Prior art

The following are the most relevant prior art references for US patent 7952645, identified by examining the patent's own background section and its cited prior art. Each reference includes its full citation, publication/filing dates, a brief description, and an analysis of which claims of US7952645 it potentially anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US7952645

1. JP2002132225A - Video signal processing method and apparatus

• Full Citation: JP2002132225A (Google Patents link for JP2002132225A:)
• Publication Date: 2002-05-10
• Filing Date: 2000-10-27
• Brief Description: This patent describes a multimedia computer system that converts RGB signals to luminance and color-difference signals, extracts characteristic points from the luminance signal (e.g., minimum, maximum, average levels, histogram) for each frame, and then corrects both the luminance and color-difference signals for display.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This reference directly anticipates the core components of Claim 1 relating to converting an RGB input signal to luminance and color-difference signals, extracting characteristic data from the luminance signal, and correcting (modulating) the luminance and color-difference signals based on these characteristics to enhance picture quality. While the specific "interrupt signal" handling and the detailed selector functionality described in Claim 1 might be distinguishing, the fundamental video processing steps are disclosed.

2. JP2005026814A - Picture quality correction system

• Full Citation: JP2005026814A (Google Patents link for JP2005026814A:)
• Publication Date: 2005-01-27
• Filing Date: 2003-07-07
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a side panel detection circuit that detects "side panels" (analogous to wallpaper portions or no-picture areas) in a video signal and conducts picture quality correction based on the detection result and the video luminance level.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 11: This reference directly anticipates the detection of "pattern portions" (e.g., wallpaper portions or side panels) within an input video signal and the control of video signal correction based on this detection, particularly for preventing unwanted changes in these non-content areas.
  • Claim 12: It also broadly anticipates the detection of "no-picture area portions" (e.g., single-color side panels) and changing the area of picture quality enhancement processing to exclude these portions, thereby preventing their luminance and color information from improperly influencing corrections for the actual content.

3. US6744474B1 - Image processing system

• Full Citation: US6744474B1 - Image processing system (Google Patents link for US6744474B1:)
• Publication Date: 2004-06-01
• Filing Date: 2001-08-27
• Brief Description: This patent describes an image processing system that generates a histogram of image data, performs image processing on the data based on the histogram, and controls a display device. It also aims to improve visibility in bright ambient light conditions by adjusting display luminance and contrast using image processing.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This patent anticipates the creation of a histogram (characteristic data), the use of this histogram to perform image processing (determining correction data), and the modulation of image characteristics (luminance/contrast) for display.
  • Claim 9: The mention of improving visibility in bright ambient light by adjusting display luminance and contrast suggests anticipation of the general concept of ambient light-adaptive correction, though specific photo sensor details and RGB gain adjustment would require further analysis.

4. US7088383B2 - Image display device and image display method

• Full Citation: US7088383B2 - Image display device and image display method (Google Patents link for US7088383B2:)
• Publication Date: 2006-08-08
• Filing Date: 2004-03-12
• Brief Description: This patent describes an image display device and method that detects characteristic values of an input image and varies display characteristics (e.g., gradation, luminance, contrast) based on these values. It specifically includes improving outdoor visibility by using an external light sensor.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: It anticipates detecting characteristic values of an input image and dynamically adjusting display characteristics such as gradation, luminance, and contrast, aligning with the core picture quality enhancement aspects of Claim 1.
  • Claim 9 & 10: The explicit mention of using an external light sensor to improve outdoor visibility and adjusting image characteristics based on external light strongly anticipates the use of a photo sensor for ambient light correction, as detailed in Claim 9. Deeper analysis would be needed to determine if it specifically discloses RGB detection and ratio calculation as in Claim 10.

5. US20050168603A1 - Video signal processing circuit and method

• Full Citation: US20050168603A1 - Video signal processing circuit and method (Google Patents link for US20050168603A1:)
• Publication Date: 2005-08-04
• Filing Date: 2004-01-21
• Brief Description: This patent describes a video signal processing circuit and method that employs a histogram generator to obtain a histogram of an input video signal. It then performs gamma correction and adjusts black/white levels according to the generated histogram to achieve good gradation characteristics.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This reference directly anticipates the generation of a histogram (characteristic data) from an input video signal and the use of this histogram to perform image correction, such as gamma correction and black/white level adjustment, which are forms of modulating the luminance signal for picture quality enhancement as described in US7952645.The analysis of the most relevant prior art for US patent 7952645 is provided below, focusing on references that either appear in the patent's own background discussion or broadly cover its independent claims. The specific details for each cited patent, including publication/filing dates and brief descriptions, are primarily drawn from publicly available patent databases such as Google Patents.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US7952645

1. JP2002132225A - Video signal processing method and apparatus

• Full Citation: JP2002132225A (Video signal processing method and apparatus)
• Publication Date: 2002-05-10
• Filing Date: 2000-10-27
• Brief Description: This patent describes a multimedia computer system that converts an input RGB signal into a luminance signal and color-difference signals. It extracts characteristic points in the luminance signal for each frame, corrects the luminance and color-difference signals, and then displays the resulting image. [cite: The full patent text of US7952645 discusses this prior art in its 'BACKGROUND' section.]
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This reference directly anticipates the core elements of Claim 1, including the conversion of an RGB input video signal to luminance and color-difference signals, the extraction of characteristic data from the luminance signal, and the modulation (correction) of these signals to enhance picture quality. While the specific mechanism of an "interrupt signal" for CPU interaction and the detailed selector functionality described in Claim 1 may present distinctions, the fundamental video processing steps are disclosed.

2. JP2005026814A - Picture quality correction system

• Full Citation: JP2005026814A (Picture quality correction system)
• Publication Date: 2005-01-27
• Filing Date: 2003-07-07
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a side panel detection circuit that detects side panels (which are comparable to pattern portions or no-picture areas) in a video signal. It then conducts picture quality correction based on the detection of these side panels and the video luminance level. [cite: The full patent text of US7952645 discusses this prior art in its 'BACKGROUND' section.]
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 11: This reference directly anticipates the detection of "pattern portions" (such as wallpaper portions or side panels) within an input video signal and the subsequent control of the video signal correction based on this detection. The underlying principle of preventing undesired correction of static or non-content areas is present.
  • Claim 12: It broadly anticipates the detection of "no-picture area portions" (e.g., single-color side panels or black bars) and the adjustment of the picture quality enhancement processing area to exclude these portions. This prevents the luminance and color information from these non-content areas from interfering with the accurate correction of the main video content.

3. US6744474B1 - Image processing system

• Full Citation: US6744474B1 (Image processing system)
• Publication Date: 2004-06-01
• Filing Date: 2001-08-27
• Brief Description: This patent describes an image processing system comprising a histogram creation circuit for generating a histogram of image data. It then performs image processing on the image data based on this histogram and controls a display device. The invention also aims to improve visibility in bright ambient light by adjusting display luminance and contrast through image processing.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This patent anticipates the creation of a histogram (a form of characteristic data), the use of this histogram to perform image processing (which involves determining correction data and modulation), and the subsequent control of a display.
  • Claim 9: The explicit mention of improving visibility in bright ambient light by adjusting display luminance and contrast through image processing suggests anticipation of the general concept of ambient light-adaptive correction. However, the specific integration of a photo sensor and RGB gain adjustment as detailed in Claim 9 would require a more in-depth comparison.

4. US7088383B2 - Image display device and image display method

• Full Citation: US7088383B2 (Image display device and image display method)
• Publication Date: 2006-08-08
• Filing Date: 2004-03-12
• Brief Description: This patent describes an image display device and method capable of reproducing high-quality images. It detects characteristic values of an input image and varies the image display characteristics, such as gradation, luminance, and contrast, based on these values. It also explicitly mentions improving visibility outdoors by utilizing an external light sensor.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This patent anticipates the detection of characteristic values from an input image and the dynamic adjustment of display characteristics like gradation, luminance, and contrast, which aligns with the core picture quality enhancement features of Claim 1.
  • Claim 9 & 10: The explicit disclosure of improving outdoor visibility using an external light sensor and adjusting image characteristics based on this external light strongly anticipates the use of a photo sensor for ambient light correction as outlined in Claim 9. Further examination would be needed to determine if the patent specifically details RGB detection and ratio calculation as in Claim 10.

5. US20050168603A1 - Video signal processing circuit and method

• Full Citation: US20050168603A1 (Video signal processing circuit and method)
• Publication Date: 2005-08-04
• Filing Date: 2004-01-21
• Brief Description: This patent details a video signal processing circuit and method designed to achieve good gradation characteristics. It utilizes a histogram generator to obtain a histogram of an input video signal and then employs a gamma correction circuit to perform gamma correction, along with adjusting black/white levels, based on the generated histogram.
• Potential Anticipation for US7952645 Claims:
  • Claim 1: This reference directly anticipates the generation of a histogram (a form of characteristic data) from an input video signal and the subsequent use of this histogram to perform image correction, specifically through gamma correction and black/white level adjustment. These are direct implementations of modulating the luminance signal for picture quality enhancement, as described in US7952645.