Image aspect ratio conversion processing apparatus

Claim 2

An image conversion processing apparatus for converting a compressed image signal corresponding to a compressed image, formed by compressing an image having a first aspect ratio with a predetermined compression ratio in a horizontal direction, into an image signal corresponding to an image having a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio, said apparatus comprising: designation means for designating an expansion ratio corresponding to the predetermined compression ratio; and image signal processing means for performing thinning-out processing on the compressed image signal using a thinning-out ratio corresponding to the expansion ratio designated by the designation means, the thinning-out processing being performed so as to thin out, in a vertical direction, an image represented by the compressed image signal.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image signal processing means includes: a) a memory for receiving and storing said compressed image signal; and b) memory control means for controlling a writing operation and a readout operation of said compressed image signal from said memory in accordance with a synchronization signal included in said compressed image signal.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image signal processing means includes: a) a memory for receiving and storing said compressed image signal; b) clock signal forming means for forming a clock signal synchronized with a synchronization signal contained in said compressed image signal; c) writing control means for controlling a writing operation of the compressed image signal into said memory in accordance with the clock signal formed by said clock signal forming means; and d) readout control means for controlling a readout operation of the image signal from said memory in accordance with the thinning-out ratio corresponding to the expansion ratio designated by said designation means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said readout control means is arranged to thin out the image signal stored in said memory means on a unit basis of a horizontal scanning line according to the thinning-out ratio corresponding to the expansion ratio designated by said designation means.

Claim 6

An image conversion processing apparatus for inputting a compressed image signal corresponding to a compressed image formed by compressing an image having a first aspect ratio using a predetermined compression ratio in a horizontal direction, and converting the compressed image represented by the compressed image signal into an image having a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio in order to display a converted image, said apparatus comprising: designation means for designating an expansion ratio corresponding to the predetermined compression ratio; image signal processing means for outputting an image signal corresponding to the image having the second aspect ratio by performing thinning-out processing on the compressed image signal using a thinning-out ratio corresponding to the expansion ratio designated by the designation means, the thinning-out processing being performed so as to thin out, in a vertical direction, the image represented by the compressed image signal; and image display means which includes a picture screen having the second aspect ratio, the image display means for displaying the image corresponding to the image signal output by the image signal processing means.

Claim 7

An image conversion processing apparatus for inputting a compressed image signal corresponding to a compressed image formed by compressing an image having a first aspect ratio using a predetermined compression ratio in a horizontal direction, and converting the compressed image represented by the compressed image signal into an image having a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio in order to display a converted image, said apparatus comprising: designation means for designating an expansion ratio corresponding to the predetermined compression ratio; image signal processing means for outputting an image signal corresponding to the image having the second aspect ratio by performing thinning-out processing on the compressed image signal using a thinning-out ratio corresponding to the expansion ratio designated by the designation means, the thinning-out processing being performed so as to thin out, in a vertical direction, the image represented by the compressed image signal; and image display means which includes a picture screen having the second aspect ratio, the image display means for displaying the image corresponding to the image signal output by the image signal processing means.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image signal processing means includes: a) a memory for receiving and storing said compressed image signal; and b) memory control means for controlling a writing operation of the compressed image signal into said memory and for controlling a readout operation of the compressed image signal from said memory in such a manner that the compressed image signal entered into said memory becomes an image signal corresponding to the image having said second aspect ratio.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image signal reproduction processing means includes: a) a memory for receiving and storing said compressed image signal; b) clock signal forming means for forming a clock signal synchronized with a synchronization signal contained in said compressed image signal; c) writing control means for controlling a writing operation of the compressed image signal into said memory in accordance with the clock signal formed by said clock signal forming means; and d) readout control means for controlling a readout operation of the image signal from said memory in accordance with the thinning-out ratio corresponding to the expansion ratio designated by said designation means.