Method and apparatus for eliminating spot flashing in video displays

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which said grid is adjusted to include surrounding elements from the next higher and next lower scan lines and elements preceding and following said element.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 2 and in which, said grid comprises eight surrounding pixels with said element in the center.

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 4 and in which said surrounding elements are distributed in an eight-pixel grid with the element that is surrounded, in its interior.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 5 and in which said surrounding elements include preceding and following elements and elements from the preceding and following scan lines.

Claim 9

Apparatus for obviating pixel element flashing in the display of images on a cathode-ray-tube screen and the like supplied from a scanning image sensor such as a CCD, having, in combination, a plurality of successive one-scan line delay means for delaying the scanning image signals from the sensor, successive lines of the image; a plurality of pixel delay units corresponding to a grid of pixels surrounding each successive pixel element of the image along each scan line; means for connecting the line delay means with the pixel delay units; comparator means connected with the pixel delay units for establishing the maximum and minimum signal brightness values of the pixels within said grid; further comparator means connected with the particular pixel delay unit corresponding to the said pixel element surrounded by said grid of pixels and the first-named comparator means for determining whether the signal brightness value of said pixel element is greater than or less than the said maximum and minimum signal brightness values, respectively, or is within said values; and multiplexer means provided with maximum and minimum brightness level signal inputs and an input from said particular pixel delay unit and responsive to the output of said further comparator means for substituting said maximum and minimum signal brightness values for the output of said particular pixel delay unit in the event that said output is greater than or less than said maximum and minimum signal brightness values, respectively, and for applying to the cathode-ray-tube screen the signal output of said particular pixel delay unit in the event that the same is less than or equal to said maximum, but greater than or equal to said minimum values.

Claim 10

Apparatus for obviating pixel element flashing in the display of images on a cathode-ray-tube screen and the like supplied from a scanning image sensor such as a CCD, having, in combination, a plurality of successive one-scan line delay means for delaying the scanning image signals from the sensor, successive lines of the image; a plurality of pixel delay units corresponding to a grid of pixels surrounding each successive pixel element of the image along each scan line; means for connecting the line delay means with the pixel delay units; comparator means connected with the pixel delay units for establishing the maximum and minimum signal brightness values of the pixels within said grid; further comparator means connected with the particular pixel delay unit corresponding to the said pixel element surrounded by said grid of pixels and the first-named comparator means for determining whether the signal brightness value of said pixel element is greater than or less than the said maximum and minimum signal brightness values, respectively, or is within said values; and multiplexer means provided with maximum and minimum brightness level signal inputs and an input from said particular pixel delay unit and responsive to the output of said further comparator means for substituting said maximum and minimum signal brightness values for the output of said particular pixel delay unit in the event that said output is greater than or less than said maximum and minimum signal brightness values, respectively, and for applying to the cathode-ray-tube screen the signal output of said particular pixel delay unit in the event that the same is less than or equal to said maximum, but greater than or equal to said minimum values.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and in which said grid comprises the said pixel element, three in the preceding scan line, three in the following scan line and one preceding and one following the surrounded pixel unit on the same scan line.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and in which the line delay means comprises three serially connected line delay circuits, the pixel delay units comprise nine units, and the first delay circuit is connected serially to the pixel delay units corresponding to the three pixels in said preceding scan line, the third line delay circuit is connected serially to the pixel delay units corresponding to the three pixels in said following scan line, and the second line delay circuit is connected serially to the pixel delay units corresponding to the pixel preceding the said surrounded pixel, the surrounded pixel, and the pixel following the same on the same scan line.