Abstract: A cosmetic skin preparation containing a porous powder which contains water absorbed therein and whose surface is coated with a binder containing a crosslinked type organopolysiloxane.

Abstract: A variable-length decoding (VLD) unit performs a variable-length decoding on an MPEG video stream. An inverse quantization (IQ) unit computes a discrete-cosine-transform (DCT) coefficient by performing an inverse quantization on results of decoding by the VLD unit. An inverse-discrete-cosine-transform (IDCT) unit carries out an IDCT for the DCT coefficients computed by the IQ unit so as to convert frequency components into the original signals. A motion-compensated-prediction (MC) unit performs a best-effort reproduction processing on received frames, during the time until the arrival of a frame serving as a reference for decoding, and returns to a normal decoding processing after the reference frame has been received.

Abstract: A volume adjustment unit reduces the volume of audio data. By coding the audio data where the volume is reduced in advance, the possibility of being decoded in a manner of exceeding the maximum bit number at a reproduction-side apparatus is reduced. Thus, the volume adjustment unit needs to reduce the volume of the audio data during a processing at a data input unit up to a quantization coding unit, that is, before the end of quantizing, based on a compression ratio.

Abstract: An SRAM is used as a pixel buffer which stores a partial image region copied from a frame buffer. A vertical filter reads a pair of target pixels arranged in a vertical direction from the pixel buffer and performs a filtering process of a discrete wavelet transform in the vertical direction. An intermediate result obtained in the filtering process is stored in a register. The vertical filter uses the intermediate result in filtering the next two pixels. A horizontal filter receives two transformed results from the vertical filter and performs a filtering process on the transformed results in the horizontal direction. The intermediate results obtained in the horizontal filtering are also stored in a register and utilized in the next filtering.

Abstract: A motion vector coder performs coding on motion vectors MV0, MV1 and MV2 in the stated order. Initially, the motion vector coder receives the motion vectors MV0-MV2 from a motion vector holder. The motion vector coder codes the motion vector MV0 at the lowest layer 0. Subsequently, the motion vector coder codes (½*MV0-MV1), which is a difference between ½ of MV0 and MV1, instead of coding the motion vector MV1 at layer 1. The motion vector coder then codes (½*MV1-MV2), which is a difference between ½ of MV1 and MV2, instead of coding the motion vector MV2 at layer 2.

Abstract: A motion vector holding unit 61 holds motion vector information with respect to a backward reference frame detected beforehand and received from a motion compensation unit 60. A motion vector calculation unit 63 calculates multiple motion vectors for each macro block defined in a coding target frame with reference to the motion vector information with respect to the backward reference frame held by the motion vector holding unit 61 according to each calculation mode of a set of different calculation modes. A motion compensation prediction unit 64 performs motion compensation using motion vectors obtained for each calculation mode, thereby creating predicted images. The predicted images are output to a coding amount estimation unit 65. The coding amount estimation unit 65 estimates the coding amount of the subtraction image, which is the subtraction between the predicted image and the original image, for each calculation mode.

Abstract: A motion vector search unit determines a unit area of a bidirectional prediction frame for each motion vector of a backward reference frame to pass through, and stores information on the unit area to be passed into a pass area number holding unit. A reference vector prediction unit consults the pass area number holding unit to acquire the motion vector of the backward reference frame that passes a target unit area of the bidirectional prediction frame from a motion vector holding unit, and determines a reference vector to be applied to this target unit area. The motion vector search unit applies the reference vector to the target unit area of the bidirectional prediction frame, determines a forward motion vector and a backward motion vector of the target unit area by linear prediction, and makes a motion compensated prediction on the target unit area bidirectionally to generate a predicted image.

Abstract: An original image shot by a shooting unit is read in a frame buffer and transformed by a wavelet transformer. An evaluating unit monitors the coefficients of the HL, LH, HH sub-bands generated by the wavelet transformer and checks the number of the high frequency components in the original image. If there are sufficient high frequency components, the quality of the original image is judged to be good, and if not, the image quality is judged not to be good because of camera shake or the like. The evaluating unit sends a coding indication signal to a quantizer if the image quality is good. Thereby the wavelet transformed image is coded. If the image quality is not good, the evaluating unit sends a re-shooting indication signal to the shooting unit.

Abstract: A data buffer receives and temporarily stores data including a product code enabling error correction in first and second directions. An exclusive-OR operation circuit uses an error amount detected by error correction in the first direction and data stored in a storage element to calculate a first error check result. A PI direction error-checking circuit according to the first error check result performs error check after error correction in the first direction. A PO direction partial error-checking circuit and a PO direction aggregate error-checking circuit use an error amount detected in error correction in the second direction and calculate a second error check result. The first and second error check results are used to generate a final error check result by an exclusive-OR operation circuit.

Abstract: A region setting unit 64 sets multiple global regions in a frame image. A bit number adjustment unit 62 adjusts the number of bits of the local motion vectors LMV which are to be obtained for each global region. A local motion vector detection unit 66 detects the local motion vectors LMV with the number of bits adjusted by the bit number adjustment unit 62 in units of macro blocks for each global region. A global motion vector calculation unit 68 calculates the global motion vector GMV which represents the global motion for each global region. A local motion vector difference coding unit 72 calculates the difference ?LMV, which is the difference between each local motion vector LMV and the global motion vector GMV, for each global region, and performs coding thereof.

Abstract: A local motion vector detection unit 66 obtains a local motion vector LMV for each macro block in a coding target frame image. A region setting unit 64 sets multiple global regions in the frame image. A global motion vector calculation unit 68 calculates a global motion vector GMV which indicates the global motion within each global region. A local motion vector difference coding unit 72 performs coding of the difference ?LMV which has been obtained by making the difference between each of the local motion vectors LMV within the global region and the global motion vector GMV obtained for each global region. A global motion vector difference coding unit 74 performs coding of the difference ?GMV which has been obtained by making the difference between each of the global motion vectors GMV obtained for corresponding global region and the reference global motion vector GMVB serving as a reference.

Abstract: A bit-plane processor reads out a code block, which serves as a unit for arithmetic coding, from an SRAM. After converting the code block to the form of a bit-plane, the bit-plane processor supplies bit data to a pass processor. The pass processor includes an s pass processor, an r pass processor and a c pass processor. Each of s pass, r pass and c pass processings are executed in parallel in a state such that start time thereof is shifted by a predetermined unit time by operation of two delay units.

Abstract: A wavelet transform is applied to an original image, so as to generate an image of a first hierarchy. Among the thus generated image of the first hierarchy, each of high-frequency sub-band components 1HL, 1LH and 1HH are immediately quantized and coded so as to be temporarily stored in a coded data storage. Another wavelet transform is applied to an LL sub-band component, among the image of the first hierarchy, so as to generate an image of a second hierarchy. Thereafter, an image of a third hierarchy is generated from an LL sub-band component in the image of the second hierarchy. During such a process, quantization and coding processings are performed in parallel with transformation processings. After all processings are completed and the coded data are prepared, coded image data complying with the JPEG2000 standard are generated by first reading out low-frequency components in sequence from the prepared coded data.

Abstract: A color card showing at least three color samples is provided. Among the color samples, a light color sample expressing a light color tone occupies a larger space than samples expressing the other color tones. A deep color sample expressing a deep color tone in the color card is arranged on one side of the light color sample, and a neutral color sample expressing a neutral color tone which stands between the light and deep color tones is arranged on the other side. Use of such a color card allows the user to roughly select a color card showing a color tone suited for being applied to an object to be painted from a plurality of color cards based on their light color samples, and then select one of color tones shown in the selected color card.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus is provided which satisfies various levels of demands on image distribution, both from image providers and from users. The image coding apparatus includes a coding block which codes predetermined image data. A separation unit separates the coded image data into basic data for reproducing contents of the coded image data as a visible image, and complementary data for complementing the basic data, so that the two pieces of data are distributed on different occasions. An adding unit adds information for independent copyright control to at least either one of the basic data and the complementary data.

Abstract: A color card showing at least three color samples is provided. Among the color samples, a light color sample expressing a light color tone occupies a larger space than samples expressing the other color tones. A deep color sample expressing a deep color tone in the color card is arranged on one side of the light color sample, and a neutral color sample expressing a neutral color tone which stands between the light and deep color tones is arranged on the other side. Use of such a color card allows the user to roughly select a color card showing a color tone suited for being applied to an object to be painted from a plurality of color cards based on their light color samples, and then select one of color tones shown in the selected color card.

Abstract: LL subbands of first and second intermediate images obtained by an inverse quantizer are stored in an intermediate image memory. A scene change judging unit compares data stored in the intermediate image memory and thereby determines whether there is a scene change or not.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for reducing a period of time required for detection of a motion vector. With a method for detecting a motion vector between an input image and a reference image used for a reference of the input image, first, a two-dimensional search region having a predetermined pattern is determined, and matching is computed between a coding target block in the input image and multiple blocks represented by multiple search points included in the search region in parallel. In a case wherein the evaluated computation results exhibit optimum matching results, the motion vector is determined based upon the computation results. In a case wherein the optimum solution has not been obtained, the search region for the next matching is determined based upon the evaluation results, and search is repeated.

Abstract: A data buffer receives and temporarily stores data including a product code enabling error correction in first and second directions. An exclusive-OR operation circuit uses an error amount detected by error correction in the first direction and data stored in a storage element to calculate a first error check result. A PI direction error-checking circuit according to the first error check result performs error check after error correction in the first direction. A PO direction partial error-checking circuit and a PO direction aggregate error-checking circuit use an error amount detected in error correction in the second direction and calculate a second error check result. The first and second error check results are used to generate a final error check result by an exclusive-OR operation circuit.

Abstract: An error correction circuit includes a first error correction operation circuit subjecting to error correction a code of a line of a PI system in a data block including a product code that is stored in a buffer memory, and a second error correction operation circuit subjecting a PO-system line code to error correction. Data corrected by the first error correction circuit is transferred to the second error correction operation circuit at a second syndrome calculation circuit including a storage element storing a development of a syndrome calculation. Whenever PI-system line data corrected is received, the second syndrome calculation circuit reads corresponding data from the storage element and calculates a syndrome and overwrites the obtained value on old data stored in the storage element.