Method for video enhancement and computer device using the method

• US 8,300,970 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Kual-Zheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayesh A
• Application Number:
  US12/402,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 382/298, 382/254, 382/300
• US Class Current: 382/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/646 for image enhancement, e.g. vertical detail restoration, cross-colour elimination, contour correction, chrominance trapping filters

Abstract

A video enhancement method is disclosed. An input image is retrieved and it is determined whether an enhancement mode is implemented to the input image. If so, motion detection is implemented to the input image that only enhancement coefficients of varied pixels of the input image are recalculated and the enhancement coefficients are updated to an enhancement coefficient table. Based on the enhancement coefficient table, pixel colors of the input image are adjusted and the adjusted image is output.

Claims

1. A method for video enhancement, comprising:

retrieving an input image;

determining whether a full enhancement mode or a fast enhancement mode is implemented to the input image by the following steps, wherein the full enhancement mode processes all pixels of the input image, and the fast enhancement mode processes varied pixels of the input image;

setting a period parameter;

determining whether a count value for a counter is greater than or equal to the period parameter;

when the count value is less than the period parameter, switching to the fast enhancement mode and accumulating the counter; and

when the count value is not less than the period parameter, switching to the full enhancement mode and resetting the counter; and

when the fast enhancement mode is determined to be implemented, implementing motion detection for the input image, in which enhancement coefficients of varied pixels of the input image are recalculated and updating the enhancement coefficients to an enhancement coefficient table; and

adjusting pixel colors of the input image based on the enhancement coefficient table and outputting the adjusted image.

2. The method for video enhancement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

when the full enhancement mode is determined to be implemented, calculating the enhancement coefficients of all pixels of the input image; and

updating the enhancement coefficients to the enhancement coefficient table.

3. The method for video enhancement as claimed in claim 2, further comprising implementing a downscaling operation to the input image.

4. The method for video enhancement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the downscaling operation is performed by averaging, nearest neighboring, or interpolating.

5. The method for video enhancement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the full enhancement mode is performed whenever an image number corresponding to the period parameter is reached.

6. The method for video enhancement as claimed in claim 1, wherein stable pixels of the input image are determined using the motion detection to reduce calculation frequency of the enhancement coefficients.

7. The method for video enhancement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the motion detection further comprises:

detecting varied states of each pixel of the input image;

re-calculating and updating the enhancement coefficients of the varied pixels to the enhancement coefficient table;

continuing using the enhancement coefficients which are previously calculated of the stable pixels; and

periodically re-calculating the enhancement coefficients of each pixel of the input image.

8. A computer device, comprising:

a video capture module, retrieving an input image;

a determination module, determining whether a full enhancement mode or a fast enhancement mode is implemented to the input image by the following steps, wherein the full enhancement mode processes all pixels of the input image, and the fast enhancement mode processes varied pixels of the input image;

setting a period parameter;

determining whether a count value for a counter is greater than or equal to the period parameter;

when the count value is less than the period parameter, switching to the fast enhancement mode and accumulating the counter; and

when the count value is not less than the period parameter, switching to the full enhancement mode and resetting the counter; and

a calculation module, when the fast enhancement mode is determined to be implemented, implementing motion detection for the input image, in which enhancement coefficients of varied pixels of the input image are recalculated and updating the enhancement coefficients to an enhancement coefficient table; and

an adjustment module, adjusting pixel colors of the input image based on the enhancement coefficient table and outputting the adjusted image.

9. The computer device as claimed in claim 8, wherein, when the full enhancement mode is determined to be implemented, the calculation module calculates the enhancement coefficients of the whole pixels of the input image and updates the enhancement coefficients to the enhancement coefficient table.

10. The computer device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a downscaling module, implementing a downscaling operation to the input image.

11. The computer device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the downscaling operation is performed by averaging, nearest neighboring, or interpolating.

12. The computer device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the determination module determines to perform the full enhancement mode whenever an image number corresponding to the period parameter is reached.

13. The computer device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the determination module determines stable pixels of the input image using the motion detection to reduce calculation frequency of the enhancement coefficients.

14. The computer device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the calculation module further detects varied states of each pixel of the input image, re-calculates and updating the enhancement coefficients of the varied pixels to the enhancement coefficient table, continues using the enhancement coefficients which are previously calculated of the stable pixels, and periodically re-calculates the enhancement coefficients of each pixel of the input image.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions for performing a method for video enhancement, the computer executable instructions comprising:

retrieving an input image;

determining whether a full enhancement mode or a fast enhancement mode is implemented to the input image by the following steps, wherein the full enhancement mode processes all pixels of the input image, and the fast enhancement mode processes varied pixels of the input image;

setting a period parameter;

determining whether a count value for a counter is greater than or equal to the period parameter;

when the count value is less than the period parameter, switching to the fast enhancement mode and accumulating the counter; and

when the count value is not less than the period parameter, switching to the full enhancement mode and resetting the counter;

when the fast enhancement mode is determined to be implemented, implementing motion detection for the input image, in which enhancement coefficients of varied pixels of the input image are recalculated and updating the enhancement coefficients to an enhancement coefficient table; and

adjusting pixel colors of the input image based on the enhancement coefficient table and outputting the adjusted image.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

when the full enhancement mode is determined to be implemented, calculating the enhancement coefficients of all pixels of the input image; and

updating the enhancement coefficients to the enhancement coefficient table.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 16, further comprising implementing a downscaling operation to the input image.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the downscaling operation is performed by averaging, nearest neighboring, or interpolating.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein the full enhancement mode is performed whenever an image number corresponding to the period parameter is reached.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein stable pixels of the input image are determined using the motion detection to reduce calculation frequency of the enhancement coefficients.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 20, wherein the motion detection further comprises:

detecting varied states of each pixel of the input image;

re-calculating and updating the enhancement coefficients of the varied pixels to the enhancement coefficient table;

continuing using the enhancement coefficients which are previously calculated of the stable pixels; and

periodically re-calculating the enhancement coefficients of each pixel of the input image.