Micro Consultants, Limited

Quantel Limited

Peter C Michael

Richard J Taylor

Martin R Trump

Paul R Kellar

Anthony Donald Stalley

A video processing system for reducing data content requirements along a transmission path. A movement processor which includes a framestore is capable of detecting both interfield and interframe movement and uses this to manipulate the data so as to inhibit or attenuate the movement content so that the available bandwidth is not exceeded. This manipulation can also be used to provide residual movement persistence between frames and to reduce picture noise content. A processor at the remote end of the transmission path can reconstitute the data to make it available at normal video rates.

T.V. apparatus for movement control

A distributed video frame store and real time processing system which includes a frame store subdivided into a number of sectors each with an associated arithmetic unit capable of parallel operation for processing data from all the sectors simultaneously. Each arithmetic unit which comprises a subtractor, multiplier and adder may be shared as a common input and output processor during write and store read cycles respectively for that sector. During a write cycle, the incoming data together is processed with previously stored data and then written into the store sector, the coefficient for the multiplier being selected in dependence on any difference measured in the subtractor. During a read cycle and stored information can be passed via the arithmetic unit to the output. During the read cycle, data from two locations within that store sector is processed, and in dependence on any movement previously detected, these locations can be from the same or alternate fields.

Video frame store and real time processing system

A T.V. special effects generator which includes a store for a video image and a coefficient processor connected to the store which synthesises picture points from the stored video image to provide a processed image which has a shape dependent on mask data controlling this picture point synthesis which results in an image distorted into the desired shape to give a fish-eye effect for example. The mask data may be generated in a computer or by using a T.V. camera and the processed mask information may be used as the key input in a studio mixer. Additional control of the size of the image can be effected to provide picture zoom.

T.V. Special effects generator

A video noise reduction system for incoming video information from a plurality of picture points. A first processor is capable of synthesizing each picture point from incoming picture point information from adjacent picture points to provide noise reduced picture information. A store is provided for storing picture information from at least one frame and a second processor is capable of synthesizing each picture point from incoming and stored information from a corresponding picture point from a current and earlier frames to effect noise reduction. A detector is provided to detect any movement between pictures to allow processing by the first processor when movement is occuring and from the second processor when no movement is occuring. A third processor may be provided to allow synthesizing from adjacent picture points from current and earlier pictures to effect noise reduction when the picture content is detected to be stationary and has only low frequency components therein.

Video noise reduction systems

A T.V. picture freeze system capable of capturing a video frame comprising first and second fields. Movement is detected between fields for each picture point and data indicative of any movement is stored and is used on read out to determine whether the picture information is taken from a single field, when movement has occurred or from both fields when movement has not occurred for that portion of the picture.

T.V. Picture freeze system

A video system and method for manipulating picture information in the form of a number of picture points. The information is manipulated by sequentially synthesizing a picture point from information on a number of existing picture points adjacent the synthesized picture point from at least one field. The portions of the picture points used from current and previous fields may be varied in dependence on picture movement detected between fields.

Picture manipulation in video systems

Digital standards conversion from one T.V. line standard to another including a processor for synthesizing picture points from adjacent picture point information derived from video signals from at least one field and a digital persistence arrangement for effecting movement interpolation between incoming and stored information. The digital persistence may be cylically varied field by field as well as being variable in dependence on any picture movement detected.

Television standards conversion

A movement detection method and system capable of detecting picture point movement in portions of a picture in the presence of noise. Each picture point within the frame in turn is examined with a corresponding picture point from the previous frame to detect when movement has occurred for that particular picture point. To distinguish between noise and movement, a number of selected picture points adjacent the picture point are also examined to see if movement is occurring. By examining a number of picture joints noise tends to be attenuated while movement is not, so that true movement can be detected.

Video movement detection

A video noise reduction system including a coefficient modifier for modifying at least a portion of the incoming video information. Video storage is provided to store the modified information and an adder is provided for adding at least a portion of incoming picture information with at least a portion from a corresponding stored picture point from an earlier field. The noise reduced picture information is provided at the store output. The degree of noise reduction may be varied in dependence on movement detected between fields and whether luminance or chrominance components are present.

Video noise reduction

A video control arrangement for a synchronizer includes a joystick for moving the T.V. picture in at least one plane to a first selected position. A memory arrangement receives and holds information on the location of the first preselected position which can be recalled later to effect automatic movement of the T.V. picture to this preselected position.

Control arrangement for video synchronizers

A T.V. picture processing system comprising an input arrangement for receiving T.V. picture information and converting it into a form suitable for an input processor. The input processor modifies the size of the picture from information received from the input arrangement. A store is provided for storing the input processed picture information. A co-efficient generator is connected to the store for providing modification of incoming data to the store in dependence on the co-efficient generated and on data previously stored in the store. An output processor is provided for modifying the size of the picture from information received from the store and an output arrangement receives the information from the output processor and converts this into a composite T.V. signal.

Picture processing system for television

An assignment system adapted to accommodate video and audio signals is provided with a digital cross-point switching matrix which is controlled by a control device which enables connections between selected inputs and outputs of said matrix. The input signals are first applied to analog-to-digital converters, from which the signal is converted into serial form before entering the cross-point matrix. The output from the matrix is converted to parallel form and thereafter to an analog signal by digital-to-analog converters. At any one input the color burst information contained on the incoming video signal, is detected and this controls the rate of conversion of the signal into digital form. The horizontal synchronizing pulse information is detected from the incoming signal and is added to the serial data stream in a coded form and after switching of the data is detected and retrieved before reconversion of the data into analogue form.

Video assignment systems

An analogue-to-digital converter comprising a plurality of stages in series, each stage including a full wave rectifier with two inputs and two outputs. Each of the inputs receives an analogue signal together with a constant current such that the full wave rectifier current reverses direction when the analogue signal reaches a predetermined level. Temperature compensation means are provided comprising voltage generators connected to the rectifier to provide a voltage bias thereto so as to enable the point of reversal of the rectifier current to remain constant over a wide range of ambient temperatures. The voltage generators have a temperature coefficient of voltage corresponding in magnitude and acting in the same sense as the bridge rectifier.

Analogue-to-digital-converters

The television digital time base corrector for television equipment comprises an analogue to digital converter for receiving a video analogue signal, a store for receiving the successive line information in digital form from the output of the analogue to digital converter, a digital to analogue converter for receiving the stored signal, a read/write control circuit for writing the digital information into the store, an input oscillator for determining the rate of conversion of the analogue signal and the rate of writing into the store and output oscillator for controlling the rate of reading out of the digital information from the store and the rate of conversion of the digital information in the store. The input oscillator is in the form of a triggered oscillator which is switched on and off in time relationship with the video sync pulse and/or sub-carrier color burst, the period of switching on and off and the frequency of the oscillator being dependent upon the duration of the lines. Thus the length of the train of sampling clock pulses is varied in sympathy with the off-tape line period by changing the frequency of the clock pulses from line to line.

Growing community of inventors

Newbury, United Kingdom

Peter C Michael