US 6,295,322 B1 · Processing apparatus for synthetically extending the bandwidth of a spatially-sampled video image

Abstract

An input data stream of pixel values, representing an original video image having predetermined horizontal and vertical resolutions that has been spatially sampled at a first spatial sampling frequency, is upsampled and interpolated to derive an output data stream of interpolated pixel values at a second spatial sampling frequency that represents an oversampled video image that has been enlarged in size with respect to the original video image but has the same full bandwidth as the original video image. The pixel values of the input data stream and the interpolated pixel values of this output data stream are both employed to synthetically derive the interpolated pixel values of a correction-waveform data stream that defines spatial frequencies that are higher in frequency than the highest frequency in the full bandwidth of the original video image. A data stream representing an extended-full-bandwidth enlarged video image is derived by summing corresponding interpolated pixel values of the correction-waveform data stream and the data stream representing the oversampled enlarged video image. In this manner, the sharpness of the edge information of the original video image is preserved in the extended-full-bandwidth enlarged video image. Optionally, the data stream representing the extended-full-bandwidth enlarged video image may be further processed to synthetically add a drop shadow effect to a displayed enlarged video image, which provides perspective that enhances the appearance of the displayed enlarged video image.

Claims25

Dependent claims

Image processing apparatus for extending the frequency bandwidth of an original video image that is spatially-sampled at a first sampling frequency and is represented by an input data stream comprising successive pixel values that define said frequency bandwidth;

said apparatus comprising:
first means for deriving, from said pixel values of said input data stream, (1) a first data stream that comprises successive pixel values of a first image component that has substantially the same frequency bandwidth as said original video image and is spatially sampled at a second sampling frequency which is sufficiently higher than the highest frequency component of said frequency bandwidth of said original video image to result in said first image component being significantly oversampled, and (2) a second data stream that comprises synthetically-derived successive correction-waveform pixel values of a second image component that is spatially-sampled at said second sampling frequency, said synthetically-derived successive correction-waveform pixel values defining spatial frequencies of said second image component that are higher in frequency than said highest frequency component of said original video image;
and
second means for summing the corresponding pixel values of said first and second data streams to thereby derive a third data stream of successive pixel values that define the frequency-extended bandwidth of an output video image from said second means with respect to said frequency bandwidth of said original video image.

1 more element

Image processing apparatus for synthetically adding a drop shadow effect to an input video image to thereby enhance perspective in the display of the resulting processed video image, wherein said input video image is spatially-sampled at a given sampling frequency and is represented by an input data stream comprising successive pixel values, a video image;

said image processing apparatus comprising:
a 3×3 non-separable highpass filter having a skewed filter function to which said pixel values of said input data stream representing said input video image are applied to thereby derive a first data stream of pixel values as an output from said 3×3 non-separable highpass filter;
a non-linear coring means to which said first data stream of pixel values are applied for coring each of pixel value of said first data stream to thereby derive a second data stream of pixel values as an output from said non-linear coring means;
multiplying means to which said second data stream of pixel values are applied for multiplying the each pixel value of second data by a user-controlled gain factor to thereby derive a third data stream of pixel values as an output from said multiplying means;
and
summer means to which said third data stream of pixel values are applied for summing corresponding pixel values of said third data stream and said input data stream to thereby derive a fourth data stream of pixel values as an output from said summer means that defines said processed video image having a drop shadow effect.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Processing apparatus for synthetically extending the bandwidth of a spatially-sampled video image

Life of this patent

Processing apparatus for synthetically extending the bandwidth of a spatially-sampled video image

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25