Abstract: A security camera system having one or more monitoring cameras, each of which transmits a digital video signal after compressing/encoding, are connected to a controller via a network. In the controller, a media control section stores the video signal supplied from the monitoring cameras in a storage medium and reads out the video signal as needed. Image processing for privacy protection is carried out to the real-time video signal supplied from the monitoring camera and the video signal read out from the storage medium. The level of the image processing for privacy protection is switched depending on the authority of a user who views the video image. Further, even for the same user authority, the image processing level for privacy protection is switched and adjusted depending on the size of the object in the video image.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus on which secondary video, which is displayed as a picture in picture video, is encoded in such a way that the secondary video information has an HD-size resolution as a video but its effective area is equal to or lower than a predetermined ratio of the whole size. This reproduction apparatus reduces the processing load at reproduction time, uses effective area information to determine the opacity level in combining the videos and, therefore, prevents primary video from being hidden by the secondary video in an area where the primary video should not be hidden.

Abstract: The present invention is a decoding apparatus for decoding an encoded video signal capable of displaying a secondary video synchronously with a primary video.

Abstract: A surveillance system having surveillance terminals and a surveillance center is configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type. The surveillance system comprises a plurality of surveillance terminals, which are connected to the surveillance center by a network, carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center. The surveillance center receives the hazard information signal, identifies what type of hazard source and the surveillance terminal that sent the hazard information signal, selects surveillance terminals to be alerted to the hazard from among the plurality of surveillance terminals, depending on the identified type of the hazard source and its locality, and sends a hazard alert signal to the selected surveillance terminals.

Abstract: In a bitstream transcoder, the computational cost and the memory area are suppressed so that stream transcoding is performed with a reduced number of times of computing and a reduced memory area. The transcoder includes a VLD portion 11 for performing VLD on a bitstream encoded in MPEG-2 to output quantized DCT coefficients; an IQ portion 12 for receiving the coefficients, and outputting inverse-quantized DCT coefficients; a coefficient table 132 for storing a transformation matrix obtained by multiplying transformation matrices for operating band-limiting filter, IDCT, down-sampling and DCT, respectively, together in advance; a DCT scaling portion 13 for performing down-sampling on the DCT coefficients by use of the transformation matrix; a Q portion 15 for outputting quantized DCT coefficients down-sampled horizontally and vertically; and a VLC portion 16 for encoding the quantized DCT coefficients in MPEG-4 to output a bitstream.

Abstract: A surveillance system having surveillance terminals and a surveillance center is configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type. The surveillance system comprises a plurality of surveillance terminals, which are connected to the surveillance center by a network, carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center. The surveillance center receives the hazard information signal, identifies what type of hazard source and the surveillance terminal that sent the hazard information signal, selects surveillance terminals to be alerted to the hazard from among the plurality of surveillance terminals, depending on the identified type of the hazard source and its locality, and sends a hazard alert signal to the selected surveillance terminals.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus includes a software executing block for executing software having a predetermined format and a setting block capable of setting an arbitrary security level, wherein the software is executed in association with the AV data; and also includes a control unit for controlling to change an authentication operation of whether the software executing block is permitted to execute the software, thereby, when software stored in a disc is executed, a disc ID is compared with a past reproduction history, and only if both are not coincident, the authentication operation is executed.

Abstract: Heretofore, there have been problems in which data prerecorded on a recording medium cannot readily be played back in synchronism with data downloaded via a network because the simultaneous use of a plurality of download data has not been taken into consideration. To solve such problems, data is played back by using a first buffer memory for temporarily storing a stream that is received at one input terminal, a demultiplexer for demultiplexing packets output from the first buffer memory in accordance with packet ID numbers, second buffer memories for temporarily storing a stream that is input from another input terminal, and a packet switcher for operating selector switches to select and output either packets output from the demultiplexer or packets output from the second buffer memories.

Abstract: The problem to be solved is to make it possible to download via a network, efficiently manage, retrieve, and reproduce an external content associated with a content recorded on a recording medium. To solve the problem, a program is used which controls reproduction of information located on a recording medium and related information. The program includes the steps of: obtaining from the outside specific information associated with predetermined information recorded on a recording medium; and obtaining medium identification information located on a recording medium; wherein if the specific information has been obtained, a storage unit in a reproducing apparatus is controlled to associate the specific information with the medium identification information for storage.

Abstract: In an apparatus not connected to a network can perform the reproduction within a valid viewing period. Also, in order to facilitate the change of the encryption algorithms of a password, a program recorded on the disk comprises the steps of acquiring a first medium identification number recorded on a recording medium, acquiring the current time, acquiring a password, calculating a second medium identification number and the expiry date of the valid viewing period from the password, comparing the first medium identification number with the second medium identification number, and comparing the current time with the expiry date of the valid viewing period. In the case where the first medium identification number coincides with the second medium identification number and the current time has not passed the expiry date of the valid viewing period, then the predetermined information is reproduced from the recording medium.

Abstract: A security camera system having one or more monitoring cameras, each of which transmits a digital video signal after compressing/encoding, are connected to a controller via a network. In the controller, a media control section stores the video signal supplied from the monitoring cameras in a storage medium and reads out the video signal as needed. Image processing for privacy protection is carried out to the real-time video signal supplied from the monitoring camera and the video signal read out from the storage medium. The level of the image processing for privacy protection is switched depending on the authority of a user who views the video image. Further, even for the same user authority, the image processing level for privacy protection is switched and adjusted depending on the size of the object in the video image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surveillance system, surveillance terminals, and a surveillance center, the surveillance system being configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type, and a hazard and alert signaling method. The surveillance system of the invention where a plurality of surveillance terminals are connected to the surveillance center by a network carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center.

Abstract: A method for managing a network system including at least one host system and a registration server provided at a remote location from the at least one host system, the at least one host system and the registration server being coupled to each other by a communication link, includes receiving at the registration server a first request to register a first administrator of a first host system, the first administrator being provided with authority to control access to the first host system by one or more users, the first host system being associated with a first entity. Validity of the first registration request is authenticated at the registration server. The first registration request is considered valid if valid first authorization information is provided to the registration server in connection with the first registration request. The registration server is associated with an entity that is different from the first entity.

Abstract: In a bitstream transcoder, the computational cost and the memory area are suppressed so that stream transcoding is performed with a reduced number of times of computing and a reduced memory area. The transcoder includes a VLD portion 11 for performing VLD on a bitstream encoded in MPEG-2 to output quantized DCT coefficients; an IQ portion 12 for receiving the coefficients, and outputting inverse-quantized DCT coefficients; a coefficient table 132 for storing a transformation matrix obtained by multiplying transformation matrices for operating band-limiting filter, IDCT, down-sampling and DCT, respectively, together in advance; a DCT scaling portion 13 for performing down-sampling on the DCT coefficients by use of the transformation matrix; a Q portion 15 for outputting quantized DCT coefficients down-sampled horizontally and vertically; and a VLC portion 16 for encoding the quantized DCT coefficients in MPEG-4 to output a bitstream.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image pickup apparatus for outputting a video signal encoded in order to compress information amount of a photographed image. The apparatus includes: an image pickup device for outputting a digital video signal; a control unit to control the image pickup device; and an encoding apparatus for encoding the digital video signal which is output from the image pickup device. The control unit generates control information of the image pickup device. The encoding apparatus changes encoding characteristics on the basis of the control information. Further, the encoded digital video signal is recorded and/or reproduced onto/from a recording medium and the signal reproduced from the recording medium is decoded. Moreover, a motion vector of a hand vibration or the like is detected from the photographed video signal and is corrected.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of generating a motion picture and a still picture. An amount of exposure in a still imaging mode is increased as compared with the amount of exposure for mode is increased as compared with the amount of exposure for one field in the motion picture imaging mode, preferably twice as large as the latter. In the still picture mode, electric charges are swept out from a CCD by an exposure control simultaneously with closing of a diaphragm for adjusting the amount of exposure. Upon occurrence of error in the closing operation of the diaphragm, the amount of exposure in the still picture mode is set to a design value. On the basis of difference between the design value and an actually measured value of the amount of exposure, gain for video signal is corrected. In the motion picture mode, the diaphragm and the electronic shutter speed is adjusted for preventing flicker from making appearance under illumination of a fluorescent lamp in indoor photographing.

Abstract: A still picture recording digital camera including a light quantity limiter for interrupting incident light to the camera; an image pickup unit including a pixel for converting the incident light to an electric pixel signal and outputting the pixel signal as a digital image signal; a signal processor for generating a digital image signal having a predetermined format; a recording unit for recording the digital image signal output from the image pickup unit or the signal processor; the light quantity limiter limiting the incident light quantity to a predetermined quantity and then interrupting the incident light; the image pickup unit outputting a dynamic picture digital image signal when the light quantity limiter is limiting the incident light quantity, and outputting a still picture image signal after the light quantity limiter has interrupted the incident light; and the signal processor performing different signal processing operations when the signal processor has received a digital image signal for a dyn

Abstract: The present invention is a color correction system including an imaging apparatus which inputs or outputs an image signal from a signal processor into or from an image device such as an input device such as a scanner or a camera or an output device such as a display device or a print device and which is constituted so as to correct colors by inputting or outputting image signals via a color converter, the conversion characteristic of which can be controlled according to a variation in the setting status or use environment of the imaging apparatus and faithful color reproduction can be realized between a plurality of imaging apparatuses having different characteristics.

Abstract: A still picture recording digital camera including a light quantity limiter for interrupting incident light to the camera; an image pickup unit including a pixel for converting the incident light to an electric pixel signal and outputting the pixel signal as a digital image signal; a signal processor for generating a digital image signal having a predetermined format; a recording unit for recording the digital image signal output from the image pickup unit or the signal processor; the light quantity limiter limiting the incident light quantity to a predetermined quantity and then interrupting the incident light; the image pickup unit outputting a dynamic picture digital image signal when the light quantity limiter is limiting the incident light quantity, and outputting a still picture image signal after the light quantity limiter has interrupted the incident light; and the signal processor performing different signal processing operations when the signal processor has received a digital image signal for a dyn

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of generating a motion picture and a still picture. An amount of exposure in a still imaging mode is increased as compared with the amount of exposure for mode is increased as compared with the amount of exposure for one field in the motion picture imaging mode, preferably twice as large as the latter. In the still picture mode, electric charges are swept out from a CCD by an exposure control simultaneously with closing of a diaphragm for adjusting the amount of exposure. Upon occurrence of error in the closing operation of the diaphragm, the amount of exposure in the still picture mode is set to a design value. On the basis of difference between the design value and an actually measured value of the amount of exposure, gain for video signal is corrected. In the motion picture mode, the diaphragm and the electronic shutter speed is adjusted for preventing flicker from making appearance under illumination of a fluorescent lamp in indoor photographing.