Andrew W Walters

US Patent:

6459454, Oct 1, 2002

Filed:

May 31, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/875510

Inventors:

Andrew W. Walters - San Jose CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H04N 701

US Classification:

348448, 348458

Abstract:

Systems for adaptively deinterlacing interlaced video to generate a progressive frame on a per pixel basis. Two consecutive fields of interlaced video are converted into a frame of progressive video. One of the fields is replicated to generate half the lines in the progressive frame. Each of the pixels in the other half of the progressive frame are generated pixel-by-pixel. For a given output position of the pixel in the other half of the progressive frame, a correlation is estimated between the corresponding pixel in the non-replicated field and at least one vertically adjacent pixel of the replicated field, and optionally one or more vertically adjacent pixels in the non-replicated fields. A value is then assigned to the output pixel that corresponds to the output position, the value depending on the correlation.

US Patent:

6859235, Feb 22, 2005

Filed:

May 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/858066

Inventors:

Andrew W. Walters - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

WebTV Networks Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H04N007/01

US Classification:

348448, 348452

Abstract:

Adaptive deinterlacing of interlaced video to generate a progressive frame on a per pixel basis. Two consecutive fields of interlaced video are converted into a frame of progressive video. One of the fields is replicated to generate half the lines in the progressive frame. Each of the pixels in the other half of the progressive frame are generated pixel-by-pixel. For a given output position of the pixel in the other half of the progressive frame, a correlation is estimated between the corresponding pixel in the non-replicated field and at least one vertically adjacent pixel of the replicated field, and optionally one or more vertically adjacent pixels in the non-replicated fields. Also, three consecutive input fields of interlaced video may be converted into two output fields of interlaced video on a per pixel basis taking into consideration differences in the consecutive input fields.

US Patent:

6950463, Sep 27, 2005

Filed:

Jun 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/880243

Inventors:

Shankar Moni - San Jose CA, US
Andrew W. Walters - San Jose CA, US
John A. Tardif - San Jose CA, US
Padma Parthasarathy - Fremont CA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04N007/12

US Classification:

37524003, 382251, 341 51

Abstract:

Systems and methods for transcoding a transport stream or a video stream. A video stream includes a quantization matrix and a quantization scale that define how DCT frequency coefficients are quantized. A transport stream is transcoded by updating the quantization matrix and/or the quantization scale such that a new set of DCT frequency coefficients may be generated. Typically the quantization scale and/or the quantization matrix are updated such that the DCT frequency coefficients are more coarsely quantized such that their encoding consumes fewer bits. The quantization matrix can be updated such that select frequency coefficients are affected. Transcoding can operate at any level of the video stream, such as the frame level, the slice level, or the macroblock level. The bit rate of the video stream can therefore be adjusted or altered according to a current quantization level and a current bit rate.

US Patent:

6965415, Nov 15, 2005

Filed:

Jan 4, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/039224

Inventors:

James Lundblad - Mountain View CA, US
Andrew Walters - San Jose CA, US
J. Wiltse Carpenter - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04N005/46

US Classification:

348556, 725 39

Abstract:

Designed for use with widescreen TVs or high-end TVs with a mode for accommodating anamorphic programs, an EPG client is equipped with an electronic program guide (EPG) and a letterbox-to-anamorphic converter. The EPG client evaluates EPG data to determine whether programs are in the letterbox format. When a letterboxed program is selected for viewing, the EPG client vertically stretches the program by a ratio of M/N, where M>N (e. g. , 4/3), to convert the program from the letterbox format to an anamorphic format prior to delivery to the television. The converted anamorphic program is output to the television, where it is horizontally expanded to fit the screen.

US Patent:

7064790, Jun 20, 2006

Filed:

Jun 7, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/165540

Inventors:

Ankur Varma - San Francisco CA, US
Andrew Wayne Walters - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04N 7/01

US Classification:

348441, 348448, 348458, 348452

Abstract:

The arrangements and procedures of this invention adaptively process video data. Specifically, at least first and second fields of an interlaced frame are deinterlaced to form intermediate progressive first and second frames. The first intermediate progressive frame includes scanlines of a first temporal instant. The second intermediate progressive frame includes scanlines of a second temporal instant. The first and second temporal instants are different from one another. The first and second intermediate progressive frames are independently resampled to form respective first and second resampled frames. Scanlines from the first and second resampled frames are interleaved to generate a resampled interlaced frame.

US Patent:

7554606, Jun 30, 2009

Filed:

Oct 22, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/970902

Inventors:

James Lundblad - Mountain View CA, US
Andrew Wayne Walters - San Jose CA, US
J. Wiltse Carpenter - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04N 5/46

US Classification:

348556, 725 39

Abstract:

Designed for use with widescreen TVs or high-end TVs with a mode for accommodating anamorphic programs, an EPG client is equipped with an electronic program guide (EPG) and a letterbox-to-anamorphic converter. The EPG client evaluates EPG data to determine whether programs are in the letterbox format. When a letterboxed program is selected for viewing, the EPG client vertically stretches the program by a ratio of M/N, where M>N (e. g. , 4/3), to convert the program from the letterbox format to an anamorphic format prior to delivery to the television. The converted anamorphic program is output to the television, where it is horizontally expanded to fit the screen.

US Patent:

7587526, Sep 8, 2009

Filed:

Feb 28, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/068537

Inventors:

Andrew W. Walters - San Jose CA, US
Ankur Varma - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/00
G06F 13/12
G06F 13/28
G06F 7/00
G06F 15/00
H03M 7/34
H03M 7/38

US Classification:

710 30, 710 68, 712300, 341 51

Abstract:

Embedding endianness information within data and sending and receiving data with the embedded endianness information. Data may be contained in a data structure. To embed endianness information in a data structure, unused bits in a data structure are identified. A number of the unused bits are then selected based on the possible unpacking combinations of the data structure. The endian bit values are set to a pattern to indicate the endianness of the data structure. Data that has been packed by a transmitting module can be unpacked by a receiving module based on the detected endian bits. An algorithm may be used to determine which unused bits to select as the endian bits.

US Patent:

7633553, Dec 15, 2009

Filed:

Oct 22, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/972163

Inventors:

James Lundblad - Mountain View CA, US
Andrew Wayne Walters - San Jose CA, US
J. Wiltse Carpenter - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04N 5/46

US Classification:

348556, 725 39

Abstract:

Designed for use with widescreen TVs or high-end TVs with a mode for accommodating anamorphic programs, an EPG client is equipped with an electronic program guide (EPG) and a letterbox-to-anamorphic converter. The EPG client evaluates EPG data to determine whether programs are in the letterbox format. When a letterboxed program is selected for viewing, the EPG client vertically stretches the program by a ratio of M/N, where M>N (e. g. , 4/3), to convert the program from the letterbox format to an anamorphic format prior to delivery to the television. The converted anamorphic program is output to the television, where it is horizontally expanded to fit the screen.