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US5148273A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Television systems transmitting dither-quantized signals

Assignee: Quanticon Inc
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Filing: 1990-01-04
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Granted: 1992-09-15
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Expires: 2010-01-04
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Abstract

Abstract Television systems that transmit dither-quantized samples for psychovisually compressed signalling are improved by substituting novel multi-phase dithers of the invention for previously known multi-phase dithers. The improved dithers comprise ordered-dither frame patterns and typically have sixteen or eight phases and sixteen sizes of dither samples. A first variety, not self-interpolating, merely shifts the frame-pattern structure from frame-to-frame. Methods and means are disclosed for generating novel self-interpolating dithers with sixteen or eight phases, including preferred dithers. Self-interpolating dithers are generally superior and they also facilitate receiver display of more quantum levels than actually transmitted.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bernard Lippel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 11:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/90; H04N11/00; H04N11/04; H04N11/042; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/92; H04N5/926; H04N5/9261

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 94 words
A system for transmitting television information comprising: means for deriving a signal corresponding to a video component; means for producing a stream of dither samples corresponding to a multiphase dither wherein the frame patterns for two successive frames are identical except for relative displacement of the patterns horizontally, vertically, or diagonally with magnitude equal to the corresponding horizontal, vertical or diagonal spacing between pels on the scanning raster; means for combining dither samples of said stream with samples of said video component; and means for quantizing the combined signal according to discrete quantum levels.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 94 words
A system for transmitting television information comprising: means for deriving a signal corresponding to a video component; means for producing a stream of dither samples corresponding to a multiphase dither wherein the frame patterns for two successive frames are identical except for relative displacement of the patterns horizontally, vertically, or diagonally with magnitude equal to the corresponding horizontal, vertical or diagonal spacing between pels on the scanning raster; means for combining dither samples of said stream with samples of said video component; and means for quantizing the combined signal according to discrete quantum levels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system of claim 1 including means for producing a stream of dither samples corresponding to multi-phase ordered dither so that identical dither matrices are displaced between frames.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 77 words
Means for producing a multi-phase dither comprising: means for storing information corresponding to an ordered set of numbers; means for generating a sequence of dither samples corresponding to a single phase of the dither and for causing said sequence to repeat cyclically; and means whereby all dither samples of one phase are associated with one number of said ordered set and the sizes of said samples are altered according to logical binary addition of said one number.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 77 words
Means for producing a multi-phase dither comprising: means for storing information corresponding to an ordered set of numbers; means for generating a sequence of dither samples corresponding to a single phase of the dither and for causing said sequence to repeat cyclically; and means whereby all dither samples of one phase are associated with one number of said ordered set and the sizes of said samples are altered according to logical binary addition of said one number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The means of claim 3 storing information corresponding to the ordered set 0,8,4,12,2,10,6,14,1,9,5,13,3,11,7,15 or any cyclic rearrangement thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 116 words
Means for generating a multiphase dither suitable for dither-quantizing a television signal, comprising: a) means generating a stream of signals representing a continually repeated series of dither samples, said series comprising P phases, said signals indicating one of Q discrete sizes for each dither sample, p and Q integers, samples of a first phase having sizes arranged in a certain order corresponding to an arbitrary first frame pattern; b) means for synchronizing successive phases with successive frames of said television signal; and c) means, including means for transforming according to logical binary addition, modifying the signals of said first phase to produce, for other phases, signals corresponding to frame patterns other than said first frame pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 116 words
Means for generating a multiphase dither suitable for dither-quantizing a television signal, comprising: a) means generating a stream of signals representing a continually repeated series of dither samples, said series comprising P phases, said signals indicating one of Q discrete sizes for each dither sample, p and Q integers, samples of a first phase having sizes arranged in a certain order corresponding to an arbitrary first frame pattern; b) means for synchronizing successive phases with successive frames of said television signal; and c) means, including means for transforming according to logical binary addition, modifying the signals of said first phase to produce, for other phases, signals corresponding to frame patterns other than said first frame pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The means of claim 5 including means for generating signals representing a set of addend numbers repeated cyclically, each number corresponding to one phase of the dither.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 68 words
The means of claim 6 wherein one addend number of the cycle is zero and contemporaneous with a first dither phase; wherein another addend number is N and contemporaneous with another dither phase; and wherein said means for modifying signals effectively transforms the first-phase size of a dither sample so that its size during said other phase is the logical binary sum of the first-phase size and N.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 47 words
The means of claim 6 wherein each dither sample having a given size moves to successive horizontally vertically or diagonally adjacent positions on the array corresponding to pels of the scanning raster for successive changes of frame pattern, and all samples move in concert along parallel paths.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 83 words
The means of claim 6 wherein p is 16 and the letters A,B,C,D, E,F,G,H, I,J,K,L, M,N,O,P designate said cyclically repeating addend numbers when: a) A=0, E=2, I=1, M=3; b) the ordered set C,G,K,O corresponds to any consecutive set of four numbers, reading either left-to-right or right-to-left, from the series 4,6,5,7,4,6,5,7; c) the ordered set B,F,J,N corresponds to any consecutive set of four numbers, reading either way, from the series 8,10,9,11,8,10,9,11; and d) the ordered set D,H,L,P corresponds to a like set from 12,14,13,15,12,14,13,15.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 83 words
The means of claim 6 wherein p is 16 and the letters A,B,C,D, E,F,G,H, I,J,K,L, M,N,O,P designate said cyclically repeating addend numbers when: a) A=0, E=2, I=1, M=3; b) the ordered set C,G,K,O corresponds to any consecutive set of four numbers, reading either left-to-right or right-to-left, from the series 4,6,5,7,4,6,5,7; c) the ordered set D,H,L,P corresponds to any consecutive set of four numbers, reading either way, from the series 8,10,9,11,8,10,9,11; and d) the ordered set B,F,J,N corresponds to a like set from 12,14,13,15,12,14,13,15.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 14 words
The means of claim 5 arranged to generate a multiphase dither that is self-interpolating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 38 words
The means of claim 11 wherein a dither sample having a specific size moves to successive horizontally vertically or diagonally adjacent positions on the array corresponding to pels of the scanning raster for successive changes of frame pattern.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 20 words
The means of claim 12 wherein all dither samples, rotate about a closed path during a cycle of frame changes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 59 words
A system for transmitting television information comprising: means for deriving a signal corresponding to a video component; means for deriving a stream of dither samples corresponding to a multiphase dither of claim 5; means for combining dither samples of said stream with samples of said video component; and means for quantizing the combined samples according to discrete quantum levels.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 117 words
A method for producing a multi-phase dither comprising the steps of: a) providing a cyclic sequence of addend numbers, each number corresponding to one phase of the dither; b) providing another sequence of dither samples corresponding to multiple dither sizes, said another sequence conforming to a single phase of the dither; c) causing said another sequence to repeat continually; d) generating one dither phase by modifying sizes of dither samples of said another sequence according to logical binary addition of a first addend number to each size; and d) generating the next dither phase by modifying sizes of dither samples of said another sequence according to logical binary addition of the next addend number to each size.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 117 words
A method for producing a multi-phase dither comprising the steps of: a) providing a cyclic sequence of addend numbers, each number corresponding to one phase of the dither; b) providing another sequence of dither samples corresponding to multiple dither sizes, said another sequence conforming to a single phase of the dither; c) causing said another sequence to repeat continually; d) generating one dither phase by modifying sizes of dither samples of said another sequence according to logical binary addition of a first addend number to each size; and d) generating the next dither phase by modifying sizes of dither samples of said another sequence according to logical binary addition of the next addend number to each size.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 15 providing a cyclic sequence of addend numbers according to rules sufficient to produce a self-interpolating multi-phase dither.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 15 providing a cyclic sequence of sixteen addend numbers, arranged according to rules sufficient to produce a self-interpolating 16-phase dither.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 17 providing 16-phase self-interpolating dither by means of the sequence of logical binary addends 0,8,4,12,2,10,6,14,1,9,5,12,3,11,7,15 repeated cyclically.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 63 words
A system for transmitting television information comprising: means for deriving a signal corresponding to a video component; means for deriving a stream of dither samples corresponding to a multiphase dither produced by the method of claim 15; means for combining dither samples of said stream with samples of said video component; and means for quantizing the combined samples according to discrete quantum levels.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 97 words
Means for generating a dither having translated frame patterns suitable for dither-quantizing a television signal, comprising: means for storing information corresponding to a 2-dimensional array of dither samples, said array larger than a frame pattern in height and width; means for extracting information that effectively scans a portion of said array according to a predetermined scanning pattern in order to read out one frame pattern of said dither; and means for extracting information that effectively scans another portion of said array according to the same predetermined scanning pattern to read out another frame pattern of said dither.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 97 words
Means for generating a dither having translated frame patterns suitable for dither-quantizing a television signal, comprising: means for storing information corresponding to a 2-dimensional array of dither samples, said array larger than a frame pattern in height and width; means for extracting information that effectively scans a portion of said array according to a predetermined scanning pattern in order to read out one frame pattern of said dither; and means for extracting information that effectively scans another portion of said array according to the same predetermined scanning pattern to read out another frame pattern of said dither.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3739082A Cited
US4143724A Cited
US4447803A Cited
US4758893A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-09-15 1996-03-16 1996-09-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
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