Unified system for progressive and interlaced video transmission

• US 8,170,099 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: MacInnis, Alexander G., Zhong, Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILIPPE, GIMS S
• Application Number:
  US12/406,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20090185073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 348/434.1, 348/446, 348/448, 348/584, 348/473, 348/303, 348/459, 382/244, 375/240.21, 358/470
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/85 using pre-processing or post-processing specially adapted for video compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/01 Conversion of standards , e.g. involving analogue television standards or digital television standards processed at pixel level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/012 Conversion between an interlaced and a progressive signal for graphics images G09G2310/0229

Abstract

A system and method that support both progressive and interlaced format video transmission and display. The system utilizes de-interlacing techniques to convert input interlaced format video to progressive format video, and compress and vertically scale the progressive format video to communicate videos more efficiently in a progressive format. The system also supports interlaced and progressive displays, where after decompressing and vertically rescaling the communicated compressed progressive format video, the video may be converted to interlaced format if the display supports interlaced format video. The system is capable of dynamically switching between the progressive and the interlaced format modes.

Claims

1. A system that transmits and displays interlaced and progressive format input video, said system comprising:

a scalar for downscaling a progressive frame;

a compression engine for compressing the downscaled progressive frame;

a decompression engine for decompressing the downscaled compressed progressive frame;

an interlacer and a downscalar for interlacing and downscaling the decompressed downscaled compressed progressive frames if the input video is to be displayed in interlaced format; and

a scalar for upconverting the decompressed downscaled compressed progressive frames for display in progressive format if the input video is to be displayed in progressive format.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising an encoding end comprising:

at least one first element that converts an input video in interlaced format to video in progressive format; and

at least one second element that vertically scales down the video in progressive format.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the at least one first element utilizes a de-interlacing technique.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein the at least one first element and the at least one second element comprise separate physical devices.

5. The system according to claim 2 wherein the at least one second element utilizes a Kell factor in vertically scaling down the video in progressive format.

6. The system according to claim 2 wherein the encoding end further comprises at least one third element that compresses the video in progressive format utilizing a compression technique.

7. The system according to claim 2 further comprising a decoding end, wherein the encoding end communicates the compressed video in progressive format to the decoding end.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the decoding end further comprises at least one fourth element that decompresses the communicated compressed video in progressive format.

9. The system according to claim 7 further comprising a display that receives an output from the decoding end.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the decompressed video in progressive format is displayed on the display.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the decoding end further comprises at least one fifth element that converts the decompressed video in progressive format to video in interlaced format for display.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system provides interlaced frames transmitted in the progressive format for perceptibly similar display on both an interlaced display and a progressive display.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an output for providing progressive frames for display.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a phase shifter for phase shifting the decompressed downscaled compressed progressive frames if the input video is to be displayed in interlaced format.

15. A system that receives interlaced and progressive format input video, wherein the received video is vertically scaled down and is in progressive format, the system comprising at least one first element that decompresses and vertically scales the received compressed video, said system comprising:

an input for receiving a downscaled compressed progressive frame;

a decompression engine for decompressing the downscaled compressed progressive frame;

an interlacer and a downscalar for interlacing and downscaling the decompressed downscaled compressed progressive frames if the input video is to be displayed in interlaced format; and

a scalar for upconverting the decompressed downscaled compressed progressive frames for display in progressive format if the input video is to be displayed in progressive format.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein a display receives an output from the system.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the decompressed video in progressive format is displayed on the display.

18. The system according to claim 16 further comprising at least one second element that converts the decompressed video in progressive format to video in interlaced format and displays it on the display.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the display is an interlaced display.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the vertical height of the received progressive format video is greater than the vertical height of the interlaced display, and the width of the received progressive format video is greater than two-thirds of the width of the interlaced display.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a phase shifter for phase shifting the decompressed downscaled compressed progressive frames if the input video is to be displayed in interlaced format.