Video digital analog signal processing and display

Claim 3

In a a video system that displays a video image by means of a substantially rectangular array of picture elements or pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value pv that contributes to the video image, with each row in the array containing substantially the same number of substantially uniformly spaced pixels and each column in the array containing substantially the same number of substantially uniformly spaced pixels, where the length of the array is substantially N·N 1 pixels and the height of the array is substantially N·N 2 pixels and N, N 1 and N 2 are all integers 22, a method for interpolation of the pixel value of a fictitious pixel whose position lies between and does not coincide with any of the pixels that comprise the video image array, the method comprising the steps of: choosing a substantially square array of NxN pixels from the video image array, with the boundaries of this chosen array being substantially parallel to the boundaries of the video image array and with the fictitious pixel lying substantially at the center of this chosen array; and providing an array of N 2 averaging coefficients {C(m,n)}, where m,n=0,1,...,N-1 and the sum and forming a weighted sum of pixel values where the sequence includes all pixel values in the chosen NxN array of pixels, with each such pixel value in the chosen array appearing as one member pv(m,n) of this sequence.

Claim 4

In a a video system that displays a video image by means of a substantially rectangular array of picture elements or pixels, each pixel having an associated pixel value pv that contributes to the video image, with each row in the array containing substantially the same number of substantially uniformly spaced pixels and each column in the array containing substantially the same number of substantially uniformly spaced pixels, where the length of the array is substantially N·N 1 pixels and the height of the array is substantially N·N 2 pixels and N, N 1 and N 2 are all integers 22, a method for interpolation of the pixel value of a fictitious pixel whose position lies between and does not coincide with any of the pixels that comprise the video image array, the method comprising the steps of: choosing a substantially square array of NxN pixels from the video image array, with the boundaries of this chosen array being substantially parallel to the boundaries of the video image array and with the fictitious pixel lying substantially at the center of this chosen array; and providing an array of N 2 averaging coefficients {C(m,n)}, where m,n=0,1,...,N-1 and the sum and forming a weighted sum of pixel values where the sequence includes all pixel values in the chosen NxN array of pixels, with each such pixel value in the chosen array appearing as one member pv(m,n) of this sequence.

Claim 5

The method according to Claim 2, wherein said step of providing an array of said averaging coefficients and forming a weighted sum of said coefficients comprises the steps of: dividing said video image array of pixels into a sequence of substantially square Fundamental Blocks of substantially N 2 pixels each, with each pixel belonging to only one such Fundamental Block and with the boundaries of each Fundamental Block being substantially parallel to the boundaries of said video image array; assigning to each pixel in said video image array the rectangular coordinates (m,n), where m =0,1,2,...,N·N 1 -1 and n=0,1,2,...,N·N 2 -1, with the pixel in the upper left corner of said video image array being assigned the coordinates (0,0), and a pixel in said array that lies m consecutive pixels to the right from the left boundary of said video image array and lies n consecutive pixels down from the top boundary of said video image array being assigned the coordinates (m,n); providing an array of N 2 substantially identical electronic memories, numbered r=0,1,2,...,N 2- 1, with each such memory including a designated rectangular array of length substantially N 1 and height substantially N 2 of memory addresses having rectangular coordinates (p,q) beginning with (0,0) in the upper left corner of such array and proceeding in a manner substantially identical to that of the rectangular coordinate system for said video image array; providing a 1-1 mapping T(m,n) that maps the pixel value pv(m,n) in said video image array with video image array pixel coordinates (m,n) into the memory address (p,q) = in the designated rectangular array of memory no. r=m-m n +N·(n-n N ), where [w], denotes the integral part of the real number w and w N = I ·N, for m = 0,1,2,...,N 1 N-1 and n =0,1,2,...,N 2 ·N-1; rotating left by one address unit each of the designated memory arrays no. r=s 1 +k 1 ·N (k i =0,1,...,N-1; s 1 =0,1,...,p-1), where p'=m'-m N, then rotating upward by one address unit each of the designated memory arrays no. s=s 2 +k 2 ·N (k 2 =0,1,...,q'-1; s 2 =0,1,...,n-1), where q'=n'-n N and where (m',n') are the coordinates of the pixel in the upper left corner of said chosen array that is substantially centered on said fictitious pixel position; applying the map T -1 (r;p,q) to the contents at coordinates (p,q) of a subset of the designated rectangular arrays of the memories r=0,1,2,...,N 2- 1 resulting from the immediately preceding rotation step to produce an NxN array of pixel values pv (m,n) corresponding to said video image array coordinates where m = m ,m + 1,...,m + N-1 and n = n ,n N + 1,...,n + N-1; providing a sequence of N 2 permutations P t (t=0,1,2,...,N 2- 1) on an NxN array of entries where permutation no. t=k s ·N (k 3 =0,1,2,...,N-1) is a one-place rotation upward of the rows of the array k 3 times with end-around carry and permutation no. t=k 3 ·N+s (s =1,2,...,N-1) is the permutation no. r = k 3 · N followed by an s- place rotation leftward of the columns of the NxN array with end-around carry; forming the permuted array P t -1C(m,n)=Q(m,n) of coefficients where t=m'-m +N·(n'-n ) and {C-(m,n)} is said array of averaging coefficients; forming the sum as the interpolated pixel value.

Claim 6

In a video system with a video image defined by a rectangular array comprising lines of pixel values pv associated with picture elements or pixels, with array position coordinates (x m ,y n ) (m =0, 1, 2,..., M'; n=0, 1, 2,..., N'), where each video image is formed by the combination of two fields with each field containing a substantially mutually exclusive subset of lines of pixels and the two lines of pixels comprising the rectangular array of pixels, where each line of pixels of one field is positioned between and adjacent to two lines of pixels of a second field, where a first field of pixel values is displayed on a video screen at time intervals t 0 <t<t 1 , t 2 <t<t 3 , t 4 <t<t 5 , and a second field of pixel values is displayed at time intervals t <t<t , <t< , <t< and t 0 <t 1 ≦ 1 < ≦t 2 <t 3 ≦ < ≦t 4 <t 5 ≦ < ≦..., and where a pixel value of a pixel on line no. k with array position (x j ,y k ) has an associated pixel value pv(x j ,y k ;t) that is displayed at time t, a method of constructing a synthetic pixel value of a non-existent pixel at position ( XJ , YK ) in a line of the second field in a time interval {t/t 2 <t<t 3 }=(t 2 ,t 3 ) that takes account of relative motion or change in time, if any, manifested by pixel values adjacent to array position ( XJ , YK ), the method comprising the steps of: determining the rapidity of change with time of each of the pixel values at each pixel position (x s , y K-1 ) and (x J , y K+1 ) between the time interval (to, t 1 ) = {t/t 0 <t<t 1 } and the time interval (t 2 , t 3 ); obtaining the pixel value pv(x J+1 , y K ; t) for t in the interval (t 1 , t 2' ) = {t/t 1 <t<t 2 '}; introducing a parameter β(0≦β≦1) that is either continuous or has at least three distinct values β = 0, β =1 1 and β i (0<β i <1); setting β=0 0 if substantially no change with time is perceived in either of the pixel values at positions (x j , y K . 1 ) and (x J , y K+1 ), setting β=1 if rapid change with time is perceived at either of those pixel positions, and setting β equal to an intermediate value β i if the change with time perceived at at least one of these pixel positions is non-zero but the change with time perceived at each of these pixel positions is not rapid; and forming the sum ½(1-β)[pv(x 5 , y K-1 ; te(t 2 , t 3 ) + pv(x J , y K+1 ; t E (to, t 1 ))] = βpv(x J+1 , y K ; te(t 1 ', t2')) as the synthetic pixel value.

Claim 7

In a video system with a video image defined by a rectangular array comprising lines of pixel values pv associated with picture elements or pixels, with array position coordinates (x m ,y n ) (m =0, 1, 2,..., M'; n=0, 1, 2,..., N'), where each video image is formed by the combination of two fields with each field containing a substantially mutually exclusive subset of lines of pixels and the two lines of pixels comprising the rectangular array of pixels, where each line of pixels of one field is positioned between and adjacent to two lines of pixels of a second field, where a first field of pixel values is displayed on a video screen at time intervals t 0 <t<t 1 , t 2 <t<t 3 , t 4 <t<t 5 , and a second field of pixel values is displayed at time intervals t <t<t , <t< , <t< and t 0 <t 1 ≦ 1 < ≦t 2 <t 3 ≦ < ≦t 4 <t 5 ≦ < ≦..., and where a pixel value of a pixel on line no. k with array position (x j ,y k ) has an associated pixel value pv(x j ,y k ;t) that is displayed at time t, a method of constructing a synthetic pixel value of a non-existent pixel at position ( XJ , YK ) in a line of the second field in a time interval {t/t 2 <t<t 3 }=(t 2 ,t 3 ) that takes account of relative motion or change in time, if any, manifested by pixel values adjacent to array position ( XJ , YK ), the method comprising the steps of: determining the rapidity of change with time of each of the pixel values at each pixel position (x s , y K-1 ) and (x J , y K+1 ) between the time interval (to, t 1 ) = {t/t 0 <t<t 1 } and the time interval (t 2 , t 3 ); obtaining the pixel value pv(x J+1 , y K ; t) for t in the interval (t 1 , t 2' ) = {t/t 1 <t<t 2 '}; introducing a parameter β(0≦β≦1) that is either continuous or has at least three distinct values β = 0, β =1 1 and β i (0<β i <1); setting β=0 0 if substantially no change with time is perceived in either of the pixel values at positions (x j , y K . 1 ) and (x J , y K+1 ), setting β=1 if rapid change with time is perceived at either of those pixel positions, and setting β equal to an intermediate value β i if the change with time perceived at at least one of these pixel positions is non-zero but the change with time perceived at each of these pixel positions is not rapid; and forming the sum ½(1-β)[pv(x 5 , y K-1 ; te(t 2 , t 3 ) + pv(x J , y K+1 ; t E (to, t 1 ))] = βpv(x J+1 , y K ; te(t 1 ', t2')) as the synthetic pixel value.

Claim 8

In a video system that uses horizont: of picture elements or pixels to display a video image on a screen, a method of producing a predetermined border within the screen area that comprises linear and/or curvilinear segments, the method comprising the steps of: determining the border locus of pixels on each video image line at which the predetermined border intersects the video image line; for each pixel border locus on a video image line providing an intensity ramp function that is defined on each horizontal line of pixels and is substantially symmetric about each border locus point on such line, with the intensity ramp function being monotone increasing from a predetermined low intensity value at one pixel adjacent to the border locus point to a predetermined high intensity value at a second pixel that lies closer to the border locus point on that line than does the first pixel, with the intensity ramp function having a pixel region centered substantially at the border locus point where the intensity ramp function has substantially constant intensity value; for each horizontal video image line containing one or more border locus points providing a border function that is defined on the pixels and is the product of the intensity ramp function for each border locus on that line and a function that has a predetermined, substantially constant non-zero value so that the border function has a low value on a video image line in regions not adjacent to one or more border locus points and the border function has a higher value on a video image line in a region adjacent to a border locus point on that line.

Claim 9

In a video system that uses horizont: of picture elements or pixels to display a video image on a screen, a method of producing a predetermined border within the screen area that comprises linear and/or curvilinear segments, the method comprising the steps of: determining the border locus of pixels on each video image line at which the predetermined border intersects the video image line; for each pixel border locus on a video image line providing an intensity ramp function that is defined on each horizontal line of pixels and is substantially symmetric about each border locus point on such line, with the intensity ramp function being monotone increasing from a predetermined low intensity value at one pixel adjacent to the border locus point to a predetermined high intensity value at a second pixel that lies closer to the border locus point on that line than does the first pixel, with the intensity ramp function having a pixel region centered substantially at the border locus point where the intensity ramp function has substantially constant intensity value; for each horizontal video image line containing one or more border locus points providing a border function that is defined on the pixels and is the product of the intensity ramp function for each border locus on that line and a function that has a predetermined, substantially constant non-zero value so that the border function has a low value on a video image line in regions not adjacent to one or more border locus points and the border function has a higher value on a video image line in a region adjacent to a border locus point on that line.

Claim 10

In a video system having substantially periodic horizontal blanking intervals, a method for rapid copying of pixel values from the video lines that comprise the video image to a set of M random access memories for subsequent display or storage, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sequence of M fast-acting first-in-first-out or FIFO registers, with each register having substantially the same number L of pixel data storage positions where L is greater than the number of pixels that comprise a horizontal line of the video image; as each item of pixel data arrives at the video display system writing the data onto one of the FIFO registers in a predetermined pattern at the entry end of that FIFO register; during a horizontal blanking interval of the video system, writing the pixel value appearing at the exit end of FIFO register no. n to the corresponding random access memory no. n for substantially all FIFO registers n=0,1,2,...,M.

Claim 11

In a video system having substantially periodic horizontal blanking intervals, a method for rapid copying of pixel values from the video lines that comprise the video image to a set of M random access memories for subsequent display or storage, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sequence of M fast-acting first-in-first-out or FIFO registers, with each register having substantially the same number L of pixel data storage positions where L is greater than the number of pixels that comprise a horizontal line of the video image; as each item of pixel data arrives at the video display system writing the data onto one of the FIFO registers in a predetermined pattern at the entry end of that FIFO register; during a horizontal blanking interval of the video system, writing the pixel value appearing at the exit end of FIFO register no. n to the corresponding random access memory no. n for substantially all FIFO registers n=0,1,2,...,M.

Claim 12

In a video system with a video image defined by a two-dimensional array, with array positions (x m ,y n ), of picture elements or pixels and with each pixel having an associated pixel value pv that contributes to formation of the video image, a method of forming a weighted sum S of pixel values for up to a predetermined number M of pixels adjacent to a given target pixel, with weight coefficients that may change from one target pixel to another target pixel and may change from one time interval Δtt to another time interval At 2 , where the lengths of the time intervals Δtt and Δt 2 are each of the order of 0.017 seconds, the method consisting of: providing a predetermined number K of arrays (k=1,2,...,K) of weight coefficients in a random access memory system, with the weight coefficients being real numbers that satisfy the normalization constraint providing coefficient choice means whereby an array of weight coefficients may be chosen to form the weighted sum of j k pixel values pv(x m ,y n ) of pixels with positions (xm,yn) adjacent to or in a predetermined neighborhood N(x T ,y T ) of the position (x T ,y T ) of the target pixel; providing coefficient change means whereby an array of weight coefficients can be changed in a time interval At that is substantially no greater than 0.017 seconds; and forming the weighted sum

Claim 13

In a video system with a video image defined by a two-dimensional array, with array positions (x m ,y n ), of picture elements or pixels and with each pixel having an associated pixel value pv that contributes to formation of the video image, a method of forming a weighted sum S of pixel values for up to a predetermined number M of pixels adjacent to a given target pixel, with weight coefficients that may change from one target pixel to another target pixel and may change from one time interval Δtt to another time interval At 2 , where the lengths of the time intervals Δtt and Δt 2 are each of the order of 0.017 seconds, the method consisting of: providing a predetermined number K of arrays (k=1,2,...,K) of weight coefficients in a random access memory system, with the weight coefficients being real numbers that satisfy the normalization constraint providing coefficient choice means whereby an array of weight coefficients may be chosen to form the weighted sum of j k pixel values pv(x m ,y n ) of pixels with positions (xm,yn) adjacent to or in a predetermined neighborhood N(x T ,y T ) of the position (x T ,y T ) of the target pixel; providing coefficient change means whereby an array of weight coefficients can be changed in a time interval At that is substantially no greater than 0.017 seconds; and forming the weighted sum