Video signals special effects generator with variable pixel size

Claim 2

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source of said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format as a function of said stationary image, said output video signal including video timing signals; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; and (b) raster control means for controlling said scanning raster of said telecine scanning means in response to both said stored control functions and said video timing signals.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal conversion means includes aperture correction means operative on said video signal, and said programming means includes means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said aperture correction controlling means controls said aperture correction means to vary the effective pixel size in dependence upon the size of the scanning raster as controlled by said raster control means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said store means is adapted to store an initial raster condition, a final raster conditio, and a duration of change, and said raster control means interpolates between said initial and final raster conditions in accordance with elapsed time as a proportion of said duration of change.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source is a flying spot scanner tube and said scanning means operates on said light source.

Claim 7

Apparatus for producing special effects video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format as a function of said stationary image, said output video signal including video timing signals; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; and (b) raster control means for controlling and varying said scanning raster of said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions, with a timing and at a rate of variation determined by said video timing signals, in such a manner that the scanning raster provided by said scanning means to scan said stationary film portion is varied to simulate special effects in accordance with said stored control functions and said video timing signals.

Claim 8

Apparatus for producing special effects video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format as a function of said stationary image, said output video signal including video timing signals; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; and (b) raster control means for controlling and varying said scanning raster of said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions, with a timing and at a rate of variation determined by said video timing signals, in such a manner that the scanning raster provided by said scanning means to scan said stationary film portion is varied to simulate special effects in accordance with said stored control functions and said video timing signals.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said signal conversion means includes aperture correction means operative on said video signal, and said programming means includes means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said aperture correction controlling means controls said aperture correction means to vary the effective pixel size in dependence upon the size of the scanning raster as controlled by said raster control means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said store means is adapted to store an initial raster condition, a final raster condition, and a duration of change, and said raster control means interpolates between said initial and final raster conditions in accordance with elapsed time as a proportion of said duration of change.

Claim 12

Apparatus for producing special effects video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal representative of said image in standard format, said output video signal including video timing signals; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; and (b) means for performing a selected one of said stored control functions on said video signal representative of said stationary image, and modifying said selected control function at a rate determined by said video timing signals, while the selected control function is being performed.

Claim 13

Apparatus for producing special effects video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal representative of said image in standard format, said output video signal including video timing signals; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; and (b) means for performing a selected one of said stored control functions on said video signal representative of said stationary image, and modifying said selected control function at a rate determined by said video timing signals, while the selected control function is being performed.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said signal conversion means includes aperture correction means operative on said video signal, and said programming means includes means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 15

Apparatus comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format as a function of said stationary image, said output video signal including video timing signals, said conversion means including aperture function means operative on said video signal; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; (b) means coupled to said aperture function means in said telecine to control said aperture function means in accordance with said stored control functions in said programming means, with a timing and at a rate determined by said video timing signals.

Claim 16

Apparatus comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a transparent film portion containing a stationary image between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format as a function of said stationary image, said output video signal including video timing signals, said conversion means including aperture function means operative on said video signal; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; (b) means coupled to said aperture function means in said telecine to control said aperture function means in accordance with said stored control functions in said programming means, with a timing and at a rate determined by said video timing signals.

Claim 19

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said telecine scanning raster is altered by interpolating between a defined initial raster condition and a defined final raster condition in accordance with elapsed time as a proportion of a defined duration of change.

Claim 20

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the telecine comprises an aperture corrector, and including altering the aperture correction function provided by the aperture corrector in response to said pre-programmed control functions.

Claim 23

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format, said signal conversion means including aperture correction means operative on said video signal; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions; (c) means for receiving video timing signals from said telecine to provide a time clock for said stored control functions; and (d) means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 24

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format, said signal conversion means including aperture correction means operative on said video signal; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions; (c) means for receiving video timing signals from said telecine to provide a time clock for said stored control functions; and (d) means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 25

Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said aperture correction controlling means controls said aperture correction means to vary the effect pixel size in dependence upon the size of the scanning raster as controlled by said raster control means.

Claim 26

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions, said store means being adapted to store an initial raster scan condition, a final raster scan condition, and a duration of change; (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions, said raster control means interpolating between said initial and final raster conditions in accordance with the lapsed time as a proportion of said duration of change.

Claim 27

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions, said store means being adapted to store an initial raster scan condition, a final raster scan condition, and a duration of change; (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions, said raster control means interpolating between said initial and final raster conditions in accordance with the lapsed time as a proportion of said duration of change.

Claim 28

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format, said signal conversion means including aperture correction means operative on said video signal; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions such that the scanning means to scan said stationary film portion can be varied to simulate special effects in accordance with said stored control functions; and (c) means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 29

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format, said signal conversion means including aperture correction means operative on said video signal; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions; (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions such that the scanning means to scan said stationary film portion can be varied to simulate special effects in accordance with said stored control functions; and (c) means coupled to said aperture correction means to control said aperture correction means in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 30

Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said aperture correction controlling means controls said aperture correction means to vary the effective pixel size in dependence upon the size of the scanning rasters controlled by said raster control means.

Claim 31

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions, said store means being adapted to store an initial raster condition, a final raster condition, and a duration of change; and (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions, said raster control means interpolating between said initial and final raster condition in accordance with elapsed time as a proportion of said duration of change such that the scanning raster provided by said scanning means to scan said stationary film portion can be varied to simulate special effects in accordance with said stored control functions.

Claim 32

Apparatus for producing special effects in video signals comprising a telecine and telecine programming means, wherein: (1) said telecine comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light-sensitive detector; (c) scanning means for scanning said source or said detector with a scanning raster to provide a raw video signal; (d) means for locating a stationary transparent film portion between said source and said detector; and (e) signal conversion means for receiving said raw video signal and providing an output video signal in standard format; and (2) said telecine programming means comprises: (a) store means for storing control functions, said store means being adapted to store an initial raster condition, a final raster condition, and a duration of change; and (b) raster control means for controlling said telecine scanning means in response to said stored control functions, said raster control means interpolating between said initial and final raster condition in accordance with elapsed time as a proportion of said duration of change such that the scanning raster provided by said scanning means to scan said stationary film portion can be varied to simulate special effects in accordance with said stored control functions.