US5546130A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for forming a video signal using motion estimation and signal paths with different interpolation processing
Assignee: Vantiva SA
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Filing: 1994-09-30
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Granted: 1996-08-13
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Expires: 2014-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Motion compensated video output signal (SO) produced by a soft switching or "fading" (SSW) between the a motion compensated interpolation (MCI) and a "fallback" mode (FFI) (e.g., intra-field), controlled by a "measure of confidence" (CF) in the reliability of the estimated motion vector. The confidence measure includes the following two components, namely: (i) a "basic confidence measure" (e.g., a block based, minimum motion estimation error (BME) and (ii) a measure based on the motion velocity or "speed" of movement of the motion vector or its horizontal (MVX) and vertical components (MVY).
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew Hackett
- 👤 Michael Knee
- 👤 Michel Kerdranvat
- 👤 Nadine Bolender
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:47
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/01; H04N7/0127; H04N7/0132; H04N19/00; H04N19/50; H04N19/503; H04N19/51; H04N19/513; H04N19/521; H04N7/0135; H04N7/014; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S348/00; Y10S348/91
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for forming a video output signal (So) from a video input signal (Si) using motion estimation (ME) and signal paths with different interpolation processing comprising motion compensated interpolation (MCI) in one signal path and fallback interpolation (FFI) in the other path, comprising the steps of: combining the output signals of the different signal paths (SSW) in relation to a measure of confidence (CF); forming the measure of confidence from a block based, minimum motion estimation error (BME) of the video input signal (Si).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for forming a video output signal (So) from a video input signal (Si) using motion estimation (ME) and signal paths with different interpolation processing comprising motion compensated interpolation (MCI) in one signal path and fallback interpolation (FFI) in the other path, comprising the steps of: combining the output signals of the different signal paths (SSW) in relation to a measure of confidence (CF); forming the measure of confidence from a block based, minimum motion estimation error (BME) of the video input signal (Si).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming the measure of confidence includes: forming a block motion vector (MVX or MVY) from the video input signal (Si); and combining (CB) said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) with the block motion vector (MVX or MVY).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming the measure of confidence includes: forming a horizontal block motion vector (MVH) and a vertical block motion vector (MVY) from said video input signal (So); and combining (CB) said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME), said horizontal block motion vector (MVH) and said vertical block motion vector (MVY).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of: filtering said block motion estimation error (BME) with a rank order filter (ROFL).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of: filtering said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) with a rank order filter (ROFL).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of: filtering said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) with a rank order filter (ROFL).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of: median filtering (MFL1, MFL2) said block motion vector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of: median filtering (MFL1, MFL2) said horizontal block motion vector component and said vertical block motion vector component.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
61 words
A method according to any of claims 3-8 further comprising the step of: subjecting at least one of said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME), said block motion vector, said horizontal component (MVX) of said block motion vector and said vertical component (MVY) of said block motion vector to limiting filtering (L1, L2, or L3) prior to said combining step.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
77 words
A method according to any of claims 2-8 further comprising the steps of: subjecting at least one of said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME), said block motion vector, said horizontal component (MVX) of said block motion vector and said vertical component (MVY) of said block motion vector to limiting filtering (L1, L2, or L3) prior to said combining step; and wherein the step of combining comprises taking a minimum of the signals that are combined.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
77 words
A method according to any of claims 2-8 further comprising the steps of: subjecting at least one of said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME), said block motion vector, said horizontal component (MVX) of said block motion vector and said vertical component (MVY) of said block motion vector to limiting filtering (L1, L2, or L3) prior to said combining step; and wherein the step of combining comprises taking a product of the signals that are combined.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
75 words
A method according to any of claims 2-8 further comprising the steps of: subjecting at least one of said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME), said block motion vector, said horizontal component (MVX) of said block motion vector and said vertical component (MVY) of said block motion vector to limiting filtering (L1, L2, or L3) prior to said combining step; and wherein the step of combining comprises selecting confidence values from a look-up table.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for forming a video signal (S o ) using motion estimation (ME) and signal paths with different interpolation processing, in particular motion compensated interpolation (MCI) and fallback interpolation (FFI), comprising: motion compensated interpolation means (MCI) and fallback interpolation means (FFI) coupled to receive said input video signal (S i ); combining means (SSW) for combining output signals of said motion compensated and fallback interpolation means in relation to a measure of confidence value (CF); combining means for deriving said measure of confidence value from a block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) of the video input signal (Si) and from a related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY); and motion estimation means (ME) for calculating from said input signal (Si), or motion information extractor means (ME) which extract from the transmitted input signal data stream, said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) and said related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for forming a video signal (S o ) using motion estimation (ME) and signal paths with different interpolation processing, in particular motion compensated interpolation (MCI) and fallback interpolation (FFI), comprising: motion compensated interpolation means (MCI) and fallback interpolation means (FFI) coupled to receive said input video signal (S i ); combining means (SSW) for combining output signals of said motion compensated and fallback interpolation means in relation to a measure of confidence value (CF); combining means for deriving said measure of confidence value from a block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) of the video input signal (Si) and from a related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY); and motion estimation means (ME) for calculating from said input signal (Si), or motion information extractor means (ME) which extract from the transmitted input signal data stream, said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) and said related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising: means (ROFL) for rank order filtering said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) and for median filtering (MFL1, MFL2) said related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY) before being used in said combining means (CB) for forming said measure of confidence value (CF).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising: filter means (L1, L2, L3) for applying limiting filtering to said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) and to said related block motion vector or its components before being used in said combining means (CB) for forming said measure of confidence value (CF).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
100 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising: means (ROFL) for rank order filtering said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) and for median filtering (MFL1, MFL2) said related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY) before being used in said combining means (CB) for forming said measure of confidence value (CF); and filter means (L1, L2, L3) for applying limiting filtering to said block based minimum motion estimation error (BME) and to said related block motion vector or its components (MVX, MVY) before being used in said combining means (CB) for forming said measure of confidence value (CF).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said rank order filter (ROFL) comprises one of (i) a median filter (ROFL-A) and (ii) a window filter (ROFL-B).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said rank order filter (ROFL) comprises one of (i) a median filter (ROFL-A) and (ii) a window filter (ROFL-B).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said rank order filter (ROFL) comprises one of (i) a median filter (ROFL-A) and (ii) a window filter (ROFL-B).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-08-13 | 2000-02-12 | 2000-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-08-13 | 2004-02-12 | 2004-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-08-13 | 2008-02-12 | 2008-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |