US 20120013798A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0013798 A1 Arora et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jan. 19, 2012 (54) METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACHIEVING (52) US. Cl. ............................... .. 348/445; 348/E07.003 BETTER PICTURE QUALITY IN VARIOUS ZOOM MODES (57) ABSTRACT (76) Inventors: Gaurav Arora, Northborough, MA (US); Adil Jagmag, Hollis, NH A method and system are provided in Which a video image may be scaled from a ?rst to a second video format. The (Us) scaling may be a non-uniform scaling such as an anamorphic (21) Appl. No.: 13/013,307 scaling. When panning associated With the scaled video image is detected, one or more end portions of a current frame (22) Filed: Jan. 25, 2011 of the scaled video image may be adjusted, the adjustment being based on one or more frames of the scaled video image Related US. Application Data that are previous to the current frame. The adjustment may result from combining information from the corresponding (60) Provisional application No. 61/364,628, ?led on Jul. end portion of previous frames With the information of the 15, 2010. current frame. One or more end portions that are opposite to the ones adjusted may also be adjusted based on one or more Publication Classi?cation frames of the scaled video image that are subsequent to the (51) Int. Cl. current frame. The panning detected may be horizontal, ver H04N 7/01 (2006.01) tical, or a combination thereof. pillarbox 4:3 530a / 520 53Gb pillarbox Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 1 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 Server IN / , ‘ I f 132 1 i ------------------------ ‘__"--_ Cable/Satellite . 122 110 111 V / f 134 V142 120 m K / 136 C) |:| Fig. 1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 2 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 Digital Television System-On-Chip E Audio ‘ reproduction Audio 7 module module E Cab|e/ Tuning Interface M Core Tv/ —> module : module procgslsor Video Satellite m E Video mgog e > display module — ' module M m Other devices 8:228 —> and/or peripherals Host processor Memory module module 240 E Fig. 2 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 3 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 320 Fig. 3A 340 Fig. 3B Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 4 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 A] Ietterbox 420 16:9 Ietterbox K 430a Fig. 4 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 5 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 pillarbox 4:3 530a / 520 530b pillarbox Fig. 5 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 6 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 Top end _A_ 1 v. \.\ \__ 4.3. 600 wk- ‘ "-_ \\ Height "'~~.,, 610 -\.___\ 4/ _~-.\ \ 16:9 _ \ \ \ Bottom end " ‘ ‘ Width ‘ ‘ 16:9 left} \ 4:3 left 4:3 right} \16;9 right end end end end Fig. 6 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 7 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 Frame (k-2) 760 Frame (k-1) 700 \ i 720 2% Current frame (k) :> Frame (k+1) PANNING 770 DIRECTION Frame (k+2) Fig. 7A Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 8 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 Frame (k+2) 770 Frame (k+1) 70)? Current frame (k) Frame (k-1) PANNING 760 DIRECTION Frame (k-2) Fig. 7B Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 9 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 870 Frame (k+2) ‘J 800 810 l 820 Frame (k+1) N ) 27’ \ Frame (k-1) Current frame (k) 830 860 840 PANNING F rame( k-2 ) DIRECTION Fig. 8A Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 10 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 860 Frame (k-2) ‘J 800 820 810 Frame (k-1) Frame (k+1) Current frame (k) 830 870 840 PANNING F rame( k+2 ) DIRECTION Fig. 8B Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 11 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 Frame (k-2) 760 Frame (k-1) 900 Current frame (k) Frame (k+1) PANNING 770 DIRECTION k» Frame (k+2) Fig. 9 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 12 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 10000 Scaling a video image from a first video format to a second video format Detecting panning in the scaled video image Adjusting, upon detection of the panning, one or more end portions of a current frame based on one or more previous frames Adjusting one or more opposite end portions of the current frame based on one or more subsequent frames Fig. 10 Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 13 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 1110 Frame (k, (DN) / Frame (k, (D1) Frame (k, CD1) / 11008 I Current frame (k, (DO) u 1150b Fig. 11 Augmented current frame (k) Patent Application Publication Jan. 19, 2012 Sheet 14 0f 14 US 2012/0013798 A1 1200 Digitally zooming a video image Selecting one or more frames that correspond to a current frame of the zoomed video image, wherein the one or more frames have a different viewing angle Combining information from the current frame and the selected frames to generate an augmented current frame of the zoomed video image Fig. 12 US 2012/0013798 A1 Jan. 19, 2012 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACHIEVING [0012] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary con BETTER PICTURE QUALITY IN VARIOUS version of a 16: 9 aspect ratio video image to a 4:3 aspect ratio ZOOM MODES video image, in connection With an embodiment of the inven tion. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED [0013] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary con APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY version of a 4:3 aspect ratio video image to a 16: 9 aspect ratio REFERENCE video image, in connection With an embodiment of the inven tion. [0001] This application claims priority to and makes refer [0014] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a non-uniform hori ence to US. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/364, Zontal scaling of a 4:3 aspect ratio video image to a 16:9 628 ?led on Jul. 15, 2010. aspect ratio video image, in accordance With an embodiment [0002] The above stated application is hereby incorporated of the invention. herein by reference in its entirety. [0015] FIGS. 7A and 7B are each a diagram illustrating reduction of a jarring effect on horiZontal panning content by FIELD OF THE INVENTION utiliZing previous and/or subsequent frames, in accordance With embodiments of the invention. [0003] Certain embodiments of the invention relate to pro [0016] FIGS. 8A and 8B are each a diagram illustrating cessing of video signals. More speci?cally, certain embodi reduction of a jarring effect on vertical panning content by ments of the invention relate to a method and system for utiliZing previous and/or subsequent frames, in accordance achieving better picture quality in various Zoom modes. With embodiments of the invention. [0017] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating reduction of a jarring BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION effect on a right-doWn panning content by utiliZing previous and/or subsequent frames, in accordance With an embodi [0004] Televisions typically support a range of vieW ment of the invention. modes, including letterboxing and/or pillarboxing, Zooms [0018] FIG. 10 is a How diagram illustrating exemplary that employ clipping of a source, and Zooms that employ steps for reducing a jarring effect on panning content, in scaling of the image provided by the video source Without accordance With an embodiment of the invention. preserving the original aspect ratio. In some instances, a [0019] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating augmentation of a television can support a combination of the above-described digitally Zoomed video image based on frames having a dif modes. Such vieW modes can have an effect on image quality, ferent vieWing angle, in accordance With an embodiment of particularly on the smoothness and/or sharpness of the scaled the invention. or Zoomed video image. [0020] FIG. 12 is a How diagram illustrating exemplary [0005] Further limitations and disadvantages of conven steps for augmenting a Zoomed video image, in accordance tional and traditional approaches Will become apparent to one With an embodiment of the invention. of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems With the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION present application With reference to the draWings. [0021] Certain embodiments of the invention can be found in a method and system for achieving better picture quality in BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION various Zoom modes. Various embodiments of the invention provide for a video processor that may scale a video image [0006] A system and/ or method for achieving better picture from a ?rst video format to a second video format, detecting quality in various Zoom modes, as set forth more completely panning associated With the scaled video image, and adjust in the claims. ing, When the panning is detected, one or more endportions of [0007] Various advantages, aspects and novel features of a current frame of the scaled video image. The ?rst video the present invention, as Well as details of an illustrated format may be a 4:3 aspect ratio video format and the second embodiment thereof, Will be more fully understood from the video format may be a 16:9 aspect ratio video format, for folloWing description and draWings. example. Other video formats, hoWever, may also be utiliZed. The scaling of the video image may comprise non-uniform BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF scaling, such as an anamorphic scaling, for example. The THE DRAWINGS scaling need not be limited to full screen scaling, for example, but may also be utiliZed in instances Where the scaling [0008] FIG.