Florida Atlantic University is seeking partners interested in licensing a system and method for converting a digital video signal to a higher frame rate, with reduction of artifacts. The invention is a method for getting a low frame rate television signal for display at a high frame rate. The technology is simpler than other systems and produces conversion with little motion blur or judder.
Potential Benefits
- Detail is presented at a low “frame rate and the remaining information is interpolated to produce a high frame rate display.
- The technology allows recording at 24 or 30 FPS to save memory but displays an image at 60 FPS or higher that looks like a 60 FPS or higher image. The format provides high displayed quality and less compression for the original signal.
- Competing systems use frame duplication which results in jerky motion (judder) or motion vector processing which is very complex and expensive.
- For program origination and transmission, the memory and bit rate can be less.
- For television sets, programs originated at 24 or 30 FPS can display much better moving images using this process.
Potential Applications
- Consumer television and digital motion picture displays that now convert from 24 or 30 to 60 FPS for display.
- View finders for 24 FPS cameras.
- Consumer television sets displaying digital compressed images.
- Camcorders can record at a low frame rate and display at a high frame rate.
Technology
The technology provides much better motion rendition and less motion blur and judder. The invention, 60P or 120P Display can be derived from a low frame rate recordings using sub-band coding. It is novel in that it uses sub-band coding rather than motion vectors to derive the higher frame rate. It is a different way to display (e.g. JPEG2000 – digital communication (cinemas) is a group standard) recordings made at 24 or 30 FPS with a display rate of 60 FPS. The invention takes advantage of the fact that our visual system is slower for detecting detail than it is for detecting lower spatial frequencies.
The new HDTV DVDs like “blue ray” derive 60 FPS progressive scans from the recording. This may be done by recording an MPEG type compressed signal on the disc and using this system to display at 60 or 120 FPS.
Status of Development
- Detail at 30 FPS and low resolution at 60 FPS have been demonstrated
- Available for licensing
Inventor
William E. Glenn, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University. He was the former head of FAU’s Imaging Technology Center and NASA Imaging Technology Commercial Space Center (formerly Space Communications Technology Center). He has been awarded more than 130 U.S. patents. He holds an honored position among only 50 or so such prolific, commercially viable inventors in the nation, who are second only to Thomas Edison, in number of patents issued. With an average of 3-4 U.S. patents issued per year, Dr. Glenn is rapidly approaching Edison’s mark. His research expertise includes video technology, ultrasonic imaging, video displays, high-resolution cameras, video compression and digital signal processing.
Intellectual Property Status (200803)
U.S. Utility filed 9/11/09 (12/584,829)
Patent Pending
Brochure
