In addition to Technicolor patents and trademark licensing, we also offer Technology Licensing for a variety of audio and video products. Technicolor holds over 40,000 patents and manages more than 1,000 Consumer Electronics (CE) license agreements.
We partner with some of the top companies in the world to extend the range of their consumer electronics, and have developed advanced breakthroughs in such areas as 3D technology, video reframing for mobile devices, digital color science.
We have a variety of advanced solutions available for licensing to CE manufacturers working with mobile devices such as cell phone tablets as well as video cameras and audio equipment. Below are some showcase solutions presented at CES 2012.
Intelligent Video Reframing
An ideal video reframing solution for adapting HD and SD content to mobile devices like cell phones and tablets as well as set-top-boxes (STBs).
High-resolution videos lose detail when displayed on a smaller screen such as that of a cell phone, and this loss interferes with the visual comfort of the viewer. Our Intelligent Video Reframing solution is designed for content distributors and manufacturers of mobile devices like cell phones and tablets to deliver higher-quality video to their customers.
We use a proprietary algorithm that automatically finds the region of interest in a video and then crops and zooms the original video for optimum results.
Key benefits of Intelligent Video Reframing
- Automatic and stable reframing
- More cost-effective than expensive manual reframing
- Reframes content from 16:9 to 4:3 and from 4:3 to 16:9
- Video content is reframed without black boxes and with minimal image distortion
- Second screen video displays the reframed sequences instead of the rescaled one
Graphics Overlay for 3D Video
Required technology for overlaying graphics in real time over 3D videos.
Consumer electronics vendors, 3D content distributors, advertising networks and software vendors need this technology to dynamically overlay graphics on 3D video. Our Graphics Overlay technology takes advantage of our expertise in extracting a high-quality depth map in order to create the optimum graphic overlay for 3D video.
The graphics overlay algorithm computes the depth map in real time and optimizes the location of the graphic. This technology helps viewers avoid visual fatigue by determining the optimum position of the overlay based on the depth of objects in the underlying video, moving the graphic dynamically rather than keeping it in a fixed location.
Key Benefits of Graphics Overlay for 3D Video:
- Suitable for embedded devices
- Prevents visual fatigue
- The position of the graphic transitions smoothly from frame to frame
- Real-time implementation
- Dynamically overlays logos, banner ads, widgets, menu/EPG, tickers, etc. on 3D video
- Ideal for content distributors, advertisers and CE vendors wanting to overlay banner ads or menus on 3D videos
Technicolor CineStyle – “The Color Science behind Hollywood”
CineStyle is a picture style profile for DSLR cameras that allows users to shoot in a cinematic quality video in a logarithmic mode. Technicolor’s CineStyle color science technology allows the CineStyle “look” to be downloaded as a unique “Picture Style” into high-end DSLR series cameras. Technicolor CineStyle takes advantage of our unique understanding of digital color science in cinema settings in order to avoid the “flat” looks often found in technology integrated with DSLR cameras. That’s why Hollywood Directors of Photography, Post-Production supervisors, Directors and Producers rely on our color science to create the right looks for their films.
Key Benefits of Using CineStyle:
- Create unique Hollywood looks that match the look and color capabilities of much more expensive equipment
- Capture clips that can easily be color graded to match cinematic styles from various sources including 35mm film
- Experience greater dynamic range when shooting in difficult lighting situations
- Intercut production with other cinema quality cameras like RED, ARRI ALEXA, SONY F-65 and 35mm film.
Certifi 3D
Technicolor developed Certifi 3D to improve the quality of 3D content either in production or during viewing. By using Certifi 3D, vendors, manufacturers and distributors can help their customers avoid the types of bad, sup-par or poorly produced 3D content that can cause headaches and eye fatigue.
Our Certifi 3D algorithm measures the depth of the image against pre-determined parameters to “grade” factors such as hyperconvergence and hyperdivergence, thereby producing a higher quality 3D image.
Networks and content producers can use Certifi 3D to prevent the capture or transmission of ‘bad’ 3D by using cameras embedded with this technology. Consumer electronics and silicon vendors will also be able “to marry” Certifi 3D with depth tuning in order to give the viewer optimal control of 3D effects.
Key Benefits of Technicolor Certifi 3D
- Reduced visual fatigue
- Real-time implementation (in development)
- Depth reduction or removal when married with depth tuning (in development)
- Can also be married with head tracking for more personalized experience
- Will eventually provide correction in real-time
Certifi 3D will benefit: 3D content distributors (both over the top and managed providers); consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers of 3D capable set-top-boxes (STBs), 3D Blu-ray and 3DTV; and silicon vendors.
3D User Adjustable Depth Technology (3D -/+)
Eye fatigue is a well-known concern among 3D manufacturers and vendors. By using Technicolor’s 3D User Adjustable Depth Technology, customers can adjust the depth level of 3D content for the most comfortable viewing experience.
This unique technology uses a combination of proprietary Technicolor algorithms that leverages our image processing expertise in disparity extraction, confidence evaluation, and disparity refinement.
Key Benefits of 3D User Adjustable Depth Technology:
- Adjust the intensity of the stereoscopy, from original 3D down to 2D across 8 different levels
- Reduce eye fatigue caused by:
- production issues
- type of content being viewed (film/sports/etc.)
- viewing duration
- individual comfort levels, for example among children or adults
- Technicolor’s algorithm generates a disparity map that yields the best 3D video quality for your customers
- Value-added benefits for TV system-on-chip (SoC) vendors
- 3D depth adjustment can be offered as additional feature by 3D TV manufacturers
