US6340992B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic detection of letterbox and subtitles in video
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1998-12-29
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Granted: 2002-01-22
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Expires: 2018-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for processing video signal. The method and system provide for automatically detecting letterboxing in an input video signal, and scaling a desired portion of the video signal to match a given display device, as well as detecting subtitles in the input video signal and selectively including the subtitles in the desired portion of the video signal. A signal processor ( 202 ) receives video image data, calculates image data statistics for each line of the video image, locates at least one desired portion of the video image, scales the desired portion of the video image for display on a display device ( 116 ) having a pre-determined aspect ratio.
Inventors
- 👤 Vishal Markandey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:38
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/01; H04N7/0117; H04N7/0122; H04N7/007; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/488; H04N21/4884; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S348/00; Y10S348/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of processing a video image comprising the steps of: receiving video image data, said video image data comprising a series of image frames, each said image frame comprised of image data for each pixel in an array; calculating at least one image data statistic for each line of said array, said image data statistic calculated using only said image data of said line of said array; locating at least one desired portion of said video image data using said at least one statistic; scaling said desired portion of said video image data for display on a display device having a pre-determined aspect ratio.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of processing a video image comprising the steps of: receiving video image data, said video image data comprising a series of image frames, each said image frame comprised of image data for each pixel in an array; calculating at least one image data statistic for each line of said array, said image data statistic calculated using only said image data of said line of said array; locating at least one desired portion of said video image data using said at least one statistic; scaling said desired portion of said video image data for display on a display device having a pre-determined aspect ratio.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , said step of receiving further comprising the step of receiving a letterboxed video signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , said step of calculating comprising the step of: calculating a value for at least one image data statistic selected from the group consisting of mean, variance, and entropy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 , said step of calculating comprising the step of: calculating a value for each line of said image data for at least one image data statistic selected from the group consisting of mean, variance, and entropy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 4 , said step of locating comprising the step of: comparing said value for each line of said image data with at least one threshold value, said threshold value selected to indicate said one line is in said desired portion of said video image data when said at least one value exceeds said threshold value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method of claim 1 , said step of calculating comprising the step of calculating a value for each line of said image data for at least two image data statistics selected from the group consisting of mean, variance, edge strength, and entropy, said step of locating comprising the step of comparing each of said at least two image data statistics for each line of said image data with a threshold value, each said threshold value selected to indicate said one line is in said desired portion of said video image data when all of said at least two image data statistics exceed said threshold value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , said step of locating used to locate a subtitle region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of: determining whether said subtitle region is a desired portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 , said step of determining comprising the step of: comparing said image data statistics to threshold values.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 9 , said step of comparing further comprising the step of: selecting threshold values to exclude subtitles of at least one language and include subtitles of at least one other language.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 , said step of scaling comprising the step of: scaling said desired portion of a letterboxed 4:3 input video image to a 16:9 output video image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
A display system comprising: a signal processor, said signal processor for receiving an input video signal having a first aspect ratio, said signal processor for detecting a desired portion of said input video signal and scaling said desired portion to generate an output video signal having a second aspect ratio, said signal processor operable to detect said desired portion of said input video signal by calculating at least one image data statistic for each line of said input video signal using only said line of said input video signal; a display device for receiving and displaying said output video signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
100 words
A display system comprising: a signal processor, said signal processor for receiving an input video signal having a first aspect ratio, said signal processor for detecting a desired portion of said input video signal and scaling said desired portion to generate an output video signal having a second aspect ratio, said signal processor operable to detect said desired portion of said input video signal by calculating at least one image data statistic for each line of said input video signal using only said line of said input video signal; a display device for receiving and displaying said output video signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The display system of claim 12 , said signal processor operable to calculate at least one image data statistic selected from the group consisting of mean, variance, and entropy.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The display system of claim 12 , said signal processor operable to calculate at least one image data statistic selected from the group consisting of mean, variance, and entropy for each line of said input video signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
The display system of claim 14 , said signal processor operable to compare said at least one image data statistic for each line of said input video signal with at least one threshold value, said threshold value selected to indicate said each line is in said desired portion of said input video signal when said at least one value exceeds said threshold value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
The display system of claim 12 , said signal processor operable to calculate at least two image data statistics selected from the group consisting of mean, variance, edge strength, and entropy for each line of said input video signal, and to compare each of said at least two image data statistics with a threshold value, each said threshold value, said threshold value selected to indicate said each line is in said desired portion of said input video signal when all of said at least two image data statistics exceed each said threshold value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The display system of claim 12 , said processor operable to detect subtitles and to selectively include said subtitles in said output video signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The display system of claim 17 , said processor operable to detect subtitles and to selectively include said subtitles in said output video signal based on the language of said subtitles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The display system of claim 12 , said processor operable to scale said desired portion of a letterboxed 4:3 input video signal to a 16:9 output video signal.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of processing a video image comprising the steps of: selecting at least one threshold value to exclude subtitles of at least one language and include subtitles of at least one other language; receiving video image data, said video image data comprising a series of image frames, each said image frame comprised of image data for each pixel in an array; calculating image data statistics for each line of said array; locating at least one subtitle region of said video image data by comparing said at least one statistic to said at least one threshold value; scaling said desired portion of said video image data for display on a display device having a pre-determined aspect ratio.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of processing a video image comprising the steps of: selecting at least one threshold value to exclude subtitles of at least one language and include subtitles of at least one other language; receiving video image data, said video image data comprising a series of image frames, each said image frame comprised of image data for each pixel in an array; calculating image data statistics for each line of said array; locating at least one subtitle region of said video image data by comparing said at least one statistic to said at least one threshold value; scaling said desired portion of said video image data for display on a display device having a pre-determined aspect ratio.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-01-21 | 2005-07-23 | 2006-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-01-21 | 2009-07-23 | 2010-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-01-21 | 2013-07-23 | 2014-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |