Patent Document ID: 4417276
Application ID: 06254771
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A system for digitizing a video signal of a plurality of horizontal scanning lines and storing the digitized signal in a computer memory comprising: (a) means for converting an analog signal to digital form to establish digital values corresponding to relative luminance of the video signal; (b) first counter means for establishing X-coordinates of a predetermined number of picture elements corresponding to a horizontal line; (c) means for assigning said luminance values to said corresponding X-coordinates; (d) means for resetting said first counter when said predetermined number is reached indicating the end of a scanning line; (e) second counter means incremented by said resetting means for establishing Y-coordinates corresponding to horizontal lines of said video signal, whereby a main matrix of picture elements having X and Y coordinates and a luminosity value is defined; (f) means for resetting said second counter when a predetermined number of horizontal lines is reached; (g) means for generating coordinates of a sub-matrix which falls within said matrix; (h) comparator means for generating an active signal for each picture element falling within said predefined sub-matrix region; (i) horizontal compression means activated by said active signal for comparing the luminance of successive groups of predetermined numbers of horizontally adjacent picture elements within said sub-matrix region and generating successive single horizontally compressed picture elements to be substituted for said groups; (j) buffer means for serially receiving said horizontally compressed picture elements in real time and outputting said elements at a slower rate; (k) vertical compression means for comparing groups of horizontally compressed picture elements which are vertically adjacent and for generating successive image elements to be substituted therefor; (l) means for addressing and storing said image elements in a computer memory for later revival and restoration to a video image.