Sony Corporation

Taku Kihara

Fumihiko Sudo

Yoshio Chiba

Takashi Nakamura

Kenichi Aihara

Ichiro Tanji

Akira Yamaguchi

Hitoshi Nakamura

Hiromasa Ikeyama

Hideaki Murayama

Shigetoshi Nohda

Kazuyoshi Miyamoto

Kazunori Yamaji

Katsuhiko Tsushima

Takashi Asaida

Hiroshi Higuchi

Yoshihiro Morioka

Norihiko Kawada

Keiichi Ito

Katsumi Kaneko

Seiji Kawa

Susumu Kurita

Shingo Shimazaki

Fujio Tsunezune

Yoshiyuki Ohta

An image signal generation portion 10 generates an image signal DVb of a variable frame-rate picked-up image whose frame rate can be varied. A frame rate conversion portion 30 converts a frame rate of an image signal DVu supplied to it into a frame rate of the image signal DVb and synchronizes them to provide an image signal DVw. A monitor image signal generation portion 40 uses the image signals DVb and DVw to generate an image signal DVmix of an image in which an image based on the image signal DVb and an image based on the image signal DVw are mixed and output it as a monitor image signal DMTout or SMTout. Alternatively, it generates an image signal DVwp of an image in which a part of an image based on the image signal DVb is replaced by an image based on the image signal DVw and outputs it as the monitor image signal DMTout or SMTout. It is possible to simultaneously display a variable frame-rate picked-up image and an image having a different frame rate.

Matching frame rates of a variable frame rate image signal with another image signal

High frequency components of a video signal are attenuated for avoiding aliasing when the video signal is corrected by a non-linear gamma correction circuit. Such high frequency components arise from the video signal harmonics, and also are generated in image contour processing of the video signal. The high frequency components are band limited, thereby linearizing the gamma correction circuit and preventing aliasing. Up-converting the sampling frequency increases a desired band limitation area and defers the generation of high frequency components that cause aliasing. The non-linear gamma correction function is divided into a plurality of sections which are replaced by respective straight-line segments each represented by a linear expression, and gamma correction is effected with a straight-line segment corresponding to the amplitude of the digital video signal.

Anti-aliasing video camera processing apparatus and method

An apparatus and a method for flexibly adjusting the contrast of an input image signal. Specifically, a control signal for controlling the contrast of a displayed image is generated responsive to an input image signal, and the luminance signal level of the input image signal is adjusted on the basis of the generated control signal. A display image for demonstration via a liquid crystal display surface is generated on the basis of the adjusted luminance signal level. The illumination brightness on the liquid crystal display surface is controlled in correlation with the adjustment of the luminance signal level on the basis of the generated control signal.

Image display controlling apparatus and method, imaging apparatus and viewfinder device

An edge enhancement circuit uses bandpass filters to separate an original video signal into low-, middle- and high-frequency band edge components which will be supplied to waveform shaping circuits. Each of the waveform shaping circuits detects an amplitude peak level of the edge component, generates a gain coefficient based on the peak level, and multiplies the original video signal by the gain coefficient. The results of multiplication are added together to generate a final detail signal. Thus, the edge enhancement circuit amplifies the amplitude of the edge component having a frequency approximate to the spatial frequency of the video signal to provide an edge enhancement based on a frequency characteristic corresponding to the spatial frequency of the video signal.

Contour-emphasizing circuit

An imaging system capable of easily and reliably adjusting the functions provided in the camera device and preventing mistaken adjustment of these functions. At a step S , a specified parameter of a definition file or a user file is deleted or changed in values. A CPU judges whether or not an effective key is pressed. If the key is found to be pressed, the CPU proceeds to a step S and, if otherwise, the CPU dwells at a step S . At a step S , the CPU reads out image data of a parameter setting window from a disc drive based on the selected parameter or the definition file prevailing at a time point of pressing of the effective key. The CPU writes image data of the parameter setting window in a VRAM and causes a display image corresponding to the image data to be displayed on a display.

Imaging system with memory and control system

A data transmission apparatus and a camera system for multiplexing serial data into horizontal blanking portions of video data for transmission between a CHU ( ) and a CCU ( ). On the transmitting side, resampled data is obtained by sampling the serial data using a clock signal of a frequency higher than that of the transmission rate of the serial data. A predetermined number of resampled data items are selected as multiplexing data from the resampled data obtained in each of the horizontal periods of the video data. The multiplexing data is multiplexed into the horizontal blanking portions of the video data for transmission. On the transmitting side, the multiplexing data is separated from the received video data. The separated multiplexing data is decoded so as to extract successively definite data constituting the initial serial data.

Data transmission and receiving system for multiplexing data with video data

It is intended to enable main image data from a video camera and background image data recorded on a recording medium to be chromakey-combined with each other naturally at a low cost. When a video switcher chromakey-combines main image data that is produced by imaging with a video camera with background image data that is reproduced from a magnetic tape by a VTR, the main image data is chromakey-combined with the background image data such that the VTR is caused to perform a reproducing operation on the magnetic tape based on time codes that are stored in a control device as one of a pair of information and the operations of the video camera and a video camera stage are controlled based on camera control information as the other of the pair of information.

Apparatus and method for combining background images with main images

The invention provides a technique of making color adjustment for a great number of colors among different imaging apparatus. In the process of making color adjustment among a plurality of cameras, a color correction processing unit disposed in a CCU of each camera detects data associated with lightness, hue, and saturation for a plurality of specified colors. The detected data is transmitted as color data to a CPU. According to the color data supplied from each CCU, the CPU divides the color space into a plurality of areas, and calculates setting data which is required by the color correction processing unit to correct the lightness, hue, and saturation. The resultant setting data is transmitted to the color correction processing unit. In actual use in a normal operation mode, the color correction processing unit corrects the lightness, hue, and saturation according to the procedure determined for each area in accordance with the setting data.

Color correction apparatus, color correction controller, and color correction system

Camera system for receiving and selectively transmitting images from

Video signal compression apparatus for analyzing an input video signal to determine the distribution of signal levels and compressing the input signal as a function of the distribution to produce an output video signal.

Video signal compression apparatus utilizing multiple compression ratios

An apparatus for setting up an electronic device has a memory for storing parameter setting image data for establishing one or more parameters with respect to a controlled device, the parameter setting image including parameter changing switch image data and setting state display image data, a display unit for displaying a parameter setting image based on the parameter setting image data read from the memory, an input unit for entering input information indicating changes in display states of a parameter changing switch image data and a setting state display image which are displayed by the display unit and a parameter to be established, and a controller for changing the display states of the parameter changing switch image data an the setting state display image which are displayed by the display unit and the parameter to be established, based on the input information entered by the input unit, and transmitting changed parameter data or a change in the parameter to the controlled device.

Method of and apparatus for setting up electronic device

(M-N) 0 data are inserted for every N data of the f.sub.SL input data by an interpolation circuit 20 for generating f.sub.SH rate data, while filter coefficients are sequentially generated by M coefficient generators 30A to 30D at the f.sub.SH rate. A register postfix type transversal filter 40 effectuates up rate conversion of N:M (N&lt;M) of generating f.sub.SH rate output data from f.sub.SL rate input data. The transversal filter 40 includes M multipliers 41A to 41D for multiplying the f.sub.SH rate data generated by the interpolation circuit 20 with the filter coefficients sequentially applied by the coefficient generators 30A to 30D and each (M-1) delay circuits 42A to 42C and additive units 43A to 43C for delaying product outputs of the multipliers 41A to 41D by unit time delay and summing the delayed product output together.

Rate converter using a register postfix type transversal filter

Data transmission and receiving system for multiplexing data with video

An imaging parameter recording apparatus and an imaging apparatus are disclosed. The setting states of various parts of an imaging system 1 at the time of imaging are detected by a system controller 9 and routed as imaging parameters to a recording/reproducing system 2. These imaging parameters are recorded along with the imaging data on a video tape 17. This enables not only the picture corresponding to the imaging data but also the imaging parameters at the imaging time to be reproduced at the reproducing time, so that not only the past setting state-can be recognized, but also the past setting state can be newly set so that the picture of the same picture pattern can be imaged.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Taku Kihara