Apparatus for converting input video signal to motion picture film image

• US 5,390,028 A
• Filed: 03/27/1992
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Henmi, Fumiaki, Kobayashi, Ikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US07/858,593
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 358/310, 358/335, 358/345, 358/346, 358/244, 358/332, 348/97
• US Class Current: 386/233
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0112 one of the standards corresponding to a cinematograph film standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

A picture signal converting apparatus converts a picture signal obtained from a video camera into a film recording signal. A color characteristic to be corrected and a corresponding correcting value are predetermined for each picture element of the picture signal. The picture signal is selectively color corrected with respect to the color represented by each picture element of the input picture signal. Color deterioration is effectively corrected so that the video signal is formed to match the color tone of the film.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting an input video signal having a nominal transmission speed into a motion picture film image, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving said input video signal at said nominal transmission speed, converting said transmission speed of said video signal to a low speed that is lower than said nominal transmission speed, and transmitting said video signal at said low speed;

color detecting means receiving said video signal transmitted at said low speed for detecting a color characteristic of said transmitted video signal and producing a detection signal on the basis of said detected color characteristic;

color correcting means responsive to said video signal transmitted at said low speed and said detection signal for predicting a gamma correction to be performed, and for performing a color correction on said transmitted video signal in accordance with said detection signal and the predicted gamma correction so as to output a color corrected video signal;

gamma correcting means for performing gamma correction on said color corrected video signal on the basis of a gamma correction curve to form a gamma corrected signal; and

recording means for recording the gamma corrected signal formed by the gamma correcting means on motion picture film.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for separating said video signal transmitted at said low speed into red, green and blue signals,

and wherein said color detecting means outputs first, second and third detection signals on the basis of said detected color characteristic and said correcting means includes first, second and third means for respectively receiving and correcting said red, green and blue signals on the basis of said first, second and third detection signals, respectively.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if said detection means determines that the transmitted video signal is a red monochrome, said first means amplifies said red signal, if said detection means determines that the transmitted video signal is green monochrome, said second means amplifies said green signal, and if said detection means determines that the transmitted video signal is a blue monochrome, said third means amplifies said blue signal.

4. An apparatus for converting into a motion picture film image an input video signal having a nominal transmission speed and which is provided from a video camera having performed gamma correction on said input video signal by means of a non-linear amplifier, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving said input video signal at said nominal transmission speed, converting said transmission speed of said video signal to a low speed that is lower than said nominal transmission speed, and transmitting said video signal at said low speed;

linearizing means receiving said video signal transmitted at said low speed for linearizing said transmitted video signal so as to reverse said gamma correction performed by said video camera;

gamma correcting means for correcting said linearized video signal on the basis of a gamma correction curve to form a gamma corrected signal; and

recording means for recording the gamma corrected signal formed by the gamma correcting means on motion picture film.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for storing plural predetermined gamma correction curves and means for selecting one of said stored gamma correction curves to be the basis of the gamma correction performed by said gamma correcting means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for storing plural predetermined sets of data representative of linearizing curves and means for selecting one of said stored sets of data for use by said linearizing means in linearizing said transmitted video signal, said one of said stored sets of data being selected according to a characteristic of the gamma correction performed by said video camera.

7. An apparatus for converting an input video signal having a nominal transmission speed into a motion picture film image, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving said input video signal at said nominal transmission speed, converting said nominal transmission speed of said video signal to a low speed that is lower than said nominal transmission speed, and transmitting said video signal at said low speed, said nominal transmission speed being a predetermined number of times as fast as said low speed;

processing means receiving said video signal transmitted at said low speed for processing said transmitted video signal to form an output video signal;

recording means for recording the output video signal formed by the processing means on motion picture film;

memory means for storing successive frames of said output video signal at said low speed, said memory means having first and second memory areas, and alternate ones of said successive frames being respectively stored in said first and second memory areas;

read-out control means for controlling reading-out of said stored frames of said output video signal from said memory means so that said stored frames are read-out in a cycle in which each respective frame stored in said first and second memory areas is read-out N consecutive times at said nominal transmission speed, N being equal to said predetermined number; and

a monitor for displaying said frames of said output video signal read-out from said memory means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said processing means includes means for separating said video signal transmitted at said low speed into red, green and blue signals, said processing means processing each of said red, green and blue signals separately, and wherein said first and second memory areas store each of said red, green and blue signals separately, and said read-out control means controls the reading-out of said frames of said output video signal so that the respective red, green and blue signals of each frame are read-out simultaneously.