Video Signal Processing Apparatus for High Resolution with Reduced Circuit Complexity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional technologies for achieving high-resolution video signals require a large number of frames and complex structures, making it difficult to obtain high resolution for moving pictures, such as television broadcast signals, due to the need for multiple frame memories and complex signal processing circuits.

Innovation Solution

A video signal processing method that increases the number of pixels in a video frame by estimating the sampling phase difference between input frames, performing motion compensation, and removing aliasing components using a predetermined phase shift and coefficient multiplication, allowing for high-resolution output with fewer frames and simplified structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional high-resolution methods using multiple frames are employed, then high resolution can be achieved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo resolutionVSAvoidsignal processing circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes aliasing components from the video signal through frequency domain filtering. By identifying and eliminating the harmful aliasing frequencies that appear when increasing pixel density, the method achieves high resolution without requiring complex multi-frame processing circuits, thus resolving the contradiction between resolution and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary motion estimation and compensation before the actual high-resolution reconstruction. By pre-aligning the input frames through motion compensation, the subsequent processing becomes simpler and more efficient, reducing the overall circuit complexity while maintaining high resolution output

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If multiple frame memories are used for high-resolution processing, then high resolution can be obtained, but the quantity of hardware components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo resolutionVSAvoidnumber of frame memories
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of multiple frame memories into a single processing pipeline. By using motion compensation to temporally align frames and then processing them through a unified frequency domain filter, the method achieves high resolution without requiring separate frame memory units for each input frame, thus reducing hardware quantity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The frequency domain filter serves multiple functions simultaneously: it performs aliasing removal, high-resolution reconstruction, and signal synthesis in a single operation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated hardware components for each processing stage, reducing the overall quantity of hardware required

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

3Quantity of substance

If broadband interpolation with wideband low-pass filter is applied, then pixel number increases, but aliasing components are generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of pixelsVSAvoidaliasing components
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful aliasing components into a manageable problem by working in the frequency domain. Instead of trying to prevent aliasing during interpolation, the method deliberately allows it to occur and then systematically removes the aliasing frequencies through spectral filtering, thereby achieving high pixel density without the detrimental effects of aliasing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the frequency spectrum into different components: the desired baseband signal and the unwanted aliasing frequencies. By applying frequency domain filtering, the method selectively processes different frequency segments, preserving the useful signal while eliminating the harmful aliasing components, thus achieving high resolution without aliasing artifacts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP1906664B1Video signal processing apparatus, video displaying apparatus and high resolution method for video signal
Publication Date: 2018.10.10 MAXELL LTD
  • EP1906664B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1906664B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(e)
  • EP1906664B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(c)

AI summary

For providing a technology for preferably achieving high resolution of video signals of a video signal or moving video, with a small number of frames thereof, a video signal processing apparatus comprise an input unit to be inputted a plural number of video frames, a resolution converter unit, having resolution converting characteristics differing from each other, depending on a direction thereof, by composing 2 pieces of the video frames from the inputted video frames, thereby increasing a number of pixels making up the video frames, and a mixer unit for obtaining the output video frame by mixing output results of the resolution converter unit.