Granted Patent B2

US 8,804,044 · App. 12/936,511 · Granted Aug 12, 2014

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a Picture Rate Conversion (PRC) controller configured to output a stream of images at an adjustable temporal rate, wherein the adjustable temporal rate is constrained within a range defined by a first predetermined rate and a second predetermined rate;

a system resource monitor configured to obtain a measurement of system CPU resource utilization; and

a PRC setting calculator coupled to the system resource monitor and to the PRC controller, the PRC setting calculator configured to determine a setting for the PRC controller, wherein the setting is calculated in response to the measurement of system CPU resource utilization;

wherein the PRC controller is further configured to determine a value for the adjustable temporal rate based on the setting; and

wherein the system resource monitor comprises a system resource estimator configured to generate an estimate of available system CPU resources, wherein the measurement of system CPU resources utilization comprises the estimate of available system CPU resources.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the setting further comprises a temporal interpolation position, wherein the temporal interpolation position is the position of an object in picture associated with a time stamp between two neighboring pictures.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined temporal rate is one hundred and twenty (120) Hertz (Hz) and the second predetermined temporal rate is sixty (60) Hz.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the PRC controller comprises a temporal rate adjustor configured to automatically adjust the adjustable temporal rate in response to the setting from the PRC setting calculator.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the PRC setting calculator further comprises a threshold monitor configured to compare the measurement of system CPU resource utilization with a first predetermined threshold, and to trigger the PRC setting calculator to gradually reduce a value of the setting in response to a determination that the system CPU resource utilization exceeds the first predetermined threshold, wherein the temporal rate adjustor is further configured to reduce the adjustable temporal rate in response to the reduction of the value of the setting.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the threshold monitor is further configured to compare the measurement of system CPU resource utilization with a second predetermined threshold, and to trigger the PRC setting calculator to abruptly reduce the value of the setting in response to a determination that the system CPU resource utilization exceeds the second predetermined threshold, wherein the temporal rate adjustor is further configured to reduce the adjustable temporal rate in response to the reduction of the value of the setting.

7. A system comprising:

an image source configured to supply a first stream of images;

an image controller in communication with the image source, the image controller comprising:

a Picture Rate Conversion (PRC) controller configured to output a second stream of images at an adjustable temporal rate, wherein the adjustable temporal rate is constrained within a range defined by a first predetermined rate and a second predetermined rate;

a system resource monitor configured to obtain a measurement of system CPU resource utilization; and

a PRC setting calculator coupled to the system resource monitor and to the PRC controller, the PRC setting calculator configured to determine a setting for the PRC controller, wherein the setting is calculate base on the measurement of system CPU resource utilization;

wherein the PRC controller is further configured to determine a value for the adjustable temporal rate based on the setting;

wherein the system resource monitor comprises a system resource estimator configured to generate an estimate of available system CPU resources, wherein the measurement of system CPU resource utilization comprises the estimate of available system CPU resources; and

an image display panel in communication with the image controller, the image display panel configured to display the second steam of images at the adjustable temporal rate.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the setting further comprises a temporal interpolation position.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first predetermined temporal rate is one hundred and twenty (120) Hertz (Hz) and the second temporal rate is sixty (60) Hz.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the PRC controller comprises a temporal rate adjustor configured to automatically adjust the adjustable temporal rate in response to the setting from the PRC setting calculator.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the PRC setting calculator further comprises a threshold monitor configured to compare the measurement of system CPU resource utilization with a first predetermined threshold, and to trigger the PRC setting calculator to gradually reduce a value of the setting in response to a determination that the system CPU resource utilization exceeds the first predetermined threshold, wherein the temporal rate adjustor is further configured to reduce the adjustable temporal rate in response to the reduction of the value of the setting.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the threshold monitor is further configured to compare the measurement of system CPU resource utilization with a second predetermined threshold, and to trigger the PRC setting calculator to abruptly reduce the value of the setting in response to a determination that the system CPU resource utilization exceeds the second predetermined threshold, wherein the temporal rate adjustor is further configured to reduce the adjustable temporal rate in response to the reduction of the value of the setting.

13. A method comprising:

obtaining a measure of system CPU resource utilization;

determining a setting corresponding to an adjustable temporal rate, wherein the setting is calculated based on the measurement of CPU resource utilization;

wherein the measurement of system CPU resource utilization comprises an estimate of available system CPU resources; and

outputting a stream of images at the adjustable temporal rate in response to the setting, wherein the adjustable temporal rate is constrained within a range defined by a first predetermined rate and a second predetermined rate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the setting further comprises a temporal interpolation position; and

the first predetermined temporal rate is one hundred and twenty (120) Hertz (Hz) and the second predetermined temporal rate is sixty (60) Hz.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising automatically adjusting the adjustable temporal rate in response to a change of the setting.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

comparing the measurement of system CPU resource utilization with a first predetermined threshold;

gradually reducing a value of the setting in response to a determination that the system CPU resource utilization exceeds the first predetermined threshold; and

automatically reducing the adjustable temporal rate in response to the reduction of the value of the setting.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

comparing the measurement of system CPU resource utilization with a second predetermined threshold;

abruptly reducing a value of the setting in response to a determination that the system CPU resource utilization exceeds the second predetermined threshold; and

automatically reducing the adjustable temporal rate in response to the reduction of the value of the setting.

Assignments (9)