Ampex Corporation

Steven A Gabriel

Phillip P Bennett

Lawrence J Evans

Michael A Ogrinc

A system for spatially transforming images by separate transformation of each dimension of the image is exemplified by a raster scan television system which includes for each color component a transposing memory providing a change of scan direction from horizontal to vertical, a vertical transformation system transforming in the vertical direction the vertically scanned video information, a second transposing memory coupled to receive vertically transformed video information and provide a change of scan direction from vertical back to horizontal, and a horizontal transformation system coupled to horizontally transform the horizontally scanned video signal to produce a color component output signal. The transformation system is controlled by a transform composer and factorizor which receives input commands designating X and Y pretranslations, X and Y size control, Z axis rotation angles, and X and Y post translations to produce a commanded composite transformation which is then factored into horizontal and vertical components.

System for spatially transforming images

Method and system for spacially transforming images

Controller for system for spatially transforming images

A spatial transformation system includes a processing system for each component of an input video signal. The processing systems respond to operator commands entered through a control panel to provide spatial transformation such as enlargement, reduction, translation, and three-dimensional perspective rotation. The system further includes a key processing system connected to operate in tandem with the video component processing systems to transform an input key signal indicating a portion of a video image to be viewed in exactly the same way as the image defined by the input video signal. The output key signal thus exactly defines the same portions of the output video image as it did for the input video image notwithstanding significant changes in image shape which may result from a selected given spatial transformation. A proportional switcher is connected to receive a transformed image from the spatial transformation system on one channel and a second video image on a second channel and mix them in proportion to the magnitude of the key signal generated by the key processing system. The image from one channel may thus be smoothly blended into the image of the other input channel to eliminate aliasing along a boundary between two adjacent images. The transformation system may further include a key signal generator providing an internal key signal defining a standard sized video image and a switch coupled to provide an operator selection between the internal key signal and an externally generated key signal. A cropping circuit responsive to operator controls may modify the selected key signal by imposing more restrictive limits on the boundary of the key signal selected viewing area than provided by the original key signal. This selectively restricted key signal is provided as an input key signal to the key processing system. By performing the same spatial transformation upon the key signal as upon the input video image, the key signal precisely defines the borders of the selected viewing region to eliminate undesirable demarcation lines between the boundaries of two intermixed video images when they are displayed.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Steven A Gabriel