US5025495A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motion dependent video signal processing
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1990-04-20
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Granted: 1991-06-18
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Expires: 2010-04-20
Abstract
Abstract In, for example, a motion compensated video standards converter wherein blocks in a first field or frame of a video signal are each compared with a plurality of blocks in the following field or frame of the video signal for deriving motion vectors representing the motion of the content of respective blocks between the first field or frame and the following field or frame, and wherein a correlation surface is generated for each block in the first field or frame, the correlation surface representing the difference between the content of the first block in the first field or frame and the content of each block in the following field or frame with which it has been compared; it is determined whether the correlation surface contains a clear minimum value of the difference by determining whether the minimum difference represented by the correlation surface differs from the next smallest difference represented by the correlation surface by more than a predetermined amount.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard J. A. Avis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:27
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/01; H04N7/0135; H04N7/014; G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/20; G06T7/223; G06T7/231; H04N7/0125; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/10; G06T2207/10016
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
254 words
A motion compensated video standards converter for converting a video signal conforming with a first video standard to a converted video signal conforming with a second video standard, said video signal being provided as a sequence of intervals selected from fields and frames, each of said intervals being arranged in a plurality of blocks each representing a portion of an image represented by said video signal, comprising: comparing means for comparing each of a plurality of blocks in a first interval of said video signal with a plurality of blocks in an adjacent interval of said video signal by generating a respective correlation surface representing respective differences between the image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval and the respective image portions represented by each of said plurality of blocks in said adjacent interval; motion vector deriving means for deriving a motion vector representing motion of said image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval based upon a detection of a clear minimum value of said respective correlation surface by determining whether a minimum of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface differs from a next smallest difference selected from at least some of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface by more than a predetermined amount; and interpolator means for producing said converted video signal, said interpolator means being controlled at least in dependence on said motion vector derived by said motion vector deriving means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
254 words
A motion compensated video standards converter for converting a video signal conforming with a first video standard to a converted video signal conforming with a second video standard, said video signal being provided as a sequence of intervals selected from fields and frames, each of said intervals being arranged in a plurality of blocks each representing a portion of an image represented by said video signal, comprising: comparing means for comparing each of a plurality of blocks in a first interval of said video signal with a plurality of blocks in an adjacent interval of said video signal by generating a respective correlation surface representing respective differences between the image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval and the respective image portions represented by each of said plurality of blocks in said adjacent interval; motion vector deriving means for deriving a motion vector representing motion of said image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval based upon a detection of a clear minimum value of said respective correlation surface by determining whether a minimum of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface differs from a next smallest difference selected from at least some of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface by more than a predetermined amount; and interpolator means for producing said converted video signal, said interpolator means being controlled at least in dependence on said motion vector derived by said motion vector deriving means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A motion compensated video standards converter according to claim 1 wherein said motion vector deriving means is operative to select said next smallest difference only from those of said respective differences which are outside a predetermined distance from said minimum of said respective differences.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A motion compensated video standards converter according to claim 1 wherein said motion vector deriving means is operative to determine whether said minimum of said respective differences differs from said next smallest difference by more than said predetermined amount selected as a predetermined fraction of the difference between a maximum of said respective differences represented by said correlation surface and said minimum of said respective differences represented by said correlation surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A motion compensated video standards converter according to claim 1 wherein said motion vector deriving means is operative to determine whether said minimum of said respective differences differs from said next smallest difference by more than said predetermined amount selected as a predetermined absolute value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A motion compensated video standards converter according to claim 1 wherein the blocks of each interval comprise a plurality of respective pixels and said comparing means is operative to generate said respective correlation surface by producing sums of the respective luminance level differences of the corresponding pixels in respective blocks being compared.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of deriving motion vectors representing motion between successive intervals of a video signal, selected from field and frame intervals, each of said intervals being arranged in a plurality of blocks each representing a portion of an image represented by said video signal, the method including the steps of: comparing each of a plurality of blocks in a first interval of said video signal with a plurality of blocks in an adjacent interval of said video signal by generating a respective correlation surface representing respective differences between the image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval and the respective image portions represented by each of said plurality of blocks in said adjacent interval; and deriving a motion vector representing motion of said image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval based upon a detection of a clear minimum value of said respective correlation surface by determining whether a minimum of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface differs from a next smallest one of said respective differences selected from at least some of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface by more than a predetermined amount.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of deriving motion vectors representing motion between successive intervals of a video signal, selected from field and frame intervals, each of said intervals being arranged in a plurality of blocks each representing a portion of an image represented by said video signal, the method including the steps of: comparing each of a plurality of blocks in a first interval of said video signal with a plurality of blocks in an adjacent interval of said video signal by generating a respective correlation surface representing respective differences between the image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval and the respective image portions represented by each of said plurality of blocks in said adjacent interval; and deriving a motion vector representing motion of said image portion represented by said each of said plurality of blocks in said first interval based upon a detection of a clear minimum value of said respective correlation surface by determining whether a minimum of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface differs from a next smallest one of said respective differences selected from at least some of said respective differences represented by said respective correlation surface by more than a predetermined amount.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the step of deriving a motion vector based upon a detection of said clear minimum value comprises determining whether said minimum of said respective differences differs from said next smallest one of said respective differences selected from among only those of said respective differences which are outside a predetermined distance of said minimum of said respective differences.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the step of deriving a motion vector based upon a detection of said clear minimum value comprises determining whether said minimum of said respective differences differs from said next smallest difference by more than said predetermined amount selected as a predetermined fraction of the difference between a maximum of said respective differences represented by said correlation surface and said minimum of said respective differences represented by said correlation surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the step of deriving a motion vector based upon a detection of said clear minimum value comprises determining whether said minimum of said respective differences differs from said next smallest difference by more than said predetermined amount selected as a predetermined absolute value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the blocks of each interval comprise a plurality of respective pixels and the step of comparing each of a plurality of blocks by generating a respective correlation surface comprises producing sums of the luminance level differences of the corresponding pixels in respective blocks being compared.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-06-17 | 1994-12-17 | 1995-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-17 | 1998-12-17 | 1999-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-06-17 | 2002-12-17 | 2003-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |