JP2006118868A - Video synthesizer and composition method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To compose an image in response to significance of display for a graphic image and a radar image, in particular, to reduce brightness along with going back to the past of a dynamic change in every updating of radar information to be displayed on multicolored solid graphic display. <P>SOLUTION: A comparison processing part 109 determines a priority order of picture elements, based on the priority of the picture elements informed from a priority determination part 106, and the brightnesses informed from a brightness generation part A107 and a brightness generation part B108. The highest priority of picture element is selected with the highest priority when it exists. The brightness A of the graphic information is compared with the brightness B of the radar information, in case of the middle priority of picture element, the graphic information (display signal 1) is selected when A≥B, and the radar information (display signal 2) is selected when A<B. A picture element data A is selected when the brightness B is 0, in case of the low priority of picture element, and a picture element data B is selected when the brightness B is not 0. The selected picture elements serve as the composition image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a video synthesizing apparatus and method, and more particularly to a video synthesizing apparatus and method for synthesizing and displaying a radar video display with a graphic display in the field of air traffic control and the like.

  Conventionally, in Patent Document 1, in order to combine a plurality of images on one display device, one frame (or field) or one scanning line of one type of image is displayed, and then one frame of the other image is displayed. (Or field) or displaying one scan line is disclosed.

  Patent Document 2 discloses that a plurality of images are synthesized in units of pixels. When a radar image and a symbol image of a graphic or character are synthesized by logical sum in units of pixels, the color of the synthesis result is the same as one of the images or a color different from both. Therefore, depending on the color condition of the synthesis result, the symbol image (or radar image) becomes a worm-eaten state. Therefore, in the symbol image patent document 2, the luminance levels of the radar image and the symbol image are compared, and the image portion with the higher luminance level is output to the display device, and the lower portion is not output.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No.59-168787 (FIG. 1, page 5) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-196979 (FIG. 1, page 4)

  However, when a radar image such as a radar video or plot is synthesized on a graphic screen such as a symbol, map, or background, the graphic image may contain symbols that should always be displayed regardless of the brightness of the radar image. is there. In addition, some graphic images are given priority display according to the brightness of the radar image, for example, a map. Further, there are cases where it is desired to display a radar image from a graphic image such as a background even if the radar image has low luminance. As described above, the importance of displaying the graphic image and the radar image differs depending on the image portion to be superimposed.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to perform video synthesis in accordance with the importance of display for each pixel of a graphic image and a radar image.

  In addition, in air traffic control, in order to be able to identify dynamic changes for each update of radar information, it is necessary to have a function to display the information up to several times before the display brightness is lowered at a certain rate. However, for that purpose, even low-luminance radar information should be displayed, and it should not be excessively conspicuous.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, since the luminance of the graphic image and the radar image is only compared uniformly, the low luminance information is not selected, and the dynamic change of the radar information as described above is identified on the display. I can't do it.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to perform image synthesis in accordance with the importance of displaying graphic images and radar images. In particular, an object of the present invention is to display a dynamic change for each update of radar information on a multicolored graphic display.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the video composition apparatus and method of the present invention employ the following characteristic configuration.

(1) In a video synthesizing apparatus that synthesizes a real-time video display signal and a graphic display signal having display priority for each pixel,
A display priority determination unit that extracts the display priority for each pixel of the graphic signal;
A graphic luminance generation unit for calculating luminance for each pixel of the graphic signal;
A real-time video luminance generator for calculating the luminance for each pixel of the real-time video display signal;
A video synthesizing apparatus comprising: a display processing unit configured to input outputs of the display priority determination unit, the graphic luminance generation unit, and the real-time video luminance generation unit and determine a display priority order of the pixels.

(2) a pixel selection unit that inputs the graphic display signal, the real-time video display signal, and the display priority output from the comparison processing unit;
The video synthesizing device according to (1), wherein either the pixel of the graphic display signal or the pixel of the real-time video display signal is selected based on the display priority, and the selected pixel is output.

(3) a display priority assigning unit that assigns the display priority to the graphic display signal;
The video synthesizing apparatus according to (1), wherein a predetermined display priority is assigned to a pixel corresponding to a character or graphic to be displayed by the graphic display signal or a combination thereof.

(4) The pixel includes data of predetermined bits of red, green, and blue,
The video synthesizing device according to (3), wherein the display priority is assigned to the blue predetermined lower bits.

(5) further comprising a dynamic change applying unit for applying a dynamic change to the real-time video display signal;
The video synthesizing apparatus according to (1), wherein the dynamic change applying unit lowers the luminance of the subject as it goes back in the past with respect to the locus of the specific subject in the real-time video.

  (6) The video composition device according to (1), wherein the subject is an aircraft.

  (7) The video synthesizing device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the real-time video is a video of an aircraft captured by a radar.

(8) In a video synthesis method for synthesizing a graphic display signal having display priority for each pixel and a real-time video display signal,
For each pixel of the graphic display signal, giving a predetermined display priority to a pixel corresponding to a character or a figure to be displayed by the graphic display signal or a combination thereof;
Determining display priority of pixels based on the display priority and brightness;
Selecting a pixel to be displayed based on the determination.

(9) The display priority is a high display priority, a medium display priority, and a low display priority.
The video synthesizing method according to (8), wherein a pixel to be displayed is selected based on the display priority and luminance for each pixel of the graphic display signal and the luminance for each pixel of the real-time video display signal.

(10) When the display priority of the pixel of the graphic display signal is a high display priority,
The video synthesizing method according to (9), wherein a pixel of the graphic display signal is selected regardless of the luminance of the real-time video.

(11) When the display priority of the pixel of the graphic display signal is the medium display priority,
Comparing the luminance A of the pixel of the graphic display signal with the luminance B of the pixel of the real-time video display signal;
When the luminance B is lower than the luminance A, the pixel of the graphic display signal is selected,
The video synthesizing method according to (9), wherein when the luminance B exceeds the luminance A, a pixel of the real-time video display signal is selected.

(12) When the display priority of the pixel of the graphic display signal is a low display priority,
If the luminance of the pixel of the real-time video is zero, while selecting the pixel of the graphic display signal,
The video synthesizing method according to (9), wherein the pixel of the real-time video display signal is selected if the luminance of the pixel of the real-time video is not zero.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform image synthesis in accordance with the importance of displaying a graphic image and a radar image. In particular, according to the present invention, the dynamic change for each update of the radar information can be displayed on the multicolored graphic screen with the radar information having a lower luminance as it goes back in the past.

  More specifically, it is possible to realize a video composition function that takes into account the weighting of two inputs, which has been impossible in the past with simple chroma key video composition based on the Munsell color system.

  In addition, the display device for synthesizing and displaying radar video data has conventionally been composed of dedicated hardware and is an expensive device. By using standard DVI (digital visual interface) etc., it is possible to adopt a consumer PC for the image generation part, to realize a display device at a low cost, and the type of OS (Operating System) It is not influenced by.

Furthermore, the display load is heavy due to the large number of display objects and the update frequency is high, but in order to cope with this, a configuration in which parallel processing is performed by two separate PCs or the like becomes possible.
Furthermore, it is possible to input 3 or more display signals by simply adding an input I / F terminal and synthesize display signals from 3 or more PCs, etc. by synchronous control, so combined display processing capability is easy. Can be extended to

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the priority is given according to the contents of the graphic information, the video signal luminance is compared according to the contents of the graphic image and the radar image, and based on both the priority and the luminance comparison result. The display priority order is determined for each content, and video composition is performed. Specifically, when a graphic signal having a high display priority is superimposed on a radar video signal having a low display priority, the radar image is not displayed. Further, when a graphic image such as a background is not necessarily displayed, a low-luminance radar image is displayed. In particular, in order to make it easy to recognize the dynamic change at each update of the radar information, the radar information is displayed with a lower luminance as it goes back in the past on the multicolored graphic screen. However, when there is no radar information, graphic information such as background is displayed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video composition apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.
The video synthesizing apparatus 1 has an input I / F 102 for inputting a display signal 1 for displaying graphics, a frame memory A103 for inputting an output of the input I / F 102, and a display signal 1 based on the output of the frame memory A103. A priority determination unit 106 that determines display priority and a luminance generation unit A107 that calculates the luminance of the display signal 1 based on the output of the frame memory A are included.

  On the other hand, an input I / F 112 that inputs a display signal 2 that is a radar video signal, a frame memory B104 that inputs an output of the input I / F 112, and a luminance that calculates the luminance of the display signal 2 based on the output of the frame memory B104 Generation part B108.

  The outputs of the priority determination unit 106, the luminance generation unit A107, and the luminance generation unit B108 are input to the comparison processing unit 109, and the display priority order is determined based on these inputs. The output of the comparison processing unit 109, the output of the frame memory A103, and the output of the frame memory B104 are input to the pixel selection unit 110 and output as the composite display signal 3 via the output I / F 111.

  As described above, the comparison processing unit 109 outputs the priority (priority for displaying the pixels in the graphic display) output from the priority determination unit 106, the graphic display and the output from the luminance generation unit A107 and the luminance generation unit B108, respectively. Based on the brightness of the radar video display, one of the two display signals 1 and 2 is selected and output.

Next, each component will be described.
The input I / Fs 102 and 112 receive display signals 1 and 2 output from separate PCs (personal computers) or the like according to the DVI (digital visual interface) standard and convert them into a form suitable for internal processing. DVI is a standard for interfacing a digital display and a PC (personal computer). DDWG (digital
display working group) An international standard based on cargo. Outputs of the input I / Fs 102 and 112 are written in the frame memories A 103 and B 104 under the control of the memory control unit 105, respectively. The input I / F 102 extracts the synchronization signals 1 and 2 from the display signals 1 and 2 and outputs them to the memory control unit 105.

  The memory control unit 105 controls writing and reading of the frame memory A103 and the frame memory B104. In reading, the memory control unit 105 simultaneously reads from the frame memory A103 and the frame memory B104 in synchronization with a preset synchronization signal among the synchronization signals 1 and 2 and the synchronization signal generated inside the memory control unit 105. Do.

  The frame memory A103 and the frame memory B104 can perform writing and reading at independent timings. At this time, the memory control unit 105 does not read out of the double buffer configuration in writing to the frame memory. Control the frame memory to write to the other buffer.

  The priority determination unit 106 determines the pixel data of the display signal 1 as three pieces of priority information of high, medium, and low. Here, the priority is determined in advance according to the character or graphic to be displayed by the graphic display signal or a combination thereof.

  The high priority information is a pixel that is always displayed regardless of the pixel data of the display signal 2 in the composite display. The medium priority information is a pixel for which priority is determined by comparing luminance with the pixel data of the display signal 2. The low priority information is the lowest pixel in the composite display. The priority is written in a predetermined number of bits of the pixel data of the display signal 1, and the priority determination unit 106 extracts the corresponding bits from the pixel data read from the frame memory A 103, and compares the comparison unit 109. Notify

  The luminance generation unit A107 calculates luminance from each color data of red R, green G, and blue B from the pixel data read from the frame memory A103, and notifies the comparison processing unit 109 of the luminance.

  The luminance generation unit B108 generates luminance from the pixel data read from the frame memory B104 in the same manner as described above, and notifies the comparison processing unit 109 of the luminance.

  The comparison processing unit 109 compares the luminances output from the luminance generation unit A 107 and the luminance generation unit B 108 based on the information notified from the priority determination unit 106, and performs the frame memory A 103 or the frame memory for the pixel selection unit 110. It is notified which of the frame memories B104 is to select and output the pixel data read out.

  As for the selective output, in the case of high priority information, the pixel data of the frame memory A103 is selected with the highest priority. In the case of medium priority information, the luminance A generated by the luminance generation unit A107 is compared with the luminance B generated by the luminance generation unit B108. When A ≧ B, the display signal 1 on the A side is In this case, the pixel data of the display signal 2 on the B side is selected. In the case of low priority information, if the luminance B is not 0, the pixel data on the B side is selected. Note that the selection process is performed for each pixel of two synchronized display signals.

  The output I / F 111 converts pixel data selected and output from the pixel selection unit 110 into a DVI signal, and outputs a composite display signal 3.

  Further, for example, the dynamic change imparting unit 113 performs a process for lowering the luminance of the subject as it goes back in the past with respect to the locus of the subject such as an aircraft in the display signal 1. Moreover, the priority provision part 101 provides the priority to the display signal 1 according to a predetermined reference | standard.

FIG. 2 is a time sequence diagram showing the processing of the display signal in the embodiment of the present invention.
The display signal 1 is graphic information on which a graphic display such as a symbol or a map is drawn, and the display signal 2 is radar information on which a radar video, a plot, or the like is drawn.

  First, as a priority determination process, the video synthesizing apparatus classifies pixel data of the input display signal 1 as three pieces of priority information of high, medium, and low. The priority information is given to each graphic element of the graphic information, and the priority determination unit 106 extracts a bit representing the priority information from the pixel data of the display information 1 and compares it with the comparison processing unit. 109 is notified. As for the priority, for example, a high priority is given to a symbol or the like, a medium priority is given to a map or the like, and a low priority is given to a background or the like.

  Next, as luminance comparison processing, the luminance of the graphic information of medium priority and low priority and the luminance of radar information such as radar video and plot are ranked. In order of ranking, for example, in order from the highest one, a part of the radar video and a part of the plot are set to the high luminance information, the medium priority information such as a map is set to the medium luminance information, and the remainder of the radar video and the remaining part of the plot are reduced. It may be classified as luminance information.

  Further, the display priority order of each display pixel is determined by the comparison processing unit 109 based on the priority and the brightness order. For the determination of the display order, for example, in order from the highest one, for example, high priority information such as symbols, high luminance information such as part of the radar video or part of the plot, medium luminance information such as a map, medium priority information, The remainder of the radar video or the remainder of the plot may be used as low luminance information.

  Here, the priority information will be described. The display signal 1 has a lower influence on the luminance of the predetermined number of bits, for example, 8 bits each of red, green, and blue, which are pixel data, with respect to green and red. The pixel data is drawn and generated so that the priority information of the drawing data is written in the lower two bits of blue.

  The priority assignment unit 101 assigns priority to the display signal 1. The priority determination unit 106 decodes the priority information and notifies the comparison processing unit 109 of the priority of the pixel data read from the frame memory A103.

Further, the luminance information will be described. The luminance generation units A107 and B108 calculate the luminance from the pixel data read from the frame memory A103 or the frame memory B104, respectively, and notify the comparison processing unit 109 thereof. The luminance Ey is calculated by, for example, the following formula prescribed by the NTSC (national television system committee):
Ey = 0.30Er + 0.59Eg + 0.11Eb
(Ey: luminance value voltage, Er: red signal voltage, Eg: green signal voltage, Eb: blue signal voltage).

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the display priority order determination process in the comparison processing unit 109 in the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, when the priority output from the priority determination unit 106 is a high priority (step S1), the pixel data read from the frame memory A regardless of the pixel data B read from the frame memory B104. A is selected (step S2).

  When the priority is medium priority (step S3), the luminance A calculated from the pixel data A is compared with the luminance B calculated from the pixel data B (step S4), and the luminance B is smaller In (A ≧ B), the pixel data A is selected so that the pixel data B does not stand out (step S5). Thereby, the pixel B is not displayed. On the other hand, when the luminance B is larger (A <B), the pixel data B is selected for display (step S6).

  When the priority is low priority (when neither high priority nor medium priority), the pixel data A is selected when the luminance B is 0 (when there is no pixel data B) (step S8). . On the other hand, when the luminance B is not 0, that is, when the pixel data B exists, the pixel data B is selected (step S9).

  The video composition has been described above using radar information as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to synthesizing a vehicle traffic situation, a ship navigation situation, and other real-time images taken with a camera on graphic information.

1 is a block diagram of a video composition device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a time sequence which determines a display priority based on the priority of a display signal and the brightness | luminance ranking in the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart of the video composition method in the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

101 Priority giving unit 102, 112 Input I / F
103 Frame memory A (for graphic information)
104 Frame memory B (for radar information)
105 Memory Control Unit 106 Priority Determination Unit 107 Brightness Generation Unit A
108 Luminance generator B
109 Comparison processing unit 110 Pixel selection unit 111 Output I / F
113 Dynamic change assignment unit

Claims (12)

In a video synthesis device that synthesizes a real-time video display signal and a graphic display signal having display priority for each pixel,
A display priority determination unit that extracts the display priority for each pixel of the graphic signal;
A graphic luminance generation unit for calculating luminance for each pixel of the graphic signal;
A real-time video luminance generator for calculating the luminance for each pixel of the real-time video display signal;
A video synthesizing apparatus comprising: a comparison processing unit that inputs outputs of the display priority determination unit, the graphic luminance generation unit, and the real-time video luminance generation unit and determines a display priority order of the pixels. A pixel selection unit that inputs the graphic display signal, the real-time video display signal, and the display priority output by the comparison processing unit;
2. The video according to claim 1, wherein either the pixel of the graphic display signal or the pixel of the real-time video display signal is selected based on the display priority, and the selected pixel is output. Synthesizer. A display priority giving unit for giving the display priority to the graphic display signal;
2. The video composition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined display priority is assigned to a pixel corresponding to a character or graphic to be displayed by the graphic display signal or a combination thereof. The pixel includes data of predetermined bits of red, green, and blue,
4. The video composition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display priority is assigned to the predetermined lower-order bit of blue. A dynamic change applying unit that applies a dynamic change to the real-time video display signal;
The video synthesizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic change providing unit lowers the luminance of the subject as it goes back in the past with respect to the locus of the specific subject in the real-time video.   The video composition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subject is an aircraft.   7. The video synthesizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the real-time video is a video of an aircraft captured by a radar. In a video synthesis method for synthesizing a graphic display signal having display priority for each pixel and a real-time video display signal,
For each pixel of the graphic display signal, giving a predetermined display priority to a pixel corresponding to a character or a figure to be displayed by the graphic display signal or a combination thereof;
Determining display priority of pixels based on the display priority and brightness;
Selecting a pixel to be displayed based on the determination. The display priority is a high display priority, a medium display priority, and a low display priority,
9. The pixel to be displayed is selected based on the display priority and luminance for each pixel of the graphic display signal and the luminance for each pixel of the real-time video display signal. Video composition method. When the display priority of the pixel of the graphic display signal is a high display priority,
10. The video composition method according to claim 9, wherein a pixel of the graphic display signal is selected regardless of the luminance of the real-time video. When the display priority of the pixel of the graphic display signal is the medium display priority,
Comparing the luminance A of the pixel of the graphic display signal with the luminance B of the pixel of the real-time video display signal;
When the luminance B is lower than the luminance A, the pixel of the graphic display signal is selected,
The video composition method according to claim 9, wherein when the luminance B exceeds the luminance A, a pixel of the real-time video display signal is selected. When the display priority of the pixel of the graphic display signal is a low display priority,
If the luminance of the pixel of the real-time video is zero, while selecting the pixel of the graphic display signal,
10. The video composition method according to claim 9, wherein a pixel of the real-time video display signal is selected if the luminance of the pixel of the real-time video is not zero.

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