Abstract: A video object segmentation method applicable to a video system is presented. The method includes primarily segmenting objects existing in a frame of a video sequence manually or semi-manually. The objects within a video sequence including the primarily segmented object are automatically segmented. The method also determines whether any scene change is made between consecutive frames or any new object other than the primarily segmented object appears within the video sequence being automatically segmented, when repeatedly performing automatically segmenting the objects within the video sequence for consecutive frames. And, the method repeatedly performs primarily segmenting objects existing in a frame of a video sequence manually or semi-manually if it is determined that any scene change is made between consecutive frames or any new object other than the primarily segmented object appears within the video sequence being automatically segmented.

Abstract: A buffer architecture and latency reduction mechanism for buffering uncompressed/compressed information. This combination provides for a proficient division of the encoding task and quicker through-put time. The invention teaches a single chip digital signal processing device for real time video/audio compression comprising a plurality of processors, including a video input processor, a motion estimation processor, a digital signal processor, and a bitstream processor, wherein processing and transfer of the signals within the device is done in a macroblock-by-macroblock manner. The device can include a multiplexing processor that is comprised of a storage unit which buffers a compressed video bitstream and a processor which retrieves the compressed video bitstream from the storage unit and produces a multiplexed data stream whereby the compressed video bitstream is processed in a pipeline manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an inverse telecine process is provided. For the method of the present invention, a computer system reads a series of frames in an input video sequence. The pixels in each frame are analyzed to determine if the frame is a composite frame produced by a prior telecine process. Frames that are determined to be composite frames are reconstructed, when practical, using their immediately preceding frames. Composite frames that cannot be reconstructed are transformed into interpolated frames. The computer system adds the reconstructed frames, along with the frames that did not need to be reconstructed, to an output video sequence.