Method and apparatus for a digital parallel processor for film conversion

• US 20010030709A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DFR2000, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DFR2000, Inc.
• Inventors: Tarnoff, Harry L., Spence, Stuart T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,829,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/459
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0408 Scanning film strips or rolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/36 Scanning of motion picture films, e.g. for telecine
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/38 with continuously moving film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/253 Picture signal generating by scanning motion picture films or slide opaques, e.g. for telecine scanning details therefor H04N3/36 ; standard conversion therefor H04N7/0112
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0112 one of the standards corresponding to a cinematograph film standard

Abstract

A cost-efficient digital parallel processor to improve throughput and offer a variety of output formats in film conversion is described. Image pixels on film are translated into electrical signals by photosensitive detectors. The electrical signals are digitized by analog-to-digital converters and thereafter provided to a digital parallel processor for film conversion functions. The digital parallel processor includes two or more groups of circuit elements to facilitate parallel processing. Each group of circuit elements can process a different set of image pixels simultaneously. In addition, image pixels belonging to the same set can be processed in parallel. This two-dimensional parallel processing structure facilitates faster than real-time film conversion sessions. A supervisor control circuit monitors and controls the sequence of film conversion functions. The output of the digital parallel processor is provided to a formatter which manipulates the data to conform to one or more standard formats. The data in different standard formats can be provided in parallel, thereby eliminated the need for additional film conversion sessions. The data in standard formats can be stored in local memory, written to a storage medium, provided to another device for further processing, or converted by a digital-to-analog converter for display on a video monitor.

Claims

1. A digital processor for film conversion, the digital processor comprising:

a plurality of input ports configured to receive digital data corresponding to film image pixels;

a first group of circuit elements coupled to the plurality of input ports and configured to perform initial film conversion processing on a set of two or more film image pixels in parallel;

a second group of circuit elements configured to perform intermediate film conversion processing on a set of two or more film image pixels in parallel;

a third group of circuit elements configured to perform final film conversion processing on a set of two or more film image pixels in parallel and output a plurality of signals corresponding to standard image formats in parallel;

a memory bank separately coupled to the three groups of circuit elements and configured to temporarily store partially processed film image pixels, thereby allowing the three groups of circuit elements to work on different sets of film image pixels in parallel; and

a supervisor control circuit configured to communicate with and instruct each group of circuit elements on the processing steps for the film image pixels.

2. The digital processor of

claim 1

, wherein at least one of the standard image formats is processed by a digital-to-analog converter for display on a video monitor.

3. The digital processor of

claim 1

, wherein each set of film image pixels correspond to a frame.

4. A digital processor for converting images in film format to one or more standard formats, the digital processor comprising:

one or more input ports configured to receive digital information relating to film pixels;

two or more circuit elements configured to perform film conversion processing on two or more film pixels in parallel;

a control circuit configured to monitor and control the sequence of film conversion processing by the two or more circuit elements; and

one or more output ports configured to deliver the one or more standard formats in parallel.

5. The digital processor of

claim 4

, wherein the images in film format are processed at a rate faster than real-time.

6. The digital processor of

claim 4

, wherein the images in film format are processed at a rate faster than 24 frames-per-second.

7. The digital processor of

claim 4

, wherein at least one of the standard formats is a digital file format.

8. A digital parallel processor to convert images in film to one or more standard formats, the digital parallel processor comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive analog signals corresponding to scanned film pixels;

a digital core processor coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converter and configured to perform film conversion processing on two or more film pixels in parallel; and

a formatter coupled to the output of the digital core processor and configured to manipulate digital outputs of the digital core processor into the one or more standard formats.

9. The digital parallel processor of

claim 8

, wherein the one or more standard formats are provided in parallel from a single film conversion session.

10. The digital parallel processor of

claim 8

, further comprising a local memory to store the images in the one or more standard formats.

13. The film conversion device of

claim 10

, wherein digital-to-analog conversion enables the digital output in the standard digital format to be displayed on a standard video monitor.

14. The film conversion device of

claim 10

, wherein the digital output in the standard digital format is displayed on a digital monitor.

11. A film conversion device for converting images recorded on film to an electronic format, said film conversion device comprising:

a photosensitive detector configured to produce an analog signal corresponding to a pixel in a film image;

an analog-to-digital converter configured to produce digital values to represent said analog signal;

a core processor configured to receive and manipulate said digital values; and

a digital formatter configured to receive digital output of said core processor and arrange said digital output to achieve a standard digital format.

12. The film conversion device of

claim 11

, wherein said core processor further comprising:

a supervisor controller configured to monitor and control functions in said core processor during a film conversion session;

a first group of two or more processing elements configured to receive said digital values and provide input processing;

a second group of two or more processing elements configured to provide intermediate processing;

a bank of memory elements configured to provide temporary storage; and

a third group of two or more processing elements configured to provide final processing and digital output to said digital formatter.

15. The film conversion device of

claim 11

, wherein each group of two or more processing elements process pixels corresponding to a common film frame in parallel.

16. An apparatus for converting images recorded on film to an electronic format, the apparatus comprising:

means for producing an analog signal corresponding to a pixel on a film image;

means for digitizing the analog signal;

means for digitally processing two or more pixels in parallel to improve throughput; and

means for manipulating processed pixels to conform to a standard electronic format.

17. A method of converting a film image to an electronic format in a faster than real-time rate, said method comprising:

producing analog signals corresponding to respective pixels in said film image;

converting said analog signals to respective digital values;

processing in parallel a plurality of pixels represented by the respective digital values and belonging to a common frame;

providing a digital output in a standard digital format suitable for display using a digital video player.

18. A device for generating electrical signals representing images recorded on film to an electronic format, said device comprising:

a platform supporting film reels;

a scanning module separate from said platform comprising an illuminating subassembly, a film guide subassembly, and an imaging subassembly;

said illumination subassembly including a lamp;

said film guide subassembly including a guide having a slit over which said film passes, said slit being illuminated by said illumination subassembly;

said imaging subassembly including an array of photosensitive detectors that receive light that passes through said slit and said film and outputs electrical analog signals corresponding to respective pixels in said film image;

an analog-to-digital converter configured to produce digital values to represent said analog signals;

a digital processor having a plurality of input ports configured to receive said digital values;

a first group of circuit elements coupled to said plurality of input ports and configured to perform initial film conversion processing on a set of two or more film image pixels in parallel;

a second group of circuit elements configured to perform intermediate film conversion processing on a set of two or more film image pixels in parallel;

a third group of circuit elements configured to perform final film conversion processing on a set of two or more film image pixels in parallel and output a plurality of signals corresponding to standard image formats in parallel;

a memory bank separately coupled to the three groups of circuit elements and configured to temporarily store partially processed film image pixels, thereby allowing the three groups of circuit elements to work on different sets of film image pixels in parallel; and

a supervisor control circuit configured to communicate with and instruct each group of circuit elements on the processing steps for the film image pixels.

19. A method for achieving faster than real-time film conversion, the method comprising:

digitizing analog signals corresponding to scanned film pixels;

performing a substantially identical processing step in a film conversion sequence on a set of two or more digitized scanned film pixels in parallel;

performing substantially different processing steps in the film conversion sequence on different sets of digitized scanned film pixels in parallel;

storing a set of partially processed digitized scanned film pixels in temporary memory when the next processing step in the film conversion sequence is unavailable; and

manipulating processed digitized scanned film pixels to produce digital data in standard file formats.