Image processing circuit and image processing method for generating interpolated image

• US 9,525,873 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Sung, Chen, Tsui-Chin, Jiang, Jian-De
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Leron
• Application Number:
  US13/866,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 37524001-24029
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/513 Processing of motion vectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/533 Motion estimation using multistep search, e.g. 2D-log search or one-at-a-time search [OTS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/567 Motion estimation based on rate distortion criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/587 involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence

Abstract

An image processing circuit and an image processing method are provided. The image processing circuit comprises a full search engine and a frame rate conversion (FRC) engine. The full search engine executes a full search to generate a sum of sum of absolute difference (SAD) distribution according to the reference image and the current image. The FRC engine analyzes a scene characteristic from the current image according to SAD distribution. The FRC engine adjusts at least one of the control parameters according to the scene characteristic. The FRC engine generates an interpolated image according to the reference image, the current image and the control parameters.

Claims

1. An image processing circuit, comprising:

a full search engine, which executes a full search to generate a sum of absolute differences (SAD) distribution according to a reference image and a current image, wherein the SAD distribution comprises a plurality of sums of absolute differences; and

a frame rate conversion (FRC) engine, which generates an interpolated image according to the reference image, the current image and a plurality of control parameters, wherein the FRC engine determines whether the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than a smallest threshold is equal to 1 or less than 1 when part of the sums of absolute differences is not larger than the smallest threshold, the current image comprises a good scene when the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is equal to 1 or less than 1, the current image comprises a periodic scene when the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is larger than 1, the FRC engine determines whether all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than an average pixel level (APL) when all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than the smallest threshold, the current image comprises a flash scene when all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than the APL, the current image comprises a bad scene when part of the sums of absolute differences is not larger than the APL, and the FRC engine adjusts at least one of the control parameters according to the good scene, the periodic scene, the flash scene or the bad scene.

2. The image processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control parameters comprise an update vector used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS).

3. The image processing circuit according to claim 2, wherein the frame rate conversion engine increases the update vector when the current image comprises the bad scene and decreases the update vector when the current image comprises the flash scene or the periodic scene.

4. The image processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control parameters comprise a quantity of candidate motion vectors.

5. The image processing circuit according to claim 4, wherein the frame rate conversion engine decreases the quantity of candidate motion vectors when the current image comprises the bad scene, the flash scene or the periodic scene.

6. An image processing circuit, comprising:

a full search engine, which executes a full search to generate a sum of absolute difference (SAD) distribution according to a reference image and a current image, wherein the SAD distribution comprises a plurality of sums of absolute differences; and

a frame rate conversion (FRC) engine, which generates an interpolated image according to the reference image, the current image and a plurality of control parameters, and adjusts the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution;

wherein the FRC engine, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution;

determines whether the number of the sums of absolute differences that is larger than a smallest threshold is equal to 1 or less than 1 when part of the sums of absolute differences is not larger than the smallest threshold, and

when the number of the sums of absolute differences that is determined to be larger than the smallest threshold is equal to 1 or less than 1, determines that the current image comprises a good scene the FRC engine and keeps the control parameters unchanged.

7. The image processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the FRC engine, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution when the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is larger than 1, determines that the current image comprises a periodic scene and decreases an update vector used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS), that is included in the control parameters.

8. The image processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the FRC engine, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution, further comprises when the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is larger than 1, determines that the current image comprises a periodic scene and decreases a quantity of candidate motion vectors that is included in the control parameters.

9. The image processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the FRC engine, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution:

determines whether all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than an average pixel level (APL) when all of the sums of absolute differences are determined to be larger than the smallest threshold, and

when all of the sums of absolute differences are determined to be larger than the APL, determines that the current image comprises a flash scene, and decreases an update vector, used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS), that is included in the control parameters.

10. The image processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the FRC engine, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution:

determines whether all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than an average pixel level (APL) when all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than the smallest threshold, and

when all of the sums of absolute differences are determined to be larger than the APL, determines that the current image comprises a flash scene, and decreases a quantity of candidate motion vectors that is included in the control parameters.

11. The image processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution:

determines whether all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than an average pixel level (APL) when all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than the smallest threshold, and

when part of the sums of absolute differences is determined to be not larger than the APL, determines the current image comprises a bad scene, and increases an update vector, used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS), that is included in the control parameters.

12. The image processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the FRC engine, in adjusting the plurality of control parameters according to the SAD distribution:

when all of the sums of absolute differences are determined to be larger than the smallest threshold, determines whether all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than an average pixel level (APL), and

when part of the sums of absolute differences is determined to be not larger than the APL, determines that the current images comprises a bad scene, and decreases a quantity of candidate motion vectors that is included in the control parameters.

13. An image processing method, comprising:

executing a full search to generate a sum of absolute differences (SAD) distribution according to a reference image and a current image, wherein the SAD distribution comprises a plurality of sums of absolute differences;

analyzing a scene characteristic from the current image according to the SAD distribution; and

generating an interpolated image according to the reference image, the current image and the control parameters;

wherein the step of analyzing the scene characteristic includes;

determining whether part of the sums of absolute differences is not larger than a smallest threshold;

determining whether the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is equal to 1 or less than 1 when part of the sums of absolute differences is not larger than the smallest threshold; and

determining that the current image comprises a good scene when the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is equal to 1 or less than 1.

14. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the analyzing step further comprises:

determining that the current image comprises a periodic scene when the number of the sums of absolute differences which are larger than the smallest threshold is larger than 1;

determining whether all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than an average pixel level (APL) when all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than the smallest threshold;

determining that the current image comprises a flash scene when the all of the sums of absolute differences are larger than the APL; and

determining that the current image comprises a bad scene when part of the sums of absolute differences is not larger than the APL.

15. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control parameters comprise an update vector used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS), and the update vector is decreased when the current image comprises a periodic scene.

16. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control parameters comprise a quantity of candidate motion vectors, and the quantity of candidate motion vectors is decreased when the current image comprises a periodic scene.

17. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control parameters comprise an update vector used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS), and the update vector is decreased when the current image comprises a flash scene.

18. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control parameters comprise a quantity of candidate motion vectors, and the quantity of candidate motion vectors is decreased when the current image comprises a flash scene.

19. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control parameters comprise an update vector used in a three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS), and the update vector is increased when the current image comprises a bad scene.

20. The image processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control parameters comprise a quantity of candidate motion vectors, and the quantity of candidate motion vectors is decreased when the current image comprises a bad scene.