Apparatus and method for producing downwards compatible video signals with increased vertical resolution, and apparatus for reproducing and

Claims

We claim:

1. Apparatus for deriving an output video signal for transfer to a non-volatile video recording medium from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the output video signal representing the motion picture, having an increased vertical resolution, and requiring display using progressive scanning to reduce inter-line flicker, the apparatus comprising:

progressive video signal generating means for generating a progressive video signal from the motion picture film, the progressive video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including odd lines interleaved with even lines;

deriving means for deriving the output video signal from the progressive video signal, the output video signal being an interlaced, standard-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines, and having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced, standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the deriving means including:

a first odd field memory and a first even field memory,

means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive video signal into the first even field memory, and

means for reading the odd field of each one of the frames of the output video signal from the first odd field memory and for reading the even field of the one of the frames of the output video signal from the first even field memory;

flag signal generating means for generating a flag signal indicating that the output video signal from the deriving means is for display using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker; and

recording means for recording the output video signal from the deriving means together with the flag signal from the flag signal generating means in the non-volatile recording medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the recording medium includes a table of contents; and

the recording means is for recording the flag signal in the table of contents.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the recording means includes:

means for encoding the output video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag, and

means for recording the MPEG-encoded signal in the recording medium; and

the flag signal generating means is for setting the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the progressive video signal generating means includes a telecine apparatus generating the progressive video signal from the motion picture film.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the progressive video signal generating means includes:

a high-definition telecine apparatus generating an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film;

means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels; and

means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal as a frame of the output video signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, additionally comprising means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into an interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide the output video signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the interlaced high-definition video signal generated by the high-definition telecine apparatus has a field rate of 48 Hz;

the video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and

the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes means for performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

8. Apparatus for deriving an output video signal for transfer to a non-volatile video recording medium from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the output video signal representing the motion picture, having an increased vertical resolution, and requiring display using progressive scanning to reduce inter-line flicker, the apparatus comprising:

progressive video signal generating means for deriving the output video signal from the motion picture film, the output video signal being a standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced, standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the progressive video signal generating means including:

a high-definition telecine apparatus generating an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines;

means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal to the progressive high-definition video signal including:

a first odd field memory and a first even field memory;

means for feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first even field memory; and

means for alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first even field memory, and

means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal as a frame of the video signal;

flag signal generating means for generating a flag signal indicating that the video signal requires display using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker; and

recording means for recording the output video signal together with the flag signal in the non-volatile recording medium.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, additionally comprising means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into an interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide the output video signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the interlaced high-definition video signal generated by the high-definition telecine apparatus from the motion picture film has a field rate of 48 Hz;

the output video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and

the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes means for performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pixel reducing means includes a 3.times.3 filter.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

each of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal includes odd lines interleaved with even lines;

the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; and

the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes:

a second odd field memory and a second even field memory,

means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and

means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

13. A method of deriving an interlaced standard-definition video signal from an interlaced high-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the method comprising steps of:

providing a first odd field memory and a first even field memory;

converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including odd lines interleaved with even lines, the interlaced high-definition video signal being converted into a progressive high-definition video signal by steps of:

feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the odd field memory, and feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the even field memory, and

alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the even field memory;

reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and

converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the interlaced high-definition video signal represents a motion picture; and

the method additionally comprises steps of:

providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture, and

recording the interlaced standard-definition video signal on the non-volatile recording medium.

15. The method of claim 13, additionally comprising a step of including in the interlaced standard definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition video signal has an increased vertical resolution.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the interlaced high-definition video signal represents a motion picture; and

the method additionally comprises steps of:

providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture, and

recording the interlaced standard-definition video signal including the flag signal on the non-volatile recording medium.

17. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising steps of:

applying MPEG encoding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag; and

setting the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the interlaced high-definition video signal represents a motion picture; and

the method additionally comprises steps of:

providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture, and

recording the MPEG-encoded signal including the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag on the non-volatile recording medium.

19. The method of claim 13, additionally comprising steps of:

converting the interlaced standard-definition signal to a progressive standard-definition video signal; and

displaying the progressive standard-definition video signal using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein:

each of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines;

each of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal includes odd lines interleaved with even lines;

the method additionally comprises a step of providing a second odd field memory and a second even field memory; and

the step of converting the progressive standard-definition video signal includes steps of:

feeding odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and feeding even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and

reading the one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein,

the interlaced high-definition video signal has a field rate of 48 Hz;

the interlaced standard-definition video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and

the step of converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes a step of performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

22. A method of deriving an interlaced standard-definition video signal from an interlaced high-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, and for displaying the interlaced standard-definition video signal without interline flicker, notwithstanding the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the method comprising steps of:

converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels;

reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal;

converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines;

including in the interlaced standard definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition video signal has an increased vertical resolution;

extracting the flag signal from the interlaced standard-definition video signal; and

in response to the flag signal extracted in the extracting step:

converting the interlaced standard-definition signal to a progressive standard-definition video signal, and

displaying the progressive standard-definition video signal using progressive scanning to prevent interline flicker.

23. A method of deriving an interlaced standard-definition video signal from a interlaced high-definition video signal representing a motion picture and for displaying interlaced standard-definition video signal without interline flicker, notwithstanding the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the method comprising steps of:

converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels;

reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal;

converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines;

applying MPEG encoding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag;

setting the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame;

providing a non-volatile recording medium capable of storing the MPEG-encoded signal representing the motion picture;

recording the MPEG-encoded signal on the non-volatile recording medium;

reproducing the MPEG-encoded signal from the non-volatile recording medium;

determining the state of the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag in the MPEG-encoded signal reproduced from the recording medium; and

in response to the state of the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag signal determined in the determining step:

converting the interlaced standard-definition signal to a progressive standard-definition video signal, and

displaying the progressive standard-definition video signal using progressive scanning.

24. Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising:

means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film;

means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels;

means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal;

means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines; and

means for adding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition signal has an increased vertical resolution.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the apparatus additionally comprises means for generating a table of contents; and

the means for adding adds the flag signal to the table of contents.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the apparatus additionally comprises means for applying MPEG encoding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal to provide an MPEG-encoded signal, the MPEG-encoded signal including a non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag; and

the means for adding sets the non.sub.-- interlace.sub.-- frame flag to a state indicating a non-interlace frame.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the deriving means derives from the motion picture film an interlaced high-definition video signal having a field rate of 48 Hz;

the interlaced standard-definition video signal has a field rate of 60 Hz; and

the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes means for performing 2:3 pull-down to provide field rate conversion.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the pixel reducing means includes a 3.times.3 filter.

29. Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising:

means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film, and including includes an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines;

means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels, and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into the progressive high-definition video signal including:

a first odd field memory and a first even field memory,

means for feeding the odd field of each one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first odd field memory, and for feeding the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal into the first even field memory, and

means for alternately reading the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first odd field memory and the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal from the first even field memory;

means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and

means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution khan a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal includes odd lines interleaved with even lines;

the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines; and

the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal includes:

a second odd field memory and a second even field memory,

means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and

means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

31. Apparatus for deriving, from a motion picture fixed in a motion picture film, the motion picture including plural frames, an interlaced standard-definition video signal representing the motion picture for recording on a non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the apparatus comprising:

deriving means for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film, the interlaced high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames of the interlaced high-definition video signal being derived from one of the frames of the motion picture film;

means for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including a number of pixels and odd lines interleaved with even lines, the interlaced standard-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines;

means for reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal; and

means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on the non-volatile recording medium, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the means for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal to the interlaced standard-definition video signal including:

an odd field memory and an even field memory,

means for feeding the odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the odd field memory, and for feeding the even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the even field memory, and

means for reading one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the odd field memory and for reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the even field memory.

32. A method of deriving an interlaced standard-definition video signal from an interlaced high-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution, the method comprising steps of:

converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal including a number of pixels, and plural frames, each of the frames including an odd field and an even field, each field including plural lines, the progressive high-definition video signal including plural frames, each of the frames including odd lines interleaved with even lines;

reducing the number of pixels in each of the frames of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal;

providing a second odd field memory and a second even field memory; and

converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal, the interlaced standard-definition video signal having a greater vertical resolution than a conventional interlaced standard-definition video signal having an equal number of lines, the progressive standard-definition video signal being converted into the interlaced standard-definition video signal by steps including:

feeding odd lines of each one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second odd field memory, and feeding even lines of the one of the frames of the progressive standard-definition video signal into the second even field memory, and

reading the one of the odd field and the even field of each one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second odd field memory and reading the other of the odd field and the even field of the one of the frames of the interlaced standard-definition video signal from the second even field memory.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an image converting apparatus, an image duplicating apparatus, an image reproducing apparatus and an image display for converting images recorded on a motion picture film into image signals of a television broadcasting system, recording the image signals of a television broadcasting system on a recording medium, such as a tape or a disk, reproducing the images recorded on the recording medium and displaying the reproduced images.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telecine system for transferring a motion picture film to a consumer recording medium, such as a video cassette or a video disk. The high-definition (HD) telecine apparatus 61 is provided internally with a high-definition image sensor, not shown, on which an image of each frame of the motion picture film is formed, and which is generates an interlaced high-definition video signal in which each frame has 1125 horizontal scanning lines, and has an aspect ratio of 16:9. For brevity, horizontal scanning lines will from now on be called "lines."

The interlaced high-definition video signal has an interlace ratio of 2:1, i.e., each frame of the video signal consists of two overlapping fields, offset from one another by one line. In the following description, a reference to an interlaced video signal will be understood to refer to an interlaced video signal with an interlace ratio of 2:1.

Generally, when the motion picture film 1 reproduced, for example by the HD telecine apparatus 61, it is transported at a rate that provides a frame rate of 24 Hz. On the other hand, the image sensor in the HD telecine apparatus 61 produces an interlaced high-definition video signal with a field rate of 60 Hz. Therefore, ten fields, i.e., five frames, of the interlaced high-definition video signal must be derived from each four frames of the motion picture film.

The HD telecine apparatus 61 performs 2-3 pulldown to derive an interlaced high-definition video signal with a field rate of 60 Hz from the motion picture film 1. In this, ten fields, i.e., five frames, of the high-definition video signal are derived from four frames of the motion picture film 1.

In 2-3 pulldown, a different number of fields of the high-definition video signal is derived from alternate frames of the motion picture film. Two fields of the interlaced high-definition video signal, i.e., the first and second fields of the high-definition video signal, are derived from the first frame of the motion picture film 1. Then, three fields of the interlaced high-definition video signal, i.e., the third, fourth and fifth fields of the high-definition video signal are derived from the second frame of the motion picture film 1. This process is then repeated.

The interlaced high-definition video signal from the telecine apparatus 61 is fed into the high-definition video recorder (HD-VTR) 3 where it is recorded on a recording medium, not shown, such as a video tape.

The interlaced high-definition video signal is reproduced by the HD-VTR 3, and is fed to the down-converter 62. As shown in FIG. 2, the down-converter 62 comprises the field memories 81 and 82, and the filter 83. The down-converter 62 reduces the number of lines and the number of pixels to convert the input interlaced high-definition video signal into a video signal of the type used in normal television broadcasting, with 525 lines, an aspect ratio of 4:3, and an interlace ratio 2:1. Such a signal will from now on be referred to as "an interlaced standard-definition video signal."

The field memory 81 of the down-converter 62 temporarily stores each frame of the input interlaced high-definition video signal. The interlaced high-definition video signal is read from the field memory 81 in timed read cycles and fed to the filter 83.

The filter 83, which is, for example, a 3.times.3 two-dimensional filter, thins out the lines and pixels of the interlaced high-definition video signal by filtering to convert the input interlaced high-definition video signal into an interlaced standard-definition video signal. Each frame of the interlaced standard-definition video signal provided by the filter 83 is stored temporarily in the field memory 82.

The fields of the interlaced standard-definition video signals are sequentially read out of the field memory 82 in the down converter 4 and are fed to the standard-definition video recorder (SD-VTR) 5, shown in FIG. 1, which records them on a recording medium, not shown, such as a video tape.

By the process just described, the motion picture film 1 is converted into an interlaced standard-definition video signal that can be reproduced on a regular, standard-definition television set, and the interlaced standard-definition video signal is recorded by the SD-VTR 5.

The interlaced standard-definition video signal is reproduced by the SD-VTR 5, and is fed into the encoder 70. The encoder 70 converts the interlaced standard-definition video signal into a composite video signal, such as an NTSC-format composite video signal, or a PAL-format composite video signal, which is fed to the duplicating apparatus 63. The duplicating apparatus 63 records the composite video signal on the consumer-format video cassette 72 or the video disk 82.

Alternatively, in the motion picture duplicating system shown in FIG. 1, the motion picture film 1 is converted into an interlaced standard-definition video signal with 525 lines, an aspect ratio 4:3, and an interlace ratio of 2:1 by the standard-definition (SD) telecine apparatus 9. The SD telecine apparatus 9 includes in internal image sensor, not shown, which converts the motion picture film into an interlaced standard-definition video signal using 2-3 pulldown, and records the resulting interlaced standard-definition video signal on the SD-VTR 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the interlaced standard-definition video signal recorded on, for example, the video disk 8 is reproduced by the video disk player 71 capable of reproducing video disks whereon an interlaced standard-definition video signal is recorded. Pictures represented by the reproduced interlaced standard-definition video signal are displayed on the display 55.

In the motion picture duplicating system shown in FIG. 1, the motion picture film 1 is converted by the HD telecine apparatus 61 or the SD telecine apparatus 9 into an interlaced standard-definition video signal. However, the arrangement shown may not provide an optimum vertical resolution.

When the pictures represented by the interlaced standard-definition video signal recorded on the video disk 8 are displayed on the display 55, the vertical resolution is impaired because the pictures are displayed using interlaced scanning with an interlace ratio of 2:1.

As explained in Multidimensional Signal Processing for TV Images, NIKKAN KOGYO SHINBUN-SHA, pp. 97-101, when a video signal is derived from an image using interlaced scanning, the effective vertical resolution of the image is Kc times the number of effective lines. Kc is normally called the Kell factor, but is called the camera factor in the paper, and is less than unity. Moreover, the effective vertical resolution of a picture displayed by interlaced scanning is .alpha. times the number of lines. The factor .alpha. is called the interlace factor in the paper, and, again, is less than unity. Consequently, the vertical resolution of the picture displayed on the display 55 (FIG. 3) is Kc.times..alpha. times the number of lines.

Generally, both Kc and .alpha. are in the range of about 0.6 to about 0.8, so the vertical resolution of the picture displayed on the display 55 (FIG. 3) is in the range of about 0.4 to 0.6 times the number of lines.

It has been proposed to increase the vertical resolution obtained when an interlaced standard-definition video signal is derived from the motion picture film 1 using the HD telecine apparatus 61 or the SD telecine apparatus 9 by increasing the camera factor Kc to a value close to 1. However, since the picture is displayed by interlaced scanning, increasing the camera factor Kc results in interline flicker.

When an interlaced standard-definition video signal is derived from an image having points spanning more than one line using a large camera factor Kc, points in the image that appear in, for example, the odd field disappear when the even field is displayed. This causes the points to appear to move between alternate fields, which results in an annoying flicker called interline flicker.

Accordingly, to avoid interline flicker when the video signal is displayed using interlaced scanning, a camera factor Kc in the range of about 0.6 to about 0.8 is preferable. This causes the point to appear in both fields, but reduces the vertical resolution.

Efforts have been made recently to develop extended-definition television (EDTV). EDTV is intended to display a high resolution picture, without exhibiting visible flicker. EDTV is also intended to maintain downward compatibility with interlaced standard-definition video signals, i.e., NTSC video signals in the United States and Japan. Among the recently proposed EDTV systems, one displays a higher-quality picture by increasing the vertical resolution of the picture by using progressive, i.e., non-interlaced, scanning.

However, it is difficult to maintain downward compatibility with interlaced standard-definition video signals while providing the ability to display pictures with a high picture quality without having flicker. Consequently, an effective system that is downwards compatible with interlaced standard-definition video signals, and that is also capable of displaying a picture with a high picture quality has not yet been proposed.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system capable of displaying a high resolution picture without adversely affecting downward compatibility.

The invention therefore provides apparatus for deriving from a motion picture film a video signal for transfer to a video recording medium. The video signal has an increased vertical resolution, and is for display using progressive scanning. The apparatus comprises a deriving system, a flag signal generating circuit and a recording system. The deriving system derives the video signal from the motion picture film. The flag signal generating circuit generates a flag signal indicating that the video signal is for display using progressive scanning. The recording system records the video signal and the flag signal in the recording medium.

The invention also provides a method of deriving an interlaced standard-definition video signal from a interlaced high-definition video signal. The interlaced standard-definition video signal having an increased vertical resolution. In the method, the interlaced high-definition video signal is converted into a progressive high-definition video signal. The interlaced high-definition video signal includes plural frames, and each frame includes a number of pixels. The number of pixels in each frame of the progressive high-definition video signal is reduced to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal. Finally, the progressive standard-definition video signal is converted into the interlaced standard-definition video signal.

The invention further provides an apparatus for deriving from a motion picture film including plural frames an interlaced standard-definition video signal for recording on recording medium. The interlaced standard-definition video signal has an increased vertical resolution. The apparatus comprises a system for deriving an interlaced high-definition video signal from the motion picture film. The interlaced high-definition video signal includes plural frames, and each frame is derived from one frame of the motion picture film. The apparatus also includes a circuit for converting the interlaced high-definition video signal into a progressive high-definition video signal. The progressive high-definition video signal includes plural frames, and each frame includes a number of pixels. The apparatus further includes circuits for reducing the number of pixels in each frame of the progressive high-definition video signal to provide a frame of a progressive standard-definition video signal, and for converting the progressive standard-definition video signal into the interlaced standard-definition video signal. Finally, the apparatus includes a circuit for adding to the interlaced standard-definition video signal a flag signal indicating that the interlaced standard-definition signal has an increased vertical resolution.

An apparatus according to the invention for reproducing a video signal recorded on a recording medium comprises a system for reproducing the video signal from the recording medium, and a circuit for extracting from the video signal reproduced from the recording medium a flag signal indicating a scanning mode wherein the video signal is to be displayed.

Finally, a display apparatus according to the invention includes a circuit for receiving a flag signal indicating a scanning mode in which the video signal is to be displayed, and for providing a control signal indicating the scanning mode in which the video signal is to be displayed; and a circuit, responsive to the video signal and the control signal, for displaying the motion picture in the scanning mode in which the video signal is to be displayed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a known system for transferring a motion picture film to consumer video tapes and video disks.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the down-converter 62 in the transfer system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a known reproducing and displaying system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention for transferring a motion picture film to consumer video tapes and video disks.

FIG. 5A is a block diagram the down-converter according to the invention in the transfer system according to the invention.

FIG. 5B illustrates the state of the video signal as it passes through the down converter 4 according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the filter 24 shown in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining the operation of the filter 24 shown in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a reproducing-and-displaying system according to the invention.

FIG. 9A is a table showing the structure of the an MPEG video.sub.-- sequence.

FIG. 9B is a table showing the structure of the extension.sub.-- and.sub.-- user.sub.-- data(i) portion of the MPEG video.sub.-- sequence.

FIG. 9C is a table showing the possible values of the extension.sub.-- ID of the extension.sub.-- start.sub.-- code in the MPEG video.sub.-- sequence

FIG. 9D is a table showing the structure of the picture.sub.-- coding.sub.-- extension of the MPEG video.sub.-- sequence.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a different embodiment of a system according to the invention for transferring a motion picture film to consumer video tapes and video disks in which the signal recorded on the consumer recording medium is in accordance with the MPEG standard.

FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 are block diagrams of additional embodiments of the reproducing-and-displaying system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a telecine system empl