Image Switching Apparatus With Dynamic Mode Circuit Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Professional image switching apparatuses are expensive due to the high number of circuits and channels, making them inflexible for various purposes and difficult to cost-effectively reduce the number of unused image processing units.
Innovation Solution
An image switching apparatus with a control unit and two operation units, where the image processing unit includes a main circuit block and a sub circuit block, allowing for standard and half-divide modes to optimize circuit usage, enabling the generation of one or two video channels with shared common circuits without wasting resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of image processing units and circuits is increased to support multiple purposes and channels, then the versatility and functionality of the apparatus is improved, but the cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing unit is designed to perform multiple functions including video signal processing, effects processing (wipe, mix, fade), and switching operations. The same hardware unit can be dynamically allocated to different functions based on operational mode, eliminating the need for separate dedicated circuits for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic mode switching between standard mode and half-divide mode, allowing the image processing unit to adapt its configuration and resource allocation in real-time. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the same hardware to serve different purposes without requiring permanent dedicated circuits for each potential use case.
2Reliability
If dedicated image processing units are provided for each channel to ensure independent operation and reliability, then the system reliability is improved, but the cost and number of unused circuits increase when not all channels are needed
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple image processing units share common circuits including the bus system, control unit, and operation units. The first and second image processing units can simultaneously operate with independent video signal processing paths while sharing underlying hardware resources, reducing the total number of circuits needed while maintaining independent operation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments functionality into independent image processing units that can operate autonomously, each with its own input selecting unit and synthesis processing unit, while sharing common infrastructure. This segmentation allows selective activation of units based on operational needs.
3Device complexity
If the apparatus is designed to support a fixed number of channels to simplify the circuit design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to various purposes and the ability to handle different channel configurations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operational configuration through mode switching. In standard mode, the full capability of multiple channels is available. In half-divide mode, the system reconfigures to support fewer channels with shared resources, allowing the apparatus to adapt to different operational requirements without being fixed to a specific channel count.
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing units and common circuits are designed to serve multiple channel configurations. The same hardware infrastructure supports both full-channel operation and reduced-channel operation, making the apparatus universally applicable to various purposes without requiring redesign.
Data Source
AI summary
A main operation unit (2) is connected to a control unit (4) which controls image processing units (5) to (9), the main control unit (2) includes a setting means for setting the image processing units (5) to (9) to which a sub operation means (3) is connected to the standard mode or the half-divide mode, the control unit (4) controls the image processing units (5) to (9) in response to instruction from the main operation unit (2) upon the standard mode, the control unit (4) controls the image processing units (5) to (9) in response to instruction from the main operation unit (2) upon the half-divided mode and the control unit (4) controls sub circuit blocks (5d) to (5f) within the image processing units (5) to (9) in response to instruction from the sub operation unit (3). Thus, the image switching apparatus can be composed of lesser circuits and such circuits can be used separately without waste as their uses are changed.