Reproduction Apparatus Stabilizing HDR Display via Pseudo Dynamic Metadata

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to stabilize the display when starting the reproduction of an HDR video stream, particularly when both HDR video streams with and without Dynamic metadata are mixed on a single Blu-ray disc, leading to potential momentary darkening of the screen image due to changes in transmission settings or display modes during playback.

Innovation Solution

A reproduction apparatus and method that generates pseudo Dynamic metadata based on Static metadata to ensure consistent luminance adjustment, allowing for seamless playback of both Dynamic and Static HDR content by treating Static HDR content as if it includes Dynamic metadata, thereby stabilizing the display during mode changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If both HDR video streams with Dynamic metadata and HDR video streams with Static metadata are mixed on a single Blu-ray disc, then the disc can support both types of content, but momentary darkening occurs during playback when transmission settings or display modes change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport for both Dynamic and Static HDR contentVSAvoiddisplay brightness stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The reproduction apparatus introduces an intermediary processing step where Static metadata is converted into pseudo Dynamic metadata format. This intermediary representation allows the system to treat Static HDR content uniformly with Dynamic HDR content, enabling seamless switching between content types without display instability. The pseudo Dynamic metadata acts as a bridge that reconciles the different metadata formats while maintaining consistent luminance adjustment behavior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter representation of Static metadata by converting it into pseudo Dynamic metadata with frame-by-frame luminance information. This parameter transformation allows the playback system to maintain consistent transmission settings regardless of whether the source content uses Static or Dynamic metadata, thereby preventing momentary darkening during content transitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the reproduction apparatus switches between Dynamic metadata transmission and Static metadata transmission, then it can adapt to different HDR content types, but display mode changes cause momentary darkening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission setting adaptabilityVSAvoiddisplay stability during mode changes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The reproduction apparatus implements a universal metadata handling mechanism where both Static and Dynamic metadata are processed through the same transmission pathway. By converting Static metadata into pseudo Dynamic metadata, the system creates a unified processing framework that eliminates the need for separate transmission modes, thereby preventing display instability during content type transitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary conversion of Static metadata into pseudo Dynamic metadata before playback begins. This advance preparation ensures that the transmission settings are already configured appropriately for Dynamic metadata processing, eliminating the need for mid-playback mode switching and preventing associated display disruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If HDR video streams are played back with different metadata processing methods, then various HDR content formats can be supported, but luminance adjustment becomes inconsistent during playback

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveHDR content format compatibilityVSAvoidluminance adjustment consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adapting the playback system to handle different metadata formats separately, the invention inverts the approach by converting Static metadata into the Dynamic metadata format. This reversal simplifies the playback processing by establishing a single, consistent luminance adjustment methodology that works uniformly for all HDR content types, eliminating luminance inconsistency during playback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP3687162B1Reproduction device, reproduction method and recording medium
Publication Date: 2022.11.16 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3687162B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3687162B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3687162B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present technology relates to a reproduction apparatus, a reproduction method, a program, and a recording medium that make it possible to stabilize display upon starting of reproduction of an HDR video stream. A reproduction apparatus according to one aspect of the present technology decodes, in a case where a first content including a first HDR video stream to which dynamic metadata including luminance information of a unit of a video frame is added and a second content including a second HDR video stream to which the dynamic metadata is not added and with which static metadata including luminance information of a unit of a content is associated are included in reproducible contents and the second content is to be reproduced, the second HDR video stream, and adds the dynamic metadata to video data obtained by the decoding and outputs resulting data to a display apparatus. The present technology can be applied to a Blu-ray Disc player.