1. A flicker detection method for detecting a flicker from an image signal, comprising the steps of:
(a) calculating a luminance difference between neighboring pixels;
(b) summing up the luminance difference in a predetermined direction if the difference is greater than a threshold value;
(c) performing a motion estimation by using a sum calculated through step (b) to thereby calculate a motion displacement;
(d) performing a motion compensation to a current frame data by using the motion displacement;
(e) calculating a difference between a previous frame data and the compensated current frame data; and
(f) detecting the flicker by using the difference calculated in step (e).
2. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (b) excludes the luminance difference from a summation if the luminance difference is less than the threshold value.
3. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 2, wherein the flicker is partially removed by steps (a) and (b).
4. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 3, wherein steps (a) and (b) use one line memory.
5. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 4, wherein step (a) calculates the luminance difference between the neighboring pixels in one line.
6. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 5, wherein the predetermined direction is one of a row direction and a column direction.
7. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 6, wherein step (c), an initial position of the motion estimation is decided depending on a search range.
8. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 7, wherein step (c) includes the steps of:
calculating a sum of absolute difference (SAD) from the initial position to a block size of a search window; and
selecting the least SAD as the motion displacement.
9. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 8, wherein step (d) includes a step of moving the previous frame data as much as the motion displacement of the compensated current frame data.
10. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 9, wherein step (e) uses a sum of a plurality of pixels in the specific direction.
11. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 10, wherein the specific direction is one of a row direction and a column direction.
12. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 11, wherein step (f) includes the steps of:
filtering the difference between the previous frame data and the compensated current frame data to thereby detect a plurality of local minima; and
detecting a flicker period by using the local minima.
13. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 12, wherein the flicker period is used for determining whether the flicker is occurred or not.
14. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 11, wherein step (f) includes the steps of:
filtering the difference between the previous frame data and the compensated current frame data to thereby detect a plurality of local maxima; and
detecting a flicker period by using the local maxima.
15. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 14, wherein the flicker period is used for determining whether the flicker is occurred or not.
16. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 4, wherein step (a) calculates the luminance difference between the neighboring pixels, wherein each of the neighboring pixels are placed in neighboring two lines, respectively.
17. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 16, wherein the predetermined direction is one of a row direction and a column direction.
18. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 17, wherein step (c), an initial position of the motion estimation is decided depending on a search range.
19. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 18, wherein step (c) includes the steps of:
calculating a sum of absolute difference (SAD) from the initial position to a block size of a search window; and
selecting the least SAD as the motion displacement.
20. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 19, wherein step (d) includes a step of moving the previous frame data as much as the motion displacement of the compensated current frame data.
21. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 20, wherein step (e) uses a sum of a plurality of pixels in the specific direction.
22. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 21, wherein the specific direction is one of a row direction and a column direction.
23. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 22, wherein step (f) includes the steps of:
filtering the difference between the previous frame data and the compensated current frame data to thereby detect a plurality of local minima; and
detecting a flicker period by using the local minima.
24. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 23, wherein the flicker period is used for determining whether the flicker is occurred or not.
25. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 24, wherein step (f) includes the steps of:
filtering the difference between the previous frame data and the compensated current frame data to thereby detect a plurality of local maxima; and
detecting a flicker period by using the local maxima.
26. The flicker detection method as recited in claim 25, wherein the flicker period is used for determining whether the flicker is occurred or not.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
In the claims:
1. A card with information thereon, comprising:
a first portion having a telephone number thereon capable of being used to connect a computer device to an internet service provider via a telephone connection and a global computer network;
a second portion having a code thereon, wherein said code can be used as a password for enabling said computer device to be connected to said global computer network, and have access to an account associated with said code; and
a third portion indicating the amount of time that has been allocated to said account.
2. The card of claim 1, wherein said card has a fourth portion with information regarding the internet service provider, and a fifth portion with connective identification.
3. The card of claim 2, wherein said connective identification is a website or email address of the internet service provider.
4. The card of claim 1, wherein a removable protective cover is provided to conceal the information on said second portion.
5. The card of claim 4, wherein said protective cover is comprised of scratch-off paint or other scratch-off material.
6. The card of claim 4, wherein said protective cover is comprised of a peel-off strip.
7. The card of claim 1, wherein one or more removable protective covers are provided to conceal the information on said first and second portions.
8. The card of claim 1, wherein said telephone number is a toll-free number.
9. The card of claim 1, wherein said code comprises alpha-numeric symbols.
10. The card of claim 1, wherein said code is assigned to an account, wherein the time allocated to the account determines how long the computer can remain connected to said global computer network.
11. A card comprising:
a first portion having a telephone number thereon capable of being used to connect a computer device to an internet service provider via a telephone connection and a global computer network;
a second portion having a code thereon, wherein said code can be used as a password for enabling said computer device to be connected to said global computer network, and have access to an account associated with said code; and
wherein one or more removable protective covers are provided to conceal the information on said first andor second portions.
12. The card of claim 11, wherein said one or more protective covers are comprised of scratch-off paint or other scratch-off material.
13. The card of claim 11, wherein said one or more protective covers are comprised of a peel-off strip.
14. The card of claim 11, wherein a predetermined amount of time has been allocated to said account, and wherein the time allocated to said account determines how long the computer can remain connected to said global computer network.
15. A method of providing a card to connect to a global computer network, comprising:
providing a card with a telephone number and code thereon;
enabling a computer to be used to enter the telephone number and code to connect to said global computer network and access an account associated with said code;
allocating a predetermined amount of time on said account; and
enabling said computer to be connected to said global computer network for said predetermined amount of time, wherein said connection is terminated at the expiration of said amount of time.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein multiple cards are provided, and a different code is provided on each card, and each code is assigned to a different account.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein a first portion of said multiple cards is provided with codes that are assigned to accounts having a first predetermined amount of time allocated thereto, and a second portion of said multiple cards is provided with codes that are assigned to accounts having a second predetermined amount of time allocated thereto.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein a notification that the amount of time is about to expire is given.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein said predetermined amount of time allocated to said account can be adjusted.