Patent EP-0805595-A2 (EP)
Inventor: KONDO NORIYUKI
IPC: H04N7/18
Filed: 1996-12-16
Abstract: The invention relates to a moving image judging apparatus wherein video signals of moving objects are taken by a line sensing camera 1 which scans in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of said objects, said image signals are converted to image data and stored in a video memory 12 sequentially as a time sequence together with information data including time data for said image data, drawing information data for displaying images read out from necessary memory area are composed with said image data and then converted to analog video signals so as to be displayed as a video picture on a video monitor screen. The moving image judging apparatus is having a control means 22 which has a connection interface to external equipment, selects an operation mode according to a selection command from said controller, controls signal conversions from analog to digital and digital to analog, controls data composition of image data and drawing information data, controls reading and writing of a memory means for storage purpose and a memory means for display purpose, generates drawing information data and controls all of other necessary functions. As an effect of the invention, decision of arrival order of race participants and recording throughout the elapsed time can be carried out precisely, simply and without fail, and replaying of recorded data by an external instrument can be carried out without any considerations on the setting status of the judging apparatus. 
     Another effect of the invention is that both overview display and focused display of video images can be carried out by switching the portion of recorded video images obtained through a single line sensing camera, as an output data for displaying. For this purpose, the apparatus is having display memories 13 and 14 wherein image data necessary for displaying are stored and afterwards read out in synchronous to a video displaying signal, compression or expansion of pixel numbers in the horizontal direction is carried out during the data transfer from the video memory to said display memories, and compression or expansion of pixel numbers in the vertical direction is carried out when display data are read out from said display memories in synchronous to the video displaying signal. 
     Further effect of the invention is that easy acknowledgment of judging the arrival order in a race becomes possible, and also easy recognition of a judgment reference line from other lines becomes possible when the judgment reference line is used for judging the arrival order or time in a race, with other reference lines and other plural number of auxiliary lines. For this purpose, a scale line and plural number of auxiliary lines are drawn in different display mode on the displayed images. 
     Further effect of the invention is that the position of the scale line can be fixed around the center area of a monitor screen, even if the displayed image is compressed or expanded in the horizontal direction. For this purpose, compression or expansion of the displayed image in the horizontal direction is carried out by controlling the area of reading out from display memories 13, 14 and 15, in reference to the position prescribed by the scale line or the like on the displayed image.