EP0506902A1 - Leseeinrichtung - Google Patents

Leseeinrichtung

Info

Publication number
EP0506902A1
EP0506902A1 EP19910917675 EP91917675A EP0506902A1 EP 0506902 A1 EP0506902 A1 EP 0506902A1 EP 19910917675 EP19910917675 EP 19910917675 EP 91917675 A EP91917675 A EP 91917675A EP 0506902 A1 EP0506902 A1 EP 0506902A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
picture
coded
pixels
read
die
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19910917675
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Jozef Maria Karel Timmermans
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from NL9002114A external-priority patent/NL9002114A/nl
Application filed by Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
Publication of EP0506902A1 publication Critical patent/EP0506902A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
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    • H04N1/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N1/32101—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N1/32106—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
    • H04N1/32112—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G5/00—Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators
    • G09G5/36—Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators characterised by the display of a graphic pattern, e.g. using an all-points-addressable [APA] memory
    • G09G5/39—Control of the bit-mapped memory
    • G09G5/391—Resolution modifying circuits, e.g. variable screen formats
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    • G11B27/02—Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
    • G11B27/031—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
    • G11B27/034—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals on discs
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    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
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    • G11B27/30—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
    • G11B27/3027—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording used signal is digitally coded
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    • G11B27/327—Table of contents
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    • H04N9/804—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
    • H04N9/8042—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components involving data reduction
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    • H04N9/87—Regeneration of colour television signals
    • H04N9/877—Regeneration of colour television signals by assembling picture element blocks in an intermediate memory
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    • G11B2220/21—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is of read-only, rewritable, or recordable type
    • G11B2220/213—Read-only discs
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    • G11B2220/2525—Magneto-optical [MO] discs
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    • G11B27/326—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier used signal is a video-frame or a video-field (P.I.P.)
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    • H04N2201/3226—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
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Definitions

  • the invention relates to a read device for reading a record carrier on which coded pictures have been recorded, which coded pictures represent pictures made up of a matrix of P rows of Q pixels, Q and P being integers, the ratio between the dimension of the pixels in a first direction and the dimension of the pixels in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction being substantially unity, the read device comprising a read unit for reading the recorded coded pictures and for supplying coded pixels representing the pixels, a picture memory unit comprising a picture memory having memory locations, storage means for storing in the memory locations of the picture memory coded pixels representing the pixels, and fetching means for reading the information from the memory locations of the picture memory, the picture memory unit being adapted to supply the coded pixels in a sequence related to the sequence of receipt, the read device further comprising means for converting the supplied coded pixels into a picture information signal suitable for a picture display unit for displaying a representation of the coded picture stored in the picture memory and represented by the picture information signal.
  • a problem encountered with such systems is the storage capacity required for the picture memory.
  • CD-I systems it is customary to store a coded picture comprising coded pixels, each representing a pixel whose ratio between the dimensions in the horizontal direction and the dimensions in the vertical direction is substantially equal to unity (1.05 for PAL and 1.19 for NTSC).
  • coded pixels each representing a pixel whose ratio between the dimensions in the horizontal direction and the dimensions in the vertical direction is substantially equal to unity (1.05 for PAL and 1.19 for NTSC).
  • a representation of the coded picture is displayed on a standard TV set it is advisable to select the number of picture lines of the coded picture to be substantially equal to the number of picture lines on the TV display screen.
  • a coded picture is read from the CD-I disc and is stored in a memory. The coded picture stored in the picture memory is then converted into a video signal suitable for the TV set.
  • the memory locations in the picture memory are arranged in rows and columns in the customary way. For practical reasons known per se the number of rows and columns is preferably equal to a power of 2.
  • the picture memory may then simply comprise commercially available integrated memory circuits.
  • a picture memory of 512 by 512 memory locations is required for displaying a representation on a TV set in the case that the coded picture is a picture having an aspect ratio of 2/3, as is customary in photography.
  • the power of 2 which is approximately equal to the number of picture lines on the display screen is 512, so that it is preferable to select 512 for the number of rows in the memory.
  • the number of pixels per picture line then becomes equal to 768.
  • the next power of 2 greater than 768 is 1024, so that the number of columns in the memory is preferably equal to 1024. It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a read device which enables a memory with a smaller storage capacity to be used and which yet enables the above-mentioned requirements as regards the dimensions of the memory to be met. It is another object to realise this without any appreciable loss of picture quality on a display screen of a standard TV system. A further object of the invention is to provide means enabling an enlarged and/or rotated representation of a coded (sub) picture to be obtained in a simple manner.
  • the first- mentioned object is achieved in that the read device comprises picture conversion means for converting the read-out coded pictures into an adapted coded picture comprising P' rows of Q' coded pixels representing pixels whose ratio between the dimension in the first direction and the dimension in the second direction is substantially equal to Q/P, which picture conversion means are arranged in a data path between the read unit and the means for converting the supplied coded pixels into the picture information signal.
  • the use of the picture conversion means enables the adapted coded picture to be stored in a memory whose number of columns and number of rows are equal to each other and are a power of 2. In practice, this makes it possible to use a memory which simply comprises integrated memory circuits and whose storage capacity is optimised for the coded picture. Moreover, in the case of reproduction of an enlarged representation of a part of the coded picture the use of the picture conversion means makes it simple to adapt the number of coded pixels to the storage capacity of the picture memory.
  • the picture conversion means comprise a sample rate converter for converting a series of a specific number of consecutive coded pixels into an adapted series of an adapted number of pixels, which sample rate converter is arranged between the read unit and the picture memory unit.
  • the picture memory unit is adapted to modify the relationship between the sequence in which the coded pixels are supplied by the picture memory and the sequence in which the coded pixels are received, in such a manner that the orientation of the picture represented by the supplied pixels is rotated through an angle of 90 degrees relative to the orientation corresponding to the original relationship between said sequences.
  • the combination of the picture conversion means and the means for modifying the relationship between the picture-memory read-in and read-out sequence has the advantage that it is simply possible to obtain a rotated representation of the picture with the display screen of a display-screen unit being filled correctly.
  • the screen is filled appreciably better than in the case of rotation without the use of picture conversion.
  • a further embodiment is characterised in that P' substantially corresponds to the number of useful picture lines per picture as defined in the PAL TV standard, the SECAM TV standard or the NTSC TV standard.
  • P' substantially corresponds to the number of useful picture lines per picture as defined in the PAL TV standard, the SECAM TV standard or the NTSC TV standard.
  • the reduction of the number of pixels from 768 to 512 pixels per line does not visibly affect the quality of the landscape-format representation on an NTSC TV set or a PAL TV set. This is because the resolution of the display screens used in these sets substantially corresponds to the bandwidth of the picture information signal, which is approximately 4 to 5 MHz. This corresponds to a resolution of approximately 400 to 500 pixels per picture line.
  • Figures la, lb and lc show a picture-storage system, a picture retrieval and reproduction system, and a simplified picture retrieval and reproduction system respectively,
  • Figure 2 shows a suitable format for recording picture information on a record carrier
  • Figure 3 illustrates a suitable coding of picture information
  • Figure 4 illustrates a suitable residual coding to be used for in the coding of picture information
  • Figure 5 shows how the display screen is filled if a picture is rotated without a picture conversion being applied
  • Figure 6 shows a format of a subfile containing a residually coded picture
  • Figure 7 shows a record carrier on which recorded coded picture lines have been arranged in a suitable manner
  • Figure 8 shows a picture composed of picture lines
  • Figure 9 illustrates a number of different picture processing functions
  • Figure 10 shows an embodiment of a retrieval and reproduction system capable of displaying picture information in accordance with preferential reproduction settings
  • Figure 11 shows a suitable format for recording preferential reproduction settings on the record carrier
  • Figure 12 shows a suitable format for storing preferential reproduction settings in a non-volatile memory
  • Figure 13 shows a mosaic picture composed of sixteen low- resolution images
  • Figure 14 shows in greater detail an embodiment of the simplified picture retrieval and reproduction system
  • Figure 15 shows an embodiment in which control data groups can be arranged in packets
  • Figure 16 shows a data extraction circuit for use in the picture retrieval and reproduction system shown in Fig. 14,
  • Figure 17 shows in greater detail an embodiment of the picture storage system
  • Figure 18 shows a recording unit for use in the picture storage system
  • Figure 19 diagrammatically illustrates the CD-ROM XA format
  • Figure 20 shows a suitable organisation of the record carrier if the picture information has been recorded in accordance with a CD-I format
  • Figures 21, 23 and 24 show suitable configurations of picture lines of absolutely coded pictures for a number of different resolutions if the recorded information has been divided into blocks in accordance with a CD-I format
  • Figure 22 shows a picture made up of picture lines to illustrate the configuration shown in Fig. 21,
  • Figure 25 shows an example of a picture processing unit
  • FIGS 26 and 27 illustrate picture processing functions to be performed by the picture processing unit
  • Figure 28 shows an embodiment of a read device
  • FIGS. 29 and 31 diagrammatically show examples of a simplified picture processing unit
  • Figure 30 illustrates the operation of the simplified picture processing unit shown in Figures 29 and 31, and
  • FIGS 32 to 39 illustrate picture processing functions which can be performed with the device in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. la shows a picture storage system 12 in which the invention can be used.
  • the picture storage system 12 comprises a picture scanning unit 1 for scanning pictures on a picture carrier 3, for example a strip- shaped photographic negative or slide.
  • the picture scanning device 1 further comprises a picture coding unit for coding the picture information obtained upon scanning.
  • the coded picture information is recorded on a record carrier 184 by means of a recording unit 5 under control of a control unit 4.
  • the control unit 4 Prior to recording the control unit 4 can apply an optional picture processing, for example to enhance, correct or edit the picture representation defined by the coded picture information.
  • the control unit may comprise picture processing means which are known per se.
  • the recording unit 5 may comprise, for example, an optical, a magnetic or a magneto-optical recording device.
  • control unit 4 may comprise a computer system, for example a so-called "personal computer” or a so-called work station with suitable hardware and application software.
  • Figure lb shows a picture retrieval and reproduction system for retrieving and displaying representations of coded pictures stored on the record carrier 184 by means of the picture storage system 12.
  • the picture retrieval and reproduction system 13 comprises a read unit 6 for locating and reading out selected coded pictures under control of a control unit 7. Representations of coded pictures thus read can be displayed on a picture display unit.
  • a picture display unit may comprise a display screen 8, which for example forms part of the control unit 7, or an electronic image printer 9 for generating a hard copy 15 of a representation of the read-out coded picture.
  • the picture retrieval and reproduction system 13 may further comprise an additional recording device 5a, by means of which the coded picture information read by means of the read device 6, after an optional picture processing operation performed by the control unit 7 for the purpose of enhancement, correction or editing.
  • the control unit in the picture retrieval and reproduction system 13 may comprise a computer system, for example a "Personal Computer", or a work station with suitable hardware and application software. Although such a system is very suitable for the control task to be performed and the optional picture processing it has the drawback that it is comparatively expensive.
  • control unit in conjunction with the electronic image printer 9 because of the complexity of the control and picture processing functions.
  • computing capacity and storage capacity of a computer system in the form of a personal computer or work station are high in comparison with the control functions to be performed. In that case it is preferred to employ a simplified control unit with a limited computing and storage capacity and a limited data processing speed.
  • FIG. lc shows such a simplified picture retrieval and reproduction system 14.
  • This simplified system 14 comprises a display unit 10 and a picture retrieval and read unit 11 comprising the read unit 6.
  • a control unit for controlling the retrieval and read operation and, if applicable, a limited picture processing can be accommodated in one of the units 10 and 11, but suitably in the unit 11.
  • the control unit is accommodated in the retrieval and read unit 11 it is possible to employ, amongst others, a standard TV set or monitor unit for the picture display device.
  • the picture storage system 12 shown in Fig. la and the picture retrieval and reproduction system 13 shown in Fig. lb are particularly suitable for central uses, for example in photoprocessing laboratories.
  • coded picture information it is preferred to record the information on the record carrier in a predetermined format and order.
  • Figure 2 shows a suitable format and order, in which files containing coded picture information bear the references LP1, ..., IPn.
  • the files IP1, ...,IPn will be referred to as picture files.
  • a plurality of control files BB have been recorded.
  • These files contain control data which is used for controlling the read-out of the coded picture information, for the purpose of performing optional picture processing operations on the picture information read and for the purpose of displaying representations of the coded picture information.
  • part of the control data may be included in the picture files.
  • this part of the control data is the part relating specifically to the control of the read-out, display and picture processing of the coded picture information contained in the relevant picture file.
  • the advantage of this is that the required control data becomes available at the instant at which it is needed, S at the instant at which the picture file is read.
  • the picture files Ip and the associated control files BB it may be desirable in a number of cases to record files with additional information, for example audio information or text information.
  • Such audio and/or text information may relate to, for example, coded picture information and can then be reproduced or displayed when the representations of the relevant coded picture information are displayed.
  • the files with additional information are referenced ADD and may be recorded, for example, after the coded picture information.
  • the picture files contain a plurality of subfiles, which each define a representation of the same scanned picture, the resolutions of the representations defined by these coded pictures being different.
  • the different subfiles for the picture file LP1 bear the references TV/4, TV, 4TV, 16TV, 64TV, 256TV.
  • the subfile TV defines a representation of the scanned picture with a resolution corresponding substantially to a standard NTSC or PAL TV picture.
  • Such a picture may comprise, for example, 512 lines of 768 pixels each.
  • the subfile TV/4 represents the scanned picture with a resolution which in the horizontal and the vertical direction has been reduced linearly by a factor of 2 relative to the resolution of the picture represented by the subfile TV.
  • the subfiles 4TV, 16TV, 64TV and 256TV define picture representations whose horizontal and vertical resolution has been increased linearly by a factor of 2, 4, 8 and 16 respectively. It is to be noted that, obviously, the number of subfiles may be selected differently.
  • each picture file may comprise the subfiles TV/16, TV/4, TV, 4TV and 16TV.
  • the subfiles are arranged in such a way that the resolutions of the representations defined by the successive coded pictures increase (linearly) in steps of 2.
  • the consecutive subfiles are generally read successively, it is then simple to first display a representation of a picture of low resolution and, subsequently, to replace this representation wholly or partly by representations of the same picture of each time increasing resolution.
  • This has the advantage that the waiting time before a picture representation appears on the display screen is minimized. Indeed, on account of the limited amount of information needed for this, the read-out time of a coded picture defining a low- resolution representation is short in comparison with the read-out time of encoded pictures defining higher-resolution representations.
  • a generally known representation of pictures is that in which the picture is composed of a matrix of small areas of constant luminance value and/or constant color value. In this representation it is customary to select the areas of constant color value to be larger than the areas of constant luminance value.
  • An area of constant color value will be referred to hereinafter as a color pixel and an area of constant luminance value will be referred to hereinafter as a luminance pixel.
  • a row of color pixels of a width equal to the full picture width will be referred to hereinafter as a color picture line.
  • a row of luminance pixels of a width equal to the full picture width will be referred to hereinafter as a luminance picture line.
  • a picture represented by luminance picture lines and color picture lines can be defined simply by a coded picture by assigning to each luminance pixel and color pixel a digital code specifying the relevant luminance value and color values.
  • Figure 3 by way of illustration shows the structure of a picture of color pixels and luminance pixels.
  • the luminance pixels bear the reference signs (Y2 1', ...; Y ⁇ -i R_I).
  • the color pixels bear the reference signs (C j j ; ...; C ⁇ R ).
  • the dimensions of the color pixels in the horizontal and the vertical direction is twice as large as the dimensions of the luminance pixels. This means that the resolution of the color information in the horizontal and the vertical direction is a factor of two lower than the resolution of the luminance information.
  • a suitable picture coding is that in which a digital code or digital codes is/are assigned to every luminance pixel and every color pixel, the code(s) defining the absolute value of the luminance component Y and the absolute values of the colour-difference components U and V respectively.
  • Such a coding will be referred to hereinafter as an absolute picture coding.
  • representations of a number of low-resolution pictures are recorded as absolutely coded pictures. This enables the picture information to be recovered in a simple manner. This is particularly advantageous for the simplified picture retrieval and reproduction system 14, because this enables the price of such a system, which is intended for the consumer market, to be kept low by the use of simple picture decoding systems.
  • the absolutely coded picture lines BLal, ..., BLal3 represent the picture lines 11, ..., 113 respectively.
  • the absolutely coded picture lines have been recorded in such a way that the information of consecutive picture lines is not contiguous neither in a radial nor in a tangential direction.
  • the reference numeral 72 refers to an unreadable disc portion, also called disc defect. The defect shown extends over more than one turn of the spiral track 71.
  • FIG. 4 shows one luminance pixel Y of a low-resolution picture and four luminance pixels Y j ] _'; Y2 1'; Y j 2 and Y 2 2' of the corresponding higher-resolution picture in the case that the horizontal and the vertical resolution is increased by a factor of 2.
  • residual coding encodes differences (hereinafter referred to as residual values) between the luminance values of the luminance pixels Y ⁇ j ', ..., Y 2 2 and me luminance pixel Y. In this way the residual values of a complete picture can be determined both for the luminance and for the color information.
  • a substantial data compression can be obtained by applying an additional coding in which the residual values are non-linearly quantized and are subsequently subjected to, for example, a Huffman coding.
  • a residually coded picture can be used as a basis for a new residual coding for a picture with further increased resolutions.
  • the pictures in the subfiles TV/4 and TV are absolutely coded and the pictures in the subfiles 4Tv, 16TV, 64TV and 256TV are residually coded, with non-linear quantization and Huffman coding.
  • Such a coded picture will be briefly referred to hereinafter as a residually coded picture.
  • the color information is also coded residually in a way similar to the luminance information. However, the horizontal and the vertical resolution of the consecutive residually coded color information increases by a factor of four instead of by a factor of two as with the luminance information.
  • the residual values are represented by means of codes of varying length. This means that the space required for recording the residually coded picture lines is variable. Therefore, the position at which the beginning of the residually coded picture line is recorded is not unambiguously defined by the beginning of recording of the first coded picture line of a coded picture. This complicates the selective read-out of the coded picture lines, for example only those coded picture lines needed to carry out a TELE function. This problem can be mitigated by recording a line number LN (see Fig.
  • the line synchronization code may be, for example, a unique bit combination which does not occur within the series of Huffman codes representing information of the residually coded picture elements. It is to be noted that the addition of the line synchronization codes LD and line numbers LN has the additional advantage that it facilitates the read synchronization and significantly reduces error propagation after an erroneously read residual code.
  • a very fast retrieval of selected coded picture lines can be achieved in that the addresses at which the recordings of coded picture lines on the record carrier begin are recorded on the record carrier in a separate control file, preferably at the beginning of each subfile.
  • these addresses have been indicated, by way of example, as ADLN#1, ..., ADLN#1009 in the control file IIDB at the beginning of the subfile 4TV.
  • the picture line information in the form of the series of residually coded picture lines is inserted in the section APDB of the subfile 4TV. (The section APDB represents the actual picture information within the subfile 4TV).
  • a read element is moved relative to the record carrier to a position at a short distance before the starting point where the recording of the coded picture line begins. Subsequently, a fine search process is carried out in which, while the record carrier is scanned with a speed corresponding to the normal read speed, the beginning of the recording of the selected residually coded picture line is awaited, after which reading of the selected coded picture line is started.
  • the accuracy with which the read element can be positioned relative to the record carrier during the coarse search process is limited and in optical data storage systems it is generally much greater than the distances between the positions at which the recordings of successive coded picture lines on the record carrier begin.
  • the average search accuracy during a coarse search process is by definition equal to half the length of one turn of the disc, which means that the distances between the positions specified by addresses substantially correspond to half the length of one turn of the disc when disc ⁇ shaped record carriers are used.
  • the stored coded pictures generally define a number of pictures in landscape format (i.e. for a faithful reproduction the picture should be displayed in an orientation in which the width of the picture is larger than the height of the picture) and a number of pictures in portrait format (i.e. for a faithful reproduction the picture should be displayed in an orientation in which the height of the picture is larger than the width of the picture).
  • Figure 1 shows an image carrier with some pictures in landscape format (2a, 2b, 2c and 2d) and one picture in portrait format (2e).
  • the record carrier all the coded pictures are recorded as though they were representations of pictures in landscape format. This is in order to enable a uniform picture scanning to be used without the necessity to detect whether the scanned picture is of the landscape or portrait type and to change over the scanning and/or picture processing depending upon the detection result. However, this means that during reproduction the representations of portrait format pictures will be displayed in an incorrect rotated position.
  • This rotation code can be included in every picture file IPl, ..., Ipn. It is also possible to record these rotation codes in the control file BB or to store these rotation codes in a non ⁇ volatile memory arranged in the read unit or connected to this unit. During reproduction it is then possible to determine on the basis of the rotation code whether the representation to be displayed should be rotated and, if this is the case, a rotation through the desired angle can be performed prior to reproduction.
  • a drawback of including the rotation codes in the picture files IP is that these rotation codes have to be determined already during scanning of the pictures. In practice this means that an operator of the picture storage system should determine for each scanned picture whether the stored picture is to be rotated during reproduction, because the known auxiliary devices are not always capable of detecting whether a scanned picture is of landscape or portrait format and whether the picture is presented to the scanning unit with the correct orientation. This is undesirable in particular because it implies that an operator must be present during recording, which makes it difficult to realise a fully automated picture storage system 12.
  • a suitable position for recording the rotation codes is the subfile FPS of the control file BB.
  • a representation which is slightly shifted should be displayed. This is certainly desirable if the display area within which the representation is to be displayed in a display unit is smaller than the dimensions of the representations, because it is possible that an important detail of the picture falls outside the display area.
  • the desired shift can be specified by assigning a translation code to every coded picture.
  • a suitable translation coding for a picture 90 is defined by means of the coordinates xp and yp of a vertex 91 of the picture 91 to be displayed after translation.
  • a translation code and a magnification code it is possible to specify the magnification factor with which a certain part of the original picture is to be displayed.
  • the reference numeral 93 indicates an enlarged representation of a part of the picture 90, defined by a translation xp, yp and a magnification factor of 2.
  • other picture display data in the subfile FPS of the control file BB such as for example parameters specifying a color or luminance adaptation to be applied before a representation of the coded picture is displayed.
  • preferential reproduction settings The afore-mentioned information about the display sequence, rotation, translation, magnification, brightness and color adaptations and other picture processing operations to be performed prior to reproduction of the representation of the coded picture will be referred to hereinafter as preferential reproduction settings.
  • a collection of preferential reproduction settings defining the preferred sequence as well as all the desired picture processing operations for all the coded pictures on a record carrier will be referred to hereinafter as a set of preferential reproduction settings. It may be advantageous to record more than one set of preferential reproduction settings in the file FPS. This enables a different display sequence and other picture processing operations to be selected by different persons, for example persons within a family. It also allows a user to make a choice from different sets of preferential reproduction settings.
  • FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a picture retrieval and display system by means of which representations of coded pictures can be displayed in conformity with a selected set of preferential reproduction settings.
  • the reference numeral 100 refers to a read unit for reading the record carrier.
  • the read unit 100 is coupled to a control and signal processing unit 101.
  • the unit 101 selects the file FPS containing the set(s) of preferential reproduction setting(s) and stores this (these) set(s) in a control memory 102.
  • a data entry unit 103 for example a remote control device
  • a user can select a set from the control memory 102 and can subsequently activate the unit 101 to start the read cycle, in which the coded picture information is read in the sequence specified by the selected set of preferential reproduction settings under control of the unit 101. After the coded picture information has been read out this information is processed in accordance with the selected set of preferential reproduction settings and is applied to a display unit 104.
  • Fig. 11 shows by way of example a suitable format 110 of the preferential reproduction settings included in the file FPS on the record carrier.
  • the format 110 comprises a section DID in which the unique record carrier identification code is stored.
  • Such a code may comprise a large random number generated by means of a random-number generator and recorded on the record carrier.
  • the code may comprise a time code indicating the time in years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds and fractions of seconds.
  • the record carrier identification code may comprise a combination of a time code and a random number.
  • the section Did is followed by sections FPS1, FPS2, ..., FPSn in which a number of different sets of preferential reproduction settings are stored.
  • Each of the preferential reproduction setting sections FPS1, ..., FPSn contains a portion SEL in which a set identification number for each of the different sets of preferential reproduction settings to be selected by different users are specified, and a portion specifying the sequence SEQ in which the representations of the stored pictures are to be reproduced. This portion is followed by the coded sections FIM#1, ..., FIM#n storing for the pictures 1, ..., n preferential processing operations to be performed before the representation of the relevant picture are displayed.
  • Fig. 12 shows by way of example a suitable format 120 in which the information about the desired adaptations of the set of preferential reproduction settings can be stored in the non-volatile memory 105.
  • the format 120 comprises a section 121 specifying combinations of record carrier identifications and set identification numbers for which information about preferential reproduction settings has been stored. To each of these combinations a pointer is assigned, which pointer is included in the section DID-POINT and specifies the address of the sections DFPS1, ..., DFPSn in the non-volatile memory 105.
  • Every section DFPS comprises a portion LSEQ with a code indicating the space (for example in numbers of bytes) required to specify the new sequence. If the portion LSEQ indicates a length not equal to zero LSEQ will be followed by a portion NSEQ with the data specifying the new display sequence. After NSEQ the new preferential processing operations are specified for every picture with modified preferential processing operations. ROT indicates the section with the rotation code.
  • the sections LTELE and LPAN specify the length available for the storage of the new data relating to picture magnification (in a section NTELE) and picture translation (in a section NPAN). In this way it is possible to select the accuracy with which the picture processing information is to be stored.
  • LTELE and LPAN are followed by the portions NTELE and NPAN. If the information about the picture magnification and picture translation need not be changed this is indicated by the length zero in LTELE and LPAN.
  • a changeable memory 106 for example in the form of a magnetic card, EPROM, EEPROM or NVRAM, can be employed for the storage of preferential reproduction settings in the retrieval and display system shown in Fig. 10. This has the advantage that a user can display the picture information on a record carrier in accordance with the same preferential reproduction setting on different picture retrieval and display systems to which a changeable memory 106 can be connected.
  • the unit 101 should comprise selection means. These selection means may be of a type which are operated by the user to make a choice from the various sets of preferential reproduction settings defined for one specific record carrier and selection number by the preferential reproduction setting information stored on the record carrier and in the memories 105 and 106.
  • these selection means may be of a type which, prior to reproduction on the basis of the contents of the memories 105 and 106 and the sets of preferential reproduction settings recorded on the record carrier, determine the sets of preferential reproduction settings available for the relevant record carriers and store them, for example, in the memory 102. Subsequently, one of the available sets of preferential reproduction settings in the memory 102 is selected in accordance with a predetermined selection criterion.
  • the selection criterion is such that the highest priority is assigned to the preferential reproduction setting information in the changeable memory 106, medium priority to the preferential reproduction setting information in the non-volatile memory, and the lowest priority to the preferential reproduction settings on the record carrier.
  • the unit 101 comprises a computer, automatic selection can be realised by loading the computer with a suitable selection program.
  • a representation in the form of a so-called mosaic picture from the subfiles, in which mosaic picture a large number of representations of the coded low-resolution pictures contained in the subfiles TV/ 16 are arranged in the form of a matrix, preferably in an order dictated by the selected set of preferential reproduction settings.
  • Fig. 13 shows a mosaic picture 130 made up of the representations (IM#1, IM#3, ..., IM#26) of sixteen low-resolution subfile pictures.
  • Fig. 14 shows an embodiment of the picture retrieval and display system of Fig. lc in more detail.
  • the picture retrieval and read unit 11 comprises the read unit 6, a control unit 140 and a picture processing unit 141.
  • the read unit 6 supplies the information read from the record carrier to the control unit 140 and to the picture processing unit 141 via a signal path 142.
  • the control unit 140 selects specific information contained in the control files BB and HDB from the information read.
  • the picture processing unit 141 selects picture information from the information read and converts this picture information into a form suitable for the display unit 10.
  • the read unit 6 and the picture processing unit 141 are controlled by the control unit 140 on the basis of the data entered by a user, for example via a data entry unit 143, and on the basis of the control data in the control files BB and DDB.
  • control unit 140 In view of the large amount of information for every recorded picture it is preferred to read files containing picture information with a high speed, i.e. with a high bit rate, in order to minimize the read time per picture read. However, this means that the data in the control file is also read with a high bit rate.
  • the control task is performed by the control unit 140. This control task requires only a limited data processing rate, enabling a simple slow low-cost microcomputer having a low data processing rate to be used for this purpose.
  • bit groups bear the reference numeral 150 and the packets bear the reference numeral 151.
  • the number of bits per bit group is eight and the number of bit groups per packet is two.
  • n By repeating identical bit groups n times it is achieved that the rate at which the control data is supplied by the read unit is reduced by a factor of n without the use of additional auxiliary functions. By a suitable choice of the value of n it is thus possible to reduce the rate at which the control data is applied to the slow microcomputer system of the control unit 141 to such an extent that it can be handled by the slow microcomputer system 144.
  • a data extraction circuit 145 can be arranged to supply each of the packets 151 of control data to the microcomputer system 144 as one bit group at a rate equal to the bit group repetition rate divided by n.
  • Such a data extraction circuit 145 may comprise, for example, a register 160 (see Fig. 16a) which is loaded with a clock frequency equal to the bit group repetition rate divided by n.
  • This clock signal can be obtained very simply by using one bit within each bit group 150 as a synchronization bit 152.
  • To the synchronization bits 152 of successive bit groups 150 a logic value may be assigned which alternates with a frequency related to the repetition rate of the packets 151 of bit groups 150.
  • the alternation frequency may be equal to half the repetition rate of the packets (as shown in Fig. 15) or a multiple thereof. This has the advantage that a clock signal can be used which is derived directly from the synchronization bits.
  • the data extraction circuit 145 comprises a clock extraction circuit 161 which supplies an alternating clock signal corresponding to the alternating logic values of the synchronization bits to a load control input of the register 160.
  • the register 160 is of a customary type which is loaded with a bit group of each packet 151 under control of the clock signal.
  • the clock extraction circuit 161 also transfers the clock signal to the microcomputer system 144 via the signal line 162.
  • the bit groups in the control file are arranged in so-called frames, which bear the reference numeral 154 in Fig. 15. In that case it is desirable that the beginning of each frame 154 can be detected simply.
  • a very simple detection can be achieved by inserting at the beginning of the frames 154 a plurality of frame synchronization groups 153 with synchronization bits 152 which exhibit a predetermined pattern of logic values 150 which differs distinctly from the possible patterns of logic values of the synchronization bits 152 which can occur in the other packets.
  • Each frame 154 has a portion 155 containing redundant information for the purpose of detecting whether the frame has been read-in correctly by the microcomputer 144.
  • An incorrect read-in may be caused, for example, by a program interrupt, in which the process of reading in the control data is interrupted in order to carry out another control program.
  • Such a control program can be called, for example as a result of the input of data in the data entry unit 143, in order to fetch the entered data from the data entry unit 143. Since an incorrect read-in of data from the control files BB and IIDB is generally caused by a program interrupt this requires that the error correction performed on the basis of the portion 155 is carried out by the microcomputer 144. itself.
  • the data extraction circuit 145 comprises a frame synchronization detector 163 which detects the beginning of each frame on the basis of the synchronization bits 152 in the frame synchronization bit groups 153. After detection of the beginning of the frame the frame synchronization detector 163 supplies a synchronization signal to the microcomputer 144 via a signal line 164. Under control of the signals received via the signal lines 164 and 165 the microcomputer 144 reads in the control data available in the register 160 in an, in principle, customary manner. It is to be noted that, in principle, the functions of the frame synchronization detector 163 and/or die register 160 and/or the clock extraction circuit 161 can also be performed by the microcomputer 144 itself.
  • the clock signal for the register 160 is derived from the synchronization bits 152.
  • the clock signal for loading the register 160 is also possible to derive the clock signal for loading the register 160 from a picture information clock signal which is usually generated in the picture processing unit 141 for the purpose of reading in the coded picture information.
  • This picture information clock signal has a fixed relationship with the bit group repetition rate in the read ⁇ out picture files and, consequently, with the bit group repetition rate in the control files BB and IIDB. This is because the control files and picture files have been formatted and coded in the same way. Therefore, the clock signal for loading the register 160 can be derived simply from the picture information clock signal by means of a frequency dividing circuit.
  • Fig. 16b shows an example of the data extraction circuit 145, which employs a frequency divider 165 for deriving the clock signal for the register 160, which divider derives the clock signal from the picture information clock signal, which is applied to the frequency divider 165 by the signal processing unit 141 via a signal line 166.
  • the clock signal for loading the register 160 must be synchronized with the beginning of the frames 154. This can be realized simply by employing a resettable counting circuit for the frequency divider 165, which counting circuit is reset each time by a reset signal generated upon detection of the beginning of the frames.
  • the reset signal can be the signal supplied by the frame synchronization detector 163 via the signal line 164 in response to every detection of the frame synchronization bit groups 153.
  • the reset signal for the counter can be derived on the basis of the block synchronization sections (SYNC) situated at the beginning of each block (BLCK).
  • SYNC block synchronization sections
  • this requires that the beginning of each frame 154 is always situated at a fixed position relative to the block synchronization section (SYNC). This can be achieved simply by selecting the beginning of each frame 154 at the beginning of a block.
  • SYNC block synchronization section
  • each frame 154 comprises a number of bit groups not containing any control data. Indeed, upon detection of the beginning of each frame the microcomputer calls a read-in program for controlling the read-in of the applied control data. However, at this instant the microcomputer may be busy performing another control task. Such a control task must be interrupted before the read-in program can be called. This interruption of an active control task and the subsequent call for the read-in program requires some time. Arranging a number of bit groups without any control data at the beginning of each frame 154 ensures with a high reliability that during read-out of the first packet 151 of useful control data in each frame 154 the microcomputer 144 is ready to read in the control data under control of the read-in program.
  • the synchronization bit groups 153 at the beginning of every frame may serve a dual purpose, i.e. providing synchronization and realizing a waiting time until the first useful control data is presented.
  • the logic values of the bits in these bit groups 153 may assume an arbitrary value.
  • bit groups 153 are also used for synchronization purposes it is important that the bit groups 153 exhibit a bit pattern which does not occur in the other bit groups of the frame 154.
  • numerous different methods are possible, such as for example the use of non-identical bit groups in a packet or the insertion of additional packets without useful control information between the packets of control data.
  • the last-mentioned method may be, for example, to insert packets comprising only bits of the logic value "0" after every ten packets.
  • a group of, for example, thirty-two frame synchronization bit groups 153 comprising only bits of the logic value "1" is used, this will guarantee that the pattern formed by the frame synchronization bit groups 153 does not occur in the other packets of the frame 154.
  • Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of the picture storage system 12 in greater detail.
  • the scanning unit 1 in Fig. 17 comprises a scanning element 170 for scanning the image carrier 3 and for converting the scanned picture information into customary information signals, for example RGB picture signals, representing the scanned picture.
  • the picture signals at the output of the scanning element define the highest attainable resolution in number of pixels per picture.
  • the information signals supplied by the scanning element 170 are converted into a luminance signal Y and two color-difference signals U and V by means of a customary matrix circuit 171.
  • a coding circuit 172 converts the signals Y, U and V in a customary manner into absolutely coded signals (for the lower-resolution pictures) and residually coded pictures (for the higher-resolution pictures) in accordance with the coding schemes described hereinbefore.
  • the scanning element 170, the matrix circuit 171 and the coding circuit 172 are controlled by means of a customary control circuit 174 on the basis of control commands applied to the control circuit 174 by the control unit 4 via an interface circuit 175.
  • the absolutely and residually coded picture information generated by the coding circuit 172 is applied to the control unit 4 via the interface circuit 175.
  • the control unit 4 may comprise a computer system comprising a display unit 176, a computing and storage unit 177 and a data entry unit 178, for example a keyboard, for data input by the user.
  • the display unit 176 and the data entry unit 178 are coupled to the computing and storage unit 177.
  • the computing and storage unit 177 is further coupled to the picture scanning unit 1 and the recording unit 5 via an interface circuit 179 and 180 respectively.
  • the recording unit 5 comprises a formatting and coding unit 181 which converts the information to be recorded, which information is received from the control unit via an interface circuit 182, into codes which are suitable for recording and which are arranged in a format suitable for recording.
  • the data which has thus been coded and formatted is applied to a write head 183, which records a corresponding information pattern on the record carrier 184.
  • the recording process is controlled by a control circuit 185 on the basis of the control commands received from the control unit 4 and, if applicable, address information indicating the position of the write head 183 relative to the record carrier 184.
  • the storage and control unit 177 is loaded with suitable software to arrange the residually coded picture information supplied by the scanning unit 1 in a customary manner in accordance with the afore-mentioned formatting rules and to compose the picture files IP and OV. Moreover, the computing and storage unit 177 has been loaded with software for inserting in the control file, in a customary manner and in accordance with the afore-mentioned formatting rules, the preferential reproduction settings input by an operator together with other automatically generated control data, such as for example a list of addresses at which the various files have been recorded on the record carrier 184.
  • the computing and storage unit 177 may further have picture processing software enabling the scanned picture information to be processed, for example for the purpose of error correction, such as for example out-of-focus correction and grain removal, or for the purpose of color adaptation or brightness adaptation of the picture.
  • the files composed by means of the computing and storage unit 177 are applied to the recording unit 5 in the desired sequence in order to be recorded.
  • a recording device for recording the files on such record carrier is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 18.
  • the shown recording device comprises a formatting circuit 186, which composes the information to be recorded, which has been applied via the interface circuit 182, in accordance with a formatting scheme , for example as customary in the so-called CD-ROM or CD-ROM XA system.
  • each block BLCK comprises a block synchronizing section SYNC, a header section HEAD containing an address in the form of an absolute time code corresponding to the absolute time code in the subcode portion recorded with the block, and if the CD-ROM XA format is used the block BLCK further comprises a subheader section SUBHEAD containing inter alia a file number and a channel number.
  • each block BLCK comprises a DATA section containing the information to be recorded.
  • Each block BLCK may also comprise a section EDC&ECC containing redundant information for the purpose of error detection and error corrections.
  • the recording unit 5 shown in Fig. 18 further comprises a CIRC coding circuit 187 for interleaving the information and for adding parity codes for the purpose of error detection and error correction (hereinafter also referred to as error correction codes).
  • the CIRC encoding circuit 187 performs the above-mentioned operations upon the formatted information supplied by the formatting circuit 186. After these operations have been performed the information is applied to an EFM modulator 188, in which the information is given a form which lends itself better for recording on the record carrier.
  • the EFM modulator 188 adds subcode information, which includes inter alia an absolute time code as address information in the so-called subcode Q channel.
  • Fig. 20 shows an organization of the record carrier in the case that the information has been recorded in the track 20 in accordance with the CD format described above. Parts corresponding to the organization shown in Fig. 2 bear the same reference numerals.
  • the recorded information is preceded by a lead-in section LI (also referred to lead-in track), as customary in the recording of CD signals, and is terminated with a customary lead-out section LO (also referred to as lead-out track).
  • a lead-in section LI also referred to lead-in track
  • LO also referred to as lead-out track
  • the information is recorded in CD format it is preferred to include in the control file BB a section recorded in accordance with the CD-I standard. These sections are the "Disk Label & Directory", referenced DL, and d e so-called application programs, referenced AF. This enables the recorded picture information to be displayed by means of a standard CD-I system.
  • a subfile FPS with the sets of preferential reproduction settings is also included in the application program section AF.
  • the control file BB comprises a subfile IT comprising a section CNTR with control data and a section FPS with the sets of preferential reproduction settings in the format already described with reference to Fig. 15.
  • the section IT is recorded in a predetermined area on the record carrier in a section of predetermined length. This is in order to simplify retrieval of the required information by the microcomputer. If the section IT is not large enough to accommodate all the control data a part of the control data can be recorded in a section ITC after the file OV. In that case it is preferred to include a pointer in the section IT to specify the starting address of ITC.
  • Fig. 21 shows for the absolutely coded subfile TV such an arrangement of the picture lines Y01, Y02, ..., Y16 with absolutely coded luminance information and the picture lines C01, C03, ..., C15 with absolutely coded color information, that successive lines do not adjoin each other in the track direction (also referred to as tangential direction) and in a direction transverse to the track (also referred to as radial direction).
  • Fig. 22 shows the positions of the picture lines for the associated picture representation.
  • a number of odd coded luminance picture lines (Y01, Y03, ..., Y15) with coded luminance information are recorded in a section comprising the blocks BLCK #1, #2 and #3
  • subsequentiy a number of even coded color picture lines (C01, C05, ..., C13) with coded color information are recorded in a section comprising the blocks BLCK #4 and #5
  • the even coded luminance picture lines (Y02, ..., Y16) with coded luminance information are recorded in a section comprising the blocks BLCK #5, ..., #8, and finally the coded even color picture lines (C03, C07, ..., C15) with coded color information are recorded in a section comprising the blocks BLCK #8 and #9.
  • the coded picture lines in the blocks BLCK#1, ..., BLCK#9 define a contiguous part of the picture representation shown in Fig. 22.
  • a group of sections defining a contiguous part of the representation will be referred to hereinafter as a section group.
  • section groups define other contiguous parts of the representation in the subfile TV.
  • the coded picture lines with picture information for the subfiles TV/4 and TV/16 can be arranged in a similar way, as is shown in Figs. 23 and 24.
  • Fig. 25 shows the picture processing unit 141 in greater detail.
  • the picture processing unit 141 comprises a first detection circuit 250 for detecting the synchronization codes LD and the picture line numbers LN indicating the beginning of each residually coded picture line.
  • a second detection circuit 251 serves for detecting me beginning of each subfile in each picture file with a residually coded picture to indicate the beginning of the section IIDB containing the addresses of a number of coded picture lines. It is to be noted mat the detection circuits 250 and 251 are needed only for processing the residually coded pictures and not for processing absolutely coded pictures. For the purpose of these detections inputs of the first and the second detection circuit 250 and 251 are connected to the signal path 142.
  • a decoding circuit 252 for decoding the residually coded picture information and a control circuit 253 for controlling the picture processing operation are connected to the signal path 142.
  • the signal path 142 and outputs of the decoding circuit 252 are connected to data inputs of a picture memory 255 via a multiplex circuit 254, to store the read and decoded picture information.
  • Data outputs of the picture memory 255 are connected to die inputs of the decoding circuit 252 and to the inputs of the multiplex circuit 254.
  • the control circuit 253 comprises a memory loading circuit for the generation of control signals and for controlling the process of loading the memory 255.
  • the memory loading circuit comprises an address generator for addressing the memory locations in the picture memory 255.
  • the picture processing unit 141 further comprises a read control circuit 257 for generating control signals for controlling the process of fetching information from me memory 255.
  • the read control circuit 257 further comprises an address generator for addressing the memory locations in order to output the content of the picture memory 255 to a signal converter 258.
  • the signal converter 258 is of a customary type which converts the picture information read from the picture memory 255 into a form suitable for application to the picture display unit 10.
  • the decoding circuit 252 may comprise, for example, a Huffman decoding circuit 261a controlled by the control unit 253 and an adder circuit 259.
  • the Huffman decoding circuit 261a decodes the information received via the signal patii 142 and subsequentiy supplies this decoded information to one of the inputs of the adder circuit 259.
  • Another input of the adder circuit 259 is connected to die data outputs of the picture memory 255.
  • the control circuit 253 is coupled to the control unit 140 via a control signal pafli 260.
  • the control circuit 253 may comprise, for example, a programmable control and computing unit.
  • Such a control and computing unit may comprise, for example, a dedicated hardware unit or a microprocessor system loaded with suitable control software, by means of which on the basis of control commands received via the control signal path 260 the load control circuit 256 and d e multiplex circuit 254 are controlled in such a way that a selected portion of the picture information applied via the signal path 142 is loaded into the picture memory.
  • the information thus stored in the picture memory 255 is read with the aid of the read control circuit
  • die reference numerals 261, 262, 263 denote picture representations of die same picture but with different resolutions.
  • the representation 261 comprises 256 picture lines of 384 pixels each.
  • the representation 262 comprises 512 picture lines of 768 pixels each and die representation 263 comprises 1024 picture lines of 1536 pixels each.
  • the coded pictures corresponding to the representations 261, 262 and 263 are included in consecutive subfiles TV/4, TV and 4TV of a picture file IP.
  • the capacity of the picture memory 255 shown in Fig. 26 is 512 rows of 768 memory locations (also called memory elements).
  • a representation should represent the entire coded picture that subfile is selected from the picture file IP, whose number of pixels corresponds to the capacity of the picture memory, which in the present case is the subfile defining the representation 262.
  • This selection can be made on the basis of the setting data, such as picture numbers and resolution order (this is the identification of the subfile resolution), which are stored at the beginning of each subfile in, for example, die header HEAD and die subheader SUBHEAD of the blocks BLCK.
  • this data is read in by the control circuit 253 in response to a signal supplied by a block synchronization detector 262a upon detection of the beginning of each block BLCK.
  • the control circuit upon detection of die beginning of the subfile to be selected, sets the multiplex circuit 254 to a state in which the signal path 142 is connected to die data inputs of the picture memory 255.
  • me load control circuit 256 is set to a state in which the memory locations are addressed in synchronism witii me reception of the information of die successive pixels, in such a way tiiat the information for the picture lines 11, ..., 1512 is stored in d e respective rows rl, ..., r512 of the memory 255.
  • the picture information thus loaded into the memory 255 is read out and is converted into a form suitable for the display unit 10 by means of the signal converter 258.
  • the read-out sequence is determined by die sequence in which the read control circuit 257 generates the successive addresses. During normal reproduction this sequence is such that the memory is read in a row-by-row fashion, starting with the row rl and starting witii column cl witiiin a row. This is possible both in accordance with d e interlaced-scan principle and d e progressive-scan principle. In the case of read-out according to d e interlaced-scan principle all die odd rows of the picture memory 255 are read first and subsequendy all die even rows of the picture memory 255 are read. In the case of read-out in accordance witii the progressive-scan principle all the rows are read in sequence.
  • a very attractive alternative for die metiiod of storing die picture information in die picture memory 255 is mat in which the picture memory 255 is first filled with picture information from a picture file defining a lower- resolution representation of a picture and subsequendy die content of die memory is overwritten with a coded picture defining a higher-resolution representation of the same picture.
  • this is possible in tiiat during read-out of each coded pixel from the subfile TV/4 each of a group of 2x2 memory elements is each time filled with the signal value defined by tiiis coded pixel.
  • This method is known as the "spatial replica" method.
  • a better picture quality is obtained by filling only one of the memory elements of the 2x2 matrix with the signal value defined by a read-out pixel, and by deriving d e oti er pixels of the 2x2 matrix from adjacent pixels by means of known interpolation techniques. This method is known as the "spatial interpolation" metiiod.
  • the content of the picture memory is each time overwritten with the picture information of this subfile in the methods described above.
  • the amount of information in die subfile TV/4 is only a quarter of that in the subfile TV. This results in a substantial reduction of die time after which a first provisional picture is displayed on the display unit.
  • FIG. 256 is set to a state in which the address sequence of the memory locations is adapted to suit the desired rotation angle.
  • Figs. 27b, 27c and 27d illustrate how the picture information is stored in the memory for a rotation through an angle of 270, 180 and 90 degrees respectively. For the sake of clarity these Figures only show the positions of the information of the first two picture lines 11 and 12 of the picture.
  • the information of a part of the picture is selected.
  • the information of each pixel of the selected part is loaded into every memory location of a group of 2x2 memory locations, so tiiat a magnified full-scan representation of low resolution is displayed on die display unit.
  • the above step is performed first. Subsequently, die part represented by die frame 266 is selected in the subfile 4TV.
  • the part in the frame 266 corresponds to die part within die frame 265 in the representation 262.
  • the control circuit 253 sets the multiplex circuit 254 to a state in which the output of the residual decoding circuit 252 is connected to the data inputs of the memory 255.
  • the load control circuit 256 is set to a state in which it addresses die picture memory 255 in synchronism with the received coded pixels in die sequence in which the residually coded picture information from the subfile 4TV becomes available.
  • the picture information in the addressed memory locations is applied to the decoding circuit 252 and by means of e adder circuit 259 it is added to d e residual value, after which the information tiius adapted is loaded into the addressed memory location.
  • the part of the picture information recorded on the record carrier corresponding to d e frame 266 is preferably read on the basis of the information in die control file HDB.
  • the information in the section IIDB is read in by the control circuit 253 in response to a signal from the detector 250.
  • Subsequendy, die address of tiiat coded picture line is selected from this information which is situated shortly before the first coded picture line corresponding to the picture line in the frame 266.
  • the control circuit supplies a command to die control unit 140 via the control signal path 260, which control unit in response to this command initiates a search process in which the part with die selected coded picture line is located.
  • the read-out of the picture information is started and the adaptation of the content of the memory 255 is started as soon as die part of the first coded picture line which corresponds to the part of the picture within d e frame 266 is reached.
  • the detection of this coded picture line is effected on the basis of the line numbers which together with the line synchronization codes LD have been inserted at the beginning of each coded picture line.
  • the control circuit reads in these line numbers LN in response to a signal from the detector circuit 251.
  • the storage of die address information at the beginning of die subfile 4TV enables a rapid access to the desired information to be obtained.
  • the detection of d e read ⁇ out of die desired residually coded picture lines is simplified by die presence of the line synchronization codes and line numbers in the subfile 4TV.
  • Fig. 28 shows an embodiment of the read unit 6 by means of which it is possible to read out the coded picture information recorded on the record carrier by means of me recording unit shown in Fig. 18.
  • the shown read unit 6 comprises a customary read head 280 which reads die information patterns on the record carrier 184 by scanning die track 20 and converts the resulting information into corresponding signals.
  • the read unit further comprises a customary positioning unit 284 for moving die read head 280 in a direction transverse to the tracks to a portion of the track 20 specified by a selected address.
  • the movement of the read head 283 is controlled by a control unit 285.
  • the signals converted by the read head 280 are decoded by an EFM decoding circuit 281 and are subsequently applied to a CIRC decoding circuit 282.
  • the CIRC decoding circuit 282 is of a customary type, which restores the original structure of the information which has been interleaved prior to recording and which detects and, if possible, corrects incorrectiy read codes. Upon detection of incorrigible errors the CIRC decoding unit supplies a new error flag signal. The information which has been restored and corrected by the CIRC decoding circuit 282 is applied to a deformatting circuit 283 which removes the additional information added by die formatting circuit 186 prior to recording.
  • the EFM demodulating circuit 281, die CIRC decoding circuit 282, and the deformatting circuit 283 are controlled in a customary manner by the control unit 285.
  • the information supplied by the deformatting circuit 283 is applied via an interface circuit 286.
  • the deformatting circuit may comprise an error correction circuit by means of which errors which cannot be corrected by the CIRC decoding circuit can be detected and corrected. This is effected by means of redundant information EDC & ECC added by the formatting circuit 166.
  • the error correction circuit which is comparatively complex and therefore comparatively expensive, is not necessary. This is because the effects of erroneously read codes in d e absolutely coded picture information can be masked simply by replacing d e incorrectiy read coded pixels and/or a complete coded picture line by picture information derived from one or more adjacent coded pixels or adjacent coded picture lines. Such a correction can be effected simply by means of die signal processing unit 141 shown in Fig.
  • control circuit 253 by programming the control circuit 253 so as to be responsive to the error flag signal supplied by die CLRC decoding circuit 282 to control the load control circuit 256 in such a way that the information of an adjacent pixel is read and, at die same time, me multiplex circuit 254 is set to a state in which the data outputs of the picture memory 255 are connected to the data inputs. Subsequently, the load control circuit 256 is reset to its previous state and instead of the incorrectly read coded pixel die information read from the picture memory 255 is stored at die addressed memory location.
  • the capacity of the picture memory 255 is large, so that die cost price of such a memory is comparatively high.
  • the memory capacity may be reduced by arranging between the multiplexer 254 and die picture memory 255 a sample rate converter 290 of a customary type, which reduces the number of pixels per line from, for example, 786 to 512.
  • Fig. 31 shows an example of the sample rate converter 290.
  • the present example comprises a series arrangement of an upsampling and interpolation circuit 310 and a low-pass filter 311, and a downsampling and decimating circuit 312.
  • die sample rate converter 290 enables a memory of, for example, 512 by 512 memory locations to be employed. Since for practical reasons the number of rows and die number of columns of memory locations in a memory are preferably powers of two, this yields a memory of particularly satisfactory dimensions. Moreover, as a result of die reduction of die number of memory locations to 512 per row die required memory read-out frequency is reduced by 2/3, so that less stringent requirements have to be imposed on the read-out speed of die memories and die read control circuit which are used.
  • the usually employed picture tubes have a maximum resolution corresponding to approximately 5 MHz, which corresponds to approximately 500 pixels per line, so that the reduction of die number of memory locations per row has no visible effects on the reproduced picture.
  • die sample rate converter is also advantageous when portrait-format representations of pictures are to be displayed on a display screen, which will be explained hereinafter with reference to Figs. 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d.
  • die reference numeral 300 refers to the dimensions of a picture in accordance with the PAL TV standard.
  • Such a picture in accordance with the PAL TV standard comprises 575 useful picture lines.
  • reproduction of the information in the picture memory 255 of 512x512 memory elements 512 of these 575 useful picture lines are utilized. This means that a representation 301 of the coded picture in the picture memory fits completely within the aspect ratio of the frame 300 as defined by the PAL TV standard, only a small part of the available display screen area being left unused.
  • the reference numeral 302 denotes a frame having the dimensions of a picture in accordance witii die NTSC TV standard.
  • a picture in conformity with the NTSC TV standard comprises 485 useful lines.
  • Figs. 30a and 30b concern landscape-format reproductions of representations of coded pictures. However, if portrait-format representations of coded pictures are required the problem arises mat the height of the picture corresponds to 768 memory locations, the number of useful picture lines being 575 in accordance with the PAL TV standard and 485 in accordance with the NTSC TV standard.
  • die ratio between the length and widti of the representation of the coded picture stored in die picture memory 255 corresponds to the original ratio it is required to fill only 256 of the 512 columns of the picture memory with picture information. This is possible, for example, by storing only me even or only the odd coded picture lines in the memory 255. However, otiier methods utilizing interpolation techniques may also be used.
  • the method of reducing die number of columns in the picture memory employing interpolation techniques yields a picture representation of satisfactory quality. This is in contradistinction to the method in which only a part of d e coded picture lines is stored in the columns of the picture memory.
  • An example of a method which in a simple way yields representations of satisfactory quality will be described below for a picture memory comprise 512x512 memory locations. This method uses the subfile TV/4 with 384x256 coded pixels, instead of the subfile TV with 768x512 coded pixels, for loading me picture memory.
  • sample rate converter 20 by means of which the number of pixels per read coded picture line can be reduced and increased, enables the number of pixels per read coded picture line of the subfile TV/4 to be increased from 384 to 512.
  • the 256 available adapted picture lines of 512 coded pixels each are loaded into the memory 255.
  • 256 columns of 512 memory locations each are filled witii picture information.
  • Reading out this information yields an undistorted portrait-format representation, whose height substantially corresponds to the height of die display screen of a PAL or NTSC TV system, and whose quality is substantially better than that of a portrait-format representation obtained on the basis of a coded picture of 768x512 coded pixels whose widtii is adapted by using only half (256) the available number of 512 coded picture lines.
  • Fig. 30c shows a portrait-format representation 304 of the stored coded picture (of 256x512 coded pixels) tirus obtained within the frame 300 defined by the PAL TV standard.
  • the entire representation falls within the frame defined by die PAL standard.
  • Fig. 30d by way of illustration shows a portrait-format representation 305 of the coded picture thus stored.
  • the representation falls largely witiiin the frame 302 defined by the NTSC TV standard.
  • the use of a sample rate converter 290 enables the use of a picture memory having equal numbers of rows and columns and corresponding substantially to the number of useful picture lines in accordance witii die NTSC or PAL standard. This means that both in the case of portrait-format and landscape-format representations of coded pictures the height of the representation substantially corresponds to the number of useful picture lines, so tiiat the display screen will be filled correctly for representations of both types.
  • Fig. 32 shows diagrammatically an embodiment of a read device 320 in accordance with the invention, in which all die parts which are irrelevant are not shown or are shown in broken lines, such as the decoding circuit 252.
  • the decoding circuit 252 In this Figure parts corresponding to those already described bear die same reference numerals.
  • the combination of the load control circuit 256, die memory 255 and the read control circuit 257 bears the reference numeral 231.
  • this combination will be referred to as me picture memory unit 321.
  • the operation of the read device will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 33 for the case that a landscape-format representation of the coded picture TV is to be reproduced on the display unit 10.
  • the coded picture TV represents 512 lines of 768 pixels each.
  • a picture of such dimensions bears the reference numeral 330.
  • the ratio between the dimension of the pixel in d e horizontal direction and the dimension of the pixel in the vertical direction is unity.
  • pixels with such a ratio between the horizontal and vertical dimensions will bear the reference letter p.
  • a picture made up of 512 lines of 768 pixels is referred to as a picture having the dimensions 512.1 x 768.p.
  • coded picture TV is converted into a coded picture representing a picture 331 of 512 lines of 512 pixels p' each.
  • the sample rate converter is then set to adapt die sample rate by a factor of 2/3.
  • the ratio between the dimension in me horizontal direction and the dimension in the vertical direction for die pixel p' is 3/2.
  • This means mat a group 332 of ti ree horizontally adjacent pixels represented by die coded picture TV corresponds to a group 333 of two horizontally adjacent pixels p' in the picture represented by the coded picture supplied by the sample rate converter.
  • the coded picture on the output of the sample rate converter thus represents a picture made up of 512 lines of 512 pixels p' each.
  • a storage capacity of 512 x 512 memory locations is adequate.
  • the coded picture lines are stored in rows in the memory 255.
  • the picture memory 255 is also read in a row-by-row fashion. It will be obvious tiiat instead of a row-by-row read-in and read-out of d e memory the memory can also be read in and read out in a column-by-column fashion. An essential feature is, however, that die read-out direction of the memory corresponds to the read-in direction.
  • the read device shown in Fig. 33 has the advantage tiiat a so-called square memory may be used, i.e.
  • die memory locations can be addressed as matrix elements of a matrix having a number of rows equal to the number of columns.
  • Such square memories can be realised simply by means of commercially available integrated memory circuits.
  • the read device further has the advantage that the speed witii which die coded pixels are fetched from the memory 255 is only 2/3 of e fetching speed in the case of a memory storing a coded picture of 512 x 768 coded pixels.
  • the reduction of the number of pixels per picture line from 768 to 512 does not adversely affect the picture quality during d e reproduction of a representation of the picture on a display unit in the form of a standard TV set. This is because existing TV sets are adapted to display video signals witii a bandwidtii of approximately 4 to 5 MHz.
  • Such a bandwidtii corresponds to approximately 400 to 500 pixels per line.
  • the use of picture lines comprising 768 pixels per picture line would result in a bandwidtii of approximately 7.5 MHz.
  • the high-frequency content in the part of the band from 4-5 MHz to 7.5 MHz is not reproduced on a standard TV set.
  • How an enlarged representation of a part of the recorded coded picture can be obtained will be explained witii reference to Fig. 34.
  • the picture represented by die recorded coded picture bears the reference numeral 340.
  • a part 341 thereof having a height equal to half the height of the entire picture and having a width equal to half the width of d e entire picture is to be displayed on the display unit 10 enlarged linearly by a factor of two.
  • the part 342 is a picture comprising 256 lines of 768 pixels p each.
  • the read-out coded picture lines at the output of the read unit are applied to die sample-rate converter 290, which has been set to a state in which it converts a picture line of 768 coded pixels into a coded picture line of 1024 coded pixels.
  • These coded pixels represent pixels (p" in Fig. 34) whose ratio between die dimension in the horizontal direction and the dimension in the vertical direction is 3/4.
  • the 256 coded picture lines tiius obtained are stored in me picture memory, every line being stored two times. In mis way a coded picture is stored which comprises
  • the coded pixels in the coded picture lines again represent a pixel (p') whose ratio between the horizontal dimension and the vertical dimension is 3/2.
  • a representation of the coded picture thus stored can be displayed on the display unit 10 in die same way as described witii reference to Fig. 33.
  • the above method of displaying an enlarged picture employs the absolutely coded picture TV instead of the residually coded picture 4TV as the basis for the coded picture stored in the picture memory 255. This has the advantage that no additional decoding circuit is required for decoding the residually coded picture.
  • the time required for reading- out the picture information is shorter.
  • horizontal resolution of the TV set corresponds to die number of pixels per picture line.
  • the vertical resolution of die coded picture is not adapted to an optimum extent to the TV set. This is because the TV set displays pairs of identical picture lines. In practice this is found to be hardly perceptible.
  • die foregoing die coded picture lines being read are wholly applied to die sample rate converter and only half die adapted picture line is stored in die memory. However, it is alternatively possible to apply only d e desired half of the picture line being read to the sample rate converter.
  • the read unit 6 reads 512 of d e 1024 available residually coded lines (T) of 4TV from the record carrier 184.
  • the coded picture lines thus read represent a part of die picture comprising the enlarged representation to be displayed.
  • the decoding circuit converts die residually coded picture lines being read into series of adapted coded pixels each representing a pixel p.
  • the sample rate converter converts said series of pixels into series of coded pixels each representing a pixel p'.
  • the memory 255 is loaded witii 512 lines each comprising 512 adapted coded pixels.
  • a representation of the coded picture stored in me picture memory can be displayed on the display unit 10.
  • the method described above has the advantage that the resolution (in a vertical direction) of the coded picture is higher than that obtained with d e method of producing an enlarged representation on the basis of the coded picture TV.
  • the read-out coded picture lines are wholly applied to die sample rate converter and only half die adapted picture line is stored in d e memory.
  • the read unit now reads die coded picture TV/4.
  • This coded picture represents a picture of 256 lines (1) of 384 pixels (p) each.
  • the sample rate converter 290 converts the series of read-out coded pixels into series of coded pixels forming a picture of 512 lines of 576 pixels p*.
  • the sample rate converter is set to adapt the sample rate by a factor of 2/3.
  • the pixels p exhibit a ratio of 2/3 between the horizontal dimension and the vertical dimension.
  • the 256 coded picture lines of 576 coded pixels each at die output of the sample rate converter 290 are stored in 256 columns of the picture memory 255 instead of in rows as in die reproduction of non-rotated representations. Since the number of memory locations in each column is only 512 it is not possible to store all the coded pixels. The coded pixels at die beginning and/or the end of d e coded picture line are not stored. When the memory is now read row by row in the same way as described with reference to Figs. 33, 34 and 35 a coded picture is read which represents a picture rotated tiirough 90 degrees and comprising 512 lines of 512 pixels p'.
  • the metiiod described above has the advantage that a rotated representation of a coded picture is obtained in a simple manner, without loss of picture quality and with a correctly filled display screen. Another method of reproducing a rotated representation on the basis of the coded picture TV will now be described with reference to Fig. 37.
  • the coded picture TV (512.1 x 768.p) is read by die read unit 6.
  • the sample rate converter 290 converts the read-out coded picture lines of 768 coded pixels each into coded picture lines of 576 adapted coded pixels each. For this purpose the sample rate converter 290 is set to adapt the sample rate by a factor of 3/4.
  • the adapted coded pixels represent a pixel p whose ratio between the horizontal dimension and the vertical dimension is 4/3.
  • the coded picture thus obtained is converted into a coded picture of 256 lines of 576 coded pixels each.
  • the coded picture tiius obtained represents a picture comprising
  • the coded picture is the coded picture TV recorded on die record carrier 184.
  • the read unit 6 reads 256 of die available coded picture lines of TV.
  • the read-out coded picture lines of 384 coded pixels each are converted into a coded picture of 256 lines of 576 coded pixels each by means of d e sample rate converter. These pixels represent pixels p .
  • coded picture 512 coded pixels of each line are loaded into the picture memory 255 in a column by column fashion.
  • the memory is loaded column by column to obtain a coded picture representing a picture which has been rotated tiirough an angle of 90 degrees.
  • Each coded pixel represents a pixel p'.
  • die foregoing die read-out coded picture lines are wholly applied to die sample rate converter and only half me adapted picture line is stored in the memory. However, it is also possible to apply only me desired half the read-out picture line to the sample rate converter.
  • the read unit 6 now reads out 512 of the available 1024 residually coded picture lines.
  • the decoding circuit 252 tiiese read-out residually coded picture lines are converted into series of coded pixels each representing a pixel p'.
  • the sample rate converter 290 these series of coded pixels are converted into series of adapted coded pixels each representing a pixel p .
  • the sample rate converter 290 is set to adapt die sample rate by a factor of 3/4. Subsequently, pairs of consecutive coded picture lines are converted into one coded picture line, for example by suppressing one picture line of every pair.
  • the rotation is obtained by storing coded picture lines column by column in the picture memory and subsequendy reading the stored picture out of the memory in a row by row fashion.
  • this rotation can also be obtained by storing d e pictures row by row and extracting them from the memory in a column by column fashion.
  • An essential feature is that the ratio between the vertical and the horizontal dimension of me pixel (p') representing the coded pixel supplied to the signal converter 258 by the memory unit 321 is the same both for rotated and non-rotated pictures.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Television Signal Processing For Recording (AREA)
  • Magnetic Heads (AREA)
  • Holo Graphy (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
  • Lift-Guide Devices, And Elevator Ropes And Cables (AREA)
EP19910917675 1990-09-19 1991-09-18 Leseeinrichtung Withdrawn EP0506902A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP90202487 1990-09-19
EP90202487 1990-09-19
NL9002114 1990-09-27
NL9002114A NL9002114A (nl) 1990-09-19 1990-09-27 Beeldopslagsysteem.

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EP0506902A1 true EP0506902A1 (de) 1992-10-07

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EP (1) EP0506902A1 (de)
JP (1) JPH05502568A (de)
CN (1) CN1062066A (de)
AU (1) AU655944B2 (de)
BR (1) BR9105989A (de)
CA (1) CA2068869A1 (de)
WO (1) WO1992005658A1 (de)

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DE69321895D1 (de) * 1992-08-03 1998-12-10 Koninkl Philips Electronics Nv Einrichtung zum Auslesen von Information
US5532136A (en) * 1993-06-22 1996-07-02 Bionebraska, Inc. Monoclonal antibody assay and kit for detecting metal cations in body fluids
DE69318038T2 (de) * 1993-10-29 1998-10-29 Toshiba Kawasaki Kk Aufzeichnungsmedium, das verschiedene sprachen verarbeiten kann und wiedergabevorrichtung
CA2168327C (en) * 1995-01-30 2000-04-11 Shinichi Kikuchi A recording medium on which a data containing navigation data is recorded, a method and apparatus for reproducing a data according to navigationdata, a method and apparatus for recording a data containing navigation data on a recording medium.
KR100215130B1 (ko) * 1995-04-06 1999-08-16 니시무로 타이죠 재생 데이타와 재생 데이타의 속성 정보를 함께 기록한 기록매체
US5745643A (en) * 1995-04-06 1998-04-28 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba System for and method of reproducing playback data appropriately by the use of attribute information on the playback data
CN108726295B (zh) * 2018-05-29 2024-03-29 河南德克电子科技有限公司 无线货梯控制装置

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JPS58108885A (ja) * 1981-12-23 1983-06-29 Nippon Kogaku Kk <Nikon> 静止画像信号変換装置
FR2523792B1 (fr) * 1982-03-19 1986-04-11 Thomson Csf Procede de traitement de signal video et systeme de traitement pour sa mise en oeuvre
JPS60144082A (ja) * 1983-12-30 1985-07-30 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd 写真画像の記録方法及び装置
DE3808668C1 (de) * 1988-03-15 1989-06-22 Nixdorf Computer Ag, 4790 Paderborn, De
JPH0292155A (ja) * 1988-09-29 1990-03-30 Sony Corp 画像読み取り装置
DE68923349T2 (de) * 1988-12-08 1995-12-14 Canon Kk Bildreduzierungsvorrichtung.

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BR9105989A (pt) 1993-01-05
WO1992005658A1 (en) 1992-04-02
CA2068869A1 (en) 1992-03-20
AU655944B2 (en) 1995-01-19
AU8636991A (en) 1992-04-15
CN1062066A (zh) 1992-06-17
JPH05502568A (ja) 1993-04-28

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