Image processing apparatus and method, and recorded medium

• US 20030160894A1
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagasaki, Tanio
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4007 based on interpolation, e.g. bilinear interpolation image demosaicing G06T3/4015; edge-driven or edge-based scaling G06T3/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0135 involving interpolation processes interpolation-based image scaling G06T3/4007; interpolation for video coding H04N19/587, H04N19/59

Abstract

A picture processing apparatus for processing picture signals of different formats comprises a memory 20 for storing input picture signals, read-out means 21 for simultaneously reading out the picture signals stored in the memory in terms of a preset number of the picture signals as a unit, and interpolation means 22 for interpolating picture signals for a preset position by executing preset calculations on the plural picture signals read out. For picture signals of an HD format, the picture signals are simultaneously read out in terms of the four pixels as a unit to execute four-point interpolation processing. Whilst for picture signals of an SD format, after a conversion to a 960×720 frame picture by applying field/frame conversion and doubling the number of the pixels in the vertical direction, the picture signals are stored in the memory, and the operating frequency and the number of times of operations of the read-out means and the interpolation means are changed to values as large as four times those. Thus, the picture signals of the SD format are simultaneously read out four times in terms of the four pixels as a unit to execute the 16-point interpolation processing.

Claims

1. A picture processing apparatus for processing picture signals of different formats, comprising:

storage means for storing input picture signals in a memory;

read-out means for simultaneously reading out said picture signals stored in said memory in terms of a preset number of the picture signals as a unit;

interpolation means for interpolating picture signals for a preset position by executing preset calculations on the plural picture signals read out by said readout means from said memory; and

control means for controlling the operating frequency and the number of times of operations of said readout means and said interpolation means in keeping with the formats of the input picture signals.

2. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, when the picture signals of the first format are input, said control means changes said operating frequency and the number of times of operations to values as large as four times those when the picture signals of the second format are input.

3. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, when the picture signals of the first format are input, said interpolation means perform preset calculations on 16 of said picture signals to interpolate picture signals for a preset position, under control from said control means, and wherein, when the picture signals of the second format are input, said interpolation means perform preset calculations on 4 of said picture signals to interpolate picture signals for a preset position, under control from said control means.

4. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

conversion means for applying field/frame conversion to picture signals of the first format and for doubling the number of pixels in the vertical direction.

5. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first format is an SD format and wherein said second format is an HD format.

6. A picture processing method for processing picture signals of different formats, comprising:

a storage step of storing input picture signals in a memory;

a read-out step of simultaneously reading out said picture signals stored in said memory in terms of a preset number of the picture signals as a unit;

an interpolation step of interpolating picture signals for a preset position by executing preset calculations on the plural picture signals read out in said readout step from said memory; and

a control step of controlling the operating frequency and the number of times of operations of said readout step and said interpolation step in keeping with the formats of the input picture signals.

7. A recording medium including a computer-readable program for picture processing, recorded thereon, said program processing picture signals of different formats;

said program comprising;

a storage step of storing input picture signals in a memory;

a read-out step of simultaneously reading out said picture signals stored in said memory in terms of a preset number of the picture signals as a unit;

an interpolation step of interpolating picture signals for a preset position by executing preset calculations on the plural picture signals read out in said readout step from said memory; and

a control step of controlling the operating frequency and the number of times of operations of said readout step and said interpolation step in keeping with the formats of the input picture signals.

8. A picture processing apparatus for interpolating picture signals, comprising:

storage means for storing said picture signals corresponding to input pixels in a memory;

generating means for setting an imaginary area around a picture formed by said picture signals for generating said picture signals associated with said imaginary area;

storage means for storing said picture signals associated with said imaginary area, generated by said generating means;

readout means for reading out said plural picture signals associated with plural pixels lying in the vicinity of a preset position; and

interpolation means for interpolating said picture signals associated with said preset position using plural picture signals associated with said plural pixels read out by said readout means.

9. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

said readout means reads out four of said picture signals associated with four of said pixels lying on the upper and lower sides and on the left and right sides of said preset position;

said interpolation means interpolating said picture signals associated with said preset position using the four picture signals read out by said readout means.

10. A picture processing method for interpolating picture signals, comprising:

a storage step of storing said picture signals corresponding to input pixels in a memory;

a generating step of setting an imaginary area around a picture formed by said picture signals for generating said picture signals associated with said imaginary area;

a storage step of storing said picture signals associated with said imaginary area, generated by said generating step;

a readout step of reading out said plural picture signals associated with plural pixels lying in the vicinity of a preset position; and

an interpolation step of interpolating said picture signals associated with said preset position using plural picture signals associated with said plural pixels read out by said readout step.

11. A recording medium including a computer-readable program for picture processing, recorded thereon, said program interpolating picture signals;

said program comprising;

a storage step of storing said picture signals corresponding to input pixels in a memory;

a generating step of setting an imaginary area around a picture formed by said picture signals for generating said picture signals associated with said imaginary area;

a storage step of storing said picture signals associated with said imaginary area, generated by said generating step;

a readout step of reading out said plural picture signals associated with plural pixels lying in the vicinity of a preset position; and

an interpolation step of interpolating said picture signals associated with said preset position using plural picture signals associated with said plural pixels read out by said readout step.

12. A picture processing apparatus for interpolating picture signals including at least luminance signals and chroma signals, comprising:

separating means for separating said chroma signals from said picture signals corresponding to sequentially input pixels;

interpolation means for interpolating chroma signals associated with a preset position using a plurality of consecutive chroma signals, as separated by said separating means; and

outputting means for outputting said chroma signals, interpolated by said interpolation means, simultaneously with corresponding luminance signals.

13. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said picture signals are 4:

2;

2 picture signals comprised of luminance signals Y, chroma signals U and chroma signals V.

14. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said interpolation means interpolates said chroma signals associated with an intermediate position of second and third chroma signals using four of said chroma signals separated by said separating means.

15. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said picture signals associated with said pixels are input in the horizontal scanning sequence.

16. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising:

removing means for removing high frequency components of said picture signals associated with said sequentially input pixels.

17. A picture processing method for interpolating picture signals including at least luminance signals and chroma signals, comprising:

a separating step of separating said chroma signals from said picture signals corresponding to sequentially input pixels;

an interpolation step of interpolating chroma signals associated with a preset position using a plurality of consecutive chroma signals, as separated by said separating step; and

an outputting step of outputting said chroma signals, interpolated by said interpolation step, simultaneously with corresponding luminance signals.

18. A recording medium including a computer-readable program for picture processing, recorded thereon, said program interpolating picture signals at least including luminance signals and chroma signals;

said program comprising;

a separating step of separating said chroma signals from said picture signals corresponding to sequentially input pixels;

an interpolation step of interpolating chroma signals associated with a preset position using a plurality of consecutive chroma signals, as separated by said separating step; and

an outputting step of outputting said chroma signals, interpolated by said interpolation step, simultaneously with corresponding luminance signals.

19. A picture processing apparatus for converting the scanning direction for picture signals, comprising:

writing means for alternately writing said picture signals, input in the horizontal scanning sequence, in different ones of a plurality of banks of a first information recording medium, from one preset unit volume to another;

readout/writing means for alternately reading out said picture signals every preset unit volume, for writing the information signals in a second information recording medium; and

output control means for outputting said picture signals every preset unit volume from said second information recording medium in accordance with the writing sequence.

20. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said first information recording medium is an SDRAM.

21. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said second information recording medium is an SRAM.

22. A picture processing method for converting the scanning direction for picture signals, comprising:

a writing step of alternately writing said picture signals, input in the horizontal scanning sequence, in different ones of a plurality of banks of a first information recording medium, from one preset unit volume of said picture signals to another;

a readout/writing step of alternately reading out said picture signals every preset unit volume of said picture signals, for writing the information signals in a second information recording medium; and

an output control step of outputting said picture signals every preset unit volume of said picture signals from said second information recording medium in accordance with the writing sequence.

23. A recording medium including a computer-readable program for picture processing, recorded thereon, said program causing the scanning direction of picture signals to be changed;

said program comprising;

a writing step of alternately writing said picture signals, input in the horizontal scanning sequence, in different ones of a plurality of banks of a first information recording medium, from one preset unit volume of said picture signals to another;

a readout/writing step of alternately reading out said picture signals every preset unit volume of said input picture signals, for writing the information signals in a second information recording medium; and

an output control step of outputting said picture signals every preset unit volume of said input picture signals from said second information recording medium in accordance with the writing sequence.

24. A picture processing apparatus for changing a bit width of picture signals, comprising:

conversion means for reducing the bit width of chroma signals of input picture signals to change the bit width of said picture signals; and

storage means for storing said picture signals, converted in bit width by said conversion means to a preset bit width, in a memory.

25. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the input picture signals are picture signals of a 40-bit width comprised of 10-bit luminance signals Y, 10-bit chroma signals U, 10-bit chroma signals V and 10-bit key signals K.

26. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said conversion means diminish the bit width of said chroma signals of the input picture signals of 40-bit width for conversion to picture signals of 36 bit width.

27. The picture processing apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said memory is an SRAM of a 36 bit width.

28. A picture processing method for changing a bit width of picture signals, comprising:

a conversion step of reducing the bit width of chroma signals of input picture signals to change the bit width of said picture signals; and

a storage step of storing said picture signals, converted in bit width in said conversion step to a preset bit width, in a memory.

29. A recording medium including a computer-readable program for picture processing, recorded thereon, said program causing a bit width of picture signals to be changed;

said program comprising;

a conversion step of reducing the bit width of chroma signals of input picture signals to change the bit width of said picture signals; and

a storage step of storing said picture signals, converted in bit width in said conversion step to a preset bit width, in a memory.