DIGITAL SCALING

• US 20080080614A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francis S.J. Munoz, Stephen R. Campbell, Vadym P. Babich
• Original Assignee: Francis S.J. Munoz, Stephen R. Campbell, Vadym P. Babich
• Inventors: Munoz, Francis S. J., Campbell, Stephen R., Babich, Vadym P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/01 Conversion of standards , e.g. involving analogue television standards or digital television standards processed at pixel level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/012 Conversion between an interlaced and a progressive signal for graphics images G09G2310/0229

Abstract

Computer program products and arrangements to process digital data are contemplated. The digital data may contain values, representing quantities of a wave form over regions. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to process digital data by dividing one of the regions, where one of the values represents a quantity of a wave form over the region. The embodiments may include assigning a value to each of the subregions. The average of the values of the subregions, weighted by the measures of the subregions, may approximately equal the value of the region. The regions may comprise pixels and the values of the pixels may represent the intensity of light waves over the pixels. The embodiments may include the processing of digital data in cameras, televisions, audio players, seismic devices, and medical imaging devices. The subdivision of regions and the assignment of value to the subregions may utilize derivative migration.

Claims

1. A method to process digital data, the method comprising:

dividing a region into subregions, wherein;

the digital data comprises values, the values representing quantities of a wave form over regions,

the region is one of the regions, and

a value of the digital data represents quantities of the wave form over the region; and

assigning a value to each of the subregions, wherein the average of the values of the subregions, weighted by the measures of the subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dividing the subregion into sub subregions; and

assigning a value to each sub subregion, wherein the average of the values of the sub subregions, weighted by the measures of the sub subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the subregion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the region comprises a portion of a plane;

dividing the region into subregions comprises dividing the portion of the plane along a first line through the plane;

dividing the subregions into sub subregions comprises dividing the subregions along a second line through the plane, the second line not parallel to the first line; and

assigning a value to each subregion and sub subregion comprises weighting the subregions and sub subregions by the areas of the subregions and sub subregions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein dividing the region into subregions and dividing the subregions into sub subregions comprise dividing the regions and subregions along perpendicular lines.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining all or portions of a plurality of the subregions into a single region; and

assigning a value to the single region based on the values of the plurality of the subregions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the region comprises an interval;

dividing a region into subregions comprises dividing the interval into subintervals; and

assigning a value to each subregion comprises weighting the subintervals by the length of the subintervals.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the region comprises a rectangle;

dividing a region into subregions comprises dividing the rectangle into sub rectangles along one or more lines parallel to one of the sides of the rectangle; and

assigning a value to each subregion comprises weighting the sub rectangles by the area of the sub rectangles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the region comprises dividing the region into equal halves.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the region comprises an interval of time;

the value of the digital data represents the value of the wave form over the interval of time; and

dividing the region into subregions comprises dividing the interval of time into subintervals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the region comprises a frame;

the value of the digital data represents quantities of the wave form over an interval of time and a physical region; and

dividing the region into subregions comprises dividing the frame along the dimension of time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning comprises:

selecting a function f integrable over the subregions and the region, wherein the value of an integral of f over the region is approximately equal to the value of the digital data; and

assigning to each subregion the integral of f over the subregion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

selecting a function f comprises selecting a function f defined along one dimension of the region; and

the assigning comprises assigning to each subregion the integral of f over the subregion along the dimension.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning a value to a subregion comprises assigning a value based upon the value of the region and the value of neighboring regions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the region comprises a subinterval;

the subregions comprise a first and second division of the subinterval;

the neighboring regions comprise a first and a second neighboring region, wherein the first neighboring region neighbors the first division of the subinterval and the second neighboring region neighbors the second division of the subinterval; and

assigning a value to each subregion comprises assigning a value to each subregion based upon the value of the region and values of the neighboring regions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

assigning a value to each subregion based upon the value of the region and values of the neighboring regions comprises assigning the value

16. The method of claim 14, wherein assigning a value to each subregion based upon the value of the region and values of the neighboring regions comprises:

selecting a function f piecewise linear over the subregions; and

assigning to each subregion the integral of f over the subregion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

selecting a piecewise linear function comprises selecting a function f dependent upon a ratio, the denominator of the ratio dependent upon max(|A−

B|,|C−

B|) and the numerator of the ratio dependent upon min(|A−

B|,|C−

B|), wherein B is the value of the first subinterval;

A is a value of the first neighboring region;

C is a value of the second neighboring region;

not all of A, B, and C are equal;

the function “

max”

returns the greater of its arguments and the function “

min”

returns the least of its arguments.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein assigning to each subregion the integral of f over the subregion comprises:

determining values of f at the endpoints of the first subinterval, the values a linear combination of A, B, and C;

determining an inflection point of the first subinterval, the inflection point dependent upon the ratio; and

determining a value of f at the inflection point, based upon the constraint that the integral of f over the first subinterval is approximately equal to B.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the value of the region comprises channels; and

assigning a value to each subregion comprises assigning a value comprising channels to each subregion.

20. A method to process interleaved television broadcasts, the method comprising:

receiving the fields of an interleaved television broadcast, wherein a field contains values representing every other line of a display for a television screen and successive fields together contain all of the lines of a display for a television screen;

generating a region comprising portions of two consecutive lines of a display for a television screen;

dividing the generated region into subregions each comprising a portion of a single line of a display for the television picture; and

assigning a value to each subregion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the assigning a value comprises assigning a value based upon a value of a region contained in one of the two consecutive lines and based upon a value of a region contained in a third line, wherein the third line and the one of the two consecutive lines are separated by the other of the two consecutive lines.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the assigning a value comprises assigning a value based upon a value of a region contained in one of the two consecutive lines, the value contained in a first field, and based upon a value of a region contained in the other of the two consecutive lines, the value contained in a field previous to the first field.

23. A method for processing images, the method comprising:

dividing a pixel into subpixels, the pixel having a value representing the average irradiance over the area of the pixel; and

assigning values to the subpixels, wherein;

the value of a subpixel represents the average irradiance over the area of the subpixel; and

the average value of the subpixels is approximately equal to the value of the pixel.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising displaying an image based upon the values of the subpixels.

25. A method to process audio, the method comprising:

subdividing an interval of time into subintervals, the interval of time having a value representing the amplitude of a sound wave during the time interval; and

assigning values to each of the subintervals, wherein;

the values of the subintervals represent the amplitudes of a sound wave; and

the average of the values of the subintervals is approximately equal to the value of the interval.

26. An apparatus to process digital data, the method comprising:

a subdivider to divide regions into subregions, wherein;

the digital data comprises values, the values representing quantities of a wave form over regions, and

an assigner to assign values to the subregions, wherein the average of the values assigned to the subregions of a region, weighted by the measures of the subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the region.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a sampler to measure quantities of wave forms over regions and to represent the measurements as values.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a receiver to receive the digital data.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a presenter to present the values assigned to the subregions.

30. An apparatus to process digital audio, the apparatus comprising:

a subdivider to divide an interval of time into subintervals, the interval of time having a value representing the amplitude of a sound wave during the time interval;

an assigner to assigning values to each of the subintervals, wherein;

the values of the subintervals represent the amplitudes of a sound wave; and

the average of the values of the subintervals is approximately equal to the value of the interval; and

an audio player to play the audio.

31. An apparatus to process digital images, the apparatus comprising:

a subdivider to divide pixels into subpixels, a pixel having a value representing the average irradiance over the area of the pixel;

an assigner to assign values to each subpixel, wherein;

the value of a subpixel represents the average irradiance over the area of the subpixel; and

the average value of the subpixels is approximately equal to the value of the pixel; and

a displayer to display the digital images represented by the pixels.

32. A medical imaging device comprising:

a sampler to measure wave forms representing images of human bodies, the measurements comprising values of the wave forms over regions of space and time;

a subdivider to divide the regions into subregions; and

an assigner to assign values to the subregions, wherein the average of the values of the subregions is approximately equal to the value of the region.

33. The medical imaging device of claim 32, further comprising a projector to project waves into human bodies, wherein the sampler comprises a module to measure the impact of the waves.

34. The medical imaging device of claim 33, comprising a magnetic resonance imaging device (MRI), the projector comprising magnets to excite hydrogen nuclei in water molecules in the body and the sampler comprising a module to detect signals from the excited hydrogen nuclei.

35. The medical imaging device of claim 33, wherein:

the projector comprises a module to generate X-rays; and

the sampler comprises a module to detect the X-rays after passing through a human body.

36. A seismometer comprising:

a subdivider to divide regions into subregions, the regions having values, wherein;

the values representing quantities of a wave form over regions, and

an assigner to assign values to the subregions, wherein the average of the values assigned to the subregions of a region, weighted by the measures of the subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the region.

37. A television comprising:

a receiver to receive the digital data comprising a television broadcast, the digital data comprising values of regions, the regions comprising portions of images for short intervals of time;

a subdivider to divide the regions into subregions;

an assigner to assign values to the subregions, wherein the average of the values assigned to the subregions of a region, weighted by the measures of the subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the region; and

a display to display the values of the subregions.

38. The television of claim 37, wherein:

the receiver comprises a module to receive the fields of interleaved television broadcasts, wherein a field contains every other line of a display for a television screen and successive fields together contain all of the lines of a display for a television screen;

the television comprises a region generator to generate regions comprising portions of two consecutive lines of a display for a television screen;

the subdivider comprises a line divider to divide regions produced by the generator into subregions each comprising a portion of a single line of a display of the television picture; and

the display contains a module to display a television picture according to a progressive scan.

39. A camera comprising:

a sampler to measure the intensity of light over pixels, the measurements comprising values representing the intensity of light over the pixels;

a subdivider to divide the pixels into subpixels; and

an assigner to assign values to the subpixels, wherein the average value of the subpixels is approximately equal to the value of the pixel; and

a displayer to display the digital images represented by the pixels.

40. The camera of claim 39, comprising a video camera.

41. The camera of claim 39, comprising a still camera.

42. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

divide a region into subregions, wherein;

the digital data comprises values, the values representing quantities of a wave form over regions,

the region is one of the regions, and

a value of the digital data represents quantities of the wave form over the region; and

assign a value to each of the subregions, wherein the average of the values of the subregions, weighted by the measures of the subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the region.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

divide the subregion into sub subregions; and

assign a value to each sub subregion, wherein the average of the values of the sub subregions, weighted by the measures of the sub subregions, is approximately equal to the value of the subregion.

51. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein:

the region comprises a frame;

the value of the digital data represents quantities of the wave form over an interval of time and a physical region; and

dividing the region into subregions comprises dividing the frame along the dimension of time.

52. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the assigning comprises:

selecting a function f integrable over the subregions and the region, wherein the value of an integral of f over the region is approximately equal to the value of the digital data; and

assigning to each subregion the integral of f over the subregion.

57. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein

selecting a function f comprises selecting a function f piecewise linear over the subregions, wherein the value of f depends upon the value of the region and the value of neighboring regions;

44-50. -50. (canceled)

53-56. -56. (canceled)

58-66. -66. (canceled)