Image processing device and image processing method

An image processing device and an image processing method are provided. The image processing device comprises a receiving module, a interface conversion module, a selecting module, and a controller. The receiving module is configured to receive image signals. The interface conversion module is configured to convert the image signals into converted image signals with a target image interface. The selecting module is configured to generate at least two selected image signals from the converted image signals according to the first selecting signal. The controller is configured to provide the first selecting signal to selecting module. The image processing device generates the composite image by overlaying the at least two selected image signals.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The invention relates to an image processing device and an image processing method, especially relates to an image processing device for generating a composite image and a method thereof.

Description of Related Art

In general, the image compositing technology of projectors mostly has the function of combining image signals into a composite image. The projectors may divide image signals into two signal groups when receiving image signals. In each of the projectors, the signal groups may determine the selected image signals by at least one switch. Next, the projectors may perform image operation on the selected image signals, such as picture-in-picture (PiP) operation, picture-by-picture operation (PbP) and picture-on-picture (PoP) operation, to generate the composite image.

However, Due to the current hardware design of the image processing device, the combination of two the image signals for the composite image by PIP operation, PbP operation and PoP operation must be limitedly selected. That is, the current image processing device has no capability to generating a composite image by arbitrary combination of two received image signals. In addition, the configuration of the switches generates a “T” or a “Y” branch topology for the signal transmission path. As a result, the high frequency signal will not be matched due to the layout of the transmission path, and a risk of signal bouncing of the image signals with high frequency will occur.

SUMMARY

The invention provides an image processing device having a receiving module and a selected module, so as to perform composite image operations on arbitrary combination of two received image signals and prevent a risk of signal bounce of the image signals.

Furthermore, the image processing device selectively outputs a loop-out selected image signal to other projectors, so as to achieve image signals stitching for multiple projectors.

Other objectives and advantages of the invention can be further understood from the technical features disclosed in the invention.

In order to achieve one or a portion of or all of the objectives or other objectives, an embodiment of the invention provides an image processing device configured to generate a composite image. The image processing device includes a receiving module, a interface conversion module, a selecting module, and a controller. The receiving module is configured to receive image signals. The interface conversion module is coupled to the receiving module. The interface conversion module is configured to convert the image signals into converted image signals with a target image interface. The selecting module is coupled to the interface conversion module. The selecting module is configured to generate at least two selected image signals from the converted image signals according to a first selecting signal. The controller is coupled to the receiving module and the selection module. The controller is configured to provide the first selecting signal to selecting module. The image processing device generates the composite image by overlaying the at least two selected image signals.

In order to achieve one or a portion of or all of the objectives or other objectives, an embodiment of the invention provides an image processing method for generating a composite image is adapted to an image processing device. The image processing device includes a receiving module, a interface conversion module, a controller and a selecting module. The image processing method includes: receiving image signals by the image processing device; providing a first selecting signal to the selecting module by the controller; converting the image signals into converted image signals with a target image interface by the interface conversion module; generating at least two selected image signals from the converted image signals according to the first selecting signal by the selecting module; and generating the composite image by overlaying the at least two selected image signals.

Based on the above, the invention provides a image processing device and a method thereof to receiving a plurality of image signals, converting the image signals into converted image signals with a target image interface and generating at least two selected image signals from the converted image signals according to a first selecting signal, so as the image processing device and the method thereof can perform image operations on arbitrary combination of two received image signals and prevents a risk of signal bounce of the image signals.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG.1,FIG.1is a schematic view illustrating an image processing device according to an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment, the image processing device100the image processing device generates a composite image by overlaying at least two selected image signals, wherein the image processing device100includes a receiving module110, an interface conversion module120, a controller130and a selecting module140. The receiving module110is configured to receive image signals IMS1to IMS6. In the embodiment, the receiving module110may be implemented by multiple interface port to support and then the image signals IMS1to IMS6with different image interfaces. For example, an image interface of image signal IMS1is VGA interface, an image interface of image signals IMS2is RJ-45 interface, an image interface of image signals IMS3to IMS5is HDMI interface, an image interface of image signals IMS5is DVI interface, and an image interface image signal IMS6is 3G SDI interface. Therefore, the receiving module110is an interface adapted to receiving image signals with HDMI, DVI, RJ-45 VGA or 3G SDI interface. For example, the receiving module110comprises an IT 6634 chip or an integrated circuit. The invention is not limited to the embodiment. In other embodiment, the receiving module110may comprise some chips or circuits, for example two IT 6634 chips, to at least receive more image signals with HDMI and DVI interface. In other embodiment, the receiving module110may further comprise some chips or circuits, for example physical switches, one VS100 and IT 6634 chips, to at least receive more image signals with RJ-45 and 3G SDI interface.

In some embodiment, the receiving module110further converts the image interface of the image signals. For example, the receiving module110may convert the image signal with RJ-45 interface into the image signals with HDMI interface.

In this embodiment, the receiving module110further includes switches or matrixes, so as to reduce complexity and cost of the circuit board. For example, one of the image signals IMS2to IMS4can be selected as the image signal IMS′2and transmitted to the interface conversion module120.

In the embodiment, the interface conversion module120is coupled to the receiving module110. The interface conversion module120is configured to receive the image signals IMS′1, IMS′2, IMS′4, IMS′5from the receiving module110and convert the image signals IMS′1, IMS′2, IMS′4, IMS′5into converted image signals CMS1to CMS4with a target image interface. The target image interface is a digital interface. For example, the digital interface is digital RGB interface or digital YCbCr interface. In addition, the interface conversion module120is configured to transmit the converted image signals CMS1to CMS4to the selecting module140respectively via a plurality of individual transmission paths. For example, the interface conversion module120may be a chip or integrated circuit. The interface conversion module120includes interface converters121to124. For example, the interface converters121to124may be ADI 7604, ITE68051, GS2961, etc. The interface converters121receives the image signal IMS′1, converts the image signal IMS′1into converted image signal CMS1in the transmission path P1, and transmits the converted image signal CMS1in the transmission path P1. The interface converters122receives the image signal IMS′2, converts the image signal IMS′2into converted image signal CMS2in the transmission path P2, and transmits the converted image signal CMS2in the transmission path P2. The interface converters123receives the image signal IMS′4, converts the image signal IMS′4into converted image signal CMS3in the transmission path P3, and transmits the converted image signal CMS3in the transmission path P3. The interface converters124receives the image signal IMS′6, converts the image signal IMS′6into converted image signal CMS4in the transmission path P4, and transmits the converted image signal CMS4in the transmission path P4.

All of transmission paths P1to P4are independent path and not connected to each other, and thus the configuration of interface conversion module120cannot generate a “T” or a “Y” branch topology for the signal transmission path. Therefore, a risk of signal bounce of the image signals IMS1to IMS6and converted image signals CMS1to CMS4with high frequency will not occur.

In the embodiment, the selecting module140is coupled to the interface conversion module120. The selecting module140is configured to generate selected image signals SMS1and SMS2from the converted image signals CMS1to CMS4according to the first selecting signal CS1. In the embodiment, the selection module140may be implemented by a FPGA. In some embodiment, the selecting module140is for example programmable general-purpose or specific-purpose Microprocessor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), any other similar device or any device controlled based on software or firmware executing the corresponding function, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition, the number of selected image signals of the embodiment is two. Depending on the requirement of the composite image, the number of selected image signals of the invention may be positive integers greater than or equal to two. The invention is not limited to the embodiment.

In the embodiment, the controller130is coupled to the receiving module110and the selection module140. The controller130is configured to provide the first selecting signal CS1to the selecting module140. About the selecting signal CS1, the controller130may provide the selecting signal CS1according to two or more of the image signals IMS1to IMS6selected in the combination of the composite image. The combination may be preset or determined based on usage requirements. In the embodiment, the controller130may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU) Or Other Programmable General-Purpose or Specific-Purpose Microprocessor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Programmable Controller, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), other similar devices, or a combination thereof. The computing device120is capable of loading and executing a computer program to complete a corresponding operational function. In the embodiment, the image processing device100may generate a composite image by overlaying selected image signals SMS1and SMS2. For example, the image processing device100may perform picture-in-picture (PiP) operation, picture-by-picture operation (PbP) and picture-on-picture (PoP) operation on the selected image signals SMS1and SMS2to generate the composite image.

In addition, the controller130further provides a second selecting signal CS2to the receiving module110. About the second selecting signal CS2, the controller130may provide the second selecting signal CS2according to whether any the image signals IMS2to IMS5settled as the selected image signals SMS1and SMS2. The combination of two selected image signals SMS1and SMS2may be preset or determined based on usage requirements. For example, the receiving module110may select the image signals IMS2, IMS4from the image signals IMS2to IMS5according to the second selecting signal CS2, and provide the image signals IMS2, IMS4to the interface conversion module120. In other words, the second selecting signal CS2indicates that at least one of the image signals IMS2to IMS5with a first image interface is converted into the converted image signals with the target image interface.

It should be noted that, the receiving module110receives the image signals IMS1to IMS6. The interface conversion module120converts the image signals (for example, the image signals IMS1, IMS2, IMS4, IMS5) into converted image signals CMS1to CMS4, and individual transmission paths P1to P4. The selection module140generates selected image signals SMS1and SMS2from the converted image signals CMS1to CMS4according to the first selecting signal CS1. Therefore, the image processing device100can perform image operations on arbitrary combination of all received image signals IMS1to IMS6and prevents a risk of signal bounce of the image signals IMS1to IMS6and converted image signals CMS1to CMS4with high frequency will not occur.

Referring toFIG.2,FIG.2is a schematic view illustrating an image processing device according to another embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment, the image processing device200includes a receiving module210, an interface conversion module220, a controller230and a selecting module240. The configuration between the receiving module210, the interface conversion module220, the controller230and the selecting module240is already described in detail in the configuration between the receiving module110, the interface conversion module120, the controller130and the selecting module140in the embodiment ofFIG.1. Thus, configuration details in this regard will not be repeated in the following.

In the embodiment, the receiving module210includes a matrix circuit211. The matrix circuit211is coupled to the interface conversion module220and the controller230. The matrix circuit211receives the second selecting signal CS2from the controller230. The matrix circuit211may receive the image signals IMS2to IMS5with the first image interface (for example, HDMI interface) and may transmit the image signals IMS′2, IMS′4(the two of the image signal s IMS2to IMS5) with the first image interface to the interface conversion module220according to the second selecting signal CS2. In one embodiment, the matrix circuit211may receive more than one kind of digital interface, wherein the digital interface may include HDMI interface, DVI interface or other digital interface. In other embodiment, the receiving module210may further include an analog switch coupled to the interface conversion220and controller230. The analog switch may receive the third selecting signal (not show) provided by the controller230, any transmit two of received image signal with analog interface to the interface conversion220. This is, the matrix circuit211may be any kind device having the matrix architecture to receive input signals and transmit at least one of the input signals, or any kind of the device achieving a similar function thereof.

The interface conversion module220includes interface converters121to124. The interface converter221converts one of the image signals in analog image interface carrying analog signal into the converted image signal in the digital image interface carrying digital signal. For example, the interface converter221may receive the image signal IMS1with VGA interface, convert the image signal IMS1into the converted image signal CMS1with target image interface (for example, RGB interface), and transmit the converted image signal CMS1to the selecting module240.

In the embodiment, the interface converters222,223convert the at least one of the image signals with the first image interface into the converted image signals with the target image interface. For example, the interface converter222may receive the image signal IMS′2with HDMI interface from the matrix circuit211, convert the image signal IMS′2into the converted image signal CMS2with target image interface (for example, RGB interface), and provide the converted image signal CMS2to the selecting module240. Similarly, the interface converter223may receive the image signal IMS′3with HDMI interface from the matrix circuit211, convert the image signal IMS′4into the converted image signal CMS3with target image interface (for example, RGB interface), and provide the converted image signal CMS3to the selecting module240. In some embodiments, the interface converters222,223may be integrated into one interface converter having multiple input ports and multiple output ports.

In some embodiments, the interface converter222may scale-down a resolution of the converted image signal CMS2. For example, the interface converter222may scale-down a resolution of the converted image signal CMS2from4K to2K. In some embodiments, the interface converter223may scale-down the resolution of the converted image signal CMS3.

In the embodiment, the interface converters224is coupled between the receiving module210and the selecting module240, may convert the image signal IMS6with 3G SDI interface into the converted image signal CMS4with the target image interface (for example, RGB interface). In some embodiment, the interface converters224convert the image signal IMS6with 3G SDI interface into the converted image signal CMS4with the digital image interface (for example, YCbCr interface). In the embodiment, the image processing device200further outputs a loop-out selected image signal LMS to the interface conversion module220and the receiving module210.

In detail, in the embodiment, the controller230provides a loop-out selecting signal to the selecting module240and the receiving module210. The loop-out selecting signal indicates one of the image signals IMS1to IMS6as the loop-out selected image signal LMS, and then the receiving module210according to the loop-out selecting signal outputs one of the image signals IMS1to IMS6via the matrix circuit211of the receiving module210or outputs one of the converted image signals CMS1and CMS4via the selecting module240.

In one condition that the image signals IMS1to IMS6as the loop-out selected image signal LMS, the matrix circuit211of the receiving module210selects one of the image signals IMS1to IMS6when the receiving module210receives the loop-out selecting signal. For example, the receiving module210selects the image signal IMS4according to the loop-out selecting signal, and outputs the image signal IMS4as the loop-out selected image signal LMS, wherein the image interface of the image signal IMS4is HDMI.

In other condition that one of converted image signals CMS1or CMS4as the loop-out selected image signal LMS, the selecting module240selects one of the converted image signals CMS1and CMS4when receiving the loop-out selecting signal. For example, the selecting module240selects the converted image signal CMS4according to the loop-out selecting signal, and provides the converted image signal CMS4to the interface conversion module220. The interface conversion module220further includes an interface converter225. The interface converter225converts the one of the converted image signals CMS1and CMS4with the target image interface into a loop-out selected image signal SMS with the first image interface. For example, the interface converter225receives the converted image signal CMS4with RGB interface from the selecting module240, converts the converted image signal CMS4into a loop-out selected image signal LMS′ with HDMI interface, and provides the loop-out selected image signal LMS′ to the matrix circuit211. In the embodiment, the matrix circuit211receives the loop-out selected image signal LMS′ from the interface converter225, and then outputs the loop-out selected image signal LMS according to the loop-out selecting signal. Therefore, the loop-out selected image signal LMS may be provided to other projectors (or other image processing devices) to achieve a composition of image signals of multiple projectors. For example, the interface converters225may be ITE6613etc.

Similarly to the interface converter221to224(or the interface converter121to124inFIG.1), the interface converter225provides a transmission path P5for transmitting the converted image signal CMS4. For example, the interface converters225provides a transmission path P5for transmitting the converted image signal CMS4, and converts the image signal CMS4into converted image signal LMS′ in the transmission path P5. In the embodiment, the transmission paths P1to P5are not connected to each other, and the transmission paths P1to P5are independent of each other. Therefore, a risk of signal bounce of the image signals IMS′1to IMS′6and converted image signals CMS1to CMS4with high frequency will not occur.

In the embodiment, the selecting module240further performs a color space conversion on the interface of the converted image signals CMS1to CMS4. For example, the target image interface is RGB interface or YCbCr interface. The interface converters224may convert the image signal IMS6with 3G SDI interface into the converted image signal CMS4with YCbCr interface. The selecting module240may perform the color space conversion on the interface of the converted image signal CMS4with YCbCr interface and converts the converted image signal with YCbCr interface into the selected image signal with RGB interface.

In the embodiment, the image processing device200further includes a scaler250and a warping processor260. For example, a scaler250comprises an i-Chips 821 chip or an integrated circuit with the same function. A warping processor260may comprise i-Chips 789 chip or an integrated circuit with the same function. The scaler250is coupled to the selection module240. The scaler250is configured to extend or shorten at least one of the selected image signals SMS1, SMS2. For example, the scaler250extends the selected image signals SMS1to generate a modified image signal SMS1′. For example, the scaler250shortens the selected image signals SMS2to generate a modified image signal SMS2′. The warping processor260is coupled to the scaler250. The warping processor260is configured to perform a warping operation to the selected image signals SMS1′, SMS2′ to generate warped image signals SMS1″ and SMS2″. The image processing device200may generate the composite image (not shown) by overlaying the warped image signals SMS1″ and SMS2″. It will be appreciated that the image processing device200can have at least one of the scaler250and the warping processor260based on usage requirements. In some embodiment, the scaler250and the warping processor260are for example programmable general-purpose or specific-purpose Microprocessor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), any other similar device or any device controlled based on software or firmware executing the corresponding function, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

FIG.3is a flowchart illustrating an image processing method according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG.3, the image processing method for generating a composite image is adapted to the image processing device100. In the embodiment, in a step S110, the receiving module110receives image signals IMS1to IMS6. In a step S120, the controller130provides a first selecting signal CS1to the selecting module. In a step S130, the interface conversion module120converts the image signals IMS′1to IMS′6into converted image signals CMS1to CMS4with a target image interface. In a step S140, the selecting module140generating at least two selected image signals (for example, selected image signals SMS1, SMS2) from the converted image signals CMS1to CMS4according to the first selecting signal CS1. In a step S150, the image processing device100generates the composite image by overlaying the at least two selected image signals SMS1, SMS2. The steps S110to S150are already described in detail in the embodiment ofFIG.1. Thus, details in this regard will not be repeated in the following. It will be appreciated that the steps S110to S150is also adapted to the image processing device200in the embodiment ofFIG.2.

Based on the above, the image processing device and the image processing method of the invention receives a plurality of image signals, converts the image signals into converted image signals with a target image interface and generating at least two selected image signals from the converted image signals according to a first selecting signal, so as the invention can perform composite image operations on arbitrary combination of two received image signals and prevent a risk of signal bounce of the image signals. In addition, the image processing device and the image processing method of the invention may provide a loop-out selected image signal from the receiving module. Therefore, the loop-out selected image signal may be provided to other projectors to achieve image signals stitching for multiple projectors.