Image display device and method

Abstract

In an image display device having a frame rate converting (FRC) portion, it is possible to prevent image degradation of a combined image display portion such as an OSD and PinP attributed to the FRC process. The image display device includes: an FRC portion 10 for converting the number of frames of an input image signal by interpolating an image signal subjected to a motion compensation process between the frames of the input image signal; an OSD processing portion 14 for superposing an OSD signal on the input image signal, and a controlling portion 15 . The FRC portion 10 has a motion vector detecting portion 11 e for detecting a motion vector between the frames of the input image signal, an interpolation vector evaluating portion 11 f for allocating interpolation vector between frames based on the motion vector information, and an interpolation frame generating portion 12 d for generating an interpolation frame from the interpolation vector. When the OSD signal is superposed on the input image signal, the controlling portion 15 disables the motion compensation process of the FRC portion 10 by making the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting portion 11 e 0 vector.

1 . An image display device comprising:
 a rate converting module that interpolates an image signal after the image signal has been subjected to a motion compensation process between frames or fields of an input image signal to convert and output the number of frames or fields of the input image signal to a display panel,   responsive to the input image signal being a combination of a first image signal and a second image signal, the second image signal being different from the first image signal, and at least one of the first image signal and the second image signal is a moving image; the rate converting module disabling the motion compensation process for all pixel regions of the combination to be displayed in the display panel.   
     
     
         2 . The image display device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein
 the rate converting module includes a motion vector detecting portion that detects motion vector information between consecutive frames or fields included in the input image signal,   an interpolation vector allocating portion that allocates an interpolation vector between the frames or the fields based on the detected motion vector information,   an interpolation image generating portion that generates an interpolation image signal from the allocated interpolation vector, and   an image interpolating portion that interpolates the generated interpolation image signal between the frames or the fields.   
     
     
         3 . The image display device as defined in  claim 2 , wherein
 when the first image signal and the second image signal are combined and displayed, the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting portion or the interpolation vector allocated by the interpolation vector allocating portion is set to zero-vector to disable the motion compensation process.   
     
     
         4 . The Image display device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein
 the second image signal is a character signal combined within the first image signal.   
     
     
         5 . The image display device as defined in  claim 4 , wherein
 the character signal is an on-screen display signal generated within the image display device.   
     
     
         6 . The image display device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein
 the second image signal is a sub-screen image signal combined within the first image signal.   
     
     
         7 . The image display device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein
 the sub-screen image signal is a picture-in-picture display signal generated in the image display device.   
     
     
         8 . The image display device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein
 the second image signal is a background image signal combined on the outside of the first image signal.   
     
     
         9 . The image display device as defined in  claim 8 , wherein
 the background image signal is a data information display signal or a program information display signal.   
     
     
         10 . The image display device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein
 the second image signal is an another-screen image signal combined on the outside of the first image signal.   
     
     
         11 . The image display device as defined in  claim 10 , wherein
 the another-screen image signal is a picture-out-picture display signal generated in the image display device.   
     
     
         12 . An image display device comprising:
 a rate converting module that interpolates an image signal after the image signal has been subjected to a motion compensation process between frames or fields of an input image signal to convert and output the number of frames or fields of the input image signal to a display panel,   responsive to the input image signal being a combination of a first image signal and a second image signal, the second image signal being different from the first image signal, and at least one of the first image signal and the second image signal is a moving image; the input image signal is output to the display panel without converting the number of frames or fields of the input image signal for all pixel regions of the combination to be displayed in the display panel.   
     
     
         13 . The image display device as defined in  claim 12 , wherein
 drive frequency of the display panel displaying the image signals can be changed, and wherein   when the first image signal and the second image signal are combined and displayed, the drive frequency of the display panel is changed in accordance with frame frequency or field frequency of the input image signal.   
     
     
         14 . An image display device comprising:
 a rate converting module that interpolates an image signal after the image signal has been subjected to a motion compensation process between frames or fields of an input image signal to convert and output the number of frames or fields of the input image signal to a display panel, further comprising   another rate converting module that inserts an image signal not subjected to the motion compensation process between frames or fields of the input image signal to convert the number of frames or fields of the input image signal,   responsive to the input image signal being a combination of a first image signal and a second image signal, the second image signal being different from the first image signal, and at least one of the first image signal and the second image signal is a moving image; an image signal with the number of frames or fields converted by the another rate converting module is output to the display panel for all pixel regions of the combination to be displayed in the display panel.   
     
     
         15 . The image display device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein
 the another rate converting module inserts between frames or fields of the input image signal an image signal of the frames or fields to convert the number of frames or fields of the input image signal.   
     
     
         16 . The image display device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein
 the another rate converting module interpolates an image signal subjected to a linear interpolation process between frames or fields of the input image signal to convert the number of frames or fields of the input image signal.   
     
     
         17 . The image display device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein
 the another rate converting module inserts a predetermined monochromatic image signal between frames or fields of the input image signal to convert the number of frames or fields of the input image signal.   
     
     
         18 . An image display device comprising:
 a rate converting module that interpolates an image signal after the image signal has been subjected to a motion compensation process between frames or fields of an input image signal to convert and output the number of frames or fields of the input image signal to a display panel,   responsive to the input image signal being a combination of a first image signal and a second image signal, the second image signal being different from the first image signal, and at least one of the first image signal and the second image signal is a moving image; the compensation intensity of the motion compensation process in the rate converting module is varied for all pixel regions of the combination to be displayed in the display panel.   
     
     
         19 . The image display device as defined in  claim 18 , wherein
 the rate converting module includes an interpolation image generating portion that performs weighted addition of the image signal subjected to the motion compensation process and an image signal subjected to a linear interpolation process at a predetermined rate to generate an interpolation image signal, and wherein   when the first image signal and the second image signal are combined and displayed, the weighted addition rate is varied.   
     
     
         20 . The image display device as defined in  claim 18 , wherein
 when the first image signal and the second image signal are combined and displayed, the interpolation image generating portion defines the image signal subjected to the linear interpolation process as the interpolation image signal, and wherein   when the first image signal and the second image signal are not combined and displayed, the interpolation image generating portion defines the image signal subjected to the motion compensation process as the interpolation image signal.