Encoding and decoding digital data in a video format
First Claim
1. A method for encoding digital data into a video format having a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating a first chrominance value, the first chrominance value being a selected one of a predetermined set of chrominance values which corresponds to digital data to be encoded;
generating a second chrominance value, the second chrominance value being another one of the predetermined set of chrominance values different from the first chrominance value;
generating a chrominance signal having the first chrominance value for a first period of time and the second chrominance value for a second period of time immediately following the first period; and
generating a luminance signal having a first predetermined luminance value for the first period and a second predetermined luminance value for the second period.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for storing and transmitting digital data in a video format includes use of chrominance and luminance portions of a video signal for transmitting data and timing information. The data is encoded according to a predetermined set of chrominance signals corresponding to a predetermined set of colors. Timing information is conveyed by a change in the luminance or brightness of the video signal. A predetermined brightness level transition determines when the chrominance signal should be decoded in order to determine which of the plurality of colors is indicated. The use of the luminance signal to transmit timing information enables the use of a decoding circuit having a relatively simple structure. In one preferred embodiment, two predetermined colors are employed to indicate either a digital one or a digital zero. It is further preferred that a frame border of a predetermined non-encoded color surround each frame of encoded color signals in order to reduce the noise sensitivity of the system during both horizontal and vertical retrace. Video signals encoded in this manner may be stored in video cassette recordings or video disk recordings or may be transmitted in the manner of ordinary television signals.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method for encoding digital data into a video format having a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a first chrominance value, the first chrominance value being a selected one of a predetermined set of chrominance values which corresponds to digital data to be encoded; generating a second chrominance value, the second chrominance value being another one of the predetermined set of chrominance values different from the first chrominance value; generating a chrominance signal having the first chrominance value for a first period of time and the second chrominance value for a second period of time immediately following the first period; and generating a luminance signal having a first predetermined luminance value for the first period and a second predetermined luminance value for the second period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for decoding digital data encoded in a video format having a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the method comprising the steps of:
-
detecting the luminance value of the luminance signal; detecting the point in time when the luminance value changes from a first predetermined luminance value to a second predetermined luminance value; detecting the chrominance value of the chrominance signal immediately prior to the detected point in time; and generating a digital data signal corresponding to the detected chrominance value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for communicating digital data encoded into a video format having a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a first chrominance value, the first chrominance value being a selected one of a predetermined set of chrominance values which corresponds to digital data to be encoded; generating a second chrominance value, the second chrominance value being another one of the predetermined set of chrominance values different from the first chrominance value; generating a chrominance signal having the first chrominance value for a first period of time and the second chrominance value for a second period of time immediately following the first period; generating a luminance signal having a first predetermined luminance value for the first period and a second predetermined luminance value for the second period; generating a composite video signal including the luminance signal and the chrominance signal; transmitting the composite video signal via a video transmission medium; receiving the transmitted composite video signal from the video transmission medium; separating the luminance signal component from the received composite video signal; detecting the luminance value of the separated luminance signal; detecting the point in time during which the luminance value of the separated luminance signal changes from the first predetermined luminance value to the second predetermined luminance value; separating the chrominance signal component from the received composite video signal; detecting the chrominance value of the separated chrominance signal immediately prior to the detected point in time; and generating a digital data signal corresponding to the detected one of the predetermined set of chrominance values. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. An apparatus for encoding digital data into a video format having a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the apparatus comprising:
-
means responsive to the digital data to be encoded for generating first and second chrominance values, the first chrominance value being one of a predetermined set of chrominance values and corresponding to the digital data to be encoded, and the second chrominance value being another of the predetermined set of chrominance values; means for generating a chrominance signal having the first chrominance value for a first period of time and the second chrominance value for a second period of time immediately following the first period of time; and means for generating a luminance signal having a first predetermined luminance value for the first period of time and a second predetermined luminance value for the second period of time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. An apparatus for decoding digital data encoded into a video format having a luminance signal and a chrominance signal, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for detecting the luminance value of the luminance signal; means for detecting the point in time when the luminance value changes from a first predetermined luminance value to a second predetermined luminance value; means for detecting the chrominance value of the chrominance signal immediately prior to the detected point in time; and means for generating a digital data signal corresponding to the detected chrominance value. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification