System and method for utilizing a two-dimensional adaptive filter for reducing flicker in interlaced television images converted from non-interlaced computer graphics data
First Claim
1. A flicker reduction system for reducing flicker in non-interlaced images converted to interlaced images, comprising:
- a flicker reduction filter receiving image data representative of pixel values within a single image, said flicker reduction filter having at least two selectable filters with each filter providing a different frequency response for said flicker reduction filter; and
filter selection circuitry receiving image data representative of pixel values from at least two lines within said single image and having a filter selection signal as an output, said filter selection signal being dependent upon an analysis of pixel values from at least two lines of said single image and being applied to said flicker reduction filter to adaptively select from among said at least two selectable filters to process said image data within said single image;
wherein said filter selection circuitry utilizes horizontal and vertical pixel conditions within a two-dimensional window around a currently processed pixel to provide a two-dimensional adaptive filter selection.
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Abstract
A system and method for conversion of graphics from computer graphics formats to television formats is disclosed. More particularly, an improved scaling and flicker reduction system and method is disclosed for scaling personal computer (PC) graphics formats into different resolution television (TV) formats and for reducing flicker due to the conversion process of interlacing non-interlaced PC graphics to match interlaced TV formats. The scaling implementation reduces line buffer requirements by using a conditional scaling technique for converting graphics from a PC resolution format to a TV resolution format. The flicker reduction implementation provides a two-dimensional adaptive filter that selects between multiple filters so that different parts of an image may have different flicker reduction and different levels of trade off between flicker reduction and resolution. The system and method disclosed are more generally applicable to converting images from one resolution to another and to reducing flicker in images converted from a non-interlaced format to an interlaced format.
129 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A flicker reduction system for reducing flicker in non-interlaced images converted to interlaced images, comprising:
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a flicker reduction filter receiving image data representative of pixel values within a single image, said flicker reduction filter having at least two selectable filters with each filter providing a different frequency response for said flicker reduction filter; and filter selection circuitry receiving image data representative of pixel values from at least two lines within said single image and having a filter selection signal as an output, said filter selection signal being dependent upon an analysis of pixel values from at least two lines of said single image and being applied to said flicker reduction filter to adaptively select from among said at least two selectable filters to process said image data within said single image; wherein said filter selection circuitry utilizes horizontal and vertical pixel conditions within a two-dimensional window around a currently processed pixel to provide a two-dimensional adaptive filter selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for reducing flicker in non-interlaced images converted to interlaced images, comprising:
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receiving image data representative of pixel values within a single image; providing a flicker reduction filter having at least two selectable filters with each filter providing a different frequency response for said flicker reduction filter; adaptively selecting from among said at least two selectable filters based upon pixel values from at least two lines of said single image utilizing a two-dimensional window around a currently processed pixel to select one of said at least two selectable filters; and processing said image data within said single image with said flicker reduction filter to produce output pixel data that is dependent upon said adaptive filter selection. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A graphics processing system for use in converting computer formatted images into television formatted images, comprising:
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an input interface having computer graphics data as an input; an adaptive flicker reduction filter coupled to said input interface to receive said computer graphics data and having flicker reduced image data as an output, said flicker reduction filter having at least two sets of selectable filter parameters dependent upon conditions related to values of vertically and horizontally adjacent pixel values within a two-dimensional window around a currently processed pixel to provide a two-dimensional adaptive filter selection; a rate converter having said flicker reduced image data as an input and having line rate adjusted data as an output, said line rate adjusted data being substantially compatible with a line rate for a desired television format; and a television output interface having said line rate adjusted data as an input and having television output data as an output, said television output data being substantially compatible with said desired television format. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A personal computer system providing an image output compatible with a television format, comprising:
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a central processing unit, a memory, an input device, and a storage device connected to each other through an internal bus; and a graphics processing system connected to said internal bus converting non-interlaced computer graphics data to a desired interlaced television format, said graphics processing system including; adaptive flicker reduction circuitry applying one set of at least two selectable sets of filter parameters dependent upon two-dimensional conditions related to pixel values within said image utilizing a two-dimensional window around a currently processed pixel to provide a two-dimensional adaptive filter selection. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method for converting computer formatted images into television formatted images for graphics processing, comprising:
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receiving computer graphics data representative of an image; applying a flicker reduction filter to said computer graphics data with filter parameters dependent upon values of vertically and horizontally adjacent pixel values within said image utilizing a two-dimensional window around a currently processed pixel to provide a two-dimensional adaptive filter selection; and outputting converted image data in said desired television format. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification