Up-conversion of a video signal format with expansion of active portion of video field

An apparatus for up-converting a digital video signal from a first definition format to a second higher-definition format, comprising:

• storage means having a writing mode for storing an input field/frame of pixel data in the first format and a reading mode;
• storage control means for controlling said storage means in said reading mode to output the stored pixel data together with dummy data as an intermediate field/frame in the second format, such that the pixel data occupies a continuous active portion of the intermediate field/frame and the dummy data occupies the remainder of the intermediate field/frame;
• said storage control means including means for selecting one of said writing and reading modes of the storage means, and means for generating addresses for the storage means;
• said means for generating addresses being operable when said writing mode is selected to generate addresses sequentially for the field/frame of pixel data, and when said reading mode is selected to generate addresses sequentially for the field/frame of pixel data, and when said reading mode is selected to generate intermittently lines of addresses corresponding to lines of addresses in the first format;
• the storage control means being operable to output partial lines of the dummy pixel data between the generation of one line of addresses and the next, and to output lines of the dummy pixel data between the generation of one field/frame of addresses and the next;
• and
• means for processing the intermediate field/frame by expanding the active portion thereof in the vertical and horizontal directions and producing an output field/frame in the second format such that the pixel data extends across substantially the whole of the output field/frame in at least one of said directions;

An apparatus for up-converting a digital video signal from a first definition format to a second higher-definition format, comprising:

• storage means for selectively storing a field/frame of pixel data in the first format and in the second format;
• storage control means for controlling the storage means to output the stored pixel data together with dummy data as an intermediate field/frame in the second format, such that the pixel data occupies a continuous active portion of the intermediate field/frame and the dummy data occupies the remainder of the intermediate field/frame;
• said storage control means including means for selecting one of said writing and reading modes of the storage means, and means for generating addresses for the storage means;
• said means for generating addresses being operable when said writing mode is selected to generate addresses sequentially for the active portion of said storage means corresponding to a field/frame in the first format, and when said reading mode is selected to generate addresses sequentially corresponding to a field/frame in the second format;
• the storage means storing the dummy data at addresses not in the active portion thereof;
• and
• means for processing the intermediater field/frame by expanding the active portion thereof in the vertical and horizontal directions and producting an output field/frame in the second format such that the pixel data extends across substantially the whole of the output field/frame in at least one of said directions.

A method of up-converting a digital video signal from a first definition format to a second higher-definition format, comprising the steps of:

• storing an input field/frame of pixel data in the first format;
• reading the stored pixel data interspersed with dummy data as an intermediate field/frame in the second format, such that the previously stored pixel data occupies a continuous active portion of the intermediate field/frame and the dummy data occupies the remainder of the intermediate field/frame;
• and
• expanding the active portion of the intermediate field/frame in the vertical and horizontal directions and producing an output field/frame in the second format such that the previously stored pixel data extends across substantially the whole of the output field/frame in at least one of the two directions.

A method of up-converting a digital video signal from a first definition format to a second higher-definition format, comprising the steps of:

• storing an input field/frame of pixel data in the first format, said storing including the step of generating for a storage means addresses which are sequential for the field/frame of pixel data for the first format;
• reading the stored pixel data interspersed with dummy data as an intermediate field/frame in the second format, such that the previously stored pixel data occupies a continuous active portion of the intermediate field/frame and the dummy data occupies the remainder of the intermediate field/frame, said reading including the steps of:
• generating intermittently for the storage means lines of addresses corresponding to lines of addresses in the first format,
• outputting partial lines of the dummy pixel data between the generation of one line of address and the next;
• and
• outputting lines of the dummy pixel data between the generation of one field/frame of addresses and the next;
• and
• expanding the active portion of the intermediate field/frame in the vertical and horizontal directions and producing an output field/frame in the second front such that the previously stored pixel data extends across substantially the whole of the output field/frame in at least one of the two directions.

A method of up-converting a digital video signal from a first definition format to a second higher-definition format, comprising the steps of:

• initializing a storage means by storing dummy data at addresses in the storage means not in an active portion thereof corresponding to a field/frame in the first format;
• storing an input field/frame of pixel data in the first format, said storing including the step of generating for the storage means addresses which are sequential for the active portion of the storage means
• reading the stored pixel data interspersed with the dummy data as an intermediate field/frame in the second format, such that the previously stored pixel data occupies a continuous active portion of the intermediate field/frame and the dummy data occupies the remainder of the intermediate field/frame, said reading including the step of generating for the storage means addresses which are sequential for a field/frame in the second format;
• and
• expanding the active portion of the intermediate field/frame in the vertical and horizontal directions and producing an output field/frame in the second format such that the previously stored pixel data extends across substantially the whole of the output field/frame in at least one of the two directions.