Changing the temporal sample rate of a motion-image sequence
AssigneeSnell Limited
InventorJoe Diggins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A frame-rate conversion system having an interpolation mode and a synchronisation mode. The synchronisation mode is selected when temporal interpolation confidence is and images can be retimed without dropping or repeating of images. The interpolation mode is selected when the measure of temporal interpolation confidence is high or repeating of images. Images are exchanged between a temporal interpolator and a buffer at an exchange rate which is varied in the interpolation mode to optimise the buffer occupancy for retiming of images without dropping or repeating of images in s subsequent synchronisation.
Claims22
Apparatus for changing the temporal sample rate of a motion-image sequence in which an input image sequence at an input rate is converted to an output image sequence at an output rate, the apparatus comprising a temporal interpolator;
- a buffer associated with the temporal interpolator;
- and a controller, wherein the controller is supplied with a measure of temporal interpolation confidence and a measure of buffer occupancy;
- and wherein the apparatus has an interpolation mode in which the output image sequence is formed by temporal interpolation between images of the input sequence;
- and a synchronisation mode in which the output image sequence is formed by re-timing images of the input sequence without temporal interpolation images;
- the controller being adapted to select the synchronisation mode when the measure of temporal interpolation confidence is low and the measure of buffer occupancy indicates that images can be retimed without dropping or repeating of images and to select the interpolation mode when the measure of temporal interpolation confidence is high or when the measure of buffer occupancy indicates that images cannot be retimed without dropping or repeating of images.
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A temporal interpolation method for converting images of an input image sequence having an input image rate to images of an output image sequence having a different output image rate that operates in a temporal interpolation mode during a first portion of the said sequence and in a synchronisation mode for a second portion of the said sequence, the method using a FIFO buffer connected to a temporal interpolator for the exchange of images between the buffer and the temporal interpolator at a buffer image exchange rate;
- wherein
- during the said first portion the temporal interpolator provides temporally interpolated images that comprise the respective portion of the said output image sequence;
- during at least part of the said first portion the buffer image exchange rate is varied with respect to the input or output image rate;
- and
- during said second portion the buffer provides the respective portion of the said output image sequence comprising un-interpolated input frames synchronised to the output image rate.
A non-transitory computer program product adapted to cause data processing apparatus to implement a method of changing the temporal sample rate of a motion-image sequence in which an input image sequence at an input rate is converted to an output image sequence at an output rate, the method including an interpolation mode in which the output image sequence is formed by temporal interpolation between images of the input sequence;
- and a synchronisation mode in which the output image sequence is formed by re-timing images of the input sequence without temporal interpolation images;
- the synchronisation mode being selected when temporal interpolation confidence is low and images can be retimed without dropping or repeating of images and the interpolation mode being selected when the measure of temporal interpolation confidence is high or when images cannot be retimed without dropping or repeating of images.
(canceled)
A temporal interpolation system for converting an input image sequence at an input image timing to an output image sequence at a different output image timing, the system comprising a temporal interpolator controlled by an interpolation phase measure;
- an image buffer that is connected to a temporal interpolator;
- and an interpolation phase generator that derives a changing interpolation phase measure from comparison of input image timing and the output image timing;
- wherein the rate of change of the interpolation phase of the temporal interpolator is controlled in response to the fill level of the image buffer and a measure of the likelihood of interpolation artefacts.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.