DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING PROCESSING UNIT

摘要

A digital video editor employing a single chip special-purpose digital video processing unit (VPU) having the capability to combine several different digital video input signals into a single digital video output signal is disclosed. The VPU comprises a microprocessor operating under a set of instructions which is operative for receiving, storing and manipulating portions of an incoming digital video signal and a delay circuit, coupled to the microprocessor, for delaying execution of a particular instruction if a particular portion upon which the instruction is to operate has not yet been stored. The VPU processes multiple digitized video signals in real time in a time-sharing fashion because its processing speed is substantially greater than the rate at which it receives video data and processes multiple picture elements of a single digital stream simultaneously. In a preferred environment, The VPU operates in conjunction with an IBM compatible personal computer, an inexpensive general purpose computer. By processing video digitally, the VPU avoids generation loss and allows efficient digital compression and storage of video data.