Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Specific signal processing circuitry
Patent
1987-02-02
1988-08-30
Britton, Howard W.
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Specific signal processing circuitry
358 22, H04N 5262
Patent
active
047680954
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for processing an image, which comprises storing a frame of television image signals in the image memory of a television receiver and reading out the stored signals for display as a still picture.
BACKGROUND ART
The recent advancement of semiconductors and the low costs of memory IC's have made it practical to incorporate into consumer electronics imaging equipment a device for storing a frame of TV image signal in the memory and reading them out for display as a still picture. For example, ordinary TV receivers with such a device can display a given frame of movies as a still picture and can be used for various other purposes. One of the easiest ways to provide such a still picture is the use of a video tape or cassette recorder. With a VTR or VCR, it is possible to pause the playback of a recorded TV program to provide a still picture. However, this method requires the recording, tape rewinding, and playback operations, and it is too troublesome to pause the TV program being broadcast to give a still picture for taking memos for example. It is also not practical to always put the VCR in the recording condition for giving a still picture. Thus, it has been proposed to store TV image signals in an image memory, such as a solid-state memory, from which a still picture is produced by simply pressing the button at the desired scene. Such a device is easy to operate and will find a wide range of applications.
FIG. 6 shows an example of such prior art devices. The desired TV channel can be selected with a tuner 1 from the TV signals received by an antenna 1a and sent to an image amplification and demodulation circuit 2. The demodulated image signal A is supplied through a switch circuit 3 to an image output circuit 4 for driving a display or CRT 13. The demodulated image signal A is also supplied to a synchronization separating circuit 5 to put out horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals SH and SV. These signals are fed to a deflection circuit 6 to generate sawtooth current for driving a deflection yoke 14 of the CRT 13. As a result, a TV picture is displayed on the CRT 13. So far, nothing is different from the conventional TV receiver.
Indicated by a dotted line is an image processing section R for displaying still pictures. The aforementioned demodulated image signal A is converted to a digital signal in an A/D converter 7. In the period of one field or frame after the output H of a flip-flop 10, which is inverted every time a button 15 is pushed, is turned to a high level, a memory control circuit 11 puts out a write signal to an image memory 8 for writing an image signal E in the image memory 8. Upon completion of the writing, the memory control circuit 11 puts out a read signal for reading out the written image signal. This read-out image signal F is converted to an analog signal G in a D/A converter 9 and sent to the switching circuit 3. When the output H of the flip-flop is at a high level, the switch 3 is connected to a point 2 so that the image signal G from the memory 8 is sent to the image output circuit 4 and then displayed on the CRT 13 as a still picture. When the switch 15 is pushed again, the flip-flop 10 is inverted to a low level, which in turn brings the switch 3 to a point 1 for displaying an ordinary TV picture. A reference oscillator 12 supplies operation clocks to the aforementioned memory control circuit 11.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The conventional devices of the above type, however, are not capable of displaying the ordinary TV picture during the time of displaying a still picture. In a VTR, a still picture is produced by mechanically pausing the running of a tape. Consequently, when the still picture mode is released, the subsequent pictures can be viewed without any loss. However, the unit of FIG. 6 loses the TV pictures during the time of displaying a still picture since the TV program is continuously broadcast.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and ap
REFERENCES:
patent: 4249213 (1981-02-01), Imaide et al.
patent: 4569079 (1986-02-01), Yoshida
patent: 4673983 (1987-06-01), Sarugaka et al.
patent: 4712133 (1987-12-01), Kikuchi
Ishii Yoshinori
Wada Ryukichi
Britton Howard W.
Kostak Victor R.
Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
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