Abstract: The present invention provides a method for NAT traversal in VPN so that the VPN can detect the rule of port allocation for NAT outside the VPN to achieve NAT traversal. The communication structure according to the present invention includes a public network, a client network, a destination network, a first NAT, a second NAT. A DNAT-T proxy server is installed between the first NAT and the second NAT and has the function for the VPN to conduct a plurality of (N times) registrations before sending data out to detect the rule for NAT port allocation of the DNAT-T proxy server, and then inform the next NAT port allocation to the other side of the VPN so as to achieve NAT traversal for the data packets in VPN.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for Spherical Camera Image Stitching. By using two fisheye lens to catch two fisheye images and then being developed into three pairs of flat figures based on Segmented Sphere Projection (SSP) method. Thereafter each corresponding pair is stitched based on a similar-edge method, and then three pairs are combined to form a panoramic image. At the end, the combined panoramic image is projected to a 3-D ball sphere space.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for NAT traversal in VPN so that the VPN can detect the rule of port allocation for NAT outside the VPN to achieve NAT traversal. The communication structure according to the present invention includes a public network, a client network, a destination network, a first NAT, a second NAT. A DNAT-T proxy server is installed between the first NAT and the second NAT and has the function for the VPN to conduct a plurality of (N times) registrations before sending data out to detect the rule for NAT port allocation of the DNAT-T proxy server, and then inform the next NAT port allocation to the other side of the VPN so as to achieve NAT traversal for the data packets in VPN.

Abstract: A video encoding method is provided in the invention. In such method, after a current encoding frame among a sequence of input frames is received, each coding unit in the current encoding frame may be optionally split into two oblong prediction units, and each of the prediction units may be optionally split into a plurality of sub-blocks so as to thereby improve the matching accuracy for a matching reference block from a reference frame. A video decoding method corresponding to the aforesaid video encoding method is also provided.

Abstract: A backward depth mapping method for stereoscopic image synthesis includes: providing a first coordinate and a first depth value of a pixel of a virtual view in a stereoscopic image; calculating a second coordinate and a second depth value of a pixel of reference view, which is obtained by mapping the virtual view, based on the first coordinate and the first depth value of the pixel of the virtual view; calculating an error value corresponding to the first depth value based on the second coordinate and second depth value; and determining a third depth value of the pixel of the virtual view based on the error value. As a result, it is possible to avoid the virtual view producing a crack and the pixel of the background from appearing at the crack of the foreground.

Abstract: The invention is a backward depth mapping method for stereoscopic image synthesis, which includes: providing a first coordinate and a first depth value of a pixel of a virtual view in a stereoscopic image; calculating a second coordinate and a second depth value of a pixel of reference view, which is obtained by mapping the virtual view, based on the first coordinate and the first depth value of the pixel of the virtual view; calculating an error value corresponding to the first depth value of the pixel of the virtual view based on the second coordinate and second depth value of the pixel of the reference view; determining a third depth value of the pixel of the virtual view based on the error value corresponding to the first depth value of the pixel of the virtual view. Thereby, the invention can avoid the virtual view from producing crack and the pixel of background from appearing at the crack of the foreground.

Abstract: A video encoding method is provided in the invention. In such method, after a current encoding frame among a sequence of input frames is received, each coding unit in the current encoding frame may be optionally split into two oblong prediction units, and each of the prediction units may be optionally split into a plurality of sub-blocks so as to thereby improve the matching accuracy for a matching reference block from a reference frame. A video decoding method corresponding to the aforesaid video encoding method is also provided.

Abstract: A weighting function (WF) is previously provided to model the number of search points of a pattern search. However, WF fails to properly describe the behavior of the genetic pattern search algorithms due to some over-simplifications in their models. Therefore, a refined weighting function (RWF) is provided to more accurately describe both genetic and non-genetic pattern searches. Moreover, based on the understanding to RWF, two momentum-directed genetic search algorithms are further provided. These new algorithms check the possible mutations according to their likelihood to the preceding successful mutations and further accelerate the previous genetic pattern searches.

Abstract: A method of determining performance of block motion estimation procedures, including specific search patterns is disclosed. The patterns are based on genetic competition between paired coordinate points. An evaluation of a block matching cost is used to identify a survivor between the two selected points. Models are also provided for estimating performances of new search algorithms and image sequences.

Abstract: A block motion estimation search method and related search pattern for determining motion vectors of varying image data is disclosed. The patterns are based on genetic competition between paired coordinate points. An evaluation of a block matching cost is used to identify a survivor between the two selected points. Models are also provided for estimating performances of new search algorithms and image sequences.

Abstract: A fast bit allocation algorithm for audio coding is disclosed. A virtual Huffman codebook model is referred in a trellis-based optimization approach to obtain a set of optimized scale factors, and then the set of optimized scale factors is referred in a trellis-based optimization approach to obtain a set of optimized Huffman codebooks. Therefore, the present invention can significantly reduce the amount of computation for the bit allocation. Further, according to the experimental data, the present invention can keep almost the same compression efficiency as the prior art JTB optimization. Hence, the present invention is more suitable for practical applications.

Abstract: A circuit which performs a block motion estimation procedure disclosed. The patterns are based on genetic competition between paired coordinate points. An evaluation of a block matching cost is used to identify a survivor between the two selected points. Models are also provided for estimating performances of new search algorithms and image sequences.

Abstract: A robust fine granularity scalability video encoding includes a base layer encoder and an enhancement layer encoder in which motion compensated difference images are generated by comparing an original image to predicted images at base layer and enhancement layer with motion compensation. Based on leaky and partial predictions, a high quality reference image is constructed at the enhancement layer to improve temporal prediction. In the construction of the high quality reference image, one parameter ? controls the number of bitplanes of the enhancement layer difference coefficients used and another parameter ? controls the amount of predictive leak. A spatial scalability module allows the processed pictures at the base layer and the enhancement layer to have identical or different spatial resolutions.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for performing context based binary arithmetic coding with a stochastic bit-reshuffling scheme in order to improve MPEG-4 fine granularity scalability (FGS) based bit-plane coding. The method comprises steps of: replacing 8×8 DCT with 4×4 integer transform coefficient in MPEG-4 AVC (Advance Video-Coding); partitioning each transform coefficient into significant bit and refinement bit; setting up significant bit context based on energy distribution within a transform block and spatial correlation in adjacent blocks; using an estimated Laplacian distribution to derive coding probability for the refinement bit; and using the context across bit-planes to partition each significant bit-plane for saving side information bit.

Abstract: A robust fine granularity scalability video encoding includes a base layer encoder and an enhancement layer encoder in which motion compensated difference images are generated by comparing an original image to predicted images at base layer and enhancement layer with motion compensation. Based on leaky and partial predictions, a high quality reference image is constructed at the enhancement layer to improve temporal prediction. In the construction of the high quality reference image, one parameter ? controls the number of bitplanes of the enhancement layer difference coefficients used and another parameter ? controls the amount of predictive leak. A spatial scalability module allows the processed pictures at the base layer and the enhancement layer to have identical or different spatial resolutions.

Abstract: A fast bit allocation algorithm for audio coding is disclosed. A virtual Huffman codebook model is referred in a trellis-based optimization approach to obtain a set of optimized scale factors, and then the set of optimized scale factors is referred in a trellis-based optimization approach to obtain a set of optimized Huffman codebooks. Therefore, the present invention can significantly reduce the amount of computation for the bit allocation. Further, according to the experimental data, the present invention can keep almost the same compression efficiency as the prior art JTB optimization. Hence, the present invention is more suitable for practical applications.

Abstract: A robust fine granularity scalability video encoding includes a base layer encoder and an enhancement layer encoder in which motion compensated difference images are generated by comparing an original image to predicted images at base layer and enhancement layer with motion compensation. Based on leaky and partial predictions, a high quality reference image is constructed at the enhancement layer to improve temporal prediction. In the construction of the high quality reference image, one parameter ? controls the number of bitplanes of the enhancement layer difference coefficients used and another parameter ? controls the amount of predictive leak. A spatial scalability module allows the processed pictures at the base layer and the enhancement layer to have identical or different spatial resolutions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for interframe wavelet video coding which comprises Motion Compensated Temporal Filtering and Discrete Wavelet Transform Coding to obtain: 1. compressed quantification error and scalability on temporal analysis and spatial analysis, and 2. scalability on Motion Information (MI) data so that the performance of wavelet video coding on low bitrate can be improved. A method for partitioned coding on MI is proposed: 1. to partitioned coding a motion vector according to the spatial block, the temporal frame, or the numeric precision; 2. to partition motion vectors to a plurality of layers, and, when the video bitstream changes, only the required MI is put into the final bitstream. Accordingly, the performance of wavelet video compression on low bitrate is greatly improved while the compression rate on high bitrate is only a little lower.

Abstract: A robust fine granularity scalability video encoding includes a base layer encoder and an enhancement layer encoder in which motion compensated difference images are generated by comparing an original image to predicted images at base layer and enhancement layer with motion compensation. Based on leaky and partial predictions, a high quality reference image is constructed at the enhancement layer to improve temporal prediction. In the construction of the high quality reference image, one parameter &bgr; controls the number of bitplanes of the enhancement layer difference coefficients used and another parameter &agr; controls the amount of predictive leak. A spatial scalability module allows the processed pictures at the base layer and the enhancement layer to have identical or different spatial resolutions.

Abstract: Tape formatting, tracking and trick mode data generation are disclosed for providing trick modes for compressed video stored on a video tape. The tape is formatted so that trick mode data is recorded at normal speed within certain areas delineated by predetermined boundaries that are within a maintainable range of a predetermined ideal scan path of the heads. These boundaries are oblique to the normal speed tracks and define trick mode data areas in which trick mode data may be recorded. To facilitate tracking, sync words and trick mode identification codes are interleaved within the trick mode data areas. During tracking, the heads reproduce the sync words and identification codes, and the identification codes that match the currently utilized trick mode are counted. The count during a current interval is compared to a count during a previous interval or a threshold to determine if the heads have locked onto the ideal scan path or deviated therefrom.