CN1317894C - Adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method - Google Patents
Adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CN1317894C CN1317894C CNB2004101041912A CN200410104191A CN1317894C CN 1317894 C CN1317894 C CN 1317894C CN B2004101041912 A CNB2004101041912 A CN B2004101041912A CN 200410104191 A CN200410104191 A CN 200410104191A CN 1317894 C CN1317894 C CN 1317894C
- Authority
- CN
- China
- Prior art keywords
- line segment
- image frame
- deinterlace
- vector
- motion
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
Images
Landscapes
- Television Systems (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention relates to an adaptive image picture de-interleaving device and a method. The device comprises a line segment characteristic difference value computation module, a moving vector computation module, an inner block quantity computation module, a trigger value generation module and an image picture processing module, wherein the line segment characteristic difference value computation module computes a line segment characteristic difference value of line segments on an image picture. The moving vector computation module computes a moving vector of a macroblock containing the line segments on the image picture. The inner block quantity computation module computes the quantity of inner blocks on the image picture. The trigger value generation module judges whether the quantity of the inner blocks is greater than a first critical value or not so as to select a trigger value generation mode. The image picture processing module judges whether the trigger value is greater than a second critical value so as to select a de-interleaving algorithm to carry out the de-interleaving processing of the line segments.
Description
Technical field
The present invention relates to a kind of image frame deinterlace device and method, particularly a kind of adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method.
Background technology
Along with development of science and technology, the play quality of audio/video media is tended towards superiority day by day, yet different image processing method, make audio/video media when playing, play quality is affected, and one of them tangible example is that the image of interlacing scan (interlace scan) is play at the image playing platform of line by line scan (progressive scan).
Horizontally interlaced image is made up of two visual fields (field), wherein each visual field only comprises the odd lines of image or the even lines of image, so among horizontally interlaced image, each odd number view field image and its resolution of even number view field image have only half of original image.It is smooth that the advantage of interlace mode is that dynamic image shows, can produce flicker but shortcoming then is a screen.In comparison, the sweep speed of lining by line scan is interleaved twice, so picture is comparatively very thin and clear, therefore present audio-visual devices mostly comes the scanner uni display image with progressive scan mode.
The scanning standard of simulated television has two kinds of National Televi sion SystemCommittee (NTSC) and Phase Alternation by Line (PAL) now, wherein the image of NTSC system is still the interleaved mode that adopts, if directly the image of NTSC system is play-overed in the display system of lining by line scan, the picture that can only show odd number visual field and even number visual field respectively, therefore the resolution of playing image has only half resolution of original image, and the play quality of image will be had a greatly reduced quality; On the other hand, if directly interleaved DVD image is play-overed in the display system of lining by line scan, also can produce aforesaid situation.For solving the horizontally interlaced image problem that play quality reduces when the playing platform of lining by line scan is play, must carry out deinterleave at horizontally interlaced image and handle (De-interlace).Deinterleave is handled a kind of method that horizontally interlaced image is converted to progressive scanning picture that can be described as.
Deinterleave is handled and is comprised two kinds of basic linear transformation technology, is respectively that (Weave) handled in braiding and (Bob) handled in swing.Shown in Figure 1A, it is that two input visual fields (an odd number visual field and an even number visual field) are overlapping or be woven together that braiding is handled, to produce a sequence frames.Shown in Figure 1B, it is one of them visual field (for example only accepting the image of even lines) of only accepting input picture that swing is handled, and abandon another visual field (being the image of odd lines), therefore picture can become half of original image in the resolution of vertical direction, become the resolution of original image in order to allow image recover, by remove to fill up another visual field scanning line that is dropped to each other with two adjacent scanning lines of visual field.
Braiding is handled has good treatment effect for still image, yet for dynamic image, braiding is handled and can be produced image alignment error (misalignment), so the zigzag or the picture of burr can appear in image, makes play quality descend; On the other hand, though the image alignment error that can overcome dynamic image is handled in swing, makes dynamic image more clear and natural, for still image, its vertical resolution of image after handling via swing be after reducing again with the interpolation method compensation, make picture fuzzy and not sharper keen easily.
In view of this, a kind of adaptive image frame deinterlace method and device are provided, make it can select suitable deinterleave calculation processing method, and then dynamic image or still image can both be handled to promote play quality via preferable deinterleave at the characteristic of horizontally interlaced image.
Summary of the invention
Because above-mentioned problem the invention provides a kind of adaptive image frame deinterlace method and device.
So, comprise piece (IntraBlock) quantity computing module, a trigger value (Trigger Value) generation module and an image frame processing module in a line segment (LineSegment) feature difference computing module, the motion-vector computing module, according to adaptive image frame deinterlace device of the present invention.Wherein, the line segment feature difference of line segment feature difference calculating module computed image picture middle conductor, the motion-vector that comprises the macro block (Macro Block) of line segment in the motion-vector computing module computed image picture, interior number of blocks in the interior number of blocks computing module computed image picture, wherein said interior piece represents not have in it macro block of motion-vector; Whether number of blocks was greater than first critical value in the trigger value generation module was judged, and when interior number of blocks during greater than first critical value, produce a trigger value according to the line segment feature difference, and when interior number of blocks is not more than first critical value, produce trigger value according to line segment feature difference and motion-vector; The image frame processing module judges that whether trigger value is greater than second critical value, and when trigger value during greater than second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes first deinterlace algorithm to carry out line segment is handled, and when trigger value was not more than second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes second deinterlace algorithm to carry out line segment was handled.
In addition, the line segment feature difference that comprises computed image picture middle conductor according to adaptive image frame deinterlace method of the present invention, and the motion-vector that comprises the macro block of line segment in the computed image picture, and the interior number of blocks in the computed image picture, wherein said interior piece represents not have in it macro block of motion-vector.Then, whether number of blocks greater than first critical value in judging, when interior number of blocks during greater than first critical value, produces trigger value according to the line segment feature difference, and when interior number of blocks is not more than first critical value, produce trigger value according to line segment feature difference and motion-vector.Then, whether judge trigger value greater than second critical value, when trigger value during greater than second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes first deinterlace algorithm to carry out line segment is handled, and when trigger value was not more than second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes second deinterlace algorithm to carry out line segment was handled.
From the above, according to adaptive image frame deinterlace method of the present invention and device, comprise a trigger value generation module and an image frame processing module, can be at the line segment feature difference in the image frame, motion-vector and interior number of blocks, select suitable deinterleave processing method as swing algorithm or braiding algorithm, make image frame that preferable display effect be arranged.
Description of drawings
Figure 1A and Figure 1B are one group of schematic diagram, show that de-interlacing methods is handled in known braiding and de-interlacing methods is handled in swing;
Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram, shows the adaptive image frame deinterlace device according to preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram, shows the adaptive image frame deinterlace method according to preferred embodiment of the present invention; And
Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram, shows the pixel value according to different visual fields among present picture and the reference picture in the adaptive image frame deinterlace method of preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The element numbers explanation:
11: the video image buffer module
12: image output module
13: image display
2: adaptive image frame deinterlace device
21: the line segment feature difference calculating module
22: the motion-vector computing module
23: interior number of blocks computing module
24: the trigger value generation module
25: the image frame processing module
S01-S12: adaptive image frame deinterlace method
Embodiment
Hereinafter with reference to relevant drawings, the adaptive image frame deinterlace device according to preferred embodiment of the present invention is described.
As shown in Figure 2, the adaptive image frame deinterlace device 2 of preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a line segment feature difference calculating module 21, a motion-vector computing module 22, one interior number of blocks computing module 23, a trigger value generation module 24 and an image frame processing module 25.In addition, adaptive image frame deinterlace device 2 can comprise a video image buffer module 11 and an image output module 12, respectively in order to the output image that is produced behind image frame and the output deinterleave to be provided, and can comprise an image display 13, the output image that it receives and display image output module 12 is produced.Certainly, other is familiar with known equivalent modifications of this operator or change, also should be contained in category of the present invention, and for example image display can be to be contained in (not shown) in the adaptive image frame deinterlace device.
The line segment feature difference of line segment feature difference calculating module 21 computed image picture middle conductors, the motion-vector that comprises the macro block of line segment in the motion-vector computing module 22 computed image pictures, interior number of blocks in the interior number of blocks computing module 23 computed image pictures, wherein said interior piece represents not have in it macro block of motion-vector.Whether number of blocks was greater than first critical value in trigger value generation module 24 was judged, and when interior number of blocks during greater than first critical value, produce trigger value according to the line segment feature difference, and when interior number of blocks is not more than first critical value, produce trigger value according to line segment feature difference and motion-vector.Whether image frame processing module 25 judges trigger value greater than second critical value, and when trigger value during greater than second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes first deinterlace algorithm to carry out line segment is handled.Wherein first deinterlace algorithm can be swing (Bob) algorithm, and when trigger value was not more than second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes second deinterlace algorithm to carry out line segment was handled, and wherein second deinterlace algorithm can be braiding (Weave) algorithm.
Below with reference to Fig. 3 and shown in Figure 4, explanation is according to the adaptive image frame deinterlace method of preferred embodiment of the present invention, must notice that this method can be implemented in the above-mentioned adaptive image frame deinterlace device 2, so following explanation will cooperate aforementioned each module and element numbers thereof.
Adaptive image frame deinterlace method according to preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises following steps S01 to step S12.In step S01, image frame reads from video image buffer module 11, and wherein image frame can be the mpeg image picture after decoding, also can be a P frame (Predicted frame) data, and comprises motion-vector in the P frame data.
In step S02, the line segment feature difference calculating module is read in reference picture and at present behind the pixel data in the macro block of picture, and a selected line segment width value makes in the pairing image range of macro block, can be further divided into the line segment of fixed size in each scan line.By different pictures relatively but the line segment feature value of same line fragment position, and with this comparative result as the line segment feature difference.
Line segment feature value (δ
I, n, m) can line segment by selected size in the picture in, calculate between two different visual fields in the adjacent scanning lines, the margin of image element absolute value of relative position, again with after each margin of image element absolute value addition to produce, its computing formula is suc as formula shown in [1]:
Wherein i represents present picture, and n represents the scan line line number of picture, and m represents for this reason which line segment in the scan line, and j is expressed as the width (unit is a pixel) of line segment, and its width has adjustable; The k remarked pixel is in the position of this line segment.
Calculate the line segment feature value (δ of present picture
I, n, m) and the line segment feature value (δ of reference picture
I-l, n, m) after, it promptly is the line segment feature difference that the two difference of the line segment feature value of present picture and reference picture is taken absolute value, line segment feature difference (Δ
I, n, m) computing formula is suc as formula shown in [2]:
Δ
i，n，m＝|(δ
i，n，m)-(δ
i-l，nm)| 【2】
Among present picture and reference picture, the pixel value of different visual fields.When the line segment width is 4, in the odd number visual field of picture, the 1st to the 4th pixel value is (10,64 in its first line segment at present, 70,83), the 1st of first line segment the to the 4th pixel value is (13,40 in the even number visual field, 65,70), the characteristic value that can calculate present first line segment of picture according to formula [1] is 45, and computational process is as shown in the formula shown in [3].In addition, in the odd number visual field of reference picture, the 1st to the 4th pixel value is (11,10 in its first line segment, 64,70), the 1st of first line segment the to the 4th pixel value is (10,13 in the even number visual field, 40,65), the characteristic value that can calculate first line segment of reference picture according to formula [1] is 33, and computational process is as shown in the formula shown in [4].Calculate after the line segment feature value of present picture and preceding picture, calculating the line segment feature difference according to formula [2] is 12, and computational process is as shown in the formula shown in [5].
δ
i，n，m＝∑(|10-13|+|64-40|+70-65|+|83-70|)＝45 【3】
δ
i-1，n，m＝∑(|11-10|+|10-13|+|64-40|+|70-65|)＝33 【4】
Δ
i，n，m＝|(δ
i，n，m)-(δ
i-l，n，m)|＝|45-33|＝12 【5】
After step S02 calculated the line segment feature difference, in step S03, the motion-vector computing module read in the motion-vector in the macro block, and the line segment of handling with the line segment feature difference calculating module is positioned at same macro block.Because the motion-vector value is an a certain specific displacement (displacement) between different visual fields in the same time of record, therefore motion-vector is to represent with a concrete coordinate figure (coordinates value), and read the motion-vector value of piece in regular turn, just can rebuild picture.In addition, block size generally can be 8 * 8 pixels or 16 * 16 pixels, also can use other big or small pixel to form, and it performance of carrying out the deinterleave processing unit and the memory size that is provided is provided and adjusts.
After capturing motion-vector, the motion-vector computing module is with the X-axis length of motion-vector and the Y-axis length addition of motion-vector, as the degree of angular length always of motion-vector.For example, the motion-vector value that is captured is (1 ,-32), and this expression piece is in 1 pixel of X-axis positive-displacement, and in 32 pixels of Y direction negative sense displacement, the angle length of this motion-vector is 33, and it calculates suc as formula [6]:
|1|+|-32|＝33 【6】
Calculate the angle length of motion-vector at step S03 after, enter step S04.In step S04, interior number of blocks computing module calculates among the complete image frame, the quantity of the macro block of piece in all are marked as.If macro block is marked as interior piece, represent and there is no motion-vector in the macro block, so not being the piece by motion-vector and motion-vector reference, the picture material of macro block do not constituted, but directly constituted by the pixel data of putting down in writing in the macro block, in other words, the macro block of piece is many more in being marked as in the image frame, and the correlation of image frame and reference picture is few more.
In step S05, the trigger value generation module is among the determining step S04, and whether the interior number of blocks that interior number of blocks computing module is calculated is greater than first critical value.If, and in step S06, produce a trigger value according to the line segment feature difference when interior number of blocks during greater than first critical value then enter step S06; When if interior number of blocks is not more than first critical value then enter step S07, and among step S07, produce a trigger value according to line segment feature difference and motion-vector.Execution in step S06 or step S07 produce after the trigger value, enter step S08.
In step S08, the image frame processing module judges that whether the trigger value that is produced at step S06 or step S07 is greater than second critical value.If trigger value during greater than second critical value, then enters step S09, and in step S09, at handled present picture line segment among the step S02, utilize first deinterlace algorithm to carry out deinterleave and handle, wherein first deinterlace algorithm can be swing (Bob) algorithm; When if trigger value is not more than second critical value, then enter step S10, and among step S10, at handled present picture line segment among the step S02, utilize second deinterlace algorithm to carry out deinterleave and handle, wherein second deinterlace algorithm can be braiding (Weave) algorithm.Execution in step S09 or step S10 enter step S11 after carrying out deinterlace algorithm.
In step S11, judge whether the entire image picture disposes, continue to handle if having also untreated line segment and image then to enter step S02, then enter step S12 if disposed.
In step S12, finish the deinterleave handling process, and can export the image behind the deinterleave to image output module, so that with one output image of the image construction behind the deinterleave, and then export various display devices to.
In sum, according to adaptive image frame deinterlace method of the present invention and device, comprise a trigger value generation module and an image frame processing module, can be at the line segment feature difference in the image frame, motion-vector and interior number of blocks, select suitable deinterleave processing method as swing algorithm or braiding algorithm, make image frame that preferable display effect be arranged.
The above only is an illustrative, but not is restrictive.Anyly do not break away from spirit of the present invention and category, and it is carried out equivalent modifications or change, all should be contained in the appended claim.
Claims (13)
1, a kind of adaptive image frame deinterlace method comprises:
Calculate the line segment feature difference of a line segment in the image frame;
Calculate the motion-vector that comprises the macro block of described line segment in the described image frame;
Calculate the interior number of blocks in the described image frame, wherein said interior piece represents not have in it macro block of motion-vector;
Judge that whether described interior number of blocks is greater than one first critical value;
When number of blocks is greater than described first critical value in described, produce a trigger value according to described line segment feature difference;
When number of blocks is not more than described first critical value in described, produce described trigger value according to described line segment feature difference and described motion-vector;
Judge that whether described trigger value is greater than one second critical value;
When described trigger value during greater than described second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes first deinterlace algorithm to carry out described line segment is handled; And
When described trigger value was not more than described second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes second deinterlace algorithm to carry out described line segment was handled.
2, adaptive image frame deinterlace method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said line segment feature difference are to deduct a corresponding reference picture line segment feature value by a present line segment feature value to be calculated.
3, adaptive image frame deinterlace method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motion-vector comprises the angle length of described motion-vector, and the angle length of described motion-vector is the Y-axis length that the X-axis length of described motion-vector adds the above motion-vector.
4, adaptive image frame deinterlace method as claimed in claim 1, the quantity of piece in all macro blocks that wherein said interior number of blocks is described image frame are marked as.
5, adaptive image frame deinterlace method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image frame are a mpeg image picture or are a P frame data.
6, adaptive image frame deinterlace method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first deinterlace algorithm are a swing algorithm, and described second deinterlace algorithm is a braiding algorithm.
7, adaptive image frame deinterlace method as claimed in claim 1 more comprises:
Handle formation one output image according to the deinterleave of described line segment.
8, a kind of adaptive image frame deinterlace device comprises:
One line segment feature difference calculating module, a line segment feature difference of its computed image picture middle conductor;
One motion-vector computing module, it calculates a motion-vector of the macro block that comprises described line segment in the described image frame;
Number of blocks computing module in one, it calculates the interior number of blocks in the described image frame, and wherein said interior piece represents not have in it macro block of motion-vector;
One trigger value generation module, it judges that whether described interior number of blocks is greater than one first critical value, and when number of blocks is greater than described first critical value in described, produce a trigger value according to described line segment feature difference, and when number of blocks is not more than described first critical value in described, produce described trigger value according to described line segment feature difference and described motion-vector; And
One image frame processing module, it judges that whether described trigger value is greater than one second critical value, and when described trigger value during greater than described second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes first deinterlace algorithm to carry out described line segment is handled, and when described trigger value was not more than described second critical value, the deinterleave that utilizes second deinterlace algorithm to carry out described line segment was handled.
9, adaptive image frame deinterlace device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said line segment feature difference calculating module are to deduct a corresponding reference picture line segment feature value with a present line segment feature value to calculate described line segment feature difference.
10, adaptive image frame deinterlace device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said motion-vector computing module are the degree of angular length always with the described motion-vector of Y-axis length computation of the X-axis length of described motion-vector and described motion-vector.
11, adaptive image frame deinterlace device as claimed in claim 8, the quantity of piece in all macro blocks that wherein said interior number of blocks computing module calculates described image frame are marked as.
12, adaptive image frame deinterlace device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said image frame are a mpeg image picture or are a P frame data.
13, adaptive image frame deinterlace device as claimed in claim 8 more comprises:
One image output module, its deinterleave according to described line segment is handled to constitute an output image.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNB2004101041912A CN1317894C (en) | 2004-12-30 | 2004-12-30 | Adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNB2004101041912A CN1317894C (en) | 2004-12-30 | 2004-12-30 | Adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN1622615A CN1622615A (en) | 2005-06-01 |
| CN1317894C true CN1317894C (en) | 2007-05-23 |
Family
ID=34766889
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNB2004101041912A Active CN1317894C (en) | 2004-12-30 | 2004-12-30 | Adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN1317894C (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN100471232C (en) * | 2007-06-15 | 2009-03-18 | 威盛电子股份有限公司 | Digital dynamic image uninterleaving method and device |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN1273742A (en) * | 1998-07-16 | 2000-11-15 | 松下电器产业株式会社 | Video display apparatus and video display method |
| WO2001015442A1 (en) * | 1999-08-24 | 2001-03-01 | Rearden Steel, Inc. | System and method for performing interlaced-to-progressive conversion using interframe motion data |
| EP1139659A2 (en) * | 2000-03-27 | 2001-10-04 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Method and apparatus for deinterlacing video images |
| CN1477870A (en) * | 2002-07-25 | 2004-02-25 | ���ǵ�����ʽ���� | Interlacing-removing device and method |
-
2004
- 2004-12-30 CN CNB2004101041912A patent/CN1317894C/en active Active
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN1273742A (en) * | 1998-07-16 | 2000-11-15 | 松下电器产业株式会社 | Video display apparatus and video display method |
| WO2001015442A1 (en) * | 1999-08-24 | 2001-03-01 | Rearden Steel, Inc. | System and method for performing interlaced-to-progressive conversion using interframe motion data |
| EP1139659A2 (en) * | 2000-03-27 | 2001-10-04 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Method and apparatus for deinterlacing video images |
| CN1477870A (en) * | 2002-07-25 | 2004-02-25 | ���ǵ�����ʽ���� | Interlacing-removing device and method |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN1622615A (en) | 2005-06-01 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CN1278551C (en) | Adaptive interleaving-removing method and equipment for dynamic image | |
| CN100348035C (en) | Method and equipment for calculating kinematical vector | |
| CN1131635C (en) | Receiver of synchronously displaying signals of different display form/frame rate and method thereof | |
| CN1255992C (en) | Device and method of correcting image movement | |
| CN1265633C (en) | Interlacing-removing device and method | |
| CN1290057C (en) | Improved spatial resolution of video images | |
| CN1694497A (en) | Module self-adaptive motion compensation | |
| CN1164078C (en) | Character frame method for 16 : 9 aspect ratio transformation of MPEG image | |
| CN1620109A (en) | De-interlacing apparatus with a noise reduction/removal device | |
| CN1750657A (en) | Based on the method for estimating of mixed block coupling with the device of its converting frame rate | |
| CN1665308A (en) | Apparatus and method for lost block concealment in an image transmission system | |
| CN1510915A (en) | Motion tester and testing method | |
| CN1315323C (en) | Upconversion with noise constrained diagonal enhancement | |
| CN1317894C (en) | Adaptive image frame deinterlace device and method | |
| CN1694525A (en) | Image status information correction | |
| CN1103090C (en) | Picture processing apparatus and processing method | |
| CN1122419C (en) | Method and array for coding a digitized image using an image overall motion vector | |
| CN101076104A (en) | Method for inspecting film mode | |
| EP1418754A2 (en) | Progressive conversion of interlaced video based on coded bitstream analysis | |
| CN1694504A (en) | Processing auxiliary data of video sequences | |
| US7714932B2 (en) | Apparatus and method for adaptively de-interlacing image frame | |
| CN1317893C (en) | Deinterlace method and deinterlace algorithm generating method | |
| CN1678025A (en) | Method of processing video fields and related fields similarity detection apparatus | |
| US7050494B1 (en) | Frame display method and apparatus using single field data | |
| US20050151879A1 (en) | Method for line average differences based de-interlacing |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| C06 | Publication | ||
| PB01 | Publication | ||
| C10 | Entry into substantive examination | ||
| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination | ||
| C14 | Grant of patent or utility model | ||
| GR01 | Patent grant |