Apparatus and method for producing downwards compatible video signals with increased vertical resolution, and apparatus for reproducing and displaying same

Claim 2

Apparatus for deriving an output video signal for transfer to a non-volatile video recording medium from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the output video signal representing the motion picture, having an increased vertical resolution, and requiring display using progressive scanning to reduce inter-line flicker, the apparatus comprising: progressive video signal generating means for generating a progressive video signal from the motion picture film, the progressive video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including odd lines interleaved with even lines; deriving means for deriving the output video signal from the progressive video signal, the output video signal being an interlaced, standard-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines, and having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced, standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the deriving means including: a first odd field memory and a first even field memory, means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive video signal into the first even field memory, and means for reading the odd field of each one of the frames of the output video signal from the first odd field memory and for reading the even field of the one of the frames of the output video signal from the first even field memory; flag signal generating means for generating a flag signal indicating that the output video signal from the deriving means is for display using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker; and recording means for recording the output video signal from the deriving means together with the flag signal from the flag signal generating means in the non-volatile recording medium.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the recording medium includes a table of contents; and the recording means is for recording the flag signal in the table of contents.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the recording means includes: means for encoding the output video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non -- interlace -- frame flag, and means for recording the MPEG-encoded signal in the recording medium; and the flag signal generating means is for setting the non -- interlace -- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the progressive video signal generating means includes a telecine apparatus generating the progressive video signal from the motion picture film.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the progressive video signal generating means includes: a high-definition telecine apparatus generating an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels; and means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal as a frame of the output video signal.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5, additionally comprising means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into an interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide the output video signal.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the interlaced high-definition video signal generated by the high-definition telecine apparatus has a field rate of 48 Hz; the video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes means for performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

Claim 9

Apparatus for deriving an output video signal for transfer to a non-volatile video recording medium from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the output video signal representing the motion picture, having an increased vertical resolution, and requiring display using progressive scanning to reduce inter-line flicker, the apparatus comprising: progressive video signal generating means for deriving the output video signal from the motion picture film, the output video signal being a standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced, standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the progressive video signal generating means including: a high-definition telecine apparatus generating an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal to the progressive high-definition video signal including: a first odd field memory and a first even field memory; means for feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first even field memory; and means for alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first even field memory, and means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal as a frame of the video signal; flag signal generating means for generating a flag signal indicating that the video signal requires display using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker; and recording means for recording the output video signal together with the flag signal in the non-volatile recording medium.

Claim 10

Apparatus for deriving an output video signal for transfer to a non-volatile video recording medium from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the output video signal representing the motion picture, having an increased vertical resolution, and requiring display using progressive scanning to reduce inter-line flicker, the apparatus comprising: progressive video signal generating means for deriving the output video signal from the motion picture film, the output video signal being a standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced, standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the progressive video signal generating means including: a high-definition telecine apparatus generating an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal to the progressive high-definition video signal including: a first odd field memory and a first even field memory; means for feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first even field memory; and means for alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first even field memory, and means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal as a frame of the video signal; flag signal generating means for generating a flag signal indicating that the video signal requires display using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker; and recording means for recording the output video signal together with the flag signal in the non-volatile recording medium.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8, additionally comprising means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into an interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide the output video signal.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the interlaced high-definition video signal generated by the high-definition telecine apparatus from the motion picture film has a field rate of 48 Hz; the output video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes means for performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pixel reducing means includes a 3×3 filter.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: each of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal includes odd lines interleaved with even lines; the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; and the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes: a second odd field memory and a second even field memory, means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13, wherein: the interlaced high-definition video signal represents a motion picture; and the method additionally comprises steps of: providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture, and recording the interlaced standard-definition video signal on the non-volatile recording medium.

Claim 18

The method of claim 13, additionally comprising a step of including in the interlaced standard definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition video signal has an increased vertical resolution.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15, wherein: the interlaced high-definition video signal represents a motion picture; and the method additionally comprises steps of: providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture, and recording the interlaced standard-definition video signal including the flag signal on the non-volatile recording medium.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15, additionally comprising steps of: applying MPEG encoding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non -- interlace -- frame flag; and setting the non -- interlace -- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15, wherein: the interlaced high-definition video signal represents a motion picture; and the method additionally comprises steps of: providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture, and recording the MPEG-encoded signal including the non -- interlace -- frame flag on the non-volatile recording medium.

Claim 22

The method of claim 13, additionally comprising steps of: converting the interlaced standard-definition signal to a progressive standard-definition video signal; and displaying the progressive standard-definition video signal using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker.

Claim 23

The method of claim 12 wherein: each of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; each of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal includes odd lines interleaved with even lines; the method additionally comprises a step of providing a second odd field memory and a second even field memory; and the step of converting the progressive standard-definition video signal includes steps of: feeding odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and feeding even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and reading the one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

Claim 24

The method of claim 13, wherein, the interlaced high-definition video signal has a field rate of 48 Hz; the interlaced standard-definition video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and the step of converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes a step of performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

Claim 29

Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising: means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels; means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines; and means for adding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition signal has an increased vertical resolution.

Claim 30

Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising: means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels; means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines; and means for adding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition signal has an increased vertical resolution.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein: the apparatus additionally comprises means for generating a table of contents; and the means for adding adds the flag signal to the table of contents.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein: the apparatus additionally comprises means for applying MPEG encoding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non -- interlace -- frame flag; and the means for adding sets the non -- interlace -- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein: the deriving means derives from the motion picture film an interlaced high-definition video signal having a field rate of 48 Hz; the interlaced standard-definition video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes means for performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the pixel reducing means includes a 3×3 filter.

Claim 35

Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising: means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film, and including includes an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into the progressive high-definition video signal including: a first odd field memory and a first even field memory, means for feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first even field memory, and means for alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first even field memory; means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution khan a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines.

Claim 36

Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising: means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film, and including includes an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into the progressive high-definition video signal including: a first odd field memory and a first even field memory, means for feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first even field memory, and means for alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first even field memory; means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution khan a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 29, wherein: each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal includes odd lines interleaved with even lines; the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; and the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes: a second odd field memory and a second even field memory, means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

Claim 38

Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising: deriving means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the interlaced standard-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal including: an odd field memory and an even field memory, means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the even field memory, and means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the even field memory.

Claim 39

Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising: deriving means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film; means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the interlaced standard-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal including: an odd field memory and an even field memory, means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the even field memory, and means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the even field memory.