Patent ID: 7821572
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for converting a first information signal of standard definition comprised of multiple items of information data into a second information signal of high definition image data comprised of multiple items of information data, the apparatus comprising: class tap extraction means for extracting as a class tap multiple items of information data located in a periphery of a target position in the first information signal based on the first information signal; class categorization means for obtaining a first class code by categorizing the class tap extracted by the class tap extraction means as any one of a plurality of classes based on the class tap; dynamic range processing means for detecting a dynamic range which is a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the multiple items of information data contained in the class tap extracted by the class tap extraction means based on the class tap, to obtain area information that indicates which one of a plurality of sub-divided areas obtained by dividing a possible area of the dynamic range into plural ones the dynamic range belongs to; class code conversion means for converting the first class code obtained by the class categorization means into one or a plurality of second class codes each corresponding to the first class code; prediction tap extraction means for extracting as a prediction tap multiple items of information data located in a periphery of the target position in the first information signal based on the first information signal; first coefficient data generation means for generating first coefficient data, which is used in an estimate equation corresponding to the first class code obtained by the class categorization means; second coefficient data generation means for generating second coefficient data, which is used in the estimate equation, corresponding to one or the plurality of second class codes, respectively, obtained through conversion by the class code conversion means; first computation means for calculating information data based on the estimate equation, by using the first coefficient data generated by the first coefficient data generation means and the prediction tap extracted by the prediction tap extraction means; second computation means for calculating information data based on the estimate equation, by using the second coefficient data generated by the second coefficient data generation means and the prediction tap extracted by the prediction tap extraction means; and addition means for outputting the information data calculated by the first computation means as information data that constitutes the second information signal corresponding to a target position in the first information signal if the dynamic range belongs to one sub-divided area according to the area information obtained by the dynamic range processing means and, if the dynamic range belongs to another sub-divided area different from the one sub-divided area, outputting data obtained by performing addition mean on the information data calculated by the first computation means and that calculated by the second computation means as the information data that constitutes the second information signal corresponding to the target position in the first information signal, wherein the first coefficient data generated by the first coefficient data generation means and the second coefficient data generated by the second coefficient data generation means are based on a result of learning between a first learning signal that corresponds to the first information signal and a second learning signal that corresponds to the second information signal by use of such a portion of the dynamic range as to belong to the one sub-divided area; and wherein the class code conversion means converts the first class code into the second class code in such a manner that the addition mean value of the information data calculated by the first computation means corresponding to the first class code and the information data calculated by the second computation means corresponding to the second class code may most approach a true value of the information data that constitutes the second information signal.