Patents by Inventor Karl James Sharman

Karl James Sharman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200252606
    Abstract: An image decoding apparatus comprises a selector configured to select, from a set of candidate prediction operations each defining at least a prediction direction, a prediction operation for prediction of samples of a current region of a current image, the current region comprising an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of samples; and an intra-image predictor configured to derive predicted samples of the current region with respect to one or more of a group of reference samples of the same image in dependence upon a prediction direction, defined by the selected prediction operation, between a current sample to be predicted and a reference position amongst the reference samples; in which, for at least some of the candidate prediction operations, the group of reference samples comprises two or more parallel linear arrays of reference samples disposed at different respective separations from the current region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Mark KEATING, Karl James SHARMAN, Magali Kimlee Miri PHILIPPE
  • Patent number: 10728556
    Abstract: An image encoding apparatus comprises a selector configured to select, from a set of candidate prediction operations each defining at least a prediction direction selected from a set of available prediction directions, a prediction operation for prediction of samples of a current region of a current image, the current region comprising an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of samples; and an intra-image predictor configured to derive predicted samples of the current region with respect to one or more of a group of reference samples of the same image in dependence upon a prediction direction, defined by the selected prediction operation, between a current sample to be predicted and the reference samples; in which for at least some of the candidate prediction operations: the group of reference samples comprises two or more parallel linear arrays of reference samples disposed at different respective separations from the current region, the intra-image predictor being configured to derive the predi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karl James Sharman, Stephen Mark Keating
  • Publication number: 20200213584
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples are predicted from other respective reference samples according to a prediction direction associated with a current sample to be predicted, the chrominance samples having a lower horizontal and/or vertical sampling rate than the luminance samples so that the ratio of luminance horizontal resolution to chrominance horizontal resolution is different than the ratio of luminance vertical resolution to chrominance vertical resolution, so that a block of luminance samples has a different aspect ratio to a corresponding block of chrominance samples, the method including: detecting a first prediction direction defined in relation to a first grid of a first aspect ratio in respect of a set of current samples to be predicted; and applying a direction mapping to the prediction direction to generate a second prediction direction defined in relation to a second grid of a different aspect ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Publication number: 20200195971
    Abstract: A video data decoding apparatus in which if a detector detects a transform-skip mode is not applicable to an array of encoded video data values, the detector controls a dequantizer to apply dequantization parameters which may vary between data values in the array of encoded data values according to a position of each data value within the array, and controls an inverse frequency transformer to apply an inverse frequency transform to the dequantized data values; and if the detector detects the transform-skip mode is applicable to the array of encoded video data values, the detector controls the dequantizer to apply dequantization parameters which, for each array of encoded data values, are independent of the position of each data value within the array, and controls the inverse frequency transformer not to apply an inverse frequency transform to the dequantized data values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Karl James SHARMAN
  • Publication number: 20200177874
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, including storing one or more images preceding a current image, interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images so that the luminance component has a horizontal resolution P times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image and a vertical resolution Q times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image, detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images, and generating a motion compensated prediction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Patent number: 10674144
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples in a 4:4:4 format or a 4:2:2 format are predicted from other respective samples according to a prediction direction associated with blocks of samples to be predicted; comprises detecting a prediction direction in respect of a current block to be predicted; generating a predicted block of chrominance samples according to other chrominance samples defined by the prediction direction; if the detected prediction direction is substantially vertical, filtering the left column of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples, or if the detected prediction direction is substantially horizontal, filtering the top row of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples; and encoding a difference between the filtered predicted chrominance block and the actual chrominance block or applying a decoded difference to the filtered predicted chrominance block so as to encode or decode the block respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10674147
    Abstract: An image data encoding and/or decoding apparatus comprises a data processor to process an image data signal comprising successive arrays of data values according to respective data value processing orders associated with the arrays of data values; and a processing order selector to select a processing order for processing a current array of data values in dependence on one or more attributes of a plurality of arrays of data values in the image data signal already processed by the data processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Magali Kimlee Miri Philippe, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman
  • Patent number: 10616572
    Abstract: A video encoding method for encoding both the 4:2:0 video and 4:4:4 video formats. The method includes generating blocks of quantized spatial frequency data by quantizing coefficients and generating a matrix of data. The method further includes determining quantization matrices for use with at least two block sizes. The method further includes determining a first quantization matrix for a 32×32 chroma block of samples with respect to a first modification of a first scaling list for quantization of a block of samples smaller than 32×32, and determining, for blocks of another block size different than the 32×32 chroma block of samples, a second quantization matrix by modifying a second scaling list according to a second modification. The second scaling list is different from the first scaling list, and the first scaling list is a reference scaling list for video in 4:2:0 video format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10575017
    Abstract: A video data decoding apparatus in which if a detector detects a transform-skip mode is not applicable to an array of encoded video data values, the detector controls a dequantizer to apply dequantization parameters which may vary between data values in the array of encoded data values according to a position of each data value within the array, and controls an inverse frequency transformer to apply an inverse frequency transform to the dequantized data values; and if the detector detects the transform-skip mode is applicable to the array of encoded video data values, the detector controls the dequantizer to apply dequantization parameters which, for each array of encoded data values, are independent of the position of each data value within the array, and controls the inverse frequency transformer not to apply an inverse frequency transform to the dequantized data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Karl James Sharman
  • Publication number: 20200029076
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: an image encoder to encode an image as a plurality of image regions, the image encoder selecting at least one of the size and the shape of each image region; and an intra-image predictor to predict a current sample of a current region of an image with respect to one or more reference samples of the same image according to a prediction direction between the current sample and a reference position amongst the reference samples; in which the prediction direction is selected from a set of candidate prediction directions; the intra-image predictor being configured to apply two or more different sets of candidate prediction directions in dependence upon an aspect of the image region, the aspect being one of more of: the region shape and the position of the region within the image. Optionally the aspect further includes the region size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Karl James SHARMAN, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS
  • Publication number: 20200014916
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples in a 4:4:4 format or a 4:2:2 format are predicted from other respective samples according to a prediction direction associated with blocks of samples to be predicted; comprises detecting a prediction direction in respect of a current block to be predicted; generating a predicted block of chrominance samples according to other chrominance samples defined by the prediction direction; if the detected prediction direction is substantially vertical, filtering the left column of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples, or if the detected prediction direction is substantially horizontal, filtering the top row of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples; and encoding a difference between the filtered predicted chrominance block and the actual chrominance block or applying a decoded difference to the filtered predicted chrominance block so as to encode or decode the block respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10531083
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples are predicted from other respective reference samples according to a prediction direction associated with a current sample to be predicted, the chrominance samples having a lower horizontal and/or vertical sampling rate than the luminance samples so that the ratio of luminance horizontal resolution to chrominance horizontal resolution is different than the ratio of luminance vertical resolution to chrominance vertical resolution, so that a block of luminance samples has a different aspect ratio to a corresponding block of chrominance samples, the method including: detecting a first prediction direction defined in relation to a first grid of a first aspect ratio in respect of a set of current samples to be predicted; and applying a direction mapping to the prediction direction to generate a second prediction direction defined in relation to a second grid of a different aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10499052
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, including storing one or more images preceding a current image, interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images so that the luminance component has a horizontal resolution P times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image and a vertical resolution Q times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image, detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images, and generating a motion compensated prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10440358
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution of the luminance component and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, comprises: storing one or more images preceding a current image; interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images; detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images; and generating a motion compensated prediction of the prediction unit of the current image with respect to an area of an interpolated stored image pointed to by a respective motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10419750
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples in a 4:4:4 format or a 4:2:2 format are predicted from other respective samples according to a prediction direction associated with blocks of samples to be predicted; comprises detecting a prediction direction in respect of a current block to be predicted; generating a predicted block of chrominance samples according to other chrominance samples defined by the prediction direction; if the detected prediction direction is substantially vertical, filtering the left column of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples, or if the detected prediction direction is substantially horizontal, filtering the top row of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples; and encoding a difference between the filtered predicted chrominance block and the actual chrominance block or applying a decoded difference to the filtered predicted chrominance block so as to encode or decode the block respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Publication number: 20190281291
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and a method that enable easier encoding and decoding of a wider variety of images. The image processing device includes a setting unit that sets a parameter indicating a setting state of a coding tool required in specifying an extended profile that is an extension of a profile specified in a coding standard for performing encoding on each unit having a recursive hierarchical structure and an encoding unit that generates an encoded stream by encoding an image in accordance with the parameter set by the setting unit. The present disclosure can be applied to image processing devices that encode image data, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: TERUHIKO SUZUKI, NICHOLAS Ian SAUNDERS, KARL James SHARMAN, JAMES Alexander GAMEI
  • Publication number: 20190253702
    Abstract: A video encoding method for encoding both the 4:2:0 video and 4:4:4 video formats. The method includes generating blocks of quantized spatial frequency data by quantizing coefficients and generating a matrix of data. The method further includes determining quantization matrices for use with at least two block sizes. The method further includes determining a first quantization matrix for a 32×32 chroma block of samples with respect to a first modification of a first scaling list for quantization of a block of samples smaller than 32×32, and determining, for blocks of another block size different than the 32×32 chroma block of samples, a second quantization matrix by modifying a second scaling list according to a second modification. The second scaling list is different from the first scaling list, and the first scaling list is a reference scaling list for video in 4:2:0 video format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Publication number: 20190253714
    Abstract: A data encoding method includes encoding an array of data values as data sets and escape codes for values not encoded by the data sets, an escape code including a prefix portion and a non-unary coded suffix portion having a length, in bits, dependent upon a value encoded by the prefix portion according to a relationship such that, for at least some values encoded by the prefix portion, the length of the non-unary coded suffix portion is greater than the length, in bits, of the prefix portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Karl James Sharman
  • Patent number: 10382752
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and a method that enable easier encoding and decoding of a wider variety of images. The image processing device includes a setting unit that sets a parameter indicating a setting state of a coding tool required in specifying an extended profile that is an extension of a profile specified in a coding standard for performing encoding on each unit having a recursive hierarchical structure. The image processing device further includes an encoding unit that generates an encoded stream by encoding an image in accordance with the parameter set by the setting unit. The present disclosure can be applied to image processing devices that encode image data, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruhiko Suzuki, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, James Alexander Gamei
  • Publication number: 20190222833
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, including storing one or more images preceding a current image, interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images so that the luminance component has a horizontal resolution P times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image and a vertical resolution Q times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image, detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images, and generating a motion compensated prediction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock