Video images decoder architecture for implementing a 40 MS processing algorithm in high definition television

• US 5,459,519 A
• Filed: 05/11/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.R.L. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Scs-Thomson Microelectronics SA
• Inventors: Poluzzi, Rinaldo, Scalise, Fabio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/241,604
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 348/426, 348/427, 348/430, 348/431, 348/443, 348/489, 348/441
• US Class Current: 348/431.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0155 using pixel blocks

Abstract

A video image decoder architecture for implementing a processing algorithm in the 40-ms mode on high-resolution TV sets, of a kind adapted to handle TV signals being received on respective transmission channels (J,L), which comprises a video signal demultiplexer receiving the transmission channels (J,L); and respective processing blocks for separately handling the signals from each of the channels (J,L). Each processing block includes a video image format converter, a local memory connected to an output of the converter, and at least one median filter and one systolic filter cascade connected after the memory for restoring, by interpolation, signal samples related to successive lines of the video image. A summing node adds the outputs from each processing block so as to obtain a time mean between restored samples of the channels (J,L). This architecture drastically reduces the number of memories required for processing the restored algorithm, as well as reducing overall silicon area requirements for the system. Accordingly, the whole 40-millisecond processing portion may be integrated into a single chip.

Claims

1. A video image decoder for processing the 40-ms mode on high-resolution TV sets, of a kind handling TV signals, comprising:

a video signal demultiplexer receiving as an input fields J and L, wherein J and L are successive odd fields of a series of fields;

two processing blocks for separately handling the signals from each of the fields and each comprising,

a video image format converter,

a local memory connected to an output of the format converter, and

at least one median filter and one systolic filter in cascade connection after said memory for restoring, by interpolation, signal samples related to successive lines of the video image so as to provide an output of the processing block; and

a summing node for adding together the outputs from each processing block so as to obtain a time mean between restored samples of the fields J and L.

2. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein said local memory comprises individually addressable memory banks to store all the samples of a predetermined video line into a given bank.

3. The decoder according to claim 2, wherein the word length of each memory bank is of sixty four bits.

4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein said format converter comprises a demultiplexer having plural outputs so as to supply, after one another, corresponding plural banks of said local memory with signal samples from the corresponding processing block.

5. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the selection of the various banks is driven through a counter which is incremented by shifts of a synchronization signal.

6. The decoder according to claim 2, wherein each memory bank is formed of two dual port RAM stores where write and read operations are performed alternately, one RAM store containing odd-located samples of a given video line and the other RAM store containing even-located samples.

7. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein said median filter comprises a selector and comparators, all connected to the output of a combinatory network operative to generate at least a pair of control signals to the selector for selecting a median sample from the input of said median filter to a filter output.

8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein said systolic filter comprises an array of elements in a chain connection each receiving a suitably delayed signal sample for phasing the signals to a working window and a sum carry-over from a preceding element in the chain connection, said systolic filter further comprising a phasing network having increasing sample time lags for enabling the various samples of a predetermined interpolating window to be summed in phase with the carry-over from the preceding elements in the chain.

9. The decoder according to claim 8, wherein the systolic filter includes a generic processing element having an interpolation coefficient multiplier, an adder connected after the multiplier, and a storage cell connected to the adder for transferring the carry-over from a preceding element in the chain.

10. The decoder according to claim 8, characterized in that a working frequency of each processing block is set at no less than 54 MHz.

11. A video image decoder for processing the 40-ms mode of a TV signal of HDMAC format, comprising:

a demultiplexer for demultiplexing said TV signals into an J field and a L field, wherein the J field and the L field are successive odd fields;

a first and second processing block, the first processing block receiving the J field and the second processing block receiving the L field, each processing block including

an image format converter for receiving a respective field and providing formatted output therefrom;

memory means for receiving and storing the formatted output,

median filter means for concurrently providing a first plurality of median values based upon a received second plurality of inputs which are selected from the memory means in accordance with a working window of interpolation, and

systolic filtering means for producing a restored output of the respective field, said systolic filtering means receiving the first plurality of median values and receiving a third plurality of inputs selected from the memory means in accordance with the working window, the systolic filtering means including means for concurrently interpolating missing horizontal samples of at least two lines of the respective field and including means for interpolating missing vertical samples of the respective field in accordance with a motion vector of the TV signal; and

output means for producing a time mean of the restored outputs, said output means outputting the restored outputs and the time mean.

12. The decoder of claim 11, wherein the memory means comprises a plurality of banks, each bank storing all received samples of a corresponding horizontal line of the respective field.

13. The decoder of claim 12, wherein the plurality equals 6 and wherein the working window spans a width of 5 horizontal lines.

14. The decoder of claim 12, wherein each bank is interleaved such that odd columned samples of a corresponding line are stored in a first RAM store and even columned samples are stored in a second RAM store.

15. The decoder of claim 11, wherein the systolic filtering means for concurrently interpolating missing horizontal samples comprises a first fixed coefficient array and a second fixed coefficient array, each fixed coefficient array interpolating a missing sample of a corresponding line of the respective fields.

16. The decoder of claim 15, wherein the means for interpolating missing vertical samples comprises a variable coefficient array connected to the first and second fixed coefficient array.

17. The decoder of claim 16, wherein the variable coefficient array includes a selectable number of coefficients for interpolation, the selection of said coefficients being responsive to the first and second fixed coefficient arrays.

18. The decoder of claim 14 wherein the first and second RAM store each have a capacity of 90 words, a word being 8 samples.

19. The decoder of claim 11 wherein each processing block has a working frequency of 54 MHz.

20. A video image decoder for processing the 40-ms mode of a TV signals of HDMAC format, comprising:

a demultiplexer for demultiplexing said TV signals into an J field and a L field, wherein the J field and the L field are successive odd fields;

a first and second processing block, the first processing block receiving the J field and the second processing block receiving the L field, each processing block including

an image format converter for receiving a respective field and providing formatted output therefrom

memory for receiving and storing the formatted output,

median filter for concurrently providing a first plurality of median values based upon a received second plurality of inputs which are selected from the memory in accordance with a working window of interpolation, and

systolic filter for producing a restored output of the respective field, the systolic filter receiving the first plurality of median values and receiving a third plurality of inputs selected from the memory in accordance with the working window, the systolic filter including a horizontal interpolater for concurrently interpolating missing horizontal samples of at least two lines of the respective field and including a vertical interpolater for interpolating missing vertical samples of the respective field in accordance with a motion vector of the TV signal; and

output node for producing a time mean of the restored outputs, said output node outputting the restored outputs and the time mean.

21. The decoder of claim 20, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of banks, each bank storing all received samples of a corresponding horizontal line of the respective field.

22. The decoder of claim 21, wherein the plurality equals 6 and wherein the working window spans a width of 5 horizontal lines.

23. The decoder of claim 21, wherein each bank is interleaved such that odd columned samples of a corresponding line are stored in a first RAM store and even columned samples are stored in a second RAM store.

24. The decoder of claim 20, wherein the systolic filter includes a first fixed coefficient array and a second fixed coefficient array, each fixed coefficient array interpolating a missing sample of a corresponding line of the respective fields.

25. The decoder of claim 24, wherein the vertical interpolator includes a variable coefficient array connected to the first and second fixed coefficient array.

26. The decoder of claim 25, wherein the variable coefficient array includes a selectable number of coefficients for interpolation, the selection of said coefficients being responsive to the first and second fixed coefficient arrays.

27. The decoder of claim 23 wherein the first and second RAM store each have a capacity of 90 words, a word being 8 samples.

28. The decoder of claim 20 wherein each processing block has a working frequency of 54 MHz.