Method and apparatus for video deinterlacing and format conversion

• US 7,345,708 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Linzer, Elliot N., Winger, Lowell L., Wells, Aaron G., Cote, Guy, Booth, Simon, Jia, Yunwei
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke; Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US10/744,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20050134730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 348/448, 348/452, 348/458, 382/262
• US Class Current: 348/448
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/012 Conversion between an interlaced and a progressive signal for graphics images G09G2310/0229

Abstract

A method for deinterlacing a picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) determining a protection condition by performing a static check on the picture in a region around a location interlaced with a first field of the picture, (B) calculating an interpolated sample at the location by temporal averaging the first field with a second field in response to the protection condition indicating significant vertical activity and (C) calculating the interpolated sample at the location by spatial filtering the first field in response to the protection condition indicating insignificant vertical activity.

Claims

1. A method for deinterlacing a picture, comprising the steps of:

(A) determining a protection condition by performing a static check on said picture in a region around a location interlaced with a first field of said picture, wherein said region comprises at least three-by-three sample locations;

(B) calculating an interpolated sample at said location by temporal filtering said first field with a second field in response to said protection condition only indicating a significant increase in a vertical activity in said region due to said deinterlacing; and

(C) calculating said interpolated sample at said location by spatial filtering said first field in response to said protection condition only indicating an insignificant change in said vertical activity in said region due to said deinterlacing

(D) evaluating said region for a stationary horizontal edge in said picture prior to calculating said interpolated sample, wherein said stationary horizontal edge separates a spatially static content on a first side of said picture and a spatially dynamic content on a second side of said picture.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (B) is in further response to said evaluation of said region indicating that said location is on said first side of said stationary horizontal edge.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said static checking operates on said first field and a third field having a same parity.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (B) is in further response to a plurality of current samples in said region of said first field match a corresponding plurality of previous samples in said region of a third field.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said third field has a same parity as said first field.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said protection condition is based on a plurality of measures of said vertical activity in said region.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

calculating a first value of said measures of said vertical activity at said location after inclusion of said interpolated sample.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

calculating a plurality of second values of said measures of said vertical activity within said region other than at said location.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

asserting said protection condition where said first value is proximate said second values.

10. A method for deinterlacing a picture, comprising the steps of:

(A) determining a protection condition by performing a static check on said picture in a region around a location interlaced with a first field of said picture;

(B) calculating an interpolated sample at said location by temporal filtering said first field with a second field in response to said protection condition only indicating significant vertical activity; and

(C) evaluating said region for a stationary horizontal edge in said picture in response to said protection condition only indicating insignificant vertical activity, wherein said stationary horizontal edge separates a spatially static content on a first side of said picture and a spatially dynamic content on a second side of said picture.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

calculating said interpolated sample at said location by spatial filtering said first field in response to said evaluation of said region indicating that said location is on said second side of said stationary horizontal edge.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

calculating said interpolated sample at said location by spatial filtering said first field in response to said evaluation of said region indicating that no stationary horizontal edge is present in said region.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

calculating said interpolated sample at said location by temporal filtering said first field with a second field in response to said evaluation of said region indicating that said location is on said first side of said stationary horizontal edge.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

calculating said interpolated sample at said location by directional filtering.

15. A method for deinterlacing a picture, comprising the steps of:

(A) determining a protection condition by performing a static check on said picture in a region around a location interlaced with a first field of said picture;

(B) calculating an interpolated sample at said location by temporal filtering said first field with a second field in response to said protection condition only indicating a significant increase in a vertical activity in said region due to said deinterlacing; and

(C) calculating said interpolated sample at said location by blending in response to said protection condition only indicating an insignificant change in said vertical activity in said region due to said deinterlacing,

(D) evaluating said region for a stationary horizontal edge in said picture, wherein said stationary horizontal edge separates a spatially static content on a first side of said picture and a spatially dynamic content on a second side of said picture.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said region comprises at least three-by-three sample locations.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein step (B) is in further response to said evaluation of said region indicating that said stationary horizontal edge exists.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein step (B) is in further response to said location being on said first side of said stationary horizontal edge.