Dither Pattern Generation for Image Signal Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image signal processing devices face challenges in expanding gradation beyond two bits without causing side effects when adding dither data with large block sizes and long frame periods, leading to suboptimal image quality.
Innovation Solution
An image signal processing device and method that generates dither patterns using a three-dimensional block with a number of dots exceeding 4, where each dot is assigned a dither value of n bits, and uses a spatiotemporal density value calculation to select addresses for writing dither values, ensuring uniform distribution and minimizing side effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If dither data with large block size and long frame period is added to expand more than two bits, then the number of bits to be expanded increases, but side effects occur and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the dither pattern into multiple blocks (first block and second block) with different characteristics. The first block uses a smaller block size and shorter frame period to avoid side effects, while the second block uses a larger block size and longer frame period to expand more bits. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high-bit expansion without suffering from the side effects that would occur if a single large block were used throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the image signal are processed with different dither block characteristics. By applying local quality principles, the patent optimizes each block's parameters according to its specific requirements, allowing some regions to use smaller blocks for quality preservation while others use larger blocks for greater expansion capability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If dither data with small block size and short frame period is added, then side effects are reduced, but the number of bits that can be expanded is limited to two bits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dither processing into multiple blocks with different sizes and frame periods. The first block uses small size and short period to minimize side effects, while the second block uses large size and long period to expand additional bits beyond the two-bit limitation, achieving both low side effects and high expansion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts dither block parameters based on the expansion requirements. By making the dither pattern adaptive and variable rather than fixed, the system can switch between different block configurations to optimize both side effect reduction and bit expansion performance.
3Device complexity
If a single dither pattern block is used for pseudo multi-gradation processing, then the processing is simple, but the image quality and expansion capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dither pattern into multiple blocks (first and second blocks) with different characteristics. This segmentation increases image quality and expansion capability by allowing different blocks to optimize for different requirements, while the overall processing remains manageable through systematic organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple dither blocks with different characteristics into a unified processing framework. By combining the advantages of small blocks (low side effects) and large blocks (high expansion capability), the system achieves superior image quality without excessive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device stores dither patterns composed of a three-dimensional block consisting of the number H of dots in a horizontal direction×the number V of lines in a vertical direction×the number F in a frame direction. Each value from a minimum value to a maximum value of dither values of n bits is written in each address of the storage device. When each value is written into the storage device, processing of obtaining a spatiotemporal density value indicating a degree of density of an address in which a dither value has already been written in a three-dimensional predetermined area centered on each of the addresses in which a new dither value is writable, and processing of selecting an address having the smallest spatiotemporal density value among the addresses in which a new dither value is writable and writing a dither value are repeated.