Image Signal Processing Apparatus Sub-Frame Smoothing and Emphasis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image signal processing techniques for hold-type display apparatuses, such as liquid crystal displays, fail to sufficiently improve moving image quality due to issues like edge blur, flicker, and inappropriate luminance integration, especially when dealing with input signals near minimum or maximum levels.
Innovation Solution
An image signal processing apparatus that divides a frame period into sub-frame periods for smoothing and emphasizing processes, using movement level detection and averaging to adjust image signal levels, ensuring appropriate luminance and preventing flicker by carrying out these processes in successive frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a minimum luminance level display period is provided as part of one frame period to alleviate edge blur, then edge blur is reduced, but flicker occurs and luminance level decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame period is divided into multiple sub-frame periods (first sub-frame period and second sub-frame period). The smoothing process is applied in the first sub-frame period while the emphasizing process is applied in the second sub-frame period. This segmentation allows different image processing operations to be performed at different time intervals, reducing edge blur without causing flicker.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic smoothing and emphasizing processes by dividing the frame period into alternating sub-frame periods. The smoothing process is periodically applied in first sub-frame periods while the emphasizing process is periodically applied in second sub-frame periods. This periodic action maintains appropriate luminance integration and prevents flicker by ensuring both processes are carried out in successive frames.
2Manufacturing precision
If smoothing process is applied to reduce edge blur, then edge blur is reduced, but luminance level becomes inappropriate when input signal is near minimum or maximum levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically switches between smoothing process and emphasizing process based on the sub-frame period. The smoothing process is applied in first sub-frame periods to reduce edge blur, while the emphasizing process is applied in second sub-frame periods to correct luminance levels. This dynamic switching ensures that both edge blur reduction and luminance level maintenance are achieved, even when input signals are near minimum or maximum levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameter by switching between two different processes (smoothing and emphasizing) in alternating sub-frame periods. The smoothing process modifies signal levels to reduce edge blur, while the emphasizing process adjusts parameters to maintain appropriate luminance. This parameter change approach allows the system to handle various input signal conditions effectively.
3Illumination intensity
If emphasizing process is applied to maintain luminance, then luminance level is maintained, but edge blur increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame period is segmented into first sub-frame periods for smoothing process and second sub-frame periods for emphasizing process. This segmentation ensures that the emphasizing process, which maintains luminance level, is applied only in specific time intervals while the smoothing process handles edge blur reduction in other intervals. The alternating application prevents edge blur from increasing while maintaining appropriate luminance levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic emphasizing processes in second sub-frame periods alternated with periodic smoothing processes in first sub-frame periods. This periodic action ensures that luminance level is maintained through emphasizing while edge blur is controlled through the alternating smoothing operations, achieving both objectives simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
An image signal processing apparatus includes: a basic movement level finding section for detecting a movement level of a video image; a timing controller for dividing one frame period into a plurality of periods containing a sub-frame A period and a sub-frame B period; a sub-frame A image signal generating section for subjecting, to a smoothing process, image signals which are supplied to pixels, in the sub-frame A period, in accordance with the movement level of the video image; a sub-frame B image signal generating section for subjecting, to an emphasizing process, image signals which are supplied to pixels, in the sub-frame B period, in accordance with the movement level of the video image; and an applied movement level finding section for finding, from a movement level of a video image of a current frame period and a movement level of a video image of a previous frame period, an applied movement level which is applied to the sub-frame A image signal generating section and/or the sub-frame B image signal generating section.