System and method for performing visual data post-processing based on information related to frequency response pre-processing

• US 8,189,107 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Herz, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sam
• Application Number:
  US11/685,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 348/446, 348/448, 348/441, 348/91, 348/683, 348/701
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/21 Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0112 one of the standards corresponding to a cinematograph film standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/012 Conversion between an interlaced and a progressive signal for graphics images G09G2310/0229

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided. After receipt of visual data, an aspect of the frequency response associated with the visual data is changed. Thereafter, subsequent processing is performed on the visual data, based on information extracted from and related to the aspect of the frequency response change.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving visual data including a plurality of pixels;

reducing noise of at least one of the pixels of the visual data;

collecting information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, the information including an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included a threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data;

in response to the collecting of the information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, conditionally performing subsequent processing on the visual data, the subsequent processing of the visual data based on the collected information indicating for each pixel of the visual data whether the pixel included the threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data; and

determining whether to perform a deinterlacing operation or an inverse telecine opera based on the collected information;

wherein the determining whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation is made utilizing deemed-valid pixels of the visual data that have less than the threshold amount of noise.

2. The method of claim 1, further including performing at least one of a scaling operation and an edge enhancement operation on the visual data, wherein the collecting of the information further includes collecting information relating to the at least one of the scaling operation and the edge enhancement operation on the visual data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent processing includes performing a noise reduction operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent processing includes performing an edge enhancement operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent processing includes performing a gamma correction operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information includes an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel of the visual data was subjected to the noise reduction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information includes an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included less than the threshold amount of noise.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information indicates which pixels of the visual data were subjected to the noise reduction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the deemed-valid pixels of the visual data have less than the threshold amount of noise and relate to pixel movement, wherein film-originated visual data is indicated when the pixels of the visual data exhibit a backward, then forward, then backward pixel movement, and video-originated visual data is indicated when the pixels of the visual data exhibit at least one of a zig-zag video field and a feathering video field.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent processing is performed on only pixels of the visual data which have less than the threshold amount of noise and were not subjected to the noise reduction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount of noise is based on a region of the pixels of the visual data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further includes a copy of each of the received pixels of the visual data prior to the noise reduction of the at least one of the pixels of the visual data.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving visual data including a plurality of pixels;

reducing noise of at least one of the pixels of the visual data;

collecting information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, the information including an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included a threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data;

in response to the collecting of the information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, conditionally performing subsequent processing on the visual data, the subsequent processing of the visual data based on the collected information indicating for each pixel of the visual data whether the pixel included the threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data; and

determining whether to perform a deinterlacing operation or an inverse telecine operation based on the collected information;

wherein the determining whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation is made utilizing pixels of the visual data that were not subjected to the noise reduction.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving visual data including a plurality of pixels;

reducing noise of at least one of the pixels of the visual data;

collecting information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, the information including an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included a threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data;

in response to the collecting of the information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, conditionally performing subsequent processing on the visual data, the subsequent processing of the visual data based on the collected information indicating for each pixel of the visual data whether the pixel included the threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data;

determining whether to perform a deinterlacing operation or an inverse telecine operation based on the collected information; and

determining whether a predetermined number of pixels of the visual data are available for being used for the determination whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation;

wherein the determination whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation is performed utilizing historical data, if it is determined that the predetermined number of pixels of the visual data are not available.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor for;

reducing noise of at least one of a plurality of pixels of visual data,

collecting information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, the information including an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included a threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data,

in response to the collecting of the information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, conditionally performing subsequent processing on the visual data, the subsequent processing of the visual data based on the collected information indicating for each pixel of the visual data whether the pixel included the threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, and

determining whether to perform a deinterlacing operation or an inverse telecine operation based on the collected information;

wherein the determining whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation is made utilizing deemed-valid pixels of the visual data that have less than the threshold amount of noise.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor includes a graphics processor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphics processor is in communication with memory and a central processor via a bus.

18. A system, comprising:

a processor for;

reducing noise of at least one of a plurality of pixels of visual data,

collecting information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, the information including an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included a threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data,

in response to the collecting of the information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, conditionally performing subsequent processing on the visual data, the subsequent processing of the visual data based on the collected information indicating for each pixel of the visual data whether the pixel included the threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, and

determining whether to perform a deinterlacing operation or an inverse telecine operation based on the collected information;

wherein the determining whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation is made utilizing pixels of the visual data that were not subjected to the noise reduction.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor for;

reducing noise of at least one of a plurality of pixels of visual data,

collecting information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, the information including an indication for each pixel of the visual data of whether the pixel included a threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data,

in response to the collecting of the information relating to the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data, conditionally performing subsequent processing on the visual data, the subsequent processing of the visual data based on the collected information indicating for each pixel of the visual data whether the pixel included the threshold amount of noise before the noise reduction of the pixels of the visual data,

determining whether to perform a deinterlacing operation or an inverse telecine operation based on the collected information, and

determining whether a predetermined number of pixels of the visual data are available for being used for the determination whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation;

wherein the determination whether to perform the deinterlacing operation or the inverse telecine operation is performed utilizing historical data, if it is determined that the predetermined number of pixels of the visual data are not available,