Patent US4334237A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4334237A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Adaptive amplitude averaging for weighting quantizing noise
Assignee: RCA Corp
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Filing: 1980-05-15
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Granted: 1982-06-08
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Expires: 2000-05-15
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus reduces quantizing noise by averaging picture information when only low frequency information is present. Thus, high frequency detail is not lost. This is determined by looking at proximate samples to see if their amplitudes are within a selected amount of each other. The averaging typically is of two or four picture samples depending upon how great an area has only low frequencies, but greater numbers of samples can be used.
Inventors
- 👤 Glenn A. Reitmeier
- 👤 Robert A. Dischert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:06
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N11/00; H04N11/04; H04N11/042; H04B; H04B14/00; H04B14/02; H04B14/04; H04B14/046; H04N19/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for reducing quantizing noise in a sampled quantized signal, said method comprising adding a periodic multilevel offset signal to said sampled signal prior to quantization, quantizing said signal, determining if only low frequency information is present, averaging a plurality of samples when only low frequency information is present, every plurality of averaged samples having the same average value of offset signal amplitude, whereby additional quantizing levels between the original levels are recovered in the averaged samples, thereby reducing quantizing noise.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for reducing quantizing noise in a sampled quantized signal, said method comprising adding a periodic multilevel offset signal to said sampled signal prior to quantization, quantizing said signal, determining if only low frequency information is present, averaging a plurality of samples when only low frequency information is present, every plurality of averaged samples having the same average value of offset signal amplitude, whereby additional quantizing levels between the original levels are recovered in the averaged samples, thereby reducing quantizing noise.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said determining step comprises comparing at least two proximate samples to determine if their amplitudes are within a selected amount of each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said comparing step comprises comparing four proximate samples.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said averaging step comprises averaging at least four proximate samples if said four samples are within said selected amount of each other and if not, then averaging two proximate samples if said two samples are within said selected amount of each other.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 2, 3, or 4, wherein said selected amount comprises one quantizing step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said averaging step comprises averaging four proximate samples.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said averaging step comprises averaging at least two proximate samples.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said offset signal is synchronous with the sampling frequency.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said offset signal comprises a square wave having a frequency equal to one half of said sampling frequency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said sampled signal comprises a television signal having scanning lines and said offset signal has a 180° phase shift from line to line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said offset signal has line alternating peak to peak amplitudes of one quarter and three quarters of the quantizing steps.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sampled signal comprises a television signal having scanning lines and said offset signal comprises a square wave having different peak amplitudes on adjacent lines and the same average amplitude on adjacent lines.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
89 words
An apparatus for reducing quantizing noise in a sampled quantized signal, said apparatus comprising means for adding a periodic multilevel offset signal to said signal prior to quantization, means for quantizing said signal, means for determining if only low frequency information is present, means for averaging a plurality of samples when only low frequency information is present, every plurality of averaged samples having the same average value of offset signal amplitude, whereby additional quantizing levels between the original levels are recovered in the averaged samples, thereby reducing quantizing noise.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
89 words
An apparatus for reducing quantizing noise in a sampled quantized signal, said apparatus comprising means for adding a periodic multilevel offset signal to said signal prior to quantization, means for quantizing said signal, means for determining if only low frequency information is present, means for averaging a plurality of samples when only low frequency information is present, every plurality of averaged samples having the same average value of offset signal amplitude, whereby additional quantizing levels between the original levels are recovered in the averaged samples, thereby reducing quantizing noise.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said determining means comprises means for comparing at least two proximate samples to determine if their amplitudes are within a selected amount of each other.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said comparing means compares four proximate samples.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said averaging means comprises means for averaging at least four proximate samples if said four samples are within said selected amount of each other.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 14, 15, or 16, wherein said selected amount comprises one quantizing step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said averaging means comprises means for averaging at least two proximate samples.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein said averaging means comprises means for averaging four proximate samples.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said offset signal is synchronous with the sampling frequency.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein said offset signal comprises a square wave having a frequency equal to one half of said sampling frequency.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said sampled signal comprises a television signal having scanning lines, and said offset signal has a 180° phase shift from line to line.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein said offset signal has line alternating peak to peak amplitudes of one quarter and three quarter of the quantizing steps.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said sampled signal comprises a television signal having scanning lines and said offset signal comprises a square wave having different peak amplitudes on adjacent lines and the same average amplitude on adjacent lines.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3699446A
Cited
US4095259A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-06-07 | 1985-12-07 | 1986-06-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-06-07 | 1989-12-07 | 1990-06-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-06-07 | 1993-12-07 | 1994-06-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |