Method, apparatus and computer program for image resolution conversion

• US 6,188,383 B1
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tamura, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US09/079,384
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 345/132, 345/127, 345/3, 345/128, 345/129, 345/130, 345/131, 382/293, 382/298, 382/299
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4007 based on interpolation, e.g. bilinear interpolation image demosaicing G06T3/4015; edge-driven or edge-based scaling G06T3/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0135 involving interpolation processes interpolation-based image scaling G06T3/4007; interpolation for video coding H04N19/587, H04N19/59

Abstract

An image resolution converting method, apparatus and computer program converts an input image having varying resolutions to an output image having varying resolutions, using only a single circuit. The method generates a common-coordinate system common to the input image and the output image by relating the number of pixels of the input image to the number of pixels of the output image, calculates an absolute-coordinate of the pixel of the input image and the pixel of the output image, and calculates a pixel value of the output image from the value of a corresponding pixel of the input image using the absolute-coordinates of the output image. A vertical common multiple and horizontal common multiple technique allow integral expression of how far an arbitrary line/dot of the matrix display device is from each of the lines/dots of the input image signals. Using linear interpolation, it is possible to display input image signals having varying resolutions on a matrix display device having a fixed resolution, without lacking pixel information which should be displayed on the matrix display device and further to display the input images scaled up and down on the matrix display device.

Claims

1. A method for converting an input image having a first resolution to an output image having a second different resolution, comprising the steps of:

accepting an input image signal in the form of a modulated video signal;

converting the input image signal from the modulated video signal to a single frame of an input image;

accepting from a first instruction signal Port an initial vertical number of pixels corresponding to a number of vertical pixels of the input image and a final vertical number of pixels corresponding to a number of vertical pixels of an output image;

accepting from a second instruction signal port an initial horizontal number of pixels corresponding to a number of horizontal pixels of the input image and an final horizontal number of pixels corresponding to a number of horizontal pixels of the output image;

generating a common-coordinate system common to said input image and said output image by relating a number of pixels of said input image to a number of pixels of said output image, said common-coordinate system comprising a first vertical axis equaling the initial vertical number of pixels and a second vertical axis equaling the final vertical number of pixels and a first horizontal axis equal to the initial horizontal number of pixels and a second horizontal axis equal to the final horizontal number of pixels;

calculating absolute-coordinates of said pixels of said input image and said pixels of said output image from said common-coordinate system,

calculating values of said pixels of said output image from values of corresponding said pixels of said input image from said absolute-coordinates of said output image,

forming an output image having the final vertical and final horizontal number of pixels, and

converting the output image to an output image video signal for driving a matrix display device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said common-coordinate generating step comprises calculating a common multiple of said number of pixels of said input image and said number of pixels of said output image as said common-coordinate system,

the common multiple being the quotient of the initial number of horizontal pixels divided into the final number of horizontal pixels, the quotient being other than unity to provide for both scaling up and scaling down.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said value calculating step comprises specifying a value of said output image by a linear interpolation between pixels of said input image based on said absolute-coordinate of each pixel of said output image corresponding to said pixels of said input image.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said output image video signal on a matrix display device having a number of pixels corresponding to said number of pixels of said output image.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said number of said pixels of said input image and/or said output image is instructed by an external instruction signal.

6. An apparatus for converting an input image having a first resolution to an output image having a second different resolution, comprising:

an input port for accepting an input image signal in the form of a modulated video signal;

an input unit connected to said input port converting the input image signal from the modulated video signal to a single frame of input image;

a horizontal resolution converting unit connected in series to a vertical resolution converting unit and also in series to the input unit,

the vertical resolution converting unit accepting from a first instruction signal port an initial vertical number of pixels corresponding to a number of vertical pixels of the input image and a final vertical number of pixels corresponding to a number of vertical pixels of the output image,

the horizontal resolution converting unit accepting from a second instruction signal port an initial horizontal number of pixels corresponding to a number of horizontal pixels of the input image and a final horizontal number of pixels correspond to a number of horizontal pixels of the output image;

said horizontal and said vertical resolution units comprising

means for generating a common-coordinate system common to said input image and said output image, said common-coordinate system comprising a first vertical axis equaling the initial vertical number of pixels and a second vertical axis equaling the final vertical number of pixels and a first horizontal axis equal to the initial horizontal number of pixels and a second horizontal axis equal to the final horizontal number of pixels;

means for calculating an absolute-coordinate of each pixel of said output image corresponding to said input image from said common-coordinate system, and

means for calculating a value of each said pixel of said output image from a value of a corresponding pixel of said input image from said absolute-coordinate of each pixel of said output image; and

an output unit connected in series with said horizontal and said vertical resolution units forming an output image having the final vertical and final horizontal number of pixels and converting the output image to an output image video signal for driving a matrix display device.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein;

said common-coordinate generating means, said absolute-coordinate calculating means, and said value calculating means control resolution conversion in a vertical direction by relating a number of lines in the vertical direction of said input image to a number of lines in the vertical direction of said output image,

the relating being the quotient of the initial number of vertical pixels divided into the final number of vertical pixels, the quotient being other than unity to provide for both scaling up and scaling down.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein;

said common-coordinate generating means, said absolute-coordinate calculating means, and said value calculating means control resolution conversion in a horizontal direction by relating a number of dots in the horizontal direction of said input image to a number of dots in the horizontal direction of said output image,

the relating being the quotient of the initial number of horizontal pixels divided into the final number of horizontal pixels, the quotient being other than unity to provide for both scaling up and scaling down.

9. An apparatus for converting an input image having a number Nv of lines in the vertical direction to an output image having a number Mv of lines in the vertical direction, comprising:

means for calculating a vertical common multiple Cv of (Nv−

1) and (Mv−

1);

means for calculating an absolute-coordinate of each pixel of said output image using said vertical common multiple Cv as a vertical common-coordinate system; and

means for calculating a value of a pixel of said output image from the value of a corresponding pixel of said input image based on said absolute-coordinate values of said output image.

10. An apparatus for converting an input image having a number Nh of dots in the horizontal direction to an output image having a number Mh of dots in the horizontal direction, comprising:

means for calculating a horizontal common multiple Ch of (Nh−

1) and (Mh−

1);

means for calculating an absolute-coordinate of each pixel of said output image using said horizontal common multiple Ch as a common-coordinate system; and

means for calculating a value of a dot of the output image from the value of a corresponding dot of the input image based on said absolute-coordinate values of said output image.

11. An apparatus for converting an input image having a number Nv of lines in the vertical direction to an output image having a number Mv of lines in the vertical direction, comprising:

means for calculating a vertical common multiple Cv of (Nv−

1) and (Mv−

1);

a first vertical counter to which (Nv−

1) is added each time one line is displayed on said output image and from which (Mv−

1) is subtracted when said first vertical counter exceeds (Mv−

1);

a second vertical counter to which “

1”

is added when (Mv−

1) is subtracted from said first vertical counter; and

means for calculating a value of said output image based on values of said first vertical counter and said second vertical counter.

12. An apparatus for converting an input image having a number Nh of dots in the horizontal direction to an output image having a number Mh of dots in the horizontal direction, comprising:

means for calculating a horizontal common multiple Ch of (Nh−

1) and (Mh−

1);

a first horizontal counter to which (Nh−

1) is added each time one dot is displayed on said output image and from which (Mh−

1) is subtracted when said first horizontal counter exceeds (Mh−

1);

a second horizontal counter to which “

1”

is added when (Mh−

1) is subtracted from said first horizontal counter; and

means for calculating a value of said output image based on values of said first horizontal counter and said second horizontal counter.