Video processor architecture and method for frame rate conversion

1. A method of forming frame rate converted video comprising:

a. processing received video to form data representing frames of video;

b. obtaining attribute data from said received video;

c. passing said data representing frames of video to a frame rate converter;

d. passing said attribute data in an auxiliary channel to a frame rate converter;

e. receiving said data representing frames of video;

f. receiving said attribute data on said auxiliary channel;

g. determining said attribute data does not include cadence information about said received video, and in response thereto further comprises determining said cadence information from frames buffered at said frame converter;

h. forming frame rate converted video from said data representing frames of said video, based on said attribute data, wherein forming frame rate converted video data comprises interpolating frames.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said processing comprises de-interlacing said received video to form said frames.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said de-interlacing comprises determining a cadence of said received video, and wherein said attribute data comprises cadence information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said auxiliary channel is multiplexed with said data representing frames of data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said attribute data in said auxiliary channel is synchronized with said frames of video so that any attribute data is associated with a particular one of said frames, and further comprising adjusting interpolation parameters used by a frame rate converter based on said attribute for forming frame rate converted data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprise frequency content of said frames of video.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprises and indicator of luma content of said frames of video.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprises attribute information about an overlay in said frames of video.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising multiplexing said data representing frames of video, and said attribute data in an auxiliary channel.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said data and said attribute data are passed on an HDMI interconnect.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said passing said attribute data comprises querying a video processor for said attribute data.

12. A video receiver comprising:

a. a video processor comprising a de-interlacer for deinterlacing received fields of video to form frames of video for provision to a frame rate converter, said de-interlacer operable to detect a cadence of said received fields of video, wherein said video processor further comprises at least one of a noise reduction block, a color converter, and a scaler;

b. an attribute formatter in communication with said video processor for receiving an indication of said cadence and forming attribute data therefrom, wherein said attribute data further comprises at least one of information reflecting frequency content of said frames, and information reflecting color content of said frames of video;

c. a channel encoder for encoding said attribute data on a channel to said frame rate converter; and

wherein said frame rate converter comprises an interpolator for interpolating frames.

13. The video receiver of claim 12 , wherein said channel encoder comprises a multiplexer for multiplexing said frames of video and said attribute data.

14. The video receiver of claim 12 , further comprising a video decoder for decoding a received video stream, and providing said fields of video to said video processor.

15. A method of forming frame rate converted video comprising:

a. receiving data representing frames of video at a frame rate converter;

b. receiving at said frame rate converter, attribute data associated with said data representing frames on an auxiliary channel;

c. forming frame rate converted video from said received data, based on said attribute data, wherein forming frame rate converted video further comprises interpolating frames, wherein said attribute data comprises cadence information about said frames of video, and wherein said cadence information is used to adjust fractional motion from interpolated frame to interpolated frame, formed by an interpolator.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising buffering sequential ones of said received frames.

17. A frame rate converter comprising:

a. a channel decoder for decoding attribute information about frames of video provided to said frame rate converter;

b. an interpolator for forming frame rate converted video from data representing said frames of video, based on said attribute information, wherein the interpolator interpolates frames; and

c. a cadence detector for determining cadence information from said sequential ones of said received frames, if said attribute information does not include said cadence information the frame rate converter further comprising a buffer fir storing sequential ones of said frames of video.

18. The frame rate converter of claim 17 , wherein said attribute information comprises cadence information about said frames of video.

19. The frame rate converter of claim 18 , wherein said attribute information is used to adjust fractional motion from interpolated frame to interpolated frame, formed by said interpolator.

20. The frame rate converter of claim 17 , wherein said attribute information comprises information about frequency content in frames of video provided to said frame rate converter.

21. A video display device comprising the frame rate converter of claim 17 .