Abstract: In a method for estimating motion vectors for blocks of a current video image in a sequence of video images, each video image being divided into a plurality of blocks, the following is performed: determining (13) a motion vector for a block of a previous video image; projecting (16) the determined motion vector of the block of the previous video image to a block position of the current video image, thereby obtaining a projected motion vector; and performing (18) a motion estimation for a current block of the current video image on the basis of the projected motion vector, thereby obtaining a motion vector for the current block of the current video image.

Abstract: A motion estimation method is provided, including providing first image data, providing second image data, block-matching a source block of the first image data with target blocks of the second image data to determine a motion vector corresponding to the position of the target block that most accords with the source block, and applying a contrast enhancement on source blocks and/or target blocks to improve block-matching. A motion estimation device and video device are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing a content stream (5) comprising processing information, comprising the steps of providing (S1) content data (3) comprising image and/or audio data, acquiring (S3) auxiliary data (4) from the content data (3) representing information for processing the content data (3) and embedding (S8) the auxiliary data (4) into the content data (3) thereby providing said content stream (5). The present invention further relates to such a content stream (5) and to a device for providing such a content stream (5). Additionally, the present invention relates to a method and a device for processing a content stream (5) comprising processing information.

Abstract: A method for processing an image signal having at least two, preferably three channels, including: analyzing an information content of each channel, and converting the channels into a single channel using a weighting factor for each channel, wherein the weighting factors are adjusted dependent on information content of each channel.

Abstract: A method for generating an intermediate view on the basis of left and right views of a 3D picture and a disparity map, the method including: using pixel information contained in the left and right views and the disparity map for creating an intermediate view, identifying occlusion pixels in the created intermediate view, and filling the occlusion pixels with information gained from adjacent pixels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing method comprising providing video image frames with a first frame rate, up-converting said frame rate to provide video image frames with a second frame rate, and applying dithering to said video image frames with said second frame rate.

Abstract: Method for iteratively calibrating a disparity estimation process generating a disparity estimation map relating to a 3D image which consists of at least a right and a left image, the method comprising: estimating a left-to-right image disparity map of a 3D image in horizontal and vertical direction, estimating a right-to-left image disparity map of the 3D image in horizontal and vertical direction, determining a misalignment value between the left and right images on the basis of the disparity maps, feeding back the misalignment value as to be considered in the next estimating the disparity maps of a next 3D image, and repeating the method for the next 3D image to iteratively calibrate the disparity estimation process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for reducing motion blur in a video signal, comprising an analysing means for determining edge characteristics of an input video signal and for providing motion estimation of an edge within said input video signal, generation means for generating a synthetic detail signal dependent on said edge characteristics and said motion estimation, and an adding means for adding the detail signal to the edge within the input video signal and outputting an output video signal. The present invention further relates to a method for reducing motion blur in a video signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to image processing. A wavelet decomposition unit (110) applies a wavelet decomposition on an image or video data signal and generates approximation and detail signals. A discontinuity detection unit (120) detects discontinuities like block boundaries and/or image contour lines in an evaluation signal selected from the approximation and detail signals. An artefact reduction unit (140) reduces edge-induced artefacts by equalizing pixel values in image areas identified by the detected discontinuities in one or more of the approximation and detail signals to obtain at least one corrected approximation or detail signal. The corrected approximation and detail signals support a reconstruction of the image data signal, wherein the reconstructed image shows reduced blocking and ringing artefacts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for interpolating a subpixel at an interpolation position, which is situated in the chronological order between two source frames. Thereby the calculation of the interpolated subpixel's value is based on the value of the pixels of the two source frames and additional weighting coefficients, which are based on the motion vectors correlating the two source frames.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for reducing blocking artifacts in a coded video signal comprising a plurality of video frames. An apparatus is proposed comprising a wavelet decomposition unit that decomposes an input video frame by use of wavelet decomposition into at least two frequency bands, a block grid detector that detects block borders in at least one high frequency band of said at least two frequency bands, a deblocking unit that equalizes the energy of detected block borders with the energy of neighboring areas of the same high frequency band to obtain processed frequency bands to reduce blocking artifacts in said video frame, and a wavelet composition unit that composes an output video frame from said input video frame and said processed frequency bands by use of wavelet composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motion estimation method comprising the steps of: providing first image data, providing second image data, block-matching a source block of the first image date with target blocks of the second image data to determine a motion vector corresponding to the position of the target block that most accords with the source block. The method further comprises a contrast enhancement step which is applied on source blocks and/or target blocks to improve block-matching. The invention also relates to a motion estimation device.

Abstract: A method for writing data in a system with alignment restriction, where first destination data generated from first source data located in a storage range starting at a first source position is written in a storage range starting at a non-aligned position. The method includes the steps of extracting second source data from a storage range starting at a second source position preceding the first source position, the second source data including the first source data, generating second destination data from the second source data, the second destination data including the first destination data, writing the second destination data in a storage range starting at an aligned position, where the second source position is set such that the first destination data is written in a storage range starting at the non-aligned position.

Abstract: A method for discriminating textured regions and homogeneous or flat regions in an image. A multi-scale or multi-resolution measurement is performed with respect to the image. Alternatively or additionally, the image is analyzed by using a prior measured noise value and a local variance value in or with respect to the image.

Abstract: A device for motion estimation (100) includes a block characteristic measurement unit (110) configured to determine an image characteristic of a source block (210) of a reference frame (200). Motion of the source block (210) of the reference frame (200) with regard to a current frame is estimated by a motion estimation unit (120), wherein the motion of the source block (210) is estimated by either a motion estimation method other than phase correlation or by phase correlation depending on the image characteristic.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for deriving noise statistical properties (NSP) for a signal (S) wherein first distorted noise statistical properties (DNSP) are derived from a distorted signal (DS). In addition the distorted noise statistical properties (DNSP) are subjected to a deconvolution/inversion process (S3) to thereby derive un-distorted noise statistical properties (NSP) for said underlying un-distorted signal (S).

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method and system for providing reliable motion estimation even for flat regions. For this purpose the block under processing is checked for flatness. In case of flatness at least one motion vector among the motion vectors associated to blocks being neighboring blocks to the block under processing is selected as candidate vector. The block under processing and at least one further block in a following frame, to which the at least one candidate vector is pointing, are compared and one candidate vector is adopted as motion vector for the block under processing in case that at least one further block is similar to the block under processing.

Abstract: A method for processing digital image data (ID) is proposed wherein a step (B) of processing digital image data (ID) comprises or realizes a sub-step (B?) of image improvement with respect to said digital image data (ID) which uses or which is based on a process of re-mapping (REM) together with a process of dithering (DIT).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing a content stream (5) comprising processing information, comprising the steps of providing (S1) content data (3) comprising image and/or audio data, acquiring (S3) auxiliary data (4) from the content data (3) representing information for processing the content data (3) and embedding (S8) the auxiliary data (4) into the content data (3) thereby providing said content stream (5). The present invention further relates to such a content stream (5) and to a device for providing such a content stream (5). Additionally, the present invention relates to a method and a device for processing a content stream (5) comprising processing information.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing video signals is provided wherein a synchronization state signal is generated which is descriptive for the synchronization of an output of fields/frames with the respective input of respective fields/frames of an underlying video data screen in particular on the basis of a time difference which is given by respective counted times and/or temporal changes and/or variations thereof.