US5828786A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Analyzer and methods for detecting and processing video data types in a video data stream
Assignee: Arris Enterprises LLC
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Filing: 1993-12-02
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Granted: 1998-10-27
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Expires: 2013-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A video data stream analyzer modifies an input digital video signal so that the resulting output digital signal can be optimally compressed by a digital video encoder. The video data stream analyzer eliminates redundancy in the input video signal, and reorganizes the input video signal so that the spatial and temporal redundancy is increased. In addition, the video data stream analyzer generates side channel information that is supplied to the video encoder. The side channel information tells the video encoder whether vertical frame-based filtering or vertical field-based filtering is preferable. Additional side channel information specifies the order and duration of the display of the fields after decoding and this information preferably is encoded with the video signal. The video data stream analyzer provides scan detection of the incoming video digital data, and automatically and reliably detects scene cuts, repeated fields, and mixed-field frames in the incoming digital video data in real time independent of the video source. The video data stream analyzer modifies the input video data stream by dropping repeated fields and replacing a frame with a scene cut with a frame having identical fields for video, cartoon, telecine video sources as well as arbitrary combinations of these video sources.
Inventors
- 👤 R. Padmanabha Rao
- 👤 Amanda L. Chin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:14
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G06; G06V; G06V20/00; G06V20/40; G11B27/10; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/10; H04N19/134; H04N19/142; H04N19/169; H04N19/179; H04N19/46; H04N19/80; H04N19/85; H04N19/87; H04N5/00; H04N5/14; H04N5/144; H04N5/147; H04N7/00; H04N7/01; H04N7/0112; H04N7/0117; H04N7/012
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said video data stream includes combinations of a video sequence, a cartoon sequence, and a telecine sequence and further wherein repeated fields in said cartoon sequence are detected and repeated fields in said telecine sequence are detected; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said video data stream includes combinations of a video sequence, a cartoon sequence, and a telecine sequence and further wherein repeated fields in said cartoon sequence are detected and repeated fields in said telecine sequence are detected; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing each field and said dropping each detected repeated field are performed in real time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as in claim 1 further comprising: generating a display code for each frame in said modified video data stream wherein said display code indicates a display combination for fields in said modified video data stream to recreate said video data stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said video data stream includes a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, and further wherein said analyzing each field further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising: comparing a strip activity of each strip of said field with a second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold and said field has said second parity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising: repeating said field activity and strip activity comparisons for a second field of said second parity if (i) said field has said first parity; (ii) said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if (i) said field activity of said second field is greater than said first threshold; or (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said second field are greater than said second threshold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising: repeating said field activity and strip activity comparisons for a second field of said second parity if (i) said field has said first parity; (ii) said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said threshold; comparing a measure of field activity of said field with a third threshold if (i) said field activity of said second field is less than said first threshold; and (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said second field are less than said second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said measure of field activity of said field is less than said third threshold.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said strip activity is a sum, for all pixels in a strip, of an absolute difference between a pixel in a first field of one parity and a pixel of a second field of said one parity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said field activity is a sum of each strip activity of a field.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising initializing said first threshold to four times the number of pixels in said field upon power-up.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising initializing said first threshold to six times the number of pixels in a strip of said field upon detection of a scene cut in said video data stream.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 4, 5, 6, or 7 further comprising: updating said first threshold upon identifying said field as a repeated field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said updating said first threshold upon identifying said field as a repeated field further comprises: comparing said field activity with a stored field activity; replacing said stored field activity with said field activity if said field activity is greater than said stored field activity; and defining said first threshold in terms of said stored field activity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising: updating said second threshold after updating said first threshold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said updating said second threshold further comprises: defining said second threshold in terms of said first threshold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
144 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing each field further comprises: measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of a first parity and a strip of a second field of said first parity in said video data steam for a plurality of strips thereby obtaining a plurality of strip activities for said first field; generating a field activity for said first field using said plurality of strip activities; comparing said field activity to a first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities to a second threshold; and identifying said first field as a repeated field if (i) said first parity is an even parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
221 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising: performing the following operations if (i) said first parity is an odd parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold; measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of an even parity and a strip of a second field of said even parity in said video data stream for a plurality of strips to obtain a plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; generating a field activity for said first field of said even parity using said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; comparing said field activity for said first field of said even parity to said first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity to said second threshold; and identifying said first field of said first parity as a repeated field if (i) said field activity for said first field of said even parity is greater than said first threshold; or (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities for said first field of said even parity are greater than said second threshold.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
242 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising: performing the following operations if (i) said first parity is an odd parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold; measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of an even parity and a strip of a second field of said even parity in said video data stream for a plurality of strips thereby obtaining a plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; generating a field activity for said first field of said even parity using said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; comparing said field activity for said first field of said even parity to said first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity to said second threshold comparing a measure of field activity of said field with a third threshold if (i) said field activity of said first field of even parity is less than said first threshold; and (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field of even parity are less than said second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said measure of field activity of said field is less than a third threshold.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
48 words
The method of any one claims 16, 17, or 18 wherein said strip activity is a sum, for all pixels in a strip, of an absolute difference between a pixel in a first field of one parity and a pixel of a second field of said one parity.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 16, 17, or 18 further comprising: updating said first threshold upon identifying said first field as a repeated field.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said updating said first threshold further comprising: comparing said field activity of said first field with a stored field activity; replacing said stored field activity with said field activity of said first field if said field activity of said first field is greater than said stored field activity; and defining said first threshold in terms of said stored field activity.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21 further comprising: updating said second threshold after updating said first threshold.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said updating said second threshold further comprises: defining said second threshold in terms of said first threshold.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said video data stream includes a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, and further wherein said analyzing each field further comprises: determining if a primary criterion is true for a first field in a frame; and identifying the first field as an unrepeated field upon determining that the primary criterion is not true.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising: determining if the primary criterion is true for the other field in said frame upon determining that the primary criterion is true for the first field.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 25 further comprising: identifying the first field as a repeated field upon determining that the primary criterion is not true for the other field in said frame.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 26 further comprising: determining if a secondary criterion is true for the first field upon determining that the primary criterion is true for the other field in said frame.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising: identifying the first field as an unrepeated field upon determining that the secondary criterion is not true.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising: determining if a secondary criterion is true for the other field in said frame upon determining that the secondary criterion is true for the first field.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 29 further comprising: identifying the first field as a repeated field upon determining that the secondary criterion is not true for the other field in said frame.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the primary criterion is true if a predetermined number of strip activities for the first field do not exceed a first threshold, and if a field activity for the first field does not exceed a second threshold.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 31 wherein determining if the primary criterion is true further comprises: measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of a given parity and a strip of a second field of said given parity in said video data stream for a plurality of strips thereby obtaining a plurality of strip activities for said first field of said first parity; generating a field activity for said first field of said given parity using said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said given parity.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the secondary criterion is true if a measure of a field activity for the first field does not exceed a third threshold.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said video data stream includes a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, and further wherein said analyzing each field further comprises: measuring a differential parameter using pixels in a line of a first field of a given parity and pixels in a line of a second field of said given parity; and comparing said differential parameter with a threshold to detect a repeated field.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said measuring a differential parameter for pixels in a line of a first field of a given parity and pixels in a line of a second field of said given parity, and said comparing said differential parameter with a threshold are performed in real time.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
264 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream including a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said analyzing process further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity; comparing a strip activity of each strip of said field with a second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold and sail field has said second parity; repeating said field activity and strip activity comparisons for a second field of said second parity if (i) said field has said first parity; (ii) said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold; identifying said field as a repeated field if (i) said field activity of said second field is greater than said first threshold; or (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said second field are greater than said second threshold; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
264 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream including a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said analyzing process further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity; comparing a strip activity of each strip of said field with a second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold and sail field has said second parity; repeating said field activity and strip activity comparisons for a second field of said second parity if (i) said field has said first parity; (ii) said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold; identifying said field as a repeated field if (i) said field activity of said second field is greater than said first threshold; or (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said second field are greater than said second threshold; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
292 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream including a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said analyzing process further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity; comparing a strip activity of each strip of said field with a second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold and said field has said second parity; repeating said field activity and strip activity comparisons for a second field of said second parity if (i) said field has said first parity; (ii) said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said threshold; comparing a measure of field activity of said field with a third threshold if (i) said field activity of said second field is less than said first threshold; and (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said second field are less than said second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said measure of field activity of said field is less than said third threshold; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
292 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream including a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said analyzing process further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity; comparing a strip activity of each strip of said field with a second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold and said field has said second parity; repeating said field activity and strip activity comparisons for a second field of said second parity if (i) said field has said first parity; (ii) said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said threshold; comparing a measure of field activity of said field with a third threshold if (i) said field activity of said second field is less than said first threshold; and (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said second field are less than said second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said measure of field activity of said field is less than said third threshold; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream including a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein repeated fields in a telecine sequence in said video data stream are detected and repeated fields in a cartoon sequence in said video data stream are detected and further wherein said analyzing process further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream including a plurality of frames and each frame includes a field of a first parity and a field of a second parity, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein repeated fields in a telecine sequence in said video data stream are detected and repeated fields in a cartoon sequence in said video data stream are detected and further wherein said analyzing process further comprises: comparing a field activity of a field with a first threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said field activity of said field is less than said first threshold and said field has said second parity; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 38 further comprising: comparing a strip activity of each strip of said field with a second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if a predetermined number of said strip activities of said field are less than said second threshold and said field has said second parity.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 36, 37, 38, or 39 further comprising: updating said first threshold upon identifying said field as a repeated field.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 40 wherein said updating said first threshold upon identifying said field as a repeated field further comprises: comparing said field activity with a stored field activity; replacing said stored field activity with said field activity if said field activity is greater than said stored field activity; and defining said first threshold in terms of said stored field activity.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 40 further comprising: updating said second threshold after updating said first threshold.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 42 wherein said updating said second threshold further comprises: defining said second threshold in terms of said first threshold.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said analyzing each field further comprises: measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of a first parity and a strip of a second field of said first parity in said video data steam for a plurality of strips thereby obtaining a plurality of strip activities for said first field; generating a field activity for said first field using said plurality of strip activities; comparing said field activity to a first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities to a second threshold; and identifying said first field as a repeated field if (i) said first parity is an even parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for improving encoding efficiency of a video data stream, said method comprising: analyzing each field in said video data stream to detect repeated fields wherein said analyzing each field further comprises: measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of a first parity and a strip of a second field of said first parity in said video data steam for a plurality of strips thereby obtaining a plurality of strip activities for said first field; generating a field activity for said first field using said plurality of strip activities; comparing said field activity to a first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities to a second threshold; and identifying said first field as a repeated field if (i) said first parity is an even parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold; and dropping each detected repeated field from said video data stream to generate a modified video data stream thereby eliminating encoding of redundant information and so improving encoding efficiency.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
221 words
The method of claim 44 further comprising: performing the following operations if (i) said first parity is an odd parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold; measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of an even parity and a strip of a second field of said even parity in said video data stream for a plurality of strips to obtain a plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; generating a field activity for said first field of said even parity using said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; comparing said field activity for said first field of said even parity to said first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity to said second threshold; and identifying said first field of said first parity as a repeated field if (i) said field activity for said first field of said even parity is greater than said first threshold; or (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities for said first field of said even parity are greater than said second threshold.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
242 words
The method of claim 44 further comprising: performing the following operations if (i) said first parity is an odd parity; (ii) said field activity for said first field is less than said first threshold; and (iii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field are less than said second threshold; measuring a strip activity between a strip in a first field of an even parity and a strip of a second field of said even parity in said video data stream for a plurality of strips thereby obtaining a plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; generating a field activity for said first field of said even parity using said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity; comparing said field activity for said first field of said even parity to said first threshold; comparing each of said plurality of strip activities for said first field of said even parity to said second threshold comparing a measure of field activity of said field with a third threshold if (i) said field activity of said first field of even parity is less than said first threshold; and (ii) a predetermined number of said strip activities of said first field of even parity are less than said second threshold; and identifying said field as a repeated field if said measure of field activity of said field is less than a third threshold.
Claim 52
Independent Claim
48 words
The method of any one claims 44, 45, or 46, wherein said strip activity is a sum, for all pixels in a strip, of an absolute difference between a pixel in a first field of one parity and a pixel of a second field of said one parity.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 44, 45, or 46 further comprising: updating said first threshold upon identifying said first field as a repeated field.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 48 wherein said updating said first threshold further comprising: comparing said field activity of said first field with a stored field activity; replacing said stored field activity with said field activity of said first field if said field activity of said first field is greater than said stored field activity; and defining said first threshold in terms of said stored field activity.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 49 further comprising: updating said second threshold after updating said first threshold.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 50 wherein said updating said second threshold further comprises: defining said second threshold in terms of said first threshold.
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