Abstract: A method for contour reduction in a digital picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering a plurality of luma samples in a current line of the digital picture, each of the luma samples having a respective input value, (B) calculating a plurality of horizontal sum-of-signs along the current line, wherein each of the horizontal sum-of-signs comprises a sum of a plurality of amplitude differences between pairs the luma samples from the current line and (C) generating a plurality of output value based on the horizontal sum-of-signs, one of the output values for each one of the luma samples.

Abstract: An multi-use eyeglass apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus generally comprises a frame, a display device, at least one sensor and a transceiver. The frame may have a plurality of lens openings defining an optical path. The display device may be mounted to the frame and configured to display an image to a user wearing the frame, wherein the image is located outside of the optical path. The at least one sensor is generally mounted to the frame and configured to sense a response from the user. The transceiver may be mounted to the frame and configured to (i) receive the image in a first receive message from external of the frame and (ii) transmit the response in a first transmit message to external of the frame.

Abstract: A settop box system for capturing and controlling live and recorded audio and video content. The system records digital and analog data from video and audio content, such as in a home entertainment center. The system records data from the content as specified and the data may be sequenced into clips that can be searched and indexed. A user may create comparison programs that allow searches of either pre-recorded or incoming content to be performed. In addition, the program allows editing of recorded programs, such as filtering of audio content or overlaying a video program with a different audio background. Multiple audio and video feeds may be handled simultaneously and the program's functions may be executed without viewing of the content being manipulated. The recorded content may also be indexed and even clips of the content may be indexed.

Abstract: A method for processing a digital image is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (A) receiving the digital image, the digital image having (i) a Bayer color representation and (ii) two initial dimensions in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction respectively and (B) generating a resample image by down-sampling the digital image in the Bayer color representation such that (i) the resample image has two resample dimensions, (ii) at least one of the resample dimensions is smaller than a respective at least one of the initial dimensions and (iii) the respective at least one initial dimension is a non-integer multiple of the at least one resample dimension.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first processing circuit and a second processing circuit. The first processing circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of reconstructed samples in response to one or more macroblocks of an input signal. The second processing circuit may be configured to determine a best intra prediction chroma mode 0 predictor for reach chroma sub-block of a current macroblock in response to available reconstructed samples adjacent to the current macroblock.

Abstract: A method for transcoding between videostreams using different entropy coding, comprising the steps of (A) decoding a first videostream using a first set of entropy codes, and (B) generating a second videostream by entropy encoding the decoded first videostream using a second set of entropy codes. The first set of entropy codes and the second set of entropy codes are configured to represent all valid coefficient values of the first videostream.

Abstract: A system and method for predicting the effect of patient self-care actions on a disease control parameter. A future disease control parameter value X(tj) at time tj is determined from a prior disease control parameter value X(ti) at time ti based on an optimal control parameter value R(tj) at time tj, the difference between the prior disease control parameter value X(ti) and an optimal control parameter value R(ti) at time ti, and a set of differentials between patient self-care parameters having patient self-care values SM(ti) at time ti and optimal self-care parameters having optimal self-care values OM(ti) at time ti. The differentials are multiplied by corresponding scaling factors KM. The system includes an input device for entering the patient self-care values SM(ti). A memory stores the optimal control parameter values R(ti) and R(tj), the prior disease control parameter value X(ti), the optimal self-care values OM(ti), and the scaling factors KM.

Abstract: A circuit including an analog to digital converter and a processor is disclosed. The analog to digital converter may be configured to generate a plurality of samples from a received signal in response to a reference signal. The processor may be configured to designate one of an early sample of the samples and a late sample of the samples as an ideal sample in response to a first timing error of an on-time sample of the samples being greater than one-half a sample period of the received signal.

Abstract: An apparatus generally including a first housing and a second housing is disclosed. The first housing may have (i) one or more first clips configured to removably secure the first housing to a frame of eyeglasses, (ii) at least one sensor configured to sense a response of a user wearing the eyeglasses and (iii) a transceiver configured to (a) receive an image in a receive message from external of the apparatus and (b) transmit the response in a transmit message to external of the apparatus. The second housing may be (i) attached to the first housing, (ii) positionable before a lens opening of the eyeglasses on a side of the lens opening opposite the user and (iii) configured to display the image to the user through the lens opening.

Abstract: A circuit and method are presented for signal processing and routing of digital voice telephony signals, using a specialized high-density integrated circuit voice processor. The voice processor performs several essential functions required for telephony processing, including echo cancellation, protocol conversion, and dynamic range compression/expansion. These functions are traditionally performed by multiple circuits or modules. By combining these capabilities in a single device, power and circuit board area requirements are reduced. The embodiment of the circuit and method disclosed herein include novel implementations of a time-slot interchange circuit and a telephony signaling circuit. Both of these circuits are designed to minimize demands on the signal processing engines incorporated within the voice processor, and account for very little of the on-chip circuitry.

Abstract: A method for correcting a plurality of violations in a circuit design and new cells used in the method are disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) implementing a first engineering change order in the circuit design to correct a first of the violations, (B) implementing a second engineering change order with a special cell to correct a second of the violations, the special cell having a plurality of interfaces available for a signal path associated with the second violation, each of the interfaces having a characteristic appropriate to correct the second violation, each of the characteristics having a different performance and (C) routing the signal path to one of the interfaces to fix the second violation.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a focus controller, a photo-diode sensor, a data circuit, a focus error creation circuit and a focus offset circuit. The focus controller may be configured to control a lens in relation to a laser beam and allow the laser beam to focus on a disc. The photo-diode sensor may be configured to generate one or more photo-diode signals in response to the laser beam. The data circuit may be configured to generate one or more disc status signals in response to the one or more photo-diode signals. The focus error creation circuit may generate a focus error signal. The focus error signal may provide a first value based on a focus point of the laser beam. The focus offset circuit may be configured to offset the first value of the focus error signal to a second value in response to the disc status signals to allow the focus controller to move the lens to a position which will increase the focus point of the laser beam on the disc.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising (i) a segmentor circuit, (ii) a plurality of encoders and (iii) a multiplexer circuit. The segmentor circuit may be configured to segment a picture into a plurality of strips. Each of the plurality of encoders may be configured (i) to encode respective strips of the plurality of strips in parallel and (ii) to transfer context information with at least one other encoder of the plurality of encoders. The multiplexer circuit may be configured to combine the encoded strips from the plurality of encoders into an encoded bit stream.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate an MPEG packet data stream. The second circuit may be configured to (i) scramble the data stream to generate a scrambled data stream, (ii) encode the scrambled data stream to generate an encoded data stream, (iii) interleave the encoded data stream, (iv) encode the interleaved data stream, (v) modulate the encoded data stream, and (vi) filter the modulated data stream.

Abstract: A system and method is described that enables a health care provider to monitor and manage a health condition of a patient. The system includes a health care provider apparatus operated by a health care provider and a remotely programmable patient apparatus that is operated by a patient. The health care provider develops a script program using the health care provider apparatus and then sends the script program to a remotely programmable patient apparatus through a communication network such as the World Wide Web. The script program is a computer-executable patient protocol that provides information to the patient about the patient's health condition and that interactively monitors the patient health condition by asking the patient questions and by receiving answers to those questions. The answers to these health related questions are then forwarded as patient data from the remotely programmable patient apparatus to the health care provider apparatus through the communication network.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit, a second circuit and a disc. The first circuit may be configured to (i) extract video data as data blocks from an input signal and (ii) perform error correction on the data blocks with a delta syndrome based iterative Reed-Solomon decoding. The second circuit may be configured (i) to decode corrected video data into a video format in a first state, (ii) encode the corrected video data a second state and (iii) share an external memory between the first circuit and the second circuit. The disc may be configured to store encoded video data in the second state.

Abstract: A method of motion compensation for an input block is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of tap values in response to a motion vector for the input block, (B) generating an interpolated block by programmable filtering a reference block using the tap values, the interpolated block being spatially offset from the reference block by less than a half-pel separation and (C) generating an output block in response to the input block and the interpolated block.

Abstract: A communications receiver may include an adaptive filter unit for removing coherent interference components from a received signal. In the absence of a signal of interest, the filter may adapt dynamically to remove current interference components. When a signal of interest is detected, the filter may be controlled to stop (or at least reduce) its adaptation, to prevent removal of the signal of interest. The received signal may be down-converted to a complex baseband by conditioning circuitry. A detector may detect the signal of interest, and control the filter. Autocorrelation may be used to estimate a characteristic of the signal of interest in the complex baseband. The detector may include hysteresis to react quickly to the start of signal of interest, and more slowly to an end of the signal of interest. The signal of interest may be a frequency shift keyed (FSK) signal. A demodulator may demodulate FSK components based on the autocorrelation result.

Abstract: A method for communicating with a person at a remote location, comprising the steps of (A) monitoring information from the person using a subsystem, (B) establishing a communication link between the subsystem and a server, (C) communicating the information from the subsystem to the server, wherein the subsystem is remotely located from the server, (D) disconnecting the communication link, (E) processing the information in the server, (F) communicating the processed information from the server to one or more computers, wherein the computers (i) are remotely located from the server and (ii) correspond to one or more users associated with the person, (G) providing health-related information based on the processed information from at least one of the computers to the server and storing the information in the server and (H) providing the information to the subsystem from the server when the next communication link is established.

Abstract: A video encoder is disclosed that includes an encoder circuit, a quantizer circuit and a control circuit. The encoder circuit may be configured to generate a number of coefficient values in response to a video stream and a number of quantized values. The quantizer circuit may be configured to generate the number of quantized values in response to the coefficient values, two or more quantization dead zones and two or more offsets. The control circuit may be configured to set the two or more quantization dead zones and the two or more offsets to different values. The two or more quantization dead zones and the two or more offsets are independently programmable.