The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 12, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1999
Marinko Karanovic, Don Mills, CA;
James B. Fry, Newmarket, CA;
ATI International SRL, , BB;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing scaling functions on a video signal is presented, where the scaling functions include a change in data rate of the signal. This is accomplished by performing the data rate conversion within a horizontal scaler of a video decoder. Filtering operations in the horizontal scaler are adjusted in order to take advantage of the data rate differential. Qualifier signals accompany portions of the video signal to indicate whether or not a particular portion of the signal is valid. These qualifiers are interpreted within the circuit to identify the portions that should be dropped, and the portions to be included in the output signal. In addition, registers within the horizontal scaler are used to store data corresponding to blanking regions within the input video signal, where data included in these blanking regions must be passed to the output signal in its entirety. The qualifiers corresponding to this portion of the data stream are all set to the valid level, indicating that none of the blanking region data is to be discarded.