Video standards converter

• US 6,982,763 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Perry, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M.
• Application Number:
  US09/920,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 348/441, 348/443, 348/445, 348/446, 348/448, 348/449, 348/455, 348/458, 348/459, 348/554, 348/556, 348/558, 348/588, 348705-706, 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/3.1, 710/100
• US Class Current: 348/441
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 11/20 Conversion of the manner in which the individual colour picture signal components are combined, e.g. conversion of colour television standards
• 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 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence

Abstract

A video standards converter (VSC) has a first input module, a second input module, a bus attached to the first and second input modules, a first output module attached to the bus and having a first video standard, and a second output module attached to the bus and having a second video standard. The first and second video standards may be different. The first input module may be adapted to convert an analog video signal to a digital signal. The second input module may be adapted to convert an analog video signal to a digital signal. The VSC may include a picture-in-picture feature for displaying images from two different sources simultaneously. The VSC may be employed in methods for converting a signal from a first video standard to a second video standard.

Claims

1. A system for converting video standards comprising:

a first input module receiving first analog video signal from a first video source and converting the first analog video signal to a digital video signal, wherein the first input module converts the first analog video signal from a standard of the first video source to a bus standard;

a second input module receiving second analog video signal from a second video source and converting the second analog video signal to a digital video signal, wherein the second input module converts the second analog video signal from a standard of the second video source to the bus standard;

a bus attached to outputs of the first and second input modules;

an input selection and control device (ISC) for selecting at least one of the first and second input modules to drive the bus;

first and second output modules attached to an output of the bus;

a first video device attached to the first output module; and

wherein the first output module converts a digital video signal from the bus standard to a standard of the first video device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second input modules converts a standard of a video signal to match the video standard of the bus.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein a video standard of the first output module is different from a video standard of the second output module.

4. The system of claim 1 and comprising a computer for controlling the ISC.

5. The system of claim 4 and comprising a foot-pedal for controlling the computer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the input modules is a dual-input module having a pair of connectors connected to sources having identical standards.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the output modules is a dual-output module having a pair of connectors connected to two video devices having identical video standards.

8. The system of claim 1 and comprising a third output module, wherein the first, second, and third output modules have different video standards.

9. The system of claim 1 and comprising:

a second video device; and

wherein the first video device is attached to the first output module;

wherein the second video device is attached to the second output module;

wherein the first and second video devices have different standards.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the bus standard includes an aspect ratio of a video image.

10. A system for converting video standards comprising:

a first input module receiving first analog video signal from a first video source and converting the first analog video signal to a digital video signal, wherein the first input module converts the first analog video signal from a standard of the first video source to a bus standard;

a second input module receiving second analog video signal from a second video source and converting the second analog video signal to a digital video signal, wherein the second input module converts the second analog video signal from a standard of the second video source to the bus standard;

a bus attached to outputs of the first and second input modules;

an input selection and control device (ISC) for selecting at least one of the first and second input modules to drive the bus;

a computer for controlling the ISC;

first and second output modules attached to an output of the bus;

a first video device attached to the first output module;

a second video device attached to the second output module; and

wherein the first output module converts a standard of a video signal from the bus standard to a standard of the first video device;

wherein a video standard of the first output module is different from a video standard of the second output module;

wherein the first and second video devices have different standards.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the bus standard includes an aspect ratio of a video image.

13. A system for displaying images from two sources, the system comprising:

a first input module converting a first analog video signal to a first digital video signal, wherein the first input module converts the first analog video signal from a standard of a first video source to a bus standard;

a second input module converting a second analog video signal to a second digital video signal, wherein the second input module converts the second analog video signal from a standard of a second video source to the bus standard;

a bus attached to outputs of the first and second input modules;

a first output module attached to an output of the bus;

a second output module attached to the output of the bus;

a first display device attached to one of the first and second output modules; and

wherein the bus drives the first output module to convert the first and second digital video signals to respective first and second analog display signals containing images for reception by the first display device;

wherein at least a portion of each image from the first and second analog display signals is displayed on the first display device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein images from one of the first and second analog display signals are displayed in a quadrant of the first display device.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein padding is positioned adjacent at least a portion of an image from the first or second analog video display signals.

16. The system of claim 13 and comprising an ISC for selecting one of the first and second video signals to be a window image and the other video signal to be the background image.

17. The system of claim 13 and comprising:

a third input module attached to the bus.

18. The system of claim 13 and comprising an ISC for controlling positions at which the images from the first and second analog video display signals are displayed on the first display device.

19. The system of claim 13 and comprising:

a second display device; and

wherein the first display device is attached to the first output module;

wherein the second display device is attached to the second output module;

wherein the first and second display devices have different standards.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the bus standard includes an aspect ratio of a video image.

21. A system for displaying images from two sources, the system comprising:

a first input module converting a first analog video signal to a first digital video signal, wherein the first input module converts the first analog video signal from a standard of a first video source to a bus standard;

a second input module converts a second analog video signal to a second digital video signal, wherein the second input module converts the second analog video signal from a standard of a second video source to the bus standard;

a bus attached to outputs of the first and second input modules;

a first output module attached to an output of the bus;

a second output module attached to an output of the bus;

a first display device attached to the first output module;

a second display device attached to the second output module; and

wherein the first output module converts the first and second digital video signals to respective first and second analog display signals containing images for reception by the first display device;

wherein at least a portion of each image from the first and second analog display signals is displayed on the first display device; and

wherein the first and second display devices have different standards.

22. The system of claim 21 and comprising an ISC for selecting one of the first and second analog video signals to supply window images and the other analog video signal to supply background images.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the bus standard includes an aspect ratio of a video image.

24. A method for converting a plurality of video sources having a plurality of different standards, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a video standards converter (VSC) comprising;

a first input module;

a second input module;

a bus attached to outputs of the first and second input modules;

a first output module attached to an output of the bus;

a second output module attached to an output of the bus;

employing one of the first and second input modules to convert a video signal from analog to digital, wherein one of the first and second input modules converts a standard of the video signal to a bus standard;

employing the bus to drive one of the first and second output modules to convert the video signal from digital to analog;

selecting one of the first and second input modules to place a video signal onto the bus; and

positioning the video signal as the signal is placed on the bus.

25. The method of claim 24 and comprising the step of providing a third output module attached to the bus.

26. The method of claim 24 and comprising the steps of:

providing a display device attached to one of the output modules; and

displaying images of the video signal on the display device attached to the output module.