Disparity Data Transport and Signaling

• US 20110221862A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eyer, Mark Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,817,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/172 image signals comprising non-image signal components, e.g. headers or format information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/183 On-screen display [OSD] information, e.g. subtitles or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video

Abstract

A method of decoding closed caption disparity data, involves a TV receiver receiving closed caption disparity data for a 3D display encoded as a sequence of frame interval/slope change pairs, with the frame interval representing a designated number of frames over which each linear function representing disparity is to be applied paired with a value indicating a change in slope from the slope of a preceding segment. A first segment in the sequence presumes a predetermined slope as a reference. A sequence of caption data packets specifies a closed caption display window containing closed caption text. The disparity value is used in each frame to determine a horizontal offset of left and right eye views of the CC display that establishes the closed caption display window'"'"'s perceived z-axis position. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method of decoding closed caption disparity data, comprising:

at a television receiver device, receiving closed caption disparity data encoded as a sequence of one or more frame interval/slope change pairs, with the frame interval representing a designated number of frames over which each linear function representing disparity is to be applied paired with a value indicating a change in slope from the slope of a preceding segment;

where a first segment in the sequence of disparity values presumes a slope of zero as a reference for subsequent changes in slope;

receiving a sequence of caption data packets where the sequence of caption data packets specify a closed caption display window containing closed caption text, where closed caption data is packaged in a digital television caption channel stream of packets;

where the disparity value is used in each frame in a 3D rendering of left and right eye views of the closed caption display to establish a horizontal offset that establishes the window'"'"'s perceived z-axis position;

receiving an alternate fixed disparity value that establishes a fixed disparity for the closed caption display packaged along with the encoded three-dimensional closed caption disparity data for use as an alternative perceived z-axis position;

low-pass filtering the encoded three dimensional disparity data to smooth transitions in disparity values; and

processing the caption text and disparity data to produce an output suitable for defining the rendering of a three dimensional image on a display of the caption text at a perceived z-axis position defined by the disparity data.

2. A method of decoding closed caption disparity data, comprising:

at a television receiver device, receiving closed caption disparity data encoded as a sequence of one or more frame interval/slope change pairs, with the frame interval representing a designated number of frames over which each linear function representing disparity is to be applied paired with a value indicating a change in slope from the slope of a preceding segment;

where a first segment in the sequence of disparity values presumes a predetermined slope as a reference for subsequent changes in slope;

receiving a sequence of caption data packets, where the sequence of caption data packets specify a closed caption display window containing closed caption text; and

where the disparity value is used in each frame to determine a horizontal offset of left and right eye views of the closed caption display that establishes the closed caption display window'"'"'s perceived z-axis position.

3. The method according to claim 2, where the predetermined slope is zero.

4. The method according to claim 2, where the slope change is given as a value representing a change in disparity over 2^N frames where N is an integer.

5. The method according to claim 4, where N=5.

6. The method according to claim 2, where the slope change is signaled as a value in the range −

16 to +15 that indicates the amount of change in slope to apply over the designated frame interval.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving an alternate fixed disparity value that establishes a fixed perceived z-axis position for the closed caption display packaged along with the encoded three-dimensional closed caption disparity data for use as an alternative z-axis position.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising low pass filtering the encoded three dimensional disparity data to smooth transitions in disparity values.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising processing the caption text and disparity data to produce an output suitable for defining a rendering of a three-dimensional image on a display of the caption text at a perceived z-axis position defined by the disparity data.

10. A computer readable electronic storage device storing instructions that when executed on one or more programmed processors carry out a process according to claim 2.

11. A television receiver device that processes disparity data for closed captions, comprising:

a decoder that receives closed caption disparity data encoded as a sequence of one or more frame interval/slope change pairs, with the frame interval representing a designated number of frames over which each linear function representing disparity is to be applied paired with a value indicating a change in slope from the slope of a preceding segment;

where a first segment in the sequence of disparity values presumes a predetermined slope as a reference for subsequent changes in slope;

a parser that parses the disparity data and closed caption text from the one or more signals; and

a compositor that receives the disparity data and the closed caption text and generates a sequence of video frame signals including a closed caption display window containing closed caption text with the closed caption display window has a perceived z-axis position in each frame defined by the disparity values.

12. The device according to claim 11, where the predetermined slope is zero.

13. The device according to claim 11, where the frame interval is given as a predetermined value of 2^N frames, where N is an integer.

14. The device according to claim 11, where the slope change is given as a value representing a change in disparity over 32 frames.

15. The device according to claim 14, where the slope change is signaled as a value in the range −

16 to +15 that indicates the amount of change in slope to apply over the designated frame interval.

16. The device according to claim 11, where the slope change is signaled as a value in the range −

16 to +15 that indicates the amount of change in slope to apply over the designated frame interval.

17. The device according to claim 11, the decoder further receives an alternate fixed disparity value that establishes a fixed z-axis position for a portion of the closed caption display packaged along with the encoded closed caption disparity data for use as an alternative perceived z-axis position.

18. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a low-pass filter that processes the encoded three dimensional disparity data to smooth transitions in disparity values.

19. The device according to claim 11, the compositor further processes the caption text and disparity data to produce an output suitable for defining a rendering of a three-dimensional image on a display of the caption text at a perceived z-axis position defined by the disparity data.

20. A method of decoding closed caption disparity data, comprising:

at a television receiver device, receiving encoded dynamic closed caption disparity data that determines a perceived z-axis position for a closed caption display window that changes frame by frame for a sequence of video frames; and

at the television receiver device, receiving an encoded alternate closed caption disparity value that sets the perceived z-axis position for the closed caption display window that is static for the sequence of video frames;

receiving a sequence of caption data packets, where the sequence of caption data packets specify a closed caption display window containing closed caption text; and

where one of the encoded dynamic closed caption disparity data and the alternate disparity value is used in each frame for the sequence of video frames to determine a horizontal offset of left and right eye views of the closed caption display that establishes the closed caption display window'"'"'s perceived z-axis position.

21. The method according to claim 20, where the encoded dynamic closed caption disparity data is encoded as a sequence of one or more frame interval/slope change pairs, with the frame interval representing a designated number of frames over which each linear function representing disparity is to be applied paired with a value indicating a change in slope from the slope of a preceding segment;

and

where a first segment in the sequence of disparity values presumes a predetermined slope as a reference for subsequent changes in slope.

22. The method according to claim 21, where the predetermined slope is zero.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising low pass filtering the encoded three dimensional disparity data to smooth transitions in disparity values.

24. The method according to claim 20, further comprising processing the caption text and disparity data to produce an output suitable for defining a rendering of a three-dimensional image on a display of the caption text at a perceived z-axis position defined by the disparity data.

25. A computer readable electronic storage device storing instructions that when executed on one or more programmed processors carry out a process according to claim 20.