Abstract: An emulator is capable of connecting to an information interface that can communicate information from an information source to an information sink in a format native to the information sink. The emulator comprises an emulation controller capable of coupling to the information interface, a network controller coupled to the emulation controller and capable of coupling to an external network, and a storage. The storage holds an instruction sequence executable on the emulation controller. The instruction sequence comprises a code for receiving network information from the external network and a code capable of converting the network information to the native format for transfer to the information sink.

Abstract: A method of having multiple devices share a circuit's input/output (I/O) terminals includes applying first and second input signals to first and second I/O terminals to generate first and second output signals at the second and first I/O terminals, respectively. The first and second I/O terminals are coupled to first, second, and third devices via a plurality of signal paths. The method determines which, if any, of the first, second, and third devices is activated based on the first and second output signals. In some embodiments, the three devices correspond to three key switches of a keyboard through which a user can enter operation instructions. In some other embodiments, the three devices correspond to three signal receivers, which are controlled by a local or remote signal source that transmits activation signals in a wired or wireless manner.

Abstract: In a method of mapping data from a source space to a target space, a space transformation look-up table (LUT) that contains a plurality of locations storing information is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a function to be evaluated. First data defined according to a multi-dimensional source space is input, and second data defined according to a multi-dimensional target space is generated, by applying information contained in the LUT to the first data.

Abstract: An image processing system that can receive compressed image data corresponding to a representation of an image and process that image data in an order that is independent of the order in which that image data was compressed. A first pass decoding identifies certain information pertaining to the coded units within the compressed image data. Based upon that information, the coded units in the compressed image data may be decoded in an order that is different than the order in which they were encoded, and portions of the image may be rotated by a multiple of 90° independently of other portions of the image, thereby reducing the amount of memory needed to decompress and rotate the compressed image data.

Abstract: The invention provides techniques to implement unique identifier for an integrated chip and how this ID can be employed to enhance the security of content in personal video recorder type systems. The storage device can be a hard disk, a removable storage medium or any other type of storage medium. An integrated circuit (IC) within the personal video recorder stores a unique identifier that is used in for encryption and decryption of data stored on the storage device. Several embodiments are disclosed herein that maintain the secrecy of the unique ID such that it is not easily accessible thereby defeating the security scheme.

Abstract: Techniques for modifying data of an image that can be implemented in a digital camera, video image capturing device and other optical systems are provided to correct for image shading variations appearing in data from a two-dimensional photo-sensor. These variations can be caused by imperfect lenses, non-uniform sensitivity across the photo-sensor, and internal reflections within a housing of the optical system, for example. In order to correct for these variations, a small amount of modification data is stored in a small memory within the camera or other optical system, preferably separate correction data for each primary color. The modification data is generated on the fly, at the same rate as the image data is being acquired, so that the modification takes place without slowing down data transfer from the image sensor.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (1). The analog to digital converter (1) comprises a first range-control unit (100) adapted to generate a first range-control value for controlling a size of an input range of the analog-to-digital converter (1). The analog to digital converter further comprises a second range-control unit (200) adapted to generate a second range-control value for controlling a midpoint of the input range. Further, the analog-to-digital converter (1) comprises a reference-level unit (300) operatively connected to the first range-control unit (100) and the second range-control unit (200). The reference-level unit (300) is arranged to generate a plurality of reference levels at least based on the first and the second range-control value. The analog-to-digital converter further comprises a comparison unit (400) operatively connected to the second range-control unit (200) and the reference-level unit (300).

Abstract: Techniques for modifying data of an image that can be implemented in a digital camera, video image capturing device and other optical systems are provided to correct for Image image shading variations appearing in data from a two-dimensional photo-sensor. These variations can be caused by imperfect lenses, non-uniform sensitivity across the photo-sensor, and internal reflections within a housing of the optical system, for example. In order to correct for these variations, a small amount of modification data is stored in a small memory within the camera or other optical system, preferably separate correction data for each primary color. Image data from individual pixels are corrected on the fly by interpolating individual pixel corrections from the stored modification data, at the same rate as the image data is being acquired, so that the correction takes place without slowing down data transfer of picture data from the image sensor.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for producing a high dynamic range (HDR) image of a scene are disclosed and claimed. In one embodiment, method includes setting an exposure period of an image sensor of the digital camera and capturing image data based on the exposure period. The method may further include checking the image data to determine whether the number of saturated pixels exceeds a saturation threshold and checking the image data to determine whether the number of cutoff pixels exceeds a cutoff threshold. The method may further include generating a high dynamic range image based on image data captured by the digital camera, wherein the high dynamic range image is generated based on a minimum number of images to capture a full dynamic range of the scene.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording data at specific locations on a DVD includes selectively detecting the occurrence of wobble sync during a window computed from previous occurrences of wobble sync and eight-to-fourteen modulation sync. The method and apparatus also uses a phase-locked loop to recover the wobble signal, including wobble sync, and computes phase drift between wobble sync and eight-to-fourteen modulation sync and applies a compensation profile, compatible with a read clock phase-locked loop, to the wobble phase-locked loop.

Abstract: Methods for estimating the point spread function (PSF) of a motion-blurred image are disclosed and claimed. In certain embodiments, the estimated PSF may be used to compensate for the blur caused by hand-shake without the use of an accelerometer or gyro. Edge spread functions may be extracted along different directions from straight edges in a blurred image and combined to find the PSF that best matches. In other embodiments, the blur response to edges of other forms may similarly be extracted, such as corners or circles, and combined to find the best matching PSF. The PSF may then be represented in a parametric form, where the parameters used are related to low-order polynomial coefficients of the angular velocity vx(t) and vy(t) as a function of time.

Abstract: Techniques for modifying data of an image that can be implemented in a digital camera, video image capturing device and other optical systems are provided to correct for non-uniform illumination and/or effects of saturation appearing in data obtained using one or more artificial illumination sources. In an implementation, correction factors are derived using data from at least two images that have been captured with different illumination levels of the object scene and close in time to the capture of the image of interest. Typically, the image of interest is of higher resolution than at least one of the at least two images.

Abstract: An image capture system is presented where the dynamic range of photo imaging devices, such as a still or video camera, is increased by varying sensor exposure time on a pixel-by-pixel basis under digital camera processor control. The systems photo sensors are continuously illuminated without reset over the exposure interval. In addition to being interrogated at the end of the exposure interval, the pixels are also non-destructively interrogated at one or more intermediate times during the interval. At each interrogation, the image capture system determines individually whether the pixels have saturated and if not, the parameter value is recorded; if the pixel has saturated, the previously stored value from the preceding interval is maintained. To produce the final sensor value for the whole exposure interval, the data for pixels that reached the saturation level are adjusted to compensate for their shortened exposure.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling illumination of a display device are disclosed. These systems and methods can detect a plurality of luminance values in a digital image of the display device that correspond to a plurality of pixel positions of the display device. A first plurality of luminance values of the plurality of luminance values can be mapped to a first pixel position of the plurality of pixel positions of the display device, and a compensation mask value for the first pixel position can be determined based upon the first plurality of luminance values. The compensation mask value can correspond to an adjustment of a luminance value of the first pixel position.

Abstract: Video data that includes a plurality of images acquired over time are processed in an apparatus immediately after acquiring the video data, or during some later post-processing of the video data, to reduce the effects of unintended motion in the acquired images. Coarse and fine compensation for motion is performed on video frames that correspond to the acquired images. A coarse compensation value is employed to compress each video frame that is both coarse and fine motion compensated.

Abstract: A video processing system comprising a video frame buffer memory, a first video pipeline, a second video pipeline, a blender, and an overdrive processing unit. The video frame buffer memory has a first memory region and a second memory region, the first memory region being configured to store a first video data frame and the second memory region being configured to store a second video data frame. The first video pipeline is coupled to the video frame buffer memory and configured to receive and process the first video data frame. The second video pipeline is coupled to the video frame buffer memory and configured to receive and process the second video data frame. The blender is coupled to the first and second video to pipelines and is configured to receive and blend the processed first video data frame and the processed second video data frame in a first mode of operation and to provide the blended processed first and second video data frame to a display.

Abstract: A unified memory controller (UMC) is disclosed. The UMC may be used in a digital television (DTV) receiver. The UMC allows the DTV receiver to use a unified memory. The UMC accepts memory requests from various clients, and determines which requests should receive priority access to the unified memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for adaptive sharpness enhancement of image data. In on embodiment, a method for sharpness enhancement includes receiving image data for a first frame, performing linear sharpening enhancement of the image data, performing non-linear sharpening enhancement of the image data, and generating blending parameters based on the image data. The blending parameters may be generated based upon image data of the first frame, linear sharpened image data for the first frame, and non-linear sharpened image data for the first frame. The method may further include blending the image data of the first frame, the linear sharpened image data, and the non-linear sharpened image data based upon the blending parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for determining control parameters for image enhancement. In one embodiment a method for determining control parameters includes receiving image data for a first frame and calculating an adaptive threshold value based on the image data. The method includes determining a pixel slope distribution for a pixel window of the image data, wherein the pixel window is selected based on the adaptive threshold value and determining a spectrum estimation coefficient based on the pixel distribution, wherein the spectrum estimation coefficient is determined based on the spectral components of the image data. The method may then include determining one or more control parameters for enhancement of the image data based on the spectrum estimation coefficient, wherein the one or more control parameters relate to filtering parameters for adaptive enhancement of image data.

Abstract: A method of operating an equalizer includes combining a Least Mean Squares (LMS) algorithm and a Least Squares (LS) algorithm to determine a set of equalizer tap values to be used in processing a signal. A channel impulse response (CIR) is computed, and an equalizer taps interval is then determined based on the CIR. The LS algorithm is used to determine a set of equalizer major taps based on the interval, and the LMS algorithm is used to determine a set of equalizer minor taps based on the interval.