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US5710602A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Gain correction for encoding video images

Assignee: Intel Corp
•
Filing: 1995-09-29
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Granted: 1998-01-20
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Expires: 2015-09-29
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Abstract

Abstract A background region of the current image is compared to a reference region to characterize the gain associated with the current image. The values of the unsaturated background pixels of the current image are then adjusted to correct for the characterized gain before encoding the current image. In a preferred embodiment, the reference region is generated based on the previous n frames in the video sequence.

Inventors

  • 👤 Thomas R. Gardos
  • 👤 Joe Monaco

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 10:27
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/14; H04N5/20; H04N19/00; H04N19/80; H04N19/85; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/414; H04N21/4143; H04N21/426; H04N21/43; H04N21/44; H04N5/44; H04N5/52; H04N9/00; H04N9/64; H04N9/74; H04N9/76; H04N9/79; H04N9/80; H04N9/804; H04N9/8042; G; G09; G09G; G09G2340/00; G09G2340/12; G09G2340/125; H04N19/20; H04N21/422; H04N21/4223; H04N21/47; H04N21/478; H04N21/4788

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 75 words
A computer-implemented process for processing video signals, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a background region of a current image of a video stream; (b) generating a reference region using regions corresponding to background regions of one or more images of the video stream; (c) characterizing gain of the current image based on the reference region and the background region; and (d) generating a gain-corrected image by correcting the current image based on the gain.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 75 words
A computer-implemented process for processing video signals, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a background region of a current image of a video stream; (b) generating a reference region using regions corresponding to background regions of one or more images of the video stream; (c) characterizing gain of the current image based on the reference region and the background region; and (d) generating a gain-corrected image by correcting the current image based on the gain.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of encoding the gain-corrected image to generate compressed data for the current image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the step of characterizing the gain α, wherein: ##EQU9## wherein: g x! are the pixels of the reference region; and f x! are the pixels of the background region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the step of characterizing the gain α, wherein: ##EQU10## wherein: g x! are the pixels of the reference region; and f x! are the pixels of the background region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises the step of skipping foreground pixels in the current image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 5, wherein step (d) comprises the step of skipping saturated background pixels in the current image.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 79 words
An apparatus for processing video signals, comprising: (a) means for selecting a background region of a current image of a video stream; (b) means for generating a reference region using regions corresponding to background regions of one or more images of the video stream; (c) means for characterizing gain of the current image based on the reference region and the background region; and (d) means for generating a gain-corrected image by correcting the current image based on the gain.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 79 words
An apparatus for processing video signals, comprising: (a) means for selecting a background region of a current image of a video stream; (b) means for generating a reference region using regions corresponding to background regions of one or more images of the video stream; (c) means for characterizing gain of the current image based on the reference region and the background region; and (d) means for generating a gain-corrected image by correcting the current image based on the gain.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein further comprising means for encoding the gain-corrected image to generate compressed data for the current image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 34 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein means (c) characterizes the gain α, wherein: ##EQU11## wherein: g X! are the pixels of the reference region; and f x! are the pixels of the background region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein means (c) characterizes the gain α, wherein: ##EQU12## wherein: g x! are the pixels of the reference region; and f x! are the pixels of the background region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein means (d) skips foreground pixels in the current image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein means (d) skips saturated background pixels in the current image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 91 words
A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for processing video signals, wherein, when executed by a computer, the computer program code causes the computer to: (a) select a background region of a current image of a video stream; (b) generate a reference region using regions corresponding to background regions of one or more images of the video stream; (c) characterize gain of the current image based on the reference region and the background region; and (d) generate a gain-corrected image by correcting the current image based on the gain.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 91 words
A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for processing video signals, wherein, when executed by a computer, the computer program code causes the computer to: (a) select a background region of a current image of a video stream; (b) generate a reference region using regions corresponding to background regions of one or more images of the video stream; (c) characterize gain of the current image based on the reference region and the background region; and (d) generate a gain-corrected image by correcting the current image based on the gain.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer program code causes the computer to encode the gain-corrected image to generate compressed data for the current image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 40 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer program code causes the computer to characterize the gain α, wherein: ##EQU13## wherein: g x! are the pixels of the reference region; and f x! are the pixels of the background region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 40 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer program code causes the computer to characterize the gain α, wherein: ##EQU14## wherein: g x! are the pixels of the reference region; and f x! are the pixels of the background region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer program code causes the computer to skip foreground pixels in the current image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computer program code causes the computer to skip saturated background pixels in the current image.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4811084A Cited
US4837632A Cited
US5107293A Cited
US5198896A Cited
US5384595A Cited
US5400081A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-01-19 2001-07-21 2002-01-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-01-19 2005-07-21 2006-01-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-01-19 2009-07-21 2010-01-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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