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5 March 1999
QED appointed to exploit video re-mastering IP
QED Intellectual Property Ltd, a Scipher company, has signed an exclusive licensing
agreement to exploit the intellectual property (IP) developed for a UK company
at the University of Cambridge in the area of video re-mastering.
Damage can be caused on movie film from the mechanical equipment it is run
through. This can result in a loss of picture information such as the scratches
we see in old movies. Conventional video can also be damaged by mechanical wear
of the magnetic tape. This is common in old videos or rental videos that have
been played many times. Digital video can be damaged by an electronic phenomenon
known as "digital dropout", also leading to the loss of picture information
and hence a poor quality picture.
Existing systems can correct picture damage automatically but only by replacing
the damaged pixel in a particular frame with the corresponding pixel in the previous
or next frame. The new re-mastering technology involves a far more accurate, automatic
detection and correction of damaged parts of a video or digital video, even where
motion is involved between frames.
This technology represents the next generation of movie re-mastering equipment,
possibly removing the need for the painstaking hand re-touching that is common
in the industry today. The technology may make it possible for many more old movies
to be re-mastered, cost effectively, than would otherwise be possible. Furthermore,
it could be incorporated directly into domestic video recorders to correct damaged
videos in the home - enhancing picture quality for the consumer.
QED Commercial and Sales Director, Dr Stephen Potter says; "We are excited
about introducing this technology into the next generation of home video equipment,
as well as it's use in professional film to video transfer, and the video to video
re-mastering markets. "
QED Intellectual Property Ltd. is the intellectual property management company
of Scipher plc. Scipher originates, acquires, licences and markets the intellectual
property of highly innovative technology products worldwide. It has a large and
growing bank of its own and client patents, which it manages for protection, further
technical development, licence income generation and equity formation. It operates
in the fast growing and global markets of: Multimedia, Communications and Electronics,
Medical and Chemical and Secure Identification and has world class technology
and R&D expertise in areas including Electronics, Optics, Magnetics and Microengineering.
Scipher is based in the United Kingdom. More information on Scipher and its
companies is available on the Scipher web site at www.scipher.com
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