JP2008503135A - Video format detector and integrated circuit comprising such a video format detector and method for identifying different standards and / or types of video formats - Google Patents

Abstract

  The video format detector (100) and corresponding method reliably recognizes various standards and / or types of rapidly increasing video formats, in particular different standards and / or types of HD (high definition) video sources. At least one horizontal reference pulse (10) and at least one vertical reference pulse (12) based on at least one high level (20) and at least one low level (22). In order to provide a video format detector (100) that identifies and identifies various standards and / or types of video formats of a digital video input stream, (i) a horizontal reference pulse (10) is sampled and / or vertical At least one measurement step in which the reference pulse (12) is sampled; and (ii) It is proposed to provide at least one evaluation step in which the video format is determined based on the sampled horizontal reference pulse (10) and / or based on the sampled vertical reference pulse (12). .

Description

The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuits for digital TVi (television) applications,
At least one horizontal reference pulse;
At least one vertical reference pulse;
Identifying by video format detector various standards and / or types of video formats of the digital video input stream, wherein the reference pulse is based on at least one high level and at least one low level Target.

  The invention further relates to a method for identifying various standards and / or types of video formats of such digital video input streams.

  Prior art document US Pat. No. 6,1080,046 describes a high-definition television (HDTV) with a video encoder to allow proper encoding of the signal, including sequential and interlaced scanning, and specific pixel and vertical line resolution. A method and apparatus for automatically detecting the format of a signal is disclosed.

  The video format detector described above with respect to the technical field is disclosed in the prior art document EP 1370090A1. The video format detector comprises a measurement stage that counts the number of pixels in a particular section in the input video stream, and a classification stage that determines the type of video format based on the number of pixels counted by the measurement stage.

  In these prior art documents, a horizontal reference pulse (line in prior art document US Pat. No. 6,1080,046, in prior art document EP 1370090A1, Hsync or SAV or EAV rising edge or falling edge of 656 video stream) The number of clock pulses in between is determined and only this number is used as a reference, and in particular the polarity of the reference pulse is not analyzed.

  Since the number of different standards and / or types of video formats is already very large and is expected to increase further, video format detection techniques require improvements over the prior art.

  Starting from the above disadvantages and drawbacks and in view of the above prior art, the object of the present invention is to increase the various standards and / or types of video formats, in particular HD (High Definition) video sources. It is to provide a video format detector that can reliably recognize various standards and / or types.

  The object of the present invention is realized by a video format detector comprising the components of claim 1, an integrated circuit comprising the components of claim 7, and a method comprising the components of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and advantageous refinements of the invention are disclosed in the corresponding dependent claims.

  The present invention relates generally to the automatic detection of HD (high definition) video input standards and addresses the field of integrated circuits for digital TV (television) applications. In particular, the present invention is directed to the recognition of standards and / or types of such video data streams provided by high definition video sources based on the analysis and / or investigation of at least one video data stream.

  In an essential embodiment of the invention, at least one hsync (horizontal sync) pulse and / or at least one vsync (vertical sync) pulse is sampled, eg hsync is accompanied by at least one clock and vsync Is accompanied by Hsync.

  In this connection, in TV applications, in many cases, hsync is a reference signal for obtaining a clock signal or clock pulse and has a multiple of the input frequency, for example, a magnification of 2048 times the input frequency, Or a magnification that is a fraction of that magnification.

  Furthermore, according to an essential embodiment of the present invention, the hsync signal and / or the vsync signal is notably the sampled at least one value of the hsync pulse and / or the vsync pulse is at least one hardware register. In particular, it is stored in at least one register unit.

According to the method of the present invention, the video format is:
Based on sampled horizontal reference pulse (s) and / or
Based on the sampled vertical reference pulse (s)
Determined by at least one evaluation step.

  Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distance and / or interval and / or polarity of the horizontal reference pulse (s), in particular the hsync pulse (s) are calculated.

  Independently or in connection with this, the distance and / or interval and / or polarity of the vertical reference pulse (s), in particular the vsync pulse (s) are optionally calculated. .

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one reference value of the calculated distance and / or spacing and / or polarity of each of the vertical reference pulse (s) and the horizontal reference pulse (s). The comparison with and defines a standard and / or type of digital video input stream, eg, HDTV (High Definition Television) standard.

  Compared with the prior art document summarized and described in the “Background Art” column, the time difference or time interval between the reference pulses is the time difference or time of H (high level) or L (low level) of the reference pulse. It is an advantageous feature of the invention that it is constituted by the sum of the intervals and furthermore the polarity of the reference pulse is determined.

  In this regard, a method for distinguishing or identifying different standards and / or types of video formats using the polarity of the horizontal and / or vertical time reference, in particular, separates the horizontal and / or vertical time reference from the video data stream. This is practical in the case of systems that are communicated to (such separation of the time reference from the video stream is usually done by a digital video source).

  Conversely, if the horizontal and / or vertical reference is part of the video data stream (usually occurs when originating from an analog video source), the width of the vertical time reference constitutes a preferred parameter.

  The present invention finally ends up with at least one of the above-mentioned for the recognition of at least one standard and / or type of HD (High Definition) video source, called Digital Television, in particular HDTV (High Definition Television). It relates to the use of a video format detector and / or at least one integrated circuit as described above and / or a method as described above.

  As already explained, there are several options for implementing and improving the teachings of the present invention in an advantageous manner. For this purpose, reference is made to the claims subordinate to claim 1 and claim 8, respectively, and further improvements, features and advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings by way of example. It will be explained in detail.

  The same reference numbers are used for corresponding parts in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B.

  In the following, an embodiment for analyzing and / or examining a video data stream as illustrated in FIG. 1 is described. The video data stream comprises a horizontal reference pulse 10 (= upper part of FIG. 1) and a vertical reference pulse 12 (= lower part of FIG. 1), and an embodiment of a video format detection device 100 embodied in an integrated circuit 200. Analyzed and / or investigated.

A horizontal reference pulse 10 and a vertical reference pulse 12 are taken from the video data stream. For standard recognition, some basic parameters of these reference pulses, eg
The interval or time period 16 of the horizontal reference pulse 10,
The width 24 of the vertical reference pulse 12,
Polarity 26 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 and / or
Polarity 28 of the vertical reference pulse 12
Is used as a characteristic of the TV standard (see FIG. 1).

  In this connection, the polarity 26 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 depends on whether this time reference 10 takes a high level 20 (= digital state “1”) in the main part of its interval or period 16 or a low level 22 (= Similarly, the polarity 28 of the vertical reference pulse 12 indicates that the time reference 12 has a high level 20 (= digital state “1”) in the main part of its interval or period 18. ") Or low level 22 (= digital state" 0 "). From this feature, it can be concluded whether a low level “0” or a high level “1” is present at the position indicated by the respective reference numbers 26, 28.

  In order to retrieve the above parameters (interval or time period 16 of the horizontal reference pulse 10, width 24 of the vertical reference pulse 12, polarity 26 of the horizontal reference pulse 10, and / or polarity 28 of the vertical reference pulse 12), the horizontal reference pulse 10 And the shape of the vertical reference pulse 12 are analyzed and / or investigated. Since the reference pulses 10, 12 have only two levels: high level 20 (= digital state “1”) and low level 22 (= digital state “0”), respectively, this analysis and / or investigation is , By measuring the time (interval or period) that each pulse stays at each level (see FIGS. 1 and 2A).

To determine the interval or period 16 of the horizontal reference pulse 10,
At least one clock pulse 30o is provided by the time base unit 30 (see FIG. 2A), the time base 30 of the clock is independent of the horizontal reference pulse 10,
The number of clock pulses 30o present during the high level 20 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 is counted by the first counter 40 (see FIG. 2A),
The number of clock pulses 30o present during the low level 22 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 is counted by the second counter 42 (see FIG. 2A),
The interval of the horizontal reference pulse 10 during the high level 20 and the interval of the horizontal reference pulse 10 during the low level 22 are added by the summing unit 70 (see FIG. 2B, which is a continuation of the “right side” of FIG. 2A) )

  Therefore, the number of clock pulses 30o existing between the levels 20 and 22 in one period 16 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 is counted.

To determine the distance and / or width 24 of the vertical reference pulse 12,
The number of horizontal reference pulses 10 present during the high level 20 of the vertical reference pulse 12 is counted by a third counter 44 (see FIG. 2A),
The number of horizontal reference pulses 10 present during the low level 22 of the vertical reference pulse 12 is counted by a fourth counter 46 (see FIG. 2A),
The interval of the vertical reference pulse 12 between the high level 20 and the interval of the vertical reference pulse 12 between the low level 22 is compared by the comparison unit 82 (see FIG. 2B) and the distance of the vertical reference pulse 12 and / or The width 24 is defined by the smaller of these intervals.

  Thus, in the case of the vertical reference pulse 12, the number of horizontal reference pulses 10 between each level 20, 22 within one interval or time period 18 of the vertical reference pulse 12 is counted.

  As can be seen from FIG. 2A, the values of each of the four counters 40, 42, 44, 46 are periodically (enabled) stored in four assigned registers 50, 52, 54, 56. In other words, storage of the respective output signals 40o, 42o, 44o, 46o is possible periodically by corresponding enable signals 60o, 62o, 64o, 66o supplied by the respective enabling units 60, 62, 64, 66. To be.

More specifically,
The output signal 40o of the first counter 40 is stored in the first register unit 50,
The output signal 42o of the second counter 42 is stored in the second register unit 52,
The output signal 44o of the third counter 44 is stored in the third register unit 54,
The output signal 46 o of the fourth counter 46 is stored in the fourth register unit 56.

Therefore, for each of the reference pulses 10 and 12,
Registers 50 and 54, respectively, of counter values 40o and 44o representing time reference pulses 10 and 12 having a high level 20, respectively;
Registers 52 and 56 for counter values 42o and 46o respectively representing time reference pulses 10 and 12 having a low level 22;
Is used. The counters 40, 42, 44, 46 and the registers 50, 52, 54, 56 are embodied as hardware units.

  The same four register units 50, 52, 54, and 56 are shown at the right end of FIG. 2A and the left end of FIG. For the evaluation process as shown in FIG. 2B, the contents of these registers 50, 52, 54, 56 are used to evaluate parameters that are specific to the HD video data stream standard. The received HD video standard is retrieved by applying some kind of calculation to the stored value, comparing it to a reference value, and logically combining (see FIG. 2B).

  In a detailed embodiment as shown in FIG. 2B, the summing unit 70 adds the interval of the horizontal reference pulse 10 at the high level 20 with the interval of the horizontal reference pulse 10 at the low level 22 to It is provided to initially determine the period 16 of the reference pulse 10 because most of the standards and / or types are distinguished by this parameter.

For this purpose,
The number of clocks 30o between the high levels 20 stored in the first register unit 50 and representing the interval of the horizontal reference pulses 10 being the high level 20;
The number of clocks 30o between the low levels 22 stored in the second register unit 52 and representing the interval of the horizontal reference pulses 10 being the low level 22 is added.

  As can be further seen from FIG. 2B, the first comparator unit 80 compares the determined period 16 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 with the standard value 90 of each standard and / or type of video format, Provided in series with the output terminal. The last logic combination unit 86 is connected to the output terminal of the comparator 80 to generate the desired output signal 86a, ie the HD (High Definition) standard and / or HD (High Definition) type of the video format to be detected. It is provided in series.

  If more than one input standard matches the reference value, further parameters should be further checked as follows.

  One of these additional parameters to be analyzed and / or investigated is the width 24 of the vertical blanking period. Although the polarity 28 of this vertical blanking period is not determined, the levels 20, 22 over the range of lower times within one period 18 of the vertical reference pulse 12 always represent this vertical blanking period.

  For this purpose, the registers 54, 56 containing the lower values of the levels 20, 22 of the vertical reference pulse 12 reflect the width 24 of the vertical blanking period. The contents of the registers 54 and 56 are used for comparison with the reference value of each standard.

In a detailed embodiment as shown in FIG. 2B, a first minimum detection unit 72 is provided that determines the distance and / or width 24 and / or polarity 28 of the vertical reference pulse 12. The second comparator unit 82 is
The distance and / or width 24 of the vertical reference pulse 12;
A second reference value 92 for each standard and / or type of video format;
Is provided,
The determined distance and / or width 24 is compared to this second reference value 92.

  The last logic combiner 86 generates the desired output signal 86a, i.e. the HD (high definition) standard and / or HD (high definition) type of the video format to be detected. Provided in series with the output terminal.

If the width 24 of the vertical blanking period cannot be used as a further parameter for analysis and / or investigation,
Polarity 26 of the horizontal reference pulse 10 and / or
Polarity 28 of the vertical reference pulse 12
Is considered an additional parameter (s) for analysis and / or investigation.

  The polarity 26, 28 is determined by examining which one of the four registers 50, 52, 54, 56 for the horizontal reference signal 10 and the vertical reference signal 12 contains a smaller value. The This polarity 26, 28 must be compared with the expected polarity of each standard.

In a detailed embodiment as shown in FIG. 2B, a further (or second) minimum detection unit 74 is provided that determines the polarity 26 of the horizontal reference pulse 10. The third comparator unit 84 is
This polarity 26 of the horizontal reference pulse 10,
Polarity 28 of the vertical reference pulse 12 as determined by the first minimum detector 72;
A third reference value 94 for each standard and / or type of video format, i.e. the expected polarity, is provided,
The determined polarities 26, 28 are compared with this third reference value 94.

  The last logic combiner 86 outputs the output of the third comparator 84 to generate the desired output signal 86a, i.e. the HD (High Definition) standard and / or HD (High Definition) type of the detected video format. Provided in series with the terminal.

  As mentioned above, an advantageous method of selecting a kind of division of steps, eg, hardware measurement (see FIG. 2A) and software evaluation (see FIG. 2B), is a hardware effort. Significantly reduces and keeps the functionality of the invention flexible for further expansion.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a timing chart (-> time t on the abscissa) of a digital video input stream comprising a horizontal reference pulse (= upper part of FIG. 1) and a vertical reference pulse (= lower part of FIG. 1). FIG. 2 schematically shows a first part, in particular a measuring part, of an embodiment of a video format detector according to the invention operated according to the method of the invention. FIG. 2B schematically shows a second part of the video format detector of FIG. 2A operated according to the method of the invention (= continuation on the right side of FIG. 2A), in particular an evaluation part.

Explanation of symbols

100 Video format detector 10 Horizontal reference pulse 12 Vertical reference pulse 16 (Time) period of horizontal reference pulse 18 (Time) period of vertical reference pulse 20 20 High level of reference pulses 10, 12 22 Low of reference pulses 10, 12 Level 24 Distance and / or Width of Vertical Reference Pulse 12 26 Polarity of Horizontal Reference Pulse 10 28 Polarity of Vertical Reference Pulse 12 30 Time Base or Time Base Unit 30o Clock Pulse of Time Base 30 40 First Counter 40o First Counter 40 output signal 42 second counter 42o second counter 42 output signal 44 third counter 44o third counter 44 output signal 46 fourth counter 46o fourth counter 46 output signal 50 first Register unit 52 Second register unit G 54 Third register unit 56 Fourth register unit 60 First enable unit 60 o First enable unit 60 enable signal 62 Second enable unit 62 o Second enable unit 62 enable signal 64 Third enable unit 64o third enable unit 64 enable signal 66 fourth enable unit 66o fourth enable unit 66 enable signal 70 adder unit 72 minimum value detection unit, Minimum value detection unit 74 Second minimum value detection unit 80 Comparator unit, more specifically, first comparator unit 82 Second comparator unit 84 Third comparator unit 86 Logical combination unit 86o Logical combination unit 86 Output signal, details In other words, the standard and / or type of the video format, more specifically, the HD (high definition) standard 90 standard value, more specifically, the first standard value 92 the second standard value 94 the third standard value 200 integrated circuit t time

Claims (12)

At least one horizontal reference pulse;
At least one vertical reference pulse;
A video format detector for identifying various standards and / or types of video formats of a digital video input stream, wherein the reference pulse is based on at least one high level and at least one low level. And
At least one time base that is independent of the horizontal reference pulse and designed to provide at least one clock pulse;
At least one first counter that counts the interval of the horizontal reference pulses at the high level, and in particular counts the number of clock pulses that are present while the horizontal reference pulse is at the high level;
At least one second counter that counts the interval of the horizontal reference pulses at the low level, and in particular counts the number of clock pulses that are present while the horizontal reference pulse is at the low level;
At least one third counter that counts the interval of the vertical reference pulses at the high level, and in particular counts the number of the horizontal reference pulses that are present while the vertical reference pulse is at the high level;
At least one fourth counter that counts the interval of the vertical reference pulses at the low level, and in particular counts the number of the horizontal reference pulses that are present while the vertical reference pulse is at the low level;
A video format detector characterized by: At least one first register unit (50) for storing the output signal of the first counter;
At least one second register unit for storing an output signal of the second counter;
At least one third register unit for storing an output signal of the third counter;
At least one fourth register unit for storing an output signal of the fourth counter;
The video format detector of claim 1, characterized by:   Video format detector according to claim 2, characterized in that storage of the output signal is enabled in particular periodically by at least one enable signal supplied by at least one enable unit. . In particular, at least one addition unit for determining the period of the horizontal reference pulse by adding the interval of the horizontal reference pulse at the high level to the interval of the horizontal reference pulse at the low level; ,
At least one comparator unit that compares the determined period of the horizontal reference pulse with at least one reference value of each standard and / or type of video format;
Video format detector according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by: At least one minimum value detection unit for determining the distance and / or width and / or polarity of the vertical reference pulse;
At least one second comparator unit that compares the determined distance and / or width of the vertical reference pulse with at least one second reference value of each standard and / or type of video format;
The video format detector of claim 4 characterized by: At least one second minimum value detection unit for determining the polarity of the horizontal reference pulse;
The determined polarity of the horizontal reference pulse and / or the determined polarity of the vertical reference pulse are used for at least one third reference value, in particular at least one of each standard and / or type of video format. At least one third comparator unit for comparing with the expected polarity of
Video format detector according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by:   An integrated circuit comprising at least one video format detector according to at least one of claims 1 to 6. A method for identifying various standards and / or types of video formats of a digital video input stream with at least one horizontal reference pulse and / or at least one vertical reference pulse comprising:
(I) at least one measurement step in which the horizontal reference pulse is sampled and / or the vertical reference pulse is sampled;
(Ii) at least one evaluation step, wherein the video format is determined based on the sampled horizontal reference pulse and / or based on the sampled vertical reference pulse;
A method characterized by: The period of the horizontal reference pulse is determined and compared with at least one reference value of each standard and / or type of video format;
To determine the period of the horizontal reference pulse,
At least one clock pulse is provided,
The interval of the horizontal reference pulses at a high level is counted, in particular, the number of the clock pulses present while the horizontal reference pulse is at the high level,
The interval of the horizontal reference pulses at a low level is counted, in particular the number of the clock pulses present while the horizontal reference pulse is at the low level,
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the interval between the horizontal reference pulses at the high level and the interval between the horizontal reference pulses at the low level are added. The distance and / or width of the vertical reference pulse is determined and compared to at least one second reference value of each standard and / or type of video format;
To determine the distance and / or width of the vertical reference pulse,
The interval of the vertical reference pulses at a high level is counted, in particular the number of the horizontal reference pulses present while the vertical reference pulse is at the high level,
The interval of the vertical reference pulses at a low level is counted, in particular the number of the horizontal reference pulses present while the vertical reference pulse is at the low level,
Comparing the interval of the vertical reference pulses at the high level with the interval of the vertical reference pulses at the low level;
10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the distance and / or width of the vertical reference pulse is defined by the smaller value of these intervals. The polarity of the horizontal reference pulse and / or the polarity of the vertical reference pulse is determined, and at least one third reference value for each standard and / or type of video format, in particular at least one expected polarity Compared,
In order to determine the polarity of the horizontal reference pulse, the interval of the horizontal reference pulse at the high level is compared with the interval of the horizontal reference pulse at the low level, and the polarity of the horizontal reference pulse is Determined by the smaller of these intervals and / or
In order to determine the polarity of the vertical reference pulse, the interval of the vertical reference pulse at the high level is compared with the interval of the vertical reference pulse at the low level, and the polarity of the vertical reference pulse is 11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that it is defined by the smaller value of these intervals.   7. At least one according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, for the recognition of at least one standard and / or type of HD (High Definition) video source called digital television, in particular HDTV (High Definition Television). Use of one video format detector and / or at least one integrated circuit according to claim 7 and / or a method according to at least one of claims 8-11.

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