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US6160590A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Video signal processing circuit inhibiting display of distorted images

Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
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Filing: 1998-03-25
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Granted: 2000-12-12
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Expires: 2018-03-25
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Abstract

Abstract A video signal processing circuit uses a buffer memory for reducing or expanding video signals in the generation of child images to be displayed within a display window. Image size data, stored in a header within the buffer memory, and a reduced video signal are prevented from representing different image reduction ratios which might otherwise occur when the reduction ratio is changed. At the time of changing the reduction ratio, image size data SIZ are calculated from a write enable signal based on reduction ratio data K, for a one-field period just after the change by an input video clock generator 22. The calculated image size data are written to a header together with a reduced video signal in a field memory 2, and a flag bit SP indicating the change in the reduction ratio is also written to the header for the one-field period just after the change. When data are read from the buffer memory, the flag bit SP is detected by a display video clock generator 23 to mute a video signal output when there is a likelihood of displaying distorted data. On the other hand, writing to the field memory 2 is inhibited for the one-field period just after the change in the image magnification data so that the muting period of the video signal output can be shortened.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yutaka Shimizu
  • 👤 Seiya Ota

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 17:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N5/45; H04N3/00; H04N3/10; H04N3/16; H04N3/22; H04N3/223

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 175 words
A video signal processing circuit comprising: an input processor for reducing or enlarging an input video signal in accordance with image magnification data; a buffer memory for storing the reduced or enlarged video signal; and a write control unit for controlling writing to the buffer memory by generating a write control signal in accordance with the image magnification data, the write control unit including: a calculation circuit for calculating image size data after a change in the image magnification data, and a display control unit for writing the calculated image size data as a header together with the reduced or enlarged video signal in the buffer memory, the display control unit writing a flag bit indicating the change in the image magnification data in the header for a predetermined period after the change in the image magnification data, the display control unit controlling reading of video signals from the buffer memory in accordance with the image size data, and for muting a video output for a constant period of time after detecting the flag bit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 175 words
A video signal processing circuit comprising: an input processor for reducing or enlarging an input video signal in accordance with image magnification data; a buffer memory for storing the reduced or enlarged video signal; and a write control unit for controlling writing to the buffer memory by generating a write control signal in accordance with the image magnification data, the write control unit including: a calculation circuit for calculating image size data after a change in the image magnification data, and a display control unit for writing the calculated image size data as a header together with the reduced or enlarged video signal in the buffer memory, the display control unit writing a flag bit indicating the change in the image magnification data in the header for a predetermined period after the change in the image magnification data, the display control unit controlling reading of video signals from the buffer memory in accordance with the image size data, and for muting a video output for a constant period of time after detecting the flag bit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the calculation circuit is responsive to the write control signal and calculates the image size data by counting cycles of the write control signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined period is two vertical periods whereas the constant period is one vertical period.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the write control unit further includes an inhibition circuit for inhibiting writing to the buffer memory at least for a calculation period in the calculation circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined period is two vertical periods whereas the constant period is one vertical period.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 156 words
A video signal processing circuit comprising: an input processor for reducing or enlarging an input video signal in accordance with image magnification data; a buffer memory for storing a reduced or enlarged video signal; and a write control unit for controlling writing to the buffer memory by generating a write control signal in accordance with the image magnification data, the write control unit including: a calculation circuit for calculating image size data after a change in the image magnification data, and a display control unit for writing a header to the buffer memory representative of the image magnification data, wherein the header includes a flag to indicate whether the change in the image magnification data has occurred, wherein the flag causes the display control unit to prevent output of a video signal when at least one display condition is consistent with a value of the image magnification data before the change in the image magnification data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 156 words
A video signal processing circuit comprising: an input processor for reducing or enlarging an input video signal in accordance with image magnification data; a buffer memory for storing a reduced or enlarged video signal; and a write control unit for controlling writing to the buffer memory by generating a write control signal in accordance with the image magnification data, the write control unit including: a calculation circuit for calculating image size data after a change in the image magnification data, and a display control unit for writing a header to the buffer memory representative of the image magnification data, wherein the header includes a flag to indicate whether the change in the image magnification data has occurred, wherein the flag causes the display control unit to prevent output of a video signal when at least one display condition is consistent with a value of the image magnification data before the change in the image magnification data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 40 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit prevents output of the video signal when at least one header data value is consistent with a value of the image magnification data after the change.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the header also contains the calculated image size data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 33 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 8, wherein the calculated image size data are present in the header when the reduced or enlarged video signal is stored in the buffer memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the calculation circuit is responsive to the write control signal and calculates the image size data by counting cycles of the write control signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 53 words
A video signal processing unit according to claim 6, wherein the flag within the header is a flag bit having one value indicating a change in the image magnification data and wherein the flag bit is maintained at the one value for a predetermined period after the change in the image magnification data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
A video signal processing unit according to claim 11, wherein the display control unit prevents output of a video signal by preventing reading of video signals from the buffer memory.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 46 words
A video signal processing unit according to claim 12, wherein output of the video signal is triggered by the display control unit detecting the flag bit and wherein output of the video signal is prevented for a constant period of time after detecting the flag bit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined period is two vertical periods whereas the constant period is one vertical period.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 30 words
A video signal processing unit according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit prevents output of a video signal by preventing reading of video signals from the buffer memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 36 words
A video signal processing circuit according to claim 6, wherein the write control unit further includes an inhibition circuit for inhibiting writing to the buffer memory at least for a calculation period of the calculation circuit.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH09116827A Cited
US5963221A Cited
US6008854A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-12-12 2004-06-12 2004-12-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-12-12 2008-06-12 2008-12-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-12-12 2012-06-12 2012-12-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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