Compressed digital overlay controller and method for MPEG type video signal

• US 5,594,507 A
• Filed: 05/27/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ActiveVideo Networks, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoarty, W. Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Application Number:
  US08/250,723
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 348/584, 348/585, 348/586, 348/588, 348/589, 348/598, 348/599, 348/600
• US Class Current: 348/584
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/48 using compressed domain processing techniques other than decoding, e.g. modification of transform coefficients, variable length coding [VLC] data or run-length data motion estimation in a transform domain H04N19/547; processing of decoded motion vectors H04N19/513
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/507 using conditional replenishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/90 using coding techniques not provided for in groups H04N19/10-H04N19/85, e.g. fractals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17372 the upstream transmission being initiated or timed by a signal from upstream of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 : Adaptations for optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/52 : Systems for transmission of a pulse code modulated video signal with one or more other pulse code modulated signals, e.g. an audio signal or a synchronizing signal assembling of a multiplex stream by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, assembling of a packetised elementary stream at server side H04N21/236; disassembling of a multiplex stream, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, extraction or processing of Service Information, disassembling of packetised elementary stream at client side H04N21/434

Abstract

A controller, in accordance with a preferred embodiment provides, in a specified region of first television picture generated by a first digitally compressed video signal, an overlay of a second picture embodied in a second video signal. The controller includes an I-frame buffer for storing updated macroblock pixel data in I-frame format derived from the second signal. The controller also has a matte mask storage register for storing data that identifies the specified region by means of macroblocks. A matte substitution processor is in communication with the matte mask storage register and has as an input the first signal and provides an overlayed output; the controller inhibits transmission to the output of any macroblock, of the first signal'"'"'s data stream, lying in the specified region. It also functions to substitute for such macroblock a corresponding macroblock from the I-frame buffer. Further embodiments permit overlay of a graphic display for interactive television on a picture derived from a digitally compressed video signal.

Claims

1. A controller, for providing, in a specified region of a television picture generated by a first digitally compressed video signal, an overlay of a second picture embodied in a second video signal, comprising:

an I-frame buffer for storing updated macroblock pixel data in I-frame format derived from the second signal;

matte mask storage register for storing data that identifies the specified region by means of macroblocks;

matte substitution processor, in communication with the matte mask storage register and having as an input the first signal and providing an overlayed output, for inhibiting transmission to the output of any macroblock, of the first signal'"'"'s data stream, lying in the specified region and for substituting for such macroblock a corresponding macroblock from the I-frame buffer.

2. A controller according to claim 1, wherein the second video signal is in an analog format, further comprising:

an I-frame encoder for encoding the second signal as a series of I-frames, the I-frame encoder having an output in communication with the I-frame buffer.

3. A controller according to claim 2, further comprising:

a macroblock detector in communication with the first signal and the matte substitution processor, for detecting the presence of a macroblock.

4. A controller according to claim 1, wherein the matte substitution processor includes flow control means for refraining from substituting data from the I-frame buffer, while continuing to inhibit transmission of any macroblock of the first signal'"'"'s data stream lying in the specified region, to the extent necessary to slow the data rate at the overlayed output to a rate within system limits.

5. A controller according to claim 3, wherein the matte substitution processor includes flow control means for refraining from substituting data from the I-frame buffer, while continuing to inhibit transmission of any macroblock of the first signal'"'"'s data stream lying in the specified region, to the extent necessary to slow the data rate at the overlayed output to a rate within system limits.

6. An interactive television system providing, in a specified region of a television picture generated by a first digitally compressed video signal, an overlay of a graphic display permitting user input via a remote control, such graphic display embodied in a second signal in an analog format, the system comprising:

an I-frame encoder for encoding the second signal as a series of I-frames;

an I-frame buffer for storing updated macroblock pixel data in I-frame format from the I-frame encoder;

matte mask storage register for storing data that identifies the specified region by means of macroblocks;

matte substitution processor, in communication with the matte mask storage register and having as an input the first signal and providing an overlayed output, for inhibiting transmission to the output of any macroblock, of the first signal'"'"'s data stream, lying in the specified region and for substituting for such macroblock a corresponding macroblock from the I-frame buffer.

7. A controller according to claim 6, further comprising:

a macroblock detector in communication with the first signal and the matte substitution processor, for detecting the presence of a macroblock.

8. A controller according to claim 6, wherein the matte substitution processor includes flow control means for refraining from substituting data from the I-frame buffer, while continuing to inhibit transmission of any macroblock of the first signal'"'"'s data stream lying in the specified region, to the extent necessary to slow the data rate at the overlayed output to a rate within system limits.

9. A controller according to claim 7, wherein the matte substitution processor includes flow control means for refraining from substituting data from the I-frame buffer, while continuing to inhibit transmission of any macroblock of the first signal'"'"'s data stream lying in the specified region, to the extent necessary to slow the data rate at the overlayed output to a rate within system limits.

10. A method of overlaying in a specified region of a television picture a first digitally compressed video signal with a second analog video signal, comprising:

encoding the second signal as a series of I-frames;

storing the encoded I-frame macroblock pixel data in an I-frame buffer;

storing data that identifies the specified region by means of macroblocks in a matte mask storage register;

processing the data stream of the first signal and providing an overlayed output, by inhibiting transmission to the output of any macroblock, of the first signal'"'"'s data stream, lying in the specified region and substituting for such macroblock a corresponding macroblock from the I-frame buffer.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

refraining from substituting data from the I-frame buffer, while continuing to inhibit transmission of any macroblock of the first signal'"'"'s data stream lying in the specified region, to the extent necessary to slow the data rate at the overlayed output to a rate within system limits.

12. A method of providing an interactive television system having, in a specified region of a television picture generated by a first digitally compressed video signal, an overlay of a graphic display permitting user input via a remote control, such graphic display embodied in a second signal in an analog format, the method comprising:

encoding the second signal as a series of I-frames;

storing the encoded I-frame macroblock pixel data in an I-frame buffer;

storing data that identifies the specified region by means of macroblocks in a matte mask storage register;

processing the data stream of the first signal and providing an overlayed output, by inhibiting transmission to the output of any macroblock, of the first signal'"'"'s data stream, lying in the specified region and substituting for such macroblock a corresponding macroblock from the I-frame buffer.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

refraining from substituting data from the I-frame buffer, while continuing to inhibit transmission of any macroblock of the first signal'"'"'s data stream lying in the specified region, to the extent necessary to slow the data rate at the overlayed output to a rate within system limits.