Abstract: An enhanced display encoder system for a video stream source includes an enhanced video encoder that has parallel intra frame and inter frame encoding units for encoding a video frame, wherein an initial number of macroblocks is encoded to determine a scene change status of the video frame. Additionally, a video frame history unit determines an intra frame update status for the video frame from a past number of video frames, and an encoder selection unit selects the intra frame or inter frame encoding unit for further encoding of the video frame to support a wireless transmission based on the scene change status and the intra frame update status. A method of enhanced video frame encoding for video stream sourcing is also provided.

Abstract: A method includes determining, through a decoder engine executing on a processor communicatively coupled to a memory and/or a hardware decoder, that a reference video frame of a bi-predicted frame or a predicted frame currently being decoded is unavailable or corrupt. The method also includes initializing, through the decoder engine and/or the hardware decoder, a previously initialized another reference video frame of the bi-predicted frame or the predicted frame as the reference video frame instead of the unavailable or the corrupt reference video frame to enable prediction of the bi-predicted frame or the predicted frame with reduced distortion.

Abstract: An image processor in an image capture device compensates for the effects of undesirable camera shakes occurring during video capture The image processor receives a pair of source frames representing images of a scene, generates a pair of subsampled frames from the source frames, and computes a coarse displacement of the captured image due to camera shakes by comparing the two subsampled frames. The image processor may then refine the determined coarse displacement by comparing the two source frames and a bound determined by an extent of subsampling, and compensate for the displacement accordingly. Display aberrations such as blank spaces caused due to shifting are also avoided by displaying only a portion of the captured image and shifting the displayed portion to compensate for camera shake. The image processor also recognizes displacements due to intentional camera movement, and does not correct for such displacements.

Abstract: A method of video reconstruction includes providing a hardware accelerator to a video processing component of a video processing system, and a driver for the video processing component. In addition, the method includes segmenting macroblocks of a destination video frame in a raster order into groups based on reference parameters thereof using the driver, where the reference parameters define compensation needs of macroblocks of the destination frame. The method also includes constructing an indexed array of linked-lists using the driver, with each linked-list representing macroblocks of a group having the same reference parameters. The hardware accelerator may be programmed to accelerate motion compensation by reconstructing macroblocks of the destination frame group-wise in the indexed order of the array of linked-lists.

Abstract: An encoder provided according to an aspect of the present invention uses different encoding techniques depending on an amount of power available in the corresponding durations. Due to the ability to use such different encoding techniques, power may be optimally utilized. The optimization is further enhanced by dynamically switching between encoding techniques according to power amount availability in corresponding durations. In an embodiment, each encoding technique estimates motion vectors at corresponding level of precision (thereby consuming a corresponding level of power) and the precision level is chosen to correspond to available power budget. The circuitry not required for a desired precision level may be switched off.

Abstract: Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.

Abstract: Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.

Abstract: A method of video reconstruction includes providing a hardware accelerator to a video processing component of a video processing system, and a driver for the video processing component. In addition, the method includes segmenting macroblocks of a destination video frame in a raster order into groups based on reference parameters thereof using the driver, where the reference parameters define compensation needs of macroblocks of the destination frame. The method also includes constructing an indexed array of linked-lists using the driver, with each linked-list representing macroblocks of a group having the same reference parameters. The hardware accelerator may be programmed to accelerate motion compensation by reconstructing macroblocks of the destination frame group-wise in the indexed order of the array of linked-lists.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of transmitting and receiving packets containing data and positional information for a plurality of devices in a radio frequency network in combination with a global positioning system. The periodic position coordinates of each said device are determined using the global positioning system. The position coordinates are transmitted from each device at staggered points in time that are randomized, and the randomizing operation is performed in discrete steps, wherein the time period of each discrete step is of adequate duration for one device to transmit a positional update. A positional update table and proximity table is created and maintained for each device, and these tables are transmitted to every other device in the network at periodic intervals.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of transmitting and receiving packets containing data and positional information for a plurality of devices in a radio frequency network in combination with a global positioning system. The periodic position coordinates of each said device are determined using the global positioning system. The position coordinates are transmitted from each device at staggered points in time that are randomized, and the randomizing operation is performed in discrete steps, wherein the time period of each discrete step is of adequate duration for one device to transmit a positional update. A positional update table and proximity table is created and maintained for each device, and these tables are transmitted to every other device in the network at periodic intervals.

Abstract: An encoder provided according to an aspect of the present invention uses different encoding techniques depending on an amount of power available in the corresponding durations. Due to the ability to use such different encoding techniques, power may be optimally utilized. The optimization is further enhanced by dynamically switching between encoding techniques according to power amount availability in corresponding durations. In an embodiment, each encoding technique estimates motion vectors at corresponding level of precision (thereby consuming a corresponding level of power) and the precision level is chosen to correspond to available power budget. The circuitry not required for a desired precision level may be switched off.

Abstract: Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.

Abstract: An image processor in an image capture device compensates for the effects of undesirable camera shakes occurring during video capture The image processor receives a pair of source frames representing images of a scene, generates a pair of subsampled frames from the source frames, and computes a coarse displacement of the captured image due to camera shakes by comparing the two subsampled frames. The image processor may then refine the determined coarse displacement by comparing the two source frames and a bound determined by an extent of subsampling, and compensate for the displacement accordingly. Display aberrations such as blank spaces caused due to shifting are also avoided by displaying only a portion of the captured image and shifting the displayed portion to compensate for camera shake. The image processor also recognizes displacements due to intentional camera movement, and does not correct for such displacements.

Abstract: Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.