Method, apparatus and machine-readable medium for describing video processing

Abstract

An upstream video processor may perform video processing upon video data to created processed video data. The video processing may include at least one of color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction, sharpness enhancement, and edge enhancement. Metadata indicative of the performed video processing may also be generated. The processed video data and metadata may be passed to a downstream video processor, the latter for use in determining what further video processing, if any, to apply. An intermediate video processor may receive video data and metadata indicating video processing performed thereupon by an upstream video processor. Based on the received metadata, additional video processing may be performed, and new metadata indicating the additional video processing may be generated. Composite metadata may be generated from the received and new metadata and may be passed along with the processed video data to a downstream video processor for use in determining what further video processing, if any, to apply.

1 . A method comprising, at a video processor:
 performing video processing upon video data, said video processing resulting in processed video data; and   passing said processed video data and generated metadata indicative of the performed video processing to a downstream video processor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said video data is received from a source and wherein said generated metadata is generated by supplementing or overriding metadata also received from said source. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said source is a storage medium or a network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said video processing comprises at least one of color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction, sharpness enhancement, and edge enhancement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said video processor is part of a video player device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said video player device is a PC, DVD-Video player, High-Density HD-DVD player, Blu-Ray disc player, or set-top box. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said downstream video processor is part of a display device. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising, at a video processor:
 receiving video data;   receiving metadata indicative of video processing that has been performed upon said video data by an upstream video processor; and   based on said metadata, determining further video processing to apply, if any, to said video data.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said video processing comprises at least one of color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction, sharpness enhancement, and edge enhancement. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said video processor is part of a display device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said upstream video processor is part of a video player device. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising, at an intermediate video processor:
 receiving video data;   receiving metadata indicative of video processing that has been earlier performed upon said video data by an upstream video processor;   based on said received metadata, performing additional video processing upon said video data to create processed video data; and   passing said processed video data and composite metadata, which is based on said received metadata and new metadata indicative of the performed additional processing, to a downstream video processor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising creating said composite metadata by adding said new metadata to said received metadata when said additional video processing supplements the earlier performed video processing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising creating said composite metadata by overriding at least a portion of said received metadata with said new metadata when said additional video processing overrides at least some of the earlier performed video processing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said overriding at least a portion of said received metadata comprises replacing said at least a portion of said received metadata. 
     
     
         16 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to:
 perform video processing upon video data, said video processing resulting in processed video data; and   pass said processed video data and generated metadata indicative of the performed video processing to a downstream video processor.   
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 16  wherein said video data is received from a source and wherein said generated metadata is generated by supplementing or overriding metadata also received from said source. 
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 17  wherein said source is a storage medium or a network. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 16  wherein said video processing comprises at least one of color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction, sharpness enhancement, and edge enhancement. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 16  wherein said processor is part of a video player device and wherein said downstream video processor is part of a display device. 
     
     
         21 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to:
 receive video data;   receive metadata indicative of video processing that has been performed upon said video data by an upstream video processor; and   based on said metadata, determine further video processing to apply, if any, to said video data.   
     
     
         22 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 21  wherein said video processing comprises at least one of color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction, sharpness enhancement, and edge enhancement. 
     
     
         23 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 21  wherein said processor is part of a display device and wherein said upstream video processor is part of a video player device. 
     
     
         24 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to:
 receive video data;   receive metadata indicative of video processing that has been earlier performed upon said video data by an upstream video processor;   based on said received metadata, perform additional video processing upon said video data to create processed video data; and   pass said processed video data and composite metadata, which is based on said received metadata and new metadata indicative of the performed additional processing, to a downstream video processor.   
     
     
         25 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 24  wherein said instructions further cause said processor to create said composite metadata by adding said new metadata to said received metadata when said additional video processing supplements the earlier performed video processing. 
     
     
         26 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 24  wherein said instructions further cause said processor to create said composite metadata by overriding at least a portion of said received metadata with said new metadata when said additional video processing overrides at least some of the earlier performed video processing. 
     
     
         27 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 26  wherein said overriding at least a portion of said received metadata comprises replacing said at least a portion of said received metadata. 
     
     
         28 . A video processor comprising:
 at least one functional block for performing video processing upon video data, said video processing resulting in processed video data; and   a metadata formatter for generating metadata indicative of the performed video processing for passing to a downstream video processor along with said processed video data.   
     
     
         29 . The video processor of  claim 28  wherein said at least one functional block comprises at least one of a color correction functional block, contrast correction functional block, gamma correction functional block, sharpness enhancement functional block, and edge enhancement functional block. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said video processor is part of a video player device. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said downstream video processor is part of a display device. 
     
     
         32 . A video processor comprising:
 a buffer for receiving video data;   a metadata decoder for decoding received metadata indicative of video processing that has been performed upon said video data by an upstream video processor; and   at least one functional block for performing further video processing upon said video data, said further video processing being determined at least in part based on said metadata.   
     
     
         33 . The video processor of  claim 31  wherein said at least one functional block comprises at least one of a color correction functional block, contrast correction functional block, gamma correction functional block, sharpness enhancement functional block, and edge enhancement functional block. 
     
     
         34 . The video processor of  claim 31  wherein said upstream video processor is part of a video player device. 
     
     
         35 . An intermediate video processor comprising:
 a buffer for receiving video data;   a metadata decoder for decoding received metadata indicative of video processing that has been earlier performed upon said video data by an upstream video processor;   at least one functional block for performing additional video processing upon said video data, said additional video processing being determined based on said metadata and resulting in processed video data; and   a metadata formatter for generating composite metadata for passing to a downstream video processor along with said processed video data, said composite metadata being based on said received metadata and new metadata indicative of the performed additional video processing.   
     
     
         36 . The intermediate video processor of  claim 35  wherein said metadata formatter creates said composite metadata by adding said new metadata to said received metadata when said additional video processing supplements the earlier performed video processing. 
     
     
         37 . The intermediate video processor of  claim 35  wherein said metadata formatter creates said composite metadata by overriding at least a portion of said received metadata with said new metadata when said additional video processing overrides at least some of the earlier performed video processing.