) for generating color filter selections for filtering a chroma video signal (41) and control logic (62) for determining the filter selections based on color boundary properties of the chroma video signal (U,V). The video decoder (40) includes a comb filter (46), a demodulator (42), low pass filter (44), a remodulator (48) and a subtractor (50). The filtered, remodulated chroma signal (Uout,Vout) is subtracted from the composite video signal (41) to produce a luma signal absent hanging dots and false colors.

Abstract: An adaptive signal separation system and method for quadrature amplitude modulated signals that is particularly well-suited for YC separation of a composite television signal. An adaptive approach for separating overlapping signals wherein the adaptive approach selects between notch or equivalent filtering and a comb filtering system, wherein the chrominance is first demodulated to the IQ domain prior to comb filtering. The demodulated comb filtered IQ data streams are then re-modulated to reconstruct the luminance portion of the signal.

Abstract: A color filter device of a digital camera which comprises a luminance processor, a color processor, a control unit, and a color memory for storing color data. The color memory is controlled by the control unit so as to provide user-selected color data when the control unit terminates an output of the color processor to perform a color filtering, so that the user-selected color data is combined with luminance data output by the luminance processor.

Abstract: An image mixing circuit usable in a video camera for mixing images with a continuous gradation characteristic in both the luminance signal and color signal is provided according to the present invention. A color separation circuit separates plural image signals into plural luminance signal components and plural color signal components. A control signal generation circuit then generates the control signal needed for image synthesis from the plural image signals. A luminance signal mixing circuit and a color signal mixing circuit then separately mix the respective luminance signal components and color signal components according to the control signal.

Abstract: A system and method for time slicing multiple received data streams utilizing multiple processors in such a manner as to ensure that all processors are running at full capability and are efficiently timesharing a global memory storage area. The received data streams are each divided into fixed portions called spans. The invention is operable for sequencing the movement of the time-sliced spans between the processors, adjusting the scheduling of particular ones of the time-sliced spans as a function of either processor availability or maintenance of real-time transmission of the received real-time time-sliced data streams.

Abstract: An adaptive method and system for processing luma and chroma signals from lines of a video signal. The invention includes an adaptive comb filtering algorithm that determines whether to average lines of video data based on the signal content. If two lines are dissimilar, a simple notch/bandpass system is used. The invention provides improved adaptive comb filtering performance at vertical transitions between high-luminance-detail areas and between other areas such as solid colors or flat gray or white fields by dynamically determining whether to average the chrominance information of the current video line with the chrominance information of the previous line, next line, both of such lines, or neither of such lines.

Abstract: A 2-line YC separation device comprising a delay circuit for delaying a composite input video signal for a horizontal scanning period; a first band-pass filter which receives the composite input video signal; a second band-pass filter which receives the output signal of the delay circuit; a Y-correlation detector which receives the output signal of the band-pass filter; a C-correlation detector which receives the output signal of the band-pass filter; a difference detector for detecting a Y signal differential value; a YL-correlation detector for detecting a Y signal correlation; and an AND circuit for logically ANDing the output signals of the YL-correlation detector and the Y-correlation detector.

Abstract: A comb filter for use in a video decoder is described. The comb filter includes a line memory for storing as successive pairs of U and V samples of a decoded video signal corresponding to a previous horizontal line of video information and a line memory for storing a second previous horizontal line of video information. The filter also includes a circuit to calculate an average value of both U and V from a previous sample and a corresponding sample from a previous line. The filter also includes a circuit for calculating a correction term for each one of the averages. The correction term is calculated from the opposite color component as was used to calculate the average value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video filtering filters video frames by determining a set of frames to be used to generate a single filtered frame. This set of frames is then combined to generate a single combined image. In one embodiment, proportions of the luminances for each of four fields from two consecutive frames in an NTSC video signal are combined to generate the single combined frame.

Abstract: A two-dimensional contour enhancement is performed along a plurality of lines on a two-dimensional frequency characteristic chart, the line intersecting with each other at middle points between successive color cross generating regions and not passing through an origin. Then, the contour enhancement can be carried out in a frequency region of 3-4 MHz in which a visual effect of contour enhancement appears most effective, while the enhancement in the cross color generating regions can be suppressed.

Abstract: A video comb filter for PAL or NTSC TV standards separates luminance and chrominance signals from a composite video signal by adaptively selecting between at least two different filtering processes, depending on whether the chroma output of the processes is "legal" (is within certain limits) in terms of both magnitude and phase. The present comb filter has a two horizontal scan line delay, and is such that the magnitude and phase of a chrominance signal output from the filter never exceeds that of a single band pass filtered version of the composite video and subsequently does not invert the phase of the luminance signal. The chrominance output signal characteristic is similar to that a four scan line filter; however, because the present filter only uses two lines of delay, any vertical cross luminance occurs across only two scan lines and the diagonal luminance resolution is significantly improved. The output of the comb filter is "legal" (within the RGB color cube) at all times.

Abstract: A device that separates a luminance signal and a chrominance signal from an input composite color television signal, suppressing cross color interference and keeping a good color transient characteristic, by selecting characteristics of the color bandpass filters according to a vertical correlation value after obtaining a chrominance signal at an adaptive type comb filters.

Abstract: A device that separates a luminance signal and a chrominance signal from an input composite color television signal, suppressing cross color interference and keeping a good color transient characteristic, by selecting characteristics of the color bandpass filters according to a vertical correlation value after obtaining a chrominance signal at an adaptive type comb filters.

Abstract: A decoder using an adaptive non-separable digital filter has a correlation control circuit that generates from a composite video signal a set of filter coefficients for the non-separable digital filter. The filter coefficients are a function of a correlation angle for the image represented by the composite video signal. The non-separable digital filter, using the set of filter coefficients determined by the correlation angle, separates the composite video signal into its luminance and chrominance components. The non-separable digital filter may be approximated by a set of discrete filters having a common input, with each output being multiplied by a correlation factor, the correlation factors being the filter coefficients. The resulting multiplicands are summed to produce the separated luminance and chrominance components.

Abstract: A two-dimensional adaptation type luminance/chrominance signal separation apparatus for separating the luminance signal from the chrominance signal in accordance with correlation in a vertical direction includes a coefficient generator for generating a selection signal and mixing coefficients according to correlation of composite video signals, a chrominance signal processor for selectively outputting the chrominance signals filtered from the composite video signals according to the coefficients generated from the coefficient generator whereas the chrominance signals are generated by mixing respective chrominance signal filtered through a predetermined region, and a luminance signal generator for detecting a chrominance signal generated from the chrominance signal processor and a luminance signal generated from the composite video signal.

Abstract: A video-scrambling system induces a random wobble i.e., time shifting, in the location of active portion of the video frame, without affecting the horizontal sync signal and colorburst in each video line, thus providing both security and concealment. The security is enhanced by filling in the gap between the nominal beginning of active video and the actual beginning of active video with a synthesized video signal which replicates the adjacent active video using a digitally generated filling pattern. Also, a random noise overlay further conceals the location of the gap. Additional concealment is provided by wiggling in time the location of the horizontal sync signal using one or two frequencies and also by randomly altering the location of the vertical sync signal. The NTSC digital encoding in accordance with the invention is simplified by using only two channels, chrominance and luminance, and by a heterodyne circuit for chrominance stability.

Abstract: A vertical impulse detecting circuit 104 detects the difference between a level of data of a present horizontal line of an input composite picture signal and a level of data of each of a horizontal line a plurality of lines ahead and a horizontal line a plurality of lines behind. Either an output signal of a three-line chrominance signal separating circuit 100 or an output signal of a horizontal chrominance signal separating circuit 101 is selected as a chrominance signal (CC) that is supplied to a subtracter 105 according to an output signal of the vertical impulse detecting circuit 104.

Abstract: A filter is used for separating luminance and color signals from a composite color television signal in which the frequency of the color signal is multiplexed over the high-frequency region of the luminance signal. When a picture is detected with respect to its motion under frame correlation and if that motion is relatively small, the separation of luminance and color signals is performed based on the interframe correlation. If the motion is relatively large, the separation of luminance and color signals is made based on the interfield correlation. The luminance and color signal separation based on the interfield correlation is attained from a correlation with signals in a field spaced forwardly away from the subject field by one field. This is accomplished by selecting a calculation having the highest correlation in calculations for an objective sample point and a plurality of sample points located about the objective sample point.

Abstract: A quadrature modulated luminance/color signal separating device applied in a color television receiver. The most suitable luminance/color signal separation is performed by determining sizes of interference components in gross, fine, and superfine structures, thereby solving cross-color, cross-luminance and deterioration of resolution generated in fixed luminance/color signal separation. According to the present device, a control signal properly corresponding to a composite video signal can be generated using a control signal generated in a spectrum distribution adaptive system, and consistency of control signal can be kept by introducing a concept of IIR filter into the control signal. Also, luminance/color signal separation suitable for human visual characteristic can be done, and the luminance/color separating function in a 2-dimensional region can be improved by interference elimination function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filtering signals wherein a signal input to which the input signal is connected connects through a delay unit to a signal output and also connects through a filter branch to the signal output. The filter branch filters out constant parts and high-frequency parts of the input signal by the following steps. First the input signal is band-pass filtered. Thereafter, with a threshold filter, signal parts are eliminated having an amplitude below a prescribable threshold. In a following selector, signal amplitudes are allocated to a quantized, two-dimensional reference plane, and isolated signal parts are eliminated within the reference plane. Finally, a signal reconstruction is implemented by interpolation for coordinates of the reference plane at which a signal amplitude of a filtered signal part is essentially equal to zero.