Method and apparatus for enhancement of high-definition video content

• US 8,339,512 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ota, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAIEM, SEAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/398,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/458
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20192 Edge enhancement; Edge preservation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0125 one of the standards being a high definition standard

Abstract

The detail and clarity of high-definition video content may be enhanced by a display device or client-side device before being displayed. In certain embodiments, the high-definition video image frames may be upsampled by scaling the image'"'"'s resolution. The now-upsampled HD video image frames may then be low pass filtered so as to concentrate the image'"'"'s energy distribution into a tighter range of frequencies. The filtered HD video image frames may then be sub-sampled back down, such as to the original HD image'"'"'s frame resolution, or other HD-level resolution, without compromising image detail. In this fashion, the clarity and detail level in video content, even though already considered of a high-definition quality, may be further improved.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing high-definition video content comprising:

receiving a plurality of high-definition (HD) video image frames having an original frame resolution;

upsampling the plurality of HD video image frames to an upsized frame resolution, wherein the upsized frame resolution is a predetermined multiple of the original frame resolution;

low pass filtering the plurality of HD video image frames after the upsampling;

sub-sampling the plurality of HD video image frames following the upsampling and the filtering; and

displaying the plurality of HD video image frames following the upsampling, filtering and sub-sampling;

wherein the low pass filtering concentrates each energy distribution of the plurality of HD video image frames into a range of frequencies lower than a Nyquist frequency associated with the original frame resolution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the original frame resolution comprises at least 720 vertical pixels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the upsampling the plurality of HD video image frames further comprises applying an image enhancement technique to the plurality of HD video image frames prior to the low pass filtering.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the applying the image enhancement technique comprises applying at least one of a super resolution enhancement, a mixed color separate enhancement, and a pattern matching technique.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined multiple comprises one of a multiple of two and a multiple of three.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein low pass filtering the plurality of HD video image frames comprises performing a two-dimensional full frame low pass filtering operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein low pass filtering the plurality of HD video image frames comprises performing a block-by-block low pass filtering operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-sampling the plurality of HD video image frames comprises sub-sampling the plurality of HD video image frames back down to the original frame resolution.

27. The method of claim 3, wherein the image enhancement technique is applied to the plurality of HD video image frames after the upsampling.

9. An apparatus to enhance high-definition video content comprising:

a means for receiving a plurality of high-definition (HD) video image frames having an original frame resolution;

a means for upsampling the plurality of HD video image frames to an upsized frame resolution, wherein the upsized frame resolution is a predetermined multiple of the original frame resolution;

a low pass filter electrically coupled to the means for upsampling; and

a means for sub-sampling the plurality of HD video image frames electrically coupled to the low pass filter;

wherein the low pass filter concentrates each energy distribution of the plurality of HD video image frames into a range of frequencies lower than a Nyquist frequency associated with the original frame resolution.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the original frame resolution comprises at least 720 vertical pixels.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for upsampling the plurality of HD video image frames further comprises means for applying an image enhancement technique to the plurality of HD video image frames prior to delivery to the low pass filter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for applying the image enhancement technique comprises means for applying at least one of a super resolution enhancement, a mixed color separate enhancement, and a pattern matching technique.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the predetermined multiple comprises one of a multiple of two and a multiple of three.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the low pass filter comprises a two-dimensional full frame low pass filter.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the low pass filter comprises a block-by-block low pass filter.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for sub-sampling the plurality of HD video image frames comprises means for sub-sampling the plurality of HD video image frames back down to the original frame resolution.

26. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the image enhancement technique is applied to the plurality of HD video image frames after the upsampling.

17. A computer program comprising:

a non-transitory computer storage medium having computer executable program code embodied therein to enhance high-definition video content, the computer storage medium having;

computer executable program code to receive a plurality of high-definition (HD) video image frames having an original frame resolution;

computer executable program code to upsample the plurality of HD video image frames to an upsized frame resolution, wherein the upsized frame resolution is a predetermined multiple of the original frame resolution;

computer executable program code to perform a low pass filter operation on the plurality of HD video image frames after the upsampling;

computer executable program code to sub-sample the plurality of HD video image frames after the upsampling and low pass filtering; and

computer executable program code to provide the plurality of HD video image frames to a display after the upsampling, the filtering, and the sub-sampling;

wherein the low pass filter operation concentrates each energy distribution of the plurality of HD video image frames into a range of frequencies lower than a Nyquist frequency associated with the original frame resolution.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the original frame resolution comprises at least 720 vertical pixels.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer executable program code to upsample the plurality of HD video image frames further comprises computer executable program code to apply an image enhancement technique to the plurality of HD video image frames prior to the low pass filtering.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer executable program code to apply the image enhancement technique comprises computer executable program code to apply at least one of a super resolution enhancement, a mixed color separate enhancement, and a pattern matching technique.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the predetermined multiple comprises one of a multiple of two and a multiple of three.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer executable program code to perform the low pass filter operation on the plurality of HD video image frames comprises computer executable program code to perform a two-dimensional full frame low pass filtering operation.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer executable program code to perform the low pass filter operation on the plurality of HD video image frames comprises computer executable program code to perform a block-by-block low pass filtering operation.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer executable program code to sub-sample the plurality of HD video image frames comprises computer executable program code to sub-sample the plurality of HD video image frames back down to the original frame resolution.

25. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the image enhancement technique is applied to the plurality of HD video image frames after the upsampling.