System for colorizing video with both pseudo-colors and selected colors

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is directed to an improved system for colorization of monochrome video frames under operator control, the system facilitating colorization at relatively high speed while not requiring unduly expensive components.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, means are provided for deriving a monochrome video signal representative of a video frame.
Means are provided for generating operator-selected color component signals for operator-selected regions of pixels of a video frame.
A color video frame memory is provided for storing the operator-selected color component signals for each pixel selected by the operator for colorization.
A video color encoder is provided, the encoder having a luminance input and a plurality of color component inputs, and an encoded color video output.
The monochrome video signal is coupled to the luminance input of the encoder and the color component signals scanned out of the color video frame memory are coupled to the respective color component inputs of the encoder.
Means are provided for recording the output of the encoder, and for displaying the output of the encoder.
As described in the preferred embodiments hereof, the operator typically works at a data tablet, while viewing the frame to be colorized, and defines and/or selects regions of the frame to be colorized, and also selects the colors to be used in each region.
This color information is stored in the frame buffer portion of the recited color video frame memory.
Preferably, in addition to being able to view the composite work on a display coupled to the output of the encoder, the operator can also see the colors being added to the frame on a display, for example an RGB monitor, coupled to the output of the color video frame memory.
In an embodiment hereof, a pseudo-colorizer is used to generate a pseudo-colorized frame from the original monochrome video frame, and this is used as an initial rough colorization from which an operator can begin working toward the ultimately desired colorization of the frame