Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, a program, and a recording medium whereby the detection precision of a motion vector by the gradient method can be further improved. A counter value computing unit 451 acquires the number of valid pixels, the number of pixels having no gradient in the horizontal direction, and the number of pixels having no gradient in the vertical direction from a valid pixel number counter 441, a no-horizontal-gradient counter 442, and a no-vertical-gradient counter 443, computes the ratio between valid pixels within a computation block and one-sided gradient pixels among the valid pixels, and controls the value of a flag which a flag setting unit 452 sets in accordance with the computation results. The flag setting unit 452 sets the value of a gradient flag, and outputs the gradient flag to the subsequent stage. At the subsequent stage, gradient method computation and vector evaluation processing are executed based on the gradient flag.

Abstract: An image processing method includes determining whether an image is corrupted, extracting class taps used for classification of a pixel to be generated, performing classification of the pixel to be generated by using the class taps, extracting prediction taps used for prediction of the pixel to be generated, and generating an image by predictively calculating a pixel value of the pixel to be generated by using the prediction taps and prediction coefficients for the class of the pixel among a first prediction coefficient set if the subject pixel is determined as a pixel representing a corrupted image, and by predictively calculating a pixel value of the pixel to be generated by using the prediction taps and prediction coefficients for the class of the pixel to be generated among a second prediction coefficient set if the subject pixel is determined as a pixel representing an uncorrupted image.

Abstract: For each pixel in an operation block, an effective pixel determining unit sets a predetermined pixel difference (threshold value) on a time-base pixel difference. When the time-base pixel difference is less than the set predetermined pixel difference, it is determined that the pixel contributes to (or are effective in) motion vector detection, and uses the pixel in the gradient method in the case of performing motion vector detection. When the time-base pixel difference is not less than the set predetermined pixel difference, it is determined that the pixel is regarded as having a possibility to generate irregularity in movement, and the pixel is excluded from the gradient operation in the case of performing motion vector detection. The present invention is applicable to a signal processing apparatus for performing frame frequency conversion from a 24 P signal to a 60 P signal.

Abstract: A past frame at a past time has a motion vector in a block, and a reference frame at a reference time has a different block which is a motion-compensated block identical in position to a terminal point of a motion vector in the block. When a gradient method is used to detect a motion vector in the different block in the reference frame, a motion vector which is identical in magnitude and orientation to a motion vector and whose initial point is the different block in the reference frame is used as a candidate vector for initial vectors. The present invention is applicable to a signal processing apparatus for performing frame frequency conversion from a 24P signal to a 60P signal.

Abstract: A picture encoding apparatus and the method in which the quantization step width of the lower hierarchy data having a resolution higher than that of the upper hierarchy data is determined for each predetermined block of respective hierarchy data based on the quantization step width determined by the upper hierarchy data having a low resolution, so that the additional code indicating the characteristics of quantizer can be omitted thereby the compression efficiency can be improved and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced when picture data is hierarchical-encoded.

Abstract: In a picture coding apparatus and a picture coding method, when a picture data is hierarchically coded, compression efficiency can be improved, and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced. When a picture data is hierarchically coded by utilizing a recursive hierarchical representation, adaptive division of block is performed corresponding to the characteristic of the picture data and then coding is performed, and thus obtained hierarchical coded data is transmitted, so that the block of the lower hierarchy can be adaptively divided, thereby the information quantity such as a plane portion of picture can be reduced.

Abstract: To compress images using transition information of adjacent pixels, index transition patterns of two adjacent pixels in the horizontal scanning direction of an image are computed and arranged in order of appearance frequency, then patterns within the upper four appearance frequencies are selected to create a reference table. Then, with reference to the created reference table, image data are encoded. When decoding the encoded data, at first data from both the reference table and the color look-up table is inputted and stored in the table 50 and the color look-up table 53. After this, the first data of the subsequent input data is supplied to both the color look-up table 53 and the delay circuit 51 by changing over the connection of the switch 52. Subsequent data is supplied to the table 50. The table 50 decodes the data to original image data with reference to the data and the output from the delay circuit 51.

Abstract: This invention relates to information operation carried out between information processing apparatuses such as computer, etc. mutually connected through network such as internet, etc. More particularly, this invention relates to an information picture utilization system where there is used “information picture” in which picture information and related information for causing an operator to carry out a predetermined operation on the basis of the picture information are caused to be one handling unit, and a system for allowing notification to server carried out when processing operation based on related information included in information picture is carried out to have lifetime to thereby realize lowering of communications traffic taking place when information pictures are distributed and duplications are increased with time.

Abstract: A picture encoding apparatus and the method in which the quantization step width of the lower hierarchy data having a resolution higher than that of the upper hierarchy data is determined for each predetermined block of respective hierarchy data based on the quantization step width determined by the upper hierarchy data having a low resolution, so that the additional code indicating the characteristics of quantizer can be omitted thereby the compression efficiency can be improved and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced when picture data is hierarchical-encoded.

Abstract: In a picture coding apparatus and a picture coding method, when a picture data is hierarchically coded, compression efficiency can be improved, and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced. When a picture data is hierarchically coded by utilizing a recursive hierarchical representation, adaptive division of block is performed corresponding to the characteristic of the picture data and then coding is performed, and thus obtained hierarchical coded data is transmitted, so that the block of the lower hierarchy can be adaptively divided, thereby the information quantity such as a plane portion of picture can be reduced.

Abstract: A picture encoding apparatus and the method in which the quantization step width of the lower hierarchy data having a resolution higher than that of the upper hierarchy data is determined for each predetermined block of respective hierarchy data based on the quantization step width determined by the upper hierarchy data having a low resolution, so that the additional code indicating the characteristics of quantizer can be omitted thereby the compression efficiency can be improved and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced when picture data is hierarchical-encoded.

Abstract: To compress images using transition information of adjacent pixels, index transition patterns of two adjacent pixels in the horizontal scanning direction of an image are computed and arranged in order of appearance frequency, then patterns within the upper four appearance frequencies are selected to create a reference table. Then, with reference to the created reference table, image data are encoded. When decoding the encoded data, at first data from both the reference table and the color look-up table is inputted and stored in the table 50 and the color look-up table 53. After this, the first data of the subsequent input data is supplied to both the color look-up table 53 and the delay circuit 51 by changing over the connection of the switch 52. Subsequent data is supplied to the table 50. The table 50 decodes the data to original image data with reference to the data and the output from the delay circuit 51.

Abstract: In a picture coding apparatus and a picture coding method, when a picture data is hierarchically coded, compression efficiency can be improved, and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced. When a picture data is hierarchically coded by utilizing a recursive hierarchical representation, adaptive division of block is performed corresponding to the characteristic of the picture data and then coding is performed, and thus obtained hierarchical coded data is transmitted, so that the block of the lower hierarchy can be adaptively divided, thereby the information quantity such as a plane portion of picture can be reduced.

Abstract: An input digital video signal is encoded to produce at least first and second hierarchical data signals which respectively represent a first video signal and a lower resolution video signal. Each pixel data signal of the second hierarchical data signal is calculated as an average of N pixel data signals of the input digital video signal. The second hierarchical data signal is output together with first hierarchical pixel data signals representing only N−1 of the N pixel data signals of the input digital video signal. The first hierarchical pixel data signals may be differential signals produced by subtracting each of the N−1 pixel data signals from the average value of the N pixel data signals. During decoding the Nth pixel data signal is reconstructed from the N−1 pixel data signals and the average value provided as the corresponding second hierarchical pixel signal.

Abstract: An input digital video signal is encoded to produce at least first and second hierarchical data signals which respectively represent a first video signal and a lower resolution video signal. Each pixel data signal of the second hierarchical data signal is calculated as an average of N pixel data signals of the input digital video signal. The second hierarchical data signal is output together with first hierarchical pixel data signals representing only N−1 of the N pixel data signals of the input digital video signal. The first hierarchical pixel data signals may be differential signals produced by subtracting each of the N−1 pixel data signals from the average value of the N pixel data signals. During decoding the Nth pixel data signal is reconstructed from the N−1 pixel data signals and the average value provided as the corresponding second hierarchical pixel signal.

Abstract: An image signal interpolation apparatus converts an image signal having a first resolution into a second image signal having a second resolution that is greater than the first resolution. A characteristic, e.g., a degree of flatness, of an area in the image signal surrounding a picture element to be interpolated is detected, and various picture elements surrounding the picture element to be interpolated are selected based on the amount of the characteristic, e.g., the degree of flateness. A class of the picture element to be interpolated is generated using the values of the selected picture elements, predicted data are generated from the determined class and a reference image signal having the greater resolution, and the picture element to be interpolated is produced from the predicted data.

Abstract: A picture encoding apparatus and the method in which the quantization step width of the lower hierarchy data having a resolution higher than that of the upper hierarchy data is determined for each predetermined block of respective hierarchy data based on the quantization step width determined by the upper hierarchy data having a low resolution, so that the additional code indicating the characteristics of quantizer.can be omitted thereby the compression efficiency can be improved and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced when picture data is hierarchical-encoded.

Abstract: In a picture coding apparatus and a picture coding method, when a picture data is hierarchically coded, compression efficiency can be improved, and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced. When a picture data is hierarchically coded by utilizing a recursive hierarchical representation, adaptive division of block is performed corresponding to the characteristic of the picture data and then coding is performed, and thus obtained hierarchical coded data is transmitted, so that the block of the lower hierarchy can be adaptively divided, thereby the information quantity such as a plane portion of picture can be reduced.

Abstract: In a picture coding apparatus and a picture coding method, when a picture data is hierarchically coded, compression efficiency can be improved, and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced. When a picture data is hierarchically coded by utilizing a recursive hierarchical representation, adaptive division of block is performed corresponding to the characteristic of the picture data and then coding is performed, and thus obtained hierarchical coded data is transmitted, so that the block of the lower hierarchy can be adaptively divided, thereby the information quantity such as a plane portion of picture can be reduced.

Abstract: In a picture coding apparatus and a picture coding method, when a picture data is hierarchically coded, compression efficiency can be improved, and the deterioration of picture quality can be reduced. When a picture data is hierarchically coded by utilizing a recursive hierarchical representation, adaptive division of block is performed corresponding to the characteristic of the picture data and then coding is performed, and thus obtained hierarchical coded data is transmitted, so that the block of the lower hierarchy can be adaptively divided, thereby the information quantity such as a plane portion of picture can be reduced.