Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Ampex Corporation

Sony Corporation of America

Vinson R Perry

Patrice J Capitant

David O Hodgson

Marc Klingelhofer

John O Ryan

Michael T MacKay

David C Collier

Raoul B Salem

Bruce E Busby

John B Carlucci

Thomas A Rohwer

Grant M Smith

Kumar B Swamy

An interactive high definition display system generates its own graphics display data, accepts multiple video signals and graphics display signals based upon multiple standards, and selectively produces therefrom an integrated video and graphics display featuring multiple images or compositing. The incoming video signals are decoded into their corresponding RGB signals, digitized and written into memory. The incoming and internally generated graphics display data signals are also written into memory. According to preprogrammed instructions, or interactively according to instructions received via a computer interface, an integrated, multiple image or composite display pattern with both active video and graphics display images can be generated by selecting from and arranging for display the stored video and graphics display data, and viewed on a high definition display or stored on a high definition video tape recorder.

Multistandard video and graphics, high definition display system and

A film scanning system and method for generating a digital signal representing digitized film images, and having a first (less than real-time) film frame rate, and performing digital correction (such as flare correction, color correction, or both) on the digital signal at a higher (but still less than real-time) frame rate. In a preferred embodiment, conventional video signals (having NTSC or format, or SMPTE-240M or another high definition video format) are then generated from the corrected digital signal. In one embodiment, the system of the invention includes circuitry for scanning color film frames to generate and store a digital signal (representing digitized color film images) at a rate of 1.875 film frames per second, circuitry for color correcting the stored digital signal at an internal processing rate of 7.5 frames per second, and means for generating SMPTE-240M high definition video signals (having a frame rate of 30 frames per second) from the color corrected digital signal.

Non-real-time film scanning system

A system for recording one or more individual fields or frames of a color, high definition video signal. In a preferred embodiment, the system is capable of digitally recording as many as 32 frames of a color, high definition video signal per memory board, and as many as four memory boards may be installed in the system. The invention is capable of performing partial or full frame (or field) transfers at any selected rate less than or equal to the standard video rate. In a preferred embodiment, the system of the invention accepts HDTV signals in either digital or analog format, includes a post processing unit for simultaneously reconstructing stored HDTV signals in both digital and analog format, and a control unit which emulates a conventional video tape recorder (in the sense that it responds to conventional video tape recorder control signals) for controlling the system's frame memory. The invention includes a parallel computer interface which permits transfer of full or partial fields or frames (in non-real time) between the frame memory and an external computer (or image processing unit) via a conventional communication link. The control unit and an interface unit including the parallel computer interface are connected by a serial communications link, so that a host computer may control memory access through the interface unit.

High definition video frame recorder

A film-to-video frame image convertor includes a 3-2 pulldown frame convertor for converting signals representing input film frame images, having a lower associated film frame image rate, to signals representing output video frame images having a higher associated video frame image rate. The output video frame images consist of genuine and simulated video frame images, which correspond to actual input film frame images and multiple input film frame images, respectively, in accordance with a 3-2 film-to-video frame pulldown. Each genuine video frame image consists of two video field images corresponding to two actual film field images from the same film frame image. Each simulated video frame image consists of two video field images corresponding to two actual film field images from different film frame images, with one of the two video field images being a duplicate of a video field image in an adjacent video frame image. Identification signals are selectively inserted into the vertical blanking interval of some of the output video frame images to identify which ones are simulated video frame images containing duplicate video field images. This allows the duplicate video field images to be identified and selectively deleted when the video frame images, having the higher associated video frame image rate, are to be reconverted to film frame images having the lower associated film frame image rate.

Film-to-video frame image conversion apparatus and method for

A digital color correction system and method provide for color correction in a film-to-video signal conversion system. Film color correction is done by correcting incoming digitized film color signals (e.g. red, green and blue) according to film color correction parameters which represent film characteristics, such as film speed, gamma, and minimum and maximum film dye density. The film color correction parameters are used to sensitometrically convert the film color signals to video color signals according to a sensitometric film model, such as the Hurter-Driffield ('HD') characteristic curve. Video color correction is then performed upon the corrected film color signals according to video color correction parameters which represent video signal characteristics, such as hue and saturation, as well as a video color standard model, such as SMPTE 240M. Alternatively, separate signals representing the film or video color correction parameters can be encoded as separate data into the corrected or uncorrected color signals. This color correction or color correction parameter encoding can be done on a field-by-field, frame-by-frame or scene-by-scene basis, so that each resulting video field, frame or scene, respectively, is appropriately color corrected or contains its own specific color correction information.

Digital color correction system and method

A method and system for generating a bordered split screen video display. In preferred embodiment, the invention generates a composite signal from digital signals representing reference and scanned film images, converts the composite signal to a composite video signal, and displays the composite video signal as a bordered split screen video display. The invention can be embodied in a film scanning system which includes a processor for digitally correcting a digital signal representing a digitized film image, such as by performing digital color correction on the digital signal. The film scanning system also includes field store circuitry for storing the corrected digital signal and a digital reference signal, circuitry for generating a composite signal from the stored reference and corrected signal, and circuitry for generating a composite video signal from the composite signal. In accordance with the invention, the composite video signal is displayed as a split screen composite image having a distinctive border between distinct test and reference picture areas. In a class of preferred embodiments, a graphics cursor signal is also inserted into the composite signal. When displayed, the cursor signal overlays a cursor region of the bordered split screen composite image.

Digitized film image processing system with bordered split screen display

A method and system for separating a noise signal into frequency components, then automatically performing noise reduction on the individual frequency components, and then recombining the processed frequency components to generate an output noise signal. The noise reduction parameters for each frequency component may be independently set. The output noise signal generated during performance of the invention will typically be recombined with a signal (such as a television signal) from which the input noise signal for the invention was originally extracted. In a preferred embodiment, the input noise signal supplied to the system of the invention is generated by subtracting two adjacent frames of a television signal. In a preferred embodiment, the system of the invention includes: circuitry for implementing a Walsh-Hadamard transform to separate the input noise signal into a set of frequency components; a set of automatic gain controlled amplifiers for independently performing noise reduction on each frequency component; and a noise component collator for combining the processed frequency components to generate a 'component controlled noise signal'. Each automatic gain controlled amplifier is independently controlled in response to a feedback signal representing the noise characteristics of a different frequency component of the input noise signal. Preferably, the system of the invention also includes a gain controlled amplifier for transforming the component controlled noise signal into a gain controlled noise output signal.

Automatic noise reduction for individual frequency components of a signal

A controller for a video tape recorder (VTR) which allows a plurality of separate tape times to be cued at the selection of the operator by means of separate cue registers and corresponding cue switches operating in conjunction with a programmed controller and a tape time counter which is slaved to the VTR tape timer. The controller also causes the VTR to search for cued tape times as stored in selected ones of the cue registers and, at the option of the operator, to stop the tape at a tape time slightly prior to a selected one of the cued tape times. Digital, fine and coarse clock tape time displays are also provided for indicating the tape time, when the tape is moving, and selected cued tape times when the tape is stopped.

Videotape cue control and display apparatus

A circuit for suppressing the effects of excessive highlights is automatically enabled in response to highlights in the viewed scene which exceed a given threshold. The circuit is used in combination with a special pickup tube or tubes which include excessive highlight protection elements and a corresponding mode of operation. The circuit allows the continuous operation of the pickup tubes with improved resolution at a heretofore prohibitive, but preferred, high voltage level (e.g., 950 volts), rather than the generally accepted and recommended operating level (e.g., 750 volts) therefor, while prolonging the lifetime of such tubes. Detector means generates the circuit enable signal in response to the presence of highlights in excess of the given threshold. Control circuit means are conditioned thereby to drive the tube into the corresponding mode of operation during the line flyback period corresponding to the horizontal blanking interval.

Camera pickup tube circuit for automatically suppressing excessive

A coring circuit located prior to the aperture corrector circuit provides fast acting, remotely controlled, temperature compensated, frequency selective coring of the video signal. The wideband video signal is separated into its low frequency and high frequency components. The high frequency component is transformer coupled to a coring means proper which cores out the corresponding high frequency noise. The cored high frequency component then is recombined with the low frequency component to reconstitute the cored composite video signal for subsequent application to the aperture correction circuit.

Growing community of inventors

San Carlos, CA, United States of America

Vinson R Perry