US5600377A — Apparatus and method for motion compensating vide…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 154 words

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus, comprising: means for selecting corresponding pairs of temporally adjacent fields of an input digital video signal for use in interpolation of respective fields of an output digital video signal; a subsampler for horizontally and temporally subsampling the selected pairs of fields of said input digital video signal to generate a subsampled video signal; a motion vector processor for generating motion vectors from said subsampled video signal, said motion vectors representing image motion between at least a subset of the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal; and a motion compensated video processor for processing said input digital video signal according to said motion vectors to generate said output digital video signal, said motion compensated video processor including a motion compensated interpolator for interpolating video fields of said output digital video signal from the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 154 words

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus, comprising: means for selecting corresponding pairs of temporally adjacent fields of an input digital video signal for use in interpolation of respective fields of an output digital video signal; a subsampler for horizontally and temporally subsampling the selected pairs of fields of said input digital video signal to generate a subsampled video signal; a motion vector processor for generating motion vectors from said subsampled video signal, said motion vectors representing image motion between at least a subset of the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal; and a motion compensated video processor for processing said input digital video signal according to said motion vectors to generate said output digital video signal, said motion compensated video processor including a motion compensated interpolator for interpolating video fields of said output digital video signal from the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: said input digital video signal comprises successive interlaced input video fields; and said output digital video signal comprises successive interlaced output video fields.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 52 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: said input digital video signal comprises data representing successive horizontally scanned lines of pixels; and said subsampler comprises means for horizontally decimating each line of pixels of said input digital video signal, thereby substantially halving a number of pixels in each said line of pixels.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said subsampler comprises means for vertically subsampling said input digital video signal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus according to claim 4, in which said subsampler comprises means for vertically displacing pixels of said input digital video signal.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said means for vertically displacing pixels is operable to displace pixels of alternate video fields of said input digital video signal in opposite vertical directions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said subset comprises only those pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal used to interpolate alternate fields of said output digital video signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 126 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said motion vector processor comprises: means for comparing a search block within one of each said pair of fields of said subsampled video signal supplied to said motion vector processor with a respective search area, comprising a plurality of blocks, in the other of said pair of fields, to generate an array of original correlation values representing correlation between said search block and said search area; means for generating one or more interpolated correlation values from said original correlation values; and means for detecting an original correlation value or interpolated correlation value representing a point of maximum correlation between said search block and said search area, and for generating a motion vector in dependence on said detected correlation value.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus according to claim 8, in which said means for generating comprises: means for detecting an original correlation value representing a highest correlation in said array of original correlation values; and means for generating a plurality of interpolated correlation values adjacent to said original correlation value representing said highest correlation in said array of original correlation values.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said subsampler comprises means for low-pass filtering said input video signal prior to subsampling said input video signal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 147 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said motion vector processor is operable to generate a plurality of motion vectors for each pixel of each output field of said output digital video signal from said corresponding pair of input fields of said input digital video signal; said apparatus comprising: means for testing said motion vectors, to select a motion vector for use in interpolation of a pixel of an output field, comprising means for detecting correlation between test blocks of said pair of input fields pointed to by a motion vector under test, each test block comprising test pixels of said pair of input fields pointed to by said motion vector under test and pixels interpolated from said test pixels; and means for selecting, from said plurality of motion vectors, a motion vector having a highest correlation between said test blocks pointed to by said motion vector.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 135 words

A method of motion compensated video signal processing, said method comprising the steps of: selecting corresponding pairs of temporally adjacent fields of an input digital video signal for use in interpolation of respective fields of an output digital video signal; horizontally and temporally subsampling the selected pairs of fields of said input digital video signal to generate a subsampled video signal; generating motion vectors from said subsampled video signal, said motion vectors representing image motion between at least a subset of the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal; and processing said input digital video signal according to said motion vectors to generate said output digital video signal, including interpolating video fields of said output digital video signal from the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 135 words

A method of motion compensated video signal processing, said method comprising the steps of: selecting corresponding pairs of temporally adjacent fields of an input digital video signal for use in interpolation of respective fields of an output digital video signal; horizontally and temporally subsampling the selected pairs of fields of said input digital video signal to generate a subsampled video signal; generating motion vectors from said subsampled video signal, said motion vectors representing image motion between at least a subset of the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal; and processing said input digital video signal according to said motion vectors to generate said output digital video signal, including interpolating video fields of said output digital video signal from the selected pairs of video fields of said input digital video signal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 161 words

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus in which motion vectors are generated to represent image motion between a pair of input images from which an output image is to be derived by motion compensated interpolation; each said input image and said output image comprising a respective plurality of pixels, said apparatus comprising: means for generating a plurality of motion vectors for each pixel of said output image; means for testing said motion vectors, to select a motion vector for use in interpolation of a pixel of said output image, comprising means for detecting correlation between test blocks of said input images pointed to by a motion vector under test, each test block comprising test pixels of said input images pointed to by said motion vector under test and pixels interpolated from said test pixels; and means for selecting, from said plurality of motion vectors, said motion vector having a highest correlation between said test blocks pointed to by said motion vector.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 161 words

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus in which motion vectors are generated to represent image motion between a pair of input images from which an output image is to be derived by motion compensated interpolation; each said input image and said output image comprising a respective plurality of pixels, said apparatus comprising: means for generating a plurality of motion vectors for each pixel of said output image; means for testing said motion vectors, to select a motion vector for use in interpolation of a pixel of said output image, comprising means for detecting correlation between test blocks of said input images pointed to by a motion vector under test, each test block comprising test pixels of said input images pointed to by said motion vector under test and pixels interpolated from said test pixels; and means for selecting, from said plurality of motion vectors, said motion vector having a highest correlation between said test blocks pointed to by said motion vector.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 10 words

Television standards conversion apparatus comprising apparatus according to claim 13.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 158 words

A method of motion compensated video signal processing in which motion vectors are generated to represent image motion between a pair of input images from which an output image is to be derived by motion compensated interpolation; each said input image and said output image comprising a respective plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of motion vectors for each pixel of said output image; testing said motion vectors, to select a motion vector for use in interpolation of a pixel of said output image, by detecting correlation between test blocks of said input images pointed to by a motion vector under test, each test block comprising test pixels of said input images pointed to by said motion vector under test and pixels interpolated from said test pixels; and selecting, from said plurality of motion vectors, a motion vector having a highest correlation between said test blocks pointed to by said motion vector.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 158 words

A method of motion compensated video signal processing in which motion vectors are generated to represent image motion between a pair of input images from which an output image is to be derived by motion compensated interpolation; each said input image and said output image comprising a respective plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of motion vectors for each pixel of said output image; testing said motion vectors, to select a motion vector for use in interpolation of a pixel of said output image, by detecting correlation between test blocks of said input images pointed to by a motion vector under test, each test block comprising test pixels of said input images pointed to by said motion vector under test and pixels interpolated from said test pixels; and selecting, from said plurality of motion vectors, a motion vector having a highest correlation between said test blocks pointed to by said motion vector.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 10 words

Television standards conversion apparatus comprising apparatus according to claim 1.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-02-04	2000-08-05	2001-02-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-02-04	2004-08-05	2005-02-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-02-04	2008-08-05	2009-02-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method for motion compensating video signals to produce interpolated video signals

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