Versatile video transformation device

• US 6,124,893 A
• Filed: 04/29/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stapleton, John J.
• Original Assignee: Stapleton, John J.
• Inventors: Stapleton, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US09/069,438
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 348/446, 348/458, 348/450, 348/451, 348/452, 348/444, 348/441, 348/443, 348/445, 348/459, 348/555, 348/556, 348/557
• US Class Current: 348/441
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/012 Conversion between an interlaced and a progressive signal for graphics images G09G2310/0229
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0125 one of the standards being a high definition standard

Abstract

A versatile video transformation device and adaptive image processing methodology thereof to digitally scan convert, that is, reformat TV raster scan video and particularly high definition (HD) and/or digital DTV (particularly those for example in 1920×1080i or 1280×720p format) video data and associated synchronizing signals, for the purpose of making present standard television sets compatible at low cost with the latest advancements in free HD whilst allowing a multitude of other DTV programs and ancillary data to fill to a greater extent the remaining channel allocations by FCC to TV broadcasters.

Claims

1. A versatile video transformation device that allows for conventional television sets to utilize input signals with HDTV, DTV or formats with enhanced data communications, compression, and improved picture quality perception comprising:

means for decoding said signal and scan converting them into an enhanced visual image from standard TV raster format and which comprises;

means for spatial and temporal filtering said input signals by adaptive sampling said input signals into selectable adjacent arrays, determining a selected value for each array, said selected value being selected from one of the median, mean (average) of the input signals and a sample value of each array about a center pixel defined with respect to the raster origin which is offset from a previous raster origin in the respective arrays, and displaying at least one single pixel in the array dependent on said selected value; and

wherein field sequential arrays are filtered and said selected value for each array that is used to readout a video value in each array is determined based upon the decoded picture content, image motion, and respective origins that are offset with respect to each other in an ordered dither fashion for error diffusion.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the digital signal is in one of a 1920×

1080i, 1280×

720p HDTV format.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the scan conversion temporal and spatial filtering is without color distorted crosscoupling of chrominance and luminance so as to sparkle on lower resolution TV sets while substantially maintaining the input detail subject to viewers complex spatial/temporal flicker tolerance.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ordered dithering of raster origin offsets is provided in a zigzag fashion within a 2×

2 array of filtered pixels for scan conversion into one pixel readout so as to sparkle on lower resolution TV sets while substantially maintaining the input detail subject to viewers complex spatial/temporal flicker tolerance.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ordered dithering of raster origin offsets is provided in a zigzag fashion with 3×

3 array of 9 pixels displayed at one pixel so as to sparkle on lower resolution TV sets while substantially maintaining the input detail subject to viewers complex spatial/temporal flicker tolerance.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 which further comprises renewable conditional access to demultiplex multicast programs and ancillary data compressed in packets within one DTV channel allocation.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6 which includes means to indicate consumer reimbursement of the use fee of conditional access channels by one of advertisers'"'"' coupons and credit.

12. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said video transformation device is incorporated in an integrated circuit chip.

8. A method of providing digital scan conversion for image signals having digital signal formats comprising the steps of:

providing adaptive image acquisition means to minimize grainy appearance of electronic noise frozen with the signal;

providing adaptive thresholding of image subtraction means to detect image motion and thereby limit smearing; and

providing digital versatile video spatial/temporal filtering means responsive to decoded picture parameter signals and automatically synchronized to formats of vertical and horizontal sync signals associated with the input video and phase locked to picture element clocks from a gen-lock circuit which also serve to clock counters addressing RAM random access memory input and read out.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 which includes providing PC-TV-DSP convergence means which enables standard TV sets to become compatible with DTV, HDTV multicasting, datacasting and formats of PC monitors and hard copy printers.

10. The method in accordance with claim 8 which includes the step of incorporating electronics to perform the method within TV sets to minimize redundancy of hardware and exploit frame memory required therein for image redundancy removal by compression.

11. The method in accordance with claim 8 which includes providing an integrated circuit chip which performs the steps set forth therein.

13. A method of transforming a digitally formatted television signal into a form utilizable by a conventional television comprising the steps of:

spatial and temporal filtering said digital TV signals by adaptive sampling said DTV into selectable adjacent arrays, determining a selected value for each array based on a sample value of the respective arrays, the median, or mean (average) of the signals for each array about a center pixel defined with respect to the raster origin which is offset from a previous raster origin for displaying at least one single pixel in the array based on said selected value; and

providing field sequential arrays which are filtered and said selected value for each array that is used to provide a readout video value in each array which is determined based upon the picture content, image motion, and respective origins that are offset with respect to each other in an ordered dither fashion for error diffusion.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the digital signal is selected from signals having one of a 1920×

1080i and 1280×

720p format.

15. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein scan conversion temporal and spatial filtering is provided without color distorted crosscoupling of chrominance and luminance so as to provide sparkle on lower resolution TV sets while substantially maintaining the input detail subject to viewers complex spatial/temporal flicker tolerance.

16. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the ordered dithering of raster origin offsets is provided in a zigzag fashion within a 2×

2 array of filtered pixels for scan conversion into one pixel readout so as to provide sparkle on lower resolution TV sets while substantially maintaining one of a 1280×

720p and an input detail subject to viewers complex spatial/temporal flicker tolerance.

17. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the ordered dithering of raster origin offsets is provided in a zigzag fashion with 3×

3 array for median or mean filtering of 9 pixels into 9 medians displayed at one pixel so as to provide sparkle on lower resolution TV sets while substantially maintaining one of a 1920×

1080i and an input detail subject to viewers complex spatia/temporal flicker tolerance.

18. The method in accordance with claim 13 which further comprises the step of providing renewable conditional access to demultiplex multicast programs and ancillary data compressed in packets within one DTV channel allocation.

19. The method in accordance with claim 13 which includes means to indicate consumer reimbursement of the use fee of conditional access channels by one of advertisers'"'"' coupons or and credit.