Multi-color Image Processor with Color-Separated Motion Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for increasing image resolution in moving pictures face challenges due to aliasing components, which degrade motion estimation accuracy, especially as the interlacing number increases, making it difficult to achieve high-resolution and high-frame-rate images simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A multi-color image processor that separates visible radiation into different color components, uses multiple imagers to capture images with varying pixel arrangements, estimates motion based on these components, and synthesizes images to produce a high-resolution moving picture by compensating for aliasing effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple fields are synthesized to increase spatial resolution, then the resolution of the moving picture is improved, but aliasing components degrade motion estimation accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing into distinct color component channels (e.g., luminance and chrominance). Motion estimation is performed separately on each channel, allowing the system to handle aliasing components in chrominance without compromising luminance-based motion accuracy. This segmentation enables independent optimization of motion estimation for each color component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step where motion information is first extracted from low-resolution or aliased fields, then used as guidance for synthesizing high-resolution frames. This intermediary motion data serves as a bridge that prevents aliasing artifacts from directly corrupting the final high-resolution output.
2Manufacturing precision
If the interlacing number is increased to capture more spatial information, then the resolution is improved, but the difficulty of accurate motion estimation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic motion compensation that adapts to the specific interlacing pattern and motion characteristics of each video sequence. The motion estimation algorithm dynamically adjusts its parameters and search ranges based on the interlacing number and observed motion, making the process more efficient and accurate despite increased complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes processing parameters such as block size, search range, and threshold values based on the interlacing number and motion characteristics. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system maintains motion estimation accuracy even when the interlacing number increases and aliasing becomes more problematic.
3Productivity
If pixel reading rate is increased to capture high resolution and high frame rate simultaneously, then the image quality is improved, but the upper limit of read rate restricts further improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary motion estimation and compensation on lower-resolution or previously captured fields before final high-resolution synthesis. This preliminary action provides motion guidance that enables accurate high-resolution reconstruction without requiring all pixels to be read at the highest rate simultaneously, thus working around the read rate upper limit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from temporal dimension (frame rate) and spatial dimension (resolution) constraints to a multi-dimensional solution by processing different color components at different rates and resolutions. This allows the system to achieve high overall image quality by leveraging the human visual system's differential sensitivity to spatial and temporal changes in different color channels.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables accurate motion estimation and increased spatial resolution of moving pictures, even with high aliasing components, resulting in a high-quality multi-color moving picture.
Implementation Method 1
a color separating section (10) for separating visible radiation into a light ray with a first-color component and a light ray with a second-color component
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-color image processor according to the present invention includes an image capturing section 101 and a signal processing section 104. The image capturing section 101 includes a color separating section 10 for separating visible radiation into at least two light rays with first- and second-color components, respectively, and first and second imagers 12 and 14 that receive the light rays with the first- and second-color components. The image capturing section 101 gets images with the first- and second-color components by making the first imager 12 decimate pixels to read, but making the second imager 14 read every pixel, on a field-by-field basis on respective arrangements of pixels of the first and second imagers 12 and 14. The signal processing section 104 includes: a motion estimating section 107 for estimating, based on the images with the second-color components, a motion in a moving picture made up of images with the second-color components and outputting motion information; an image generating section 108 for generating a synthetic image of the first-color components of respective fields based on the images with the first-color components and the motion information and outputting it as a first synthetic image with a higher spatial resolution than the images with the first-color components; and a multi-color image synthesizing section 109 for generating and outputting a multi-color moving picture with the first- and second-color components based on the first synthetic image and the images with the second-color components.