Sony United Kingdom Limited

Sony Corporation

Sony Corportion

Morgan W David

John W Richards

Martin Rex Dorricott

David J Hedley

James Edward Burns

Clive Henry Gillard

Shima R Varsani

Tsuneo Morita

James J Galt

Stephen Mark Keating

Mark John McGrath

Jonathan Richard Thorpe

Michael John Williams

Alan Hogg Turner

Andrew David Kydd

Vincent Carl Harradine

Simon Matthew Manze

An audio/video reproducing apparatus is connectable to a communications network for selectively reproducing items of audio/video material from a recording medium in response to a request received via the communications network. The audio/video reproducing apparatus may comprise a control processor operable in use to receive data representing the request for the audio/video material item via the communications network. A reproducing processor is operable in response to signals identifying the audio/video material items from the control processor to reproduce the audio/video material items. The data identifying the audio/video material items includes meta data indicative of the audio/video material items. The meta data may be one of UMID, tape ID and time codes, and a Unique Material Identifier the material items. To facilitate the identification and selection of the audio and/or video material, an audio and/or video processing apparatus is provided for processing audio and/or video signals representing sound and/or images. The processing apparatus comprises an activity detector operable to generate an activity signal indicative of an amount of activity within the sound/images represented by the audio/video signal, and a meta data generator coupled to the activity detector which is operable to generate sample images at temporal positions within the audio/video signal, which temporal positions are determined from the activity signal. The processing apparatus thereby provides a facility for automatically generating meta data from received audio/video signals. The meta data can be used to select the audio/video material.

Audio/video reproducing apparatus and method

A charge-coupled image sensor having adjacent image acquisition and image storage areas is described. Pixel transfer can take place from the image acquisition area to the image storage area and from the image storage area to an output register simultaneously and at different respective transfer rates. This allows the image transfer into the storage area to begin during the active field period, i.e. while pixels are still being transferred from the storage area into the output register. In a preferred embodiment this is achieved by partitioning the image storage area into a first and a second storage section which can selectively operate at the same or different transfer clocking rates.

Charge-coupled image sensor operable to simultaneously transfer pixels

A modelling system for producing a 2-D image of a 3-D scene includes a 3-D computer graphics modeler for producing a view from a selectable viewpoint and in a selectable direction of a 3-D computer graphics model of an object for forming a foreground image, a source of backdrop video data, digital video effects apparatus for manipulating the backdrop video data to produce a background image and a compositor for keying the foreground image into the background image to form the 2-D image. The modelling system is able to produce in real time photo-realistic representations of computer models of objects such as buildings and the like in a real world environment. It is possible to include moving foreground objects in the model for virtual reality applications. It is also possible in real time to move around the model by changing the selected viewpoint and/or direction, the modelling system responding to these changes to produce the appropriate output images. A modified modelling system also provides for the inclusion of mid-ground information.

3-Dimensional model composed against textured midground image and

An image data value storage system is described comprising a plurality of tiled memories which are fed with a single set of read addresses from a read address generator. The data stored within each of the tiled memories is offset relative to each other by the action of a delay unit upon writing of the data into the memory units. Thus, a single set of read addresses accesses a larger contiguous array of image data values than is individually addressed within each of the memory units.

Image data storage

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus comprises a subsampler for horizontally subsampling an input digital video signal, to generate a subsampled video signal; a motion vector processor for generating motion vectors from the subsampled video signal; and a motion compensated video processor for processing the input digital video signal according to the motion vectors, to generate an output digital video signal.

Apparatus and method for motion compensating video signals to produce

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus for interpolating an output image of an output video signal from a corresponding pair of temporally adjacent input images of an input video signal comprises: means for generating a plurality of local motion vectors to represent image motion of respective search blocks of one input image of the pair between that image and the other image of the pair; means for detecting blocks of the output image pointed to by each local motion vector; means for assigning a group of motion vectors to each block of the output image, the group being selected from a set of motion vectors comprising at least those local motion vectors pointing to that block of the output image; and a motion compensated interpolator for interpolating pixels of each block of the output image from the pair of input images, using a motion vector from the group assigned to that block.

Motion compensated video signal processing

Motion compensated video signal processing apparatus, in which motion vectors are generated to represent image motion between a pair of input images of an input video signal, comprises means for comparing search blocks within one of the pair of input images with respective search areas, comprising a plurality of blocks, in the other of the pair of input images, to generate a first plurality of original correlation surfaces, each comprising an array of correlation values representing correlation between the respective search block and search area; means for generating a second plurality of interpolated correlation surfaces by interpolation from the original correlation surfaces; and means for generating a respective motion vector from each interpolated correlation surface, in dependence on a point of maximum correlation in that interpolated correlation surface.

Motion compensated video signal processing by interpolation of

A method of processing a digital video signal to derive motion vectors representing motion between successive fields or frames of the video signal comprises compares the contents of blocks of pixels in a first field or frame of the video signal with the contents of a plurality of blocks of pixels in a following field or frame, and produces for each block in the first field or frame a correlation surface representing the difference between the contents so compared in the two fields or frames. A grown correlation surface is produced for each block in the first field or frame by weighting the correlation surfaces for that block and a plurality of other blocks in an area around that block so as to accentuate features of the correlation surface for that block relative to those for the other blocks, and summing the weighted correlation surfaces. From each grown correlation surface, a motion vector is derived representing the motion of the content of the corresponding block between the two frames in dependence upon a minimum difference value represented by the grown correlation surface.

Video signal processing to derive motion vectors representing motion

In order to simulate, on set or on location, a subsequent video to film conversion process, an input interlaced video signal is converted in any of a variety of ways to a progressive scan format video signal, and then interlaced fields of the progressive scan format frames are displayed on a video monitor or view finder.

Video to film conversion

A motion compensation technique for color video signals involves deriving at least one principal component from the video signals by means of a hotelling transform circuit and a matrix, and applying motion compensation to an interpolator (or to a compressor/decompressor) on the basis of the derived principal component. The technique avoids the need to provide three separate compensation circuits for each of the video signals while ensuring that optimum use is made of the color information in the video signals.

Motion compensation for color video signals

An input digital video signal representing a series of input frames with at least some of the input frames each having a first picture portion having a first acquisition characteristic (such as 60 Hz, 2:1) and a second picture portion having a second acquisition characteristic (such as 30 Hz, 1:1) is processed to produce an output video signal representing a series of output frames having generally the same acquisition characteristic (such as 24 Hz, 1:1). The method comprises the steps of distinguishing between the first and second picture portions in the input frames (for example by determining the difference between input fields (a.sub.1, a.sub.2 ; a.sub.3, a.sub.4 ; . . . ) of a pair, or by detecting a key signal accompanying the input video signal) and processing the first and second picture portions differently to produce the output frames.

Method for processing a digital video signal having portions acquired

A system for integrating film material with a digital video signal employs a film scanner to produce a digital video signal from the source film, and a post production system for combining with that signal the input digital video signal. Motion interpolated temporal compensation is employed at stages of frame rate conversion.

Format conversion of digital video signals, integration of digital video

Method of integrating 30 or 60 frame/s format material and 60 field/s 2:1 interlace scan format digital video signal to produce a 60 field/s 2:1 interlace scan format digital video signal by producing a progressive scan format digital video signal from the format material, converting the progressive scan format digital video signal to a 60 field/s 2:1 interlace scan format digital video signal and combining the converted signal with the 60 field/s interlace scan format digital video signal.

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Farnham, United Kingdom

Morgan W David