Multiplying video mixer system

• US 5,003,491 A
• Filed: 03/10/1988
• Issued: 03/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Heckt, Neil W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US07/166,424
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 364/518, 364/521, 358/22, 358/81, 340/703, 340/728, 340/706
• US Class Current: 345/639
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/16 the pattern of rectangular co-ordinates extending over the whole area of the screen, i.e. television type raster
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels

Abstract

A multiplying video mixer system including a digital signal generator for generating at least one overlay signal and an attribute control bit corresponding to each of a plurality of pixels. A background signal generator generates input background signals to which the attribute control bits are applied to effect the input background signals with a desired opaque/transparent attribute. At least one video multiplier multiplies the overlay attribute signals and background signals to produce an output video signal having an amplitude equal to the product of the amplitudes of the overlay and background signals.

Claims

1. A multiplying video mixer system comprising:

a background signal generator for generating an input background signal for each of a plurality of pixels;

a digital signal generator for generating a digital word corresponding to each of said plurality of pixels, each of said digital words including at least one overlay control bit for controlling an overlay image and at least one attribute control bit for controlling an opaque/transport attribute of said input background signal;

means for converting said at least one overlay control bit into an analog overlay signal;

means for applying said at least one attribute control bit to a corresponding input background signal for outputting an analog output background signal having the opaque/transparent attribute of said at least one attribute control bit; and

means for multiplying said overlay signal and said output background signal to generate an output video signal.

2. A multiplying video mixer system comprising:

a background signal generator for generating an input background signal for each of a plurality of pixels, each of said input background signals having red, green and blue components;

a digital signal generator, responsive to a user, for generating a digital word corresponding to each of said plurality of pixels, each of said digital words including at least one overlay control bit for controlling each of red, green, and blue components of a color overlay signal, and at least one attribute control bit for controlling an opaque/transparent attribute of each of said red, green, and blue components of said input background signals;

means for converting said red, green, and blue overlay control bits into red, green, and blue analog overlay signals;

means for applying said at least one attribute control bit to said red, green, and blue components of said input background signal for outputting analog red, green, and blue output background signals having the opaque/transparent attribute of said at least one attribute control bit for each of said pixels; and

means for multiplying each of said red, green, and blue overlay signals with a corresponding one of said red, green, and blue output background signals to generate red, green, and blue output video signals.

3. A multiplying video mixer system according to claim 2, further comprising means for combining said red, green, and blue output video signals into a composite video signal.

4. A method of mixing video signals comprising the steps of:

generating an input background signal for each of a plurality of pixels;

generating a digital word corresponding to each of said plurality of pixels, each of said digital words including at least one overlay control bit for controlling an overlay image and at least one attribute control bit for controlling an opaque/transparent attribute of said input background signal;

converting said at least one overlay control bit into an analog overlay signal;

applying said at least one attribute control bit to a corresponding input background signal for outputting an analog output background signal having the opaque/transparent attribute of said at least one attribute control bit; and

multiplying said overlay signal and said output background signal to generate an output video signal.