Patents by Inventor Martin W. Sotheran

Martin W. Sotheran 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: 20020066007
    Abstract: A pipeline video decoder and decompression system handles a plurality of separately encoded bit streams arranged as a single serial bit stream of digital bits and having separately encoded pairs of control codes and corresponding data carried in the serial bit stream. The pipeline system employs a plurality of interconnected stages to decode and decompress the single bit stream, including a start code detector. When in a search mode, the start code detector searches for a specific start code corresponding to one of multiple compression standards. The start code detector responding to the single serial bit stream generates control tokens and data tokens. A respective one of the tokens includes a plurality of data words. Each data word has an extension bit which indicates a presence of additional words therein. The data words are thereby unlimited in number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin W. Sotheran, William P. Robbins, Anthony M. Jones, Helen R. Finch, Kevin J. Boyd, Anthony Peter J. Claydon
  • Patent number: 6330666
    Abstract: A pipeline video decoder and decompression system handles a plurality of separately encoded bit streams arranged as a single serial bit stream of digital bits and having separately encoded pairs of control codes and corresponding data carried in the serial bit stream. The pipeline system employs a plurality of interconnected stages to decode and decompress the single bit stream, including a start code detector. When in a search mode, the start code detector searches for a specific start code corresponding to one of multiple compression standards. The start code detector responding to the single serial bit stream generates control tokens and data tokens. A respective one of the tokens includes a plurality of data words. Each data word has an extension bit which indicates a presence of additional words therein. The data words are thereby unlimited in number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P Wise, Martin W Sotheran, William P Robbins, Anthony M Jones, Helen R Finch, Kevin J Boyd, Anthony Peter J Claydon
  • Patent number: 6263422
    Abstract: A plurality of processing stages interposed between an input and an output of a system including a pipeline machine interconnect for conveyance of tokens along the pipeline. Control and or data tokens in the form of universal adaptation units interface with all of the stages in the pipeline and alternatively interact with selected stages in the pipeline so that the processing stages in the pipeline are afforded enhanced flexibility in configuration and processing. In one embodiment of the system, the stages accept a data stream having portions encoded according to respectively different video formats. At least one of the stages includes circuitry for generating signals to indicate an end-of-picture data decoding. The stage includes state machine logic that is responsive to the generated signals for effecting an end of picture data decoding by clearing the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin W. Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6067417
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin W Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5963154
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. Dewar, Martin W. Sotheran
  • Patent number: 5603012
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventor: Martin W. Sotheran
  • Patent number: 5596517
    Abstract: An IDCT, or Inverse Discrete Cosine Transform, method decimates a 2-D IDCT into two 1-D IDCT operations and then operates separately on the even and odd pixel input words. In a common processing step, selected input values are passed directly to output adders and subtractors, while others are multiplied by constant, scaled cosine values. In a pre-common processing step, the lowest-order odd input word is pre-multiplied by .sqroot.2, and the odd input words are summed pairwise before processing in a common processing step. In a post-common processing step, intermediate values corresponding to the processed odd input words are multiplied by predetermined coefficients to form odd resultant values. After calculation of the even and odd resultant values, the high-order and low-order outputs are formed by simple subtraction/addition, respectively, of the odd resultant values from/with the even resultant values. The input values are preferably scaled upward by a factor of .sqroot.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony M. Jones, Kevin D. Dewar, Martin W. Sotheran
  • Patent number: 5594678
    Abstract: An IDCT, or Inverse Discrete Cosine Transform, method decimates a 2-D IDCT into two 1-D IDCT operations and then operates separately on the even and odd pixel input words. In a common processing step, selected input values are passed directly to output adders and subtractors, while others are multiplied by constant, scaled cosine values. In a pre-common processing step, the lowest-order odd input word is pre-multiplied by .sqroot.2, and the odd input words are summed pairwise before processing in a common processing step. In a post-common processing step, intermediate values corresponding to the processed odd input words are multiplied by predetermined coefficients to form odd resultant values. After calculation of the even and odd resultant values, the high-order and low-order outputs are formed by simple subtraction/addition, respectively, of the odd resultant values from/with the even resultant values. The input values are preferably scaled upward by a factor of .sqroot.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony M. Jones, Kevin D. Dewar, Martin W. Sotheran
  • Patent number: 5590067
    Abstract: An IDCT method decimates a 2-D IDCT into two 1-D IDCT operations and then operates separately on the even and odd pixel input words. In a common processing step, selected input values are passed directly to output adders and subtractors, while others are multiplied by constant, scaled cosine values. In a pre-common processing step, the lowest-order odd input word is pre-multiplied by .sqroot. 2, and the odd input words are summed pairwise before processing in a common processing step. In a post-common processing step, intermediate values corresponding to the processed odd input words are multiplied by predetermined coefficients to form odd resultant values. After calculation of the even and odd resultant values, the high-order and low-order outputs are formed by simple subtraction/addition, respectively, of the odd resultant values from/with the even resultant values. The input values are preferably scaled upward by a factor of .sqroot. 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony M. Jones, Kevin D. Dewar, Martin W. Sotheran
  • Patent number: 5479364
    Abstract: An IDCT, or Inverse Discrete Cosine Transform, method decimates a 2-D IDCT into two 1-D IDCT operations and then operates separately on the even and odd pixel input words. In a common processing step, selected input values are passed directly to output adders and subtractors, while others are multiplied by constant, scaled cosine values. In a pre-common processing step, the lowest-order odd input word is pre-multiplied by .sqroot.2, and the odd input words are summed pairwise before processing in a common processing step. In a post-common processing step, intermediate values corresponding to the processed odd input words are multiplied by predetermined coefficients to form odd resultant values. After calculation of the even and odd resultant values, the high-order and low-order outputs are formed by simple subtraction/addition, respectively, of the odd resultant values from/with the even resultant values. The input values are preferably scaled upward by a factor of .sqroot.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony M. Jones, Kevin D. Dewar, Martin W. Sotheran