Patent · US Expired

Video contrast enhancer

US5808697A · kind A · utility

98Cited by
13References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 14, 1996
Grant dateSep 15, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 14, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG09G2360/16
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A video contrast enhancer enhances luminance contrast by dividing each video frame or field into blocks, calculating a mean luminance level for each block, selecting mapping functions on the basis of these mean luminance levels over a series of frames or fields, and mapping the video luminance levels according to the selected mapping functions. Color-saturation contrast is enhanced by modifying the amplitude of the modulated chrominance signal by the histogram equalization method, preferably by making a single linear modification in each period of the chrominance signal, so that color phase is not affected. For video signals with non-picture bands, these enhancements are preferably restricted to the picture area. If a black offset is present, it is preferably removed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.