Systems and methods for generating video test sequences based upon captured video data

• US 8,054,331 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Project Giants, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Ivers, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): KOSTAK, VICTOR R
• Application Number:
  US11/510,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 348/180, 348/181, 348/184, 348/187, 348/188, 348/189, 348/191, 348/192, 702/57, 702/66, 702/67, 702/69, 702/79, 702/81, 702/122, 702/124, 345/440.1
• US Class Current: 348/184
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/00 Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers

Abstract

A video test system is provided with a circular buffer to capture a video input sequence in response to a trigger, and a test generator output to generate a video test sequence based upon the captured video test sequence. The system may be implemented using a single instrument, or a combination of instruments, such as video waveform monitors and video signal generators. A method is also provided for generating video test sequences based upon captured video sequences.

Claims

1. A video test system for generating a video test sequence comprising:

a circular buffer having a video input, wherein the video input provides video sequence data to the circular buffer;

a trigger system connected to the circular buffer to provide a trigger signal to cause the circular buffer to capture at least a portion of the video sequence data, wherein the trigger system provides the trigger signal in response to a characteristic of the video sequence data or information included with the video sequence data; and

a test generator output in communication with the circular buffer to produce a video test sequence based upon the captured video sequence data.

2. The video test system as provided in claim 1, wherein the trigger system provides the trigger signal based upon a manual trigger, or an external trigger.

3. The video test system as provided in claim 1, wherein the trigger system provides the trigger signal based upon a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) error, a gamut error, or ancillary data identification.

4. The video test system as provided in claim 1, further comprising a format converter connected between the circular buffer and the test generator output to convert the captured video sequence data into a serial transmission format.

5. The video test system as provided in claim 1, further comprising a capture memory in communication with the circular buffer to provide storage of the captured video sequence data.

6. The video test system as provided in claim 5, wherein the capture memory communicates through a read/write interface to transfer the captured video sequence data to the circular buffer.

7. The video test system as provided in claim 5, further comprising a test processor connected between the capture memory and the circular buffer to provide format conversion between the captured video sequence provided by the circular buffer and a format suitable for storage on the capture memory, and to provide communication between the capture memory and the circular buffer.

8. A video test system comprising:

a video waveform monitor to capture a video sequence; and

a video signal generator in communication with the video waveform monitor to receive the video sequence and produce a test video sequence based upon the video sequence;

wherein communication is provided through a network interface.

9. A video test system comprising:

a video waveform monitor to capture a video sequence; and

a video signal generator in communication with the video waveform monitor to receive the video sequence and produce a test video sequence based upon the video sequence;

wherein communication is provided using computer readable media.

10. A video test system comprising:

a video waveform monitor to capture a video sequence; and

a video signal generator in communication with the video waveform monitor to receive the video sequence and produce a test video sequence based upon the video sequence;

wherein the video waveform monitor provides conversion of the video sequence into a format suitable for use by the video signal generator.