Abstract: A loss of connection between a wireless access point and a network is reported to a network-based service platform by the wireless access point by automatically establishing wireless contact with a second wireless access point, and transmits a predetermined fault report message to a predetermined network platform address by way of the second wireless access point and the second network interface. Authentication credentials are stored in the access point allowing automatic access to the service platform without user intervention, to allow the report to be generated without user intervention. The message may include data on recent usage of the access point, or may be repeated when a user attempts to use the access point, in order to prioritize the fault reported at the service platform.

Abstract: In order to detect interlace errors in a video signal, one receives successive digitally coded frames, each frame comprising data for a field of a first type and data for a field of a second type (i.e. a top field and bottom field or vice versa). One then generates for each field of the first type:—a first difference signal (D1 F1) representative of the difference between the field and the second-type field of the previous frame;—a second difference signal (D1 F2) representative of the difference between the field and the second-type field of the same frame; and—a third difference signal (D1 F3) representative of the difference between the field and the second-type field of the following frame. Then, in dependence of the values of said difference signals, a decision signal (wOFlag) is generated indicating an estimated temporal relationship of the field to the second-type field of the same frame.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a video quality measurement method, in particular where the video signal having: an original form; an encoded form in which video signal has been encoded using a compression algorithm utilizing a variable quantizer step size such that the encoded signal includes a quantizer step size parameter; and, a decoded form in which the encoded video signal has been at least in part reconverted to the original form. The method comprises the steps of: a) generating a first quality measure which is a function of said quantizer step size parameter; b) generating a masking measure and c) combining the first and second measures. The masking measure is which is a function of the spatial complexity of parts of the frames represented by the video signal in the decoded form, these parts being selected by generating a second measure which is a function of the prediction residual and identifying one or more regions of the picture for which the second measure exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A loss of connection between a wireless access point and a network is reported to a network-based service platform by the wireless access point by automatically establishing wireless contact with a second wireless access point, and transmits a predetermined fault report message to a predetermined network platform address by way of the second wireless access point and the second network interface. Authentication credentials are stored in the access point allowing automatic access to the service platform without user intervention, to allow the report to be generated without user intervention. The message may include data on recent usage of the access point, or may be repeated when a user attempts to use the access point, in order to prioritise the fault reported at the service platform.

Abstract: A method of generating a measure of quality for a decoded form of a video signal comprises: generating a quality measure dependent on a quantizer step size parameter according to a predetermined relationship; generating a plurality of masking measures, and applying a weighting to each masking measure, wherein each masking measurement is dependent on the spatial complexity of one or more types of regions present in pictures formed by decoding the video signal. One type of region comprises an active region of a picture in a video sequence for which a prediction residual measure meets a first condition. Another type of region comprises a region of the picture in the video sequence for which the prediction residual measure meets another condition. The quality measure and the plurality of weighted quality masking measures are combined to generate a combined quality measure for the decoded form of the video signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for binding an application to a virtual computing instance within a multi-tenant virtual computing environment. In one embodiment, an application binding system may include, among other elements, creating a dependence between at least some functionality of an application to a kernel-level component within the virtual computing instance.

Abstract: A method and system for automated video quality assessment which reduces the adverse effects of sub-field/frame misalignments between the reference and test sequences. More particularly, the invention provides for misalignments down to a sub-field/frame level to be handled by individually matching sub-field/frame elements of a test video field/frame with sub-field/frame elements from a reference video field/frame. The use of a matching element size that is significantly smaller than the video field/frame size enables transient sub-field/frame misalignments to be effectively tracked.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for binding an application to a virtual computing instance within a multi-tenant virtual computing environment. In one embodiment, an application binding system may include, among other elements, creating a dependence between at least some functionality of an application to a kernel-level component within the virtual computing instance.

Abstract: A method of generating a measure of quality for a video signal representative of a plurality of frames, the video signal having: an original form; an encoded form in which the video signal has been encoded using a compression algorithm utilising a variable quantiser step size such that the encoded signal has a quantiser step size parameter associated therewith and utilising differential coding such that the encoded signal contains representations of the prediction residual of the signal; and a decoded form in which the encoded video signal has been at least in part reconverted to the original form, the method comprising: a) generating a first quality measure which is dependant on said quantiser step size parameter according to a predetermined relationship; b) generating a masking measure, the masking measure being dependant on the spatial complexity of at least part of the frames represented by the video signal in the decoded form according to a first predetermined relationship; and c) generating a combined m

Abstract: This application is concerned with a non-intrusive video quality measurement method, in particular where the video signal having: an original form; encoded form in which video signal has been encoded using a compression algorithm utilizing a variable quantiser step size such that the encoded signal includes a quantiser step size parameter; and, a decoded form in which the encoded video signal has been at least in part reconverted to the original form. The method comprises the steps of: a) generating a first quality measure which is a function of said quantiser step size parameter; b) generating a second quality measure which is a function of the spatial complexity of the frames represented by the video signal in the decoded form; and, c) combining the first and second measures in order to obtain an estimate for the subjective visual quality of the decoded video.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a video quality measurement method, in particular where the video signal having: an original form; an encoded form in which video signal has been encoded using a compression algorithm utilising a variable quantiser step size such that the encoded signal includes a quantiser step size parameter; and, a decoded form in which the encoded video signal has been at least in part reconverted to the original form. The method comprises the steps of: a) generating a first quality measure which is a function of said quantiser step size parameter; b) generating a masking measure and c) combining the first and second measures. The masking measure is which is a function of the spatial complexity of parts of the frames represented by the video signal in the decoded form, these parts being selected by generating a second measure which is a function of the prediction residual and identifying one or more regions of the picture for which the second measure exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for encoding a video signal provides an encoded signal that is compressed in order that it may be efficiently transmitted over the link whilst also meeting a predetermined standard in terms of its estimated perceptual quality when the signal is decoded and displayed. This is achieved by providing, at the encoding end, a control unit (24) which utilises a perceptual quality metric (PQM) system (32) to quantify the estimated perceptual quality, and control logic (34) that compares said quantified PQM with a user-defined criterion that the signal must meet prior to transmission. The signal is preferably only transmitted onwards over the communications link if the criterion is met. Otherwise, the control unit (24) is operable either to modify the signal, e.g. using pre-filtering, or use modified encoding parameters to re-encode the signal in such a way as to improve its quality, that is to make the quantified PQM converge towards the criterion.

Abstract: This application is concerned with a non-intrusive video quality measurement method, in particular where the video signal having: an original form; encoded form in which video signal has been encoded using a compression algorithm utilising a variable quantiser step size such that the encoded signal includes a quantiser step size parameter; and, a decoded form in which the encoded video signal has been at least in part reconverted to the original form. The method comprises the steps of: a) generating a first quality measure which is a function of said quantiser step size parameter; b) generating a second quality measure which is a function of the spatial complexity of the frames represented by the video signal in the decoded form; and, c) combining the first and second measures in order to obtain an estimate for the subjective visual quality of the decoded video.

Abstract: A digital coder receives either speech or audio-band data. When receiving speech this is coded by a digital speech coder and formatted into frames with parity bits. If modulated data are present this is recognized by a detector which routes the signals instead via a demodulator. Parity bits are generated from the same frame portions but parity is inverted so that a parity checking unit at a receiver can readily recognise the change. Preferably means are provided to insert into data frames codewords identifying the start and end and indicating the type of modulation in use. Additional detectors and demodulators can be added for different types of modulation. Such coded signals are decoded by performing parity checks on received frames to produce a parity indication signal of a first data mode sense or a second speech mode sense.