Signal processor

• US 20050069286A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Miyashita, Masahiko, Yamada, Takao, Ohyama, Nobuo, Atsumi, Kou
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/240
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-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 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A signal processor includes a buffer memory for storing the image signal for output as a main image signal; a point setting section for storing a position on a temporal axis of the main image signal as a registration point in response to a given capture command, the main image signal corresponding to the capture command; a playback control section for causing the buffer memory to output an image frame following the registration point in response to a given playback command; a video capture section for generating a registration image based on at least one image frame in a neighborhood of the registration point of the main image signal outputted from the buffer memory, and storing the registration image; and an image superimposing section for superimposing the registration image onto the main image signal for display in a signal screen to generate a composite image signal.

Claims

1. A signal processor for processing image signals including a plurality of image frames, comprising:

a buffer memory for storing the image signal for output as a main image signal;

a point setting section for storing a position on a temporal axis of the main image signal as a registration point in response to a given capture command, said main image signal corresponding to the capture command;

a playback control section for causing said buffer memory to output an image frame following the registration point in response to a given playback command;

a video capture section for generating a registration image based on at least one image frame in a neighborhood of the registration point of the main image signal outputted-from said buffer memory, and storing the registration image; and

an image superimposing section for superimposing the registration image onto the main image signal for display in a signal screen to generate a composite image signal.

2. The signal processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first video output section for providing the main image signal coming from said buffer memory to a display device; and

a second video output section for providing the composite image signal to said display device.

3. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising an audio output section for providing an audio signal to a playback device,

wherein said buffer memory stores and outputs the audio signal together with the image signal, and said playback control section causes said buffer memory to output the audio signal to said audio output section in synchronization with the main image signal.

4. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein, when the main image signal has a low-brightness image frame, said point setting section stores a position a predetermined number of frames ahead of the low-brightness image frame on a temporal axis.

5. The signal processor according to claim 4, wherein the low-brightness image frame is included in a fade-in portion of the main image signal.

6. The signal processor according to claim 1, wherein said point setting section has a capability of storing a plurality of the registration points.

7. The signal processor according to claim 1, wherein said video capture section generates the registration image by converting the resolution of the image frame.

8. The signal processor according to claim 1, wherein said playback control section has a cue playback capability of temporarily stopping playback of the main image signal in response to a given standby command, and thereafter causing said buffer memory to output the image frame following the registration point in response to a given playback command.

9. The signal processor according to claim 1, wherein said playback control section has a hot cue playback capability of moving, in real time, the position on the temporal axis of the main image signal outputted from said buffer memory, to the registration point designated by the playback command.

10. The signal processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a loading mechanism for loading an information recording medium in a detachable manner;

a recording medium drive section for reading a playback signal from said information recording medium; and

a signal processing section for generating the image signal by decoding the playback signal.

11. The signal processor according to claim 1, further comprising an operation section for providing the playback command and the capture command.

12. The signal processor according to claim 11, wherein

said operation section includes a rotary control panel, and

said playback control section has a speed control capability of controlling, in real time, a playback speed of the main image signal based on a rotation angle and a rotation direction of said rotary control panel.

13. The signal processor according to claim 12, wherein said playback control section causes said buffer memory to output the main image signal in either a forward direction or a reverse direction in accordance with the rotation direction of said rotary control panel.

14. A signal processor for playing back video, comprising:

an operation section including a rotary control panel;

a playback control section for controlling, in real time, a playback speed of the video in accordance with rotation of said control panel; and

a video capture section for capturing, in response to a capture command coming from outside, at least one image frame of the video during playback, and generating a registration image based on the captured image frame to store the registration image,

wherein said playback control section displays the registration image on a display device while playing back the video.

15. The signal processor according to claim 14, further comprising an image superimposing section for superimposing the registration image onto the video for display in a single screen.

16. The signal processor according to claim 14, wherein said playback control section plays back the video and audio corresponding to the video.

17. The signal processor according to claim 14, further comprising a point setting section for storing a position on a temporal axis of the video as a registration point in response to the capture command, said registration point corresponding to the capture command,

wherein, in response to a given playback command, said playback control section plays back the video from the registration point used as a starting point.

18. The signal processor according to claim 17, wherein said playback control section has a cue playback capability of temporarily stopping playback of the video in response to a given standby command, and thereafter playing back the video from the registration point used as a starting point in response to a given playback command.

19. The signal processor according to claim 17, wherein said playback control section has a hot cue playback capability of moving, in real time, the position on the temporal axis of the video, to the registration point designated by the playback command.