HDR Video Playback Device Luminance Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional recording media, such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs, face challenges in efficiently managing and playing back video streams with varying dynamic ranges of luminance, particularly in determining and negotiating the appropriate playback settings for high-dynamic-range (HDR) video content.

Innovation Solution

A recording medium that includes a management information file indicating the dynamic range of the initial video stream and additional attribute information, allowing playback devices to determine the type of video streams present and negotiate playback settings accordingly, enabling efficient recording and playback of HDR content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the number of gradation levels in video signals is increased to improve luminance representation, then the number of bits required for encoding increases, but this leads to increased bandwidth requirements and data transmission loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveluminance representationVSAvoidnumber of bits
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The video signal processing is segmented into base video signals and enhanced video signals. The enhanced video signals contain only the luminance enhancement information needed, rather than transmitting full high-bit-depth video data. This segmentation allows improved luminance representation while keeping the transmitted data量 manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies asymmetric processing where the enhanced video signal uses a different bit depth (e.g., 10 bits) than the base video signal (e.g., 8 bits), but only for specific luminance enhancement portions. This asymmetric approach allows higher luminance precision where needed without uniformly increasing the bit depth of the entire video stream, thus reducing overall bandwidth requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Manufacturing precision

If the number of gradation levels in graphic data is increased to improve color representation, then the processing complexity increases, but this leads to increased computational requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor representationVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by processing graphic data with enhanced color representation only in specific regions where graphics are displayed, rather than processing the entire video frame. The processing complexity is localized to areas containing graphic elements, reducing overall computational requirements while maintaining high color precision where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary conversion of graphic data to match the luminance characteristics of the base video signal before superimposition. This preliminary action prepares the graphic data in advance, reducing the complexity of real-time processing during video rendering while ensuring accurate color representation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Illumination intensity

If separate processing paths are used for base video signals and enhanced video signals, then the quality of luminance representation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveluminance representation qualityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the base video signal and enhanced video signal through superimposition to create a combined video output. This merging approach allows the system to maintain separate processing paths for quality improvement while ultimately combining the signals, thus achieving high luminance representation quality without requiring completely separate processing systems throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary enhanced video signal that carries luminance enhancement information. This intermediary signal acts as a mediator between the base video signal and the final output, allowing quality improvement through separate processing while managing device complexity by using a dedicated enhancement path rather than completely separate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Manufacturing precision

If the bit depth of video signals is increased to reduce quantization noise, then the image quality is improved, but the data transmission bandwidth increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoiddata transmission bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by increasing the bit depth only for the enhanced video signal portion that contains luminance enhancement information, rather than increasing the bit depth of the entire video stream. This allows the system to reduce quantization noise in critical luminance areas while keeping the overall data transmission bandwidth increase minimal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4280598A2Recording medium, playback device, and playback method
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA
  • EP4280598A2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4280598A2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4280598A2 patent drawingFigure 3(1)~3(4)

AI summary

The invention is directed to a playback device that plays contents, the playback device comprising: a first decoder that decodes a base video stream that is encoded video information, and an enhanced video stream that is encoded enhanced video information for enhancing luminance of the base video stream; a second decoder that decodes encoded graphics data; a first superimposer that superimposes the enhanced video information generated by decoding the enhanced video stream on the video information generated by decoding the base video stream, and stores an enhanced high-luminance video information in a first video plain; a first processor that converts color of a predetermined number of levels indicated by the graphics data, into color of a converted number of levels in accordance with the enhanced high-luminance video information; a second superimposer that superimposes the graphic data converted by the first processor on the enhanced high-luminance video information stored in the first video plain; a second video plain storing the video information generated by decoding the base video stream as a high-luminance video information; a second processor that converts color of a predetermined number of levels indicated by the graphics data, into color of a converted number of levels in accordance with the high-luminance video information; a third superimposer that superimposes the graphic data converted by the second processor on the high-luminance video information stored in the second video plain; and an outputter that outputs the superimposed result of the second superimposer or the third superimposer.