Abstract: An integrated digital video system is configured to implement picture-in-picture merging of video signals from two or more video sources, as well as selective overlaying of on-screen display graphics onto the resultant merged signal. The picture-in-picture signal is produced for display by a television system otherwise lacking picture-in-picture capability. The digital video system can be implemented, for example, as an integrated decode system within a digital video set-top box or a digital video disc player. In one implementation, a decompressed digital video signal is downscaled and merged with an uncompressed video signal to produce the multi-screen display. The uncompressed video signal can comprise either analog or digital video. OSD graphics can be combined within the integrated system with the resultant multi-screen display or only with a received uncompressed analog video signal.

Abstract: A programmable bi-directional external graphics/video (EGV) port for a video decode system chip having a video decoder and an internal digital display generator circuit is provided. The programmable EGV port employs a fixed number of signal input/output (I/O) pins on the video decode system chip while providing a plurality of connection configurations for an external graphics controller, an external digital display generator circuit and an external digital multi-standard decoder to the video decoder or the internal digital display generator circuit of the chip. The EGV port includes receiver/driver circuitry for accommodating in parallel a plurality of input/output signals, including pixel data signals and corresponding synchronization signals, as well as a programmable port controller adapted to be coupled between the receiver/driver circuitry and an internal bus of the video decode system allowing access to at least one of the video decoder and the internal digital display generator circuit.

Abstract: A digital video decoder system, method and article of manufacture are provided having integrated scaling capabilities for presentation of video in full size or a predetermined reduced size, while at the same time allowing for reduced external memory requirements for frame buffer storage. The integrated system utilizes an existing decimation unit to scale the decoded stream of video data when the system is in scaled video mode. Display mode switch logic oversees switching between normal video mode and scaled video mode, wherein the switching occurs without perceptual degradation of a display of the decoded stream of video data. Scaled decoded video frames are buffered in a frame buffer which is partitioned depending upon whether the digital video decoding system is in normal video mode or scaled video mode. In scaled video mode, the frame buffer accommodates both full size I and P frames, as well as scaled I, P & B frames.

Abstract: A digital video decoder system, method and article of manufacture are provided having integrated scaling capabilities for presentation of video in full size or a predetermined reduced size, while at the same time allowing for reduced external memory requirements for frame buffer storage. The integrated system utilizes an existing decimation unit to scale the decoded stream of video data when the system is in scaled video mode. Display mode switch logic oversees switching between normal video mode and scaled video mode, wherein the switching occurs without perceptual degradation of a display of the decoded stream of video data. Scaled decoded video frames are buffered in a frame buffer which is partitioned depending upon whether the digital video decoding system is in normal video mode or scaled video mode. In scaled video mode, the frame buffer accommodates both full size I and P frames, as well as scaled I, P & B frames.

Abstract: A high voltage tolerant receiver that matches a voltage drop across an NFET pass-gate at the input to the receiver with a voltage drop across a semiconductor device, formatted as a diode, and connected between an input stage and an input stage voltage supply source.

Abstract: A digital video encode system, method and computer program product are described wherein a picture is divided into multiple active areas that are parallel encoded using multiple encoders. The encoders associated with adjoining active areas of the picture are configured to exchange reference data to facilitate avoiding appearance of a seam between the adjoining active areas of a subsequent picture in a sequence of pictures due to separate encoding thereof by the multiple encoders. The reference data transferred from one encoder to an adjoining encoder is an encoded and decoded section of the picture and is used by the adjoining encoder as an expanded reference area for motion estimation when encoding the subsequent picture.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for merging one or more secondary audio channels, received from either a streaming application or from memory, with a primary stream of audio data output from a main audio decoder. In addition to the audio decoder, the device/method employs a controller for processing received secondary audio data in a streaming application, and retrieving from system memory audio PCM data once stored. An audio playback device is provided for formatting the PCM data for mixing with the primary stream of audio data output from the audio decoder. Multiple digital-to-analog converters convert the multiple streams of audio data into analog signals which are then mixed into a single merged audio signal for presentation.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided for dynamically determining group of picture (GOP) size as a function of picture change activity within a sequence of video frames. Image statistics on one or more intraframe characteristics of the sequence of video frames is compared to a preset threshold for deciding whether to continue within an existing GOP or to begin a new GOP. A frame of the sequence of video frames is intra-coded, and each of a variable number of subsequent frames is bi-directionally predictive-coded (B). Each B frame subsequent to the I frame is encoded employing forward prediction motion estimation only from the I frame. When a predefined picture degradation occurs, a new GOP is initiated. One example of an intraframe characteristic to be monitored is the number of intra-coded macroblocks within each B coded frame. This number is compared against a threshold number, which may be a percentage of the total number of macroblocks within the frame.

Abstract: A transport demultiplexor for demultiplexing an MPEG-2 compliant transport stream into a system data stream, a video data stream, and an audio data stream. The demultiplexor has frontend logic, a packet buffer, and data, video, and audio unloaders. The front end logic receives transport stream input packets, and delivers the transport stream packets to the packet buffer. The packet buffer, in turn, delivers system data to the system data unloader, video data to the video unloader, and audio data to the audio unloader.

Abstract: A method of storing, in memory, table data. The table data has a packet ID (PID), a Table ID, and a Current/Next Indicator, a section number, and a version number. The first step in the method is specifying the PID ID, the Table ID, and the Current/Next Indicator. The next step is initializing the section number in a table section header to filter to ‘0’. Then, each table section is checked as received to determine if the table section is the last table section for the table. This is indicated in the table section header. If this is the last table section of the table the version number field is incremented, and the section number field is set to ‘0’. If, however, the section is not the last section, the section number is incremented, the next section of the table is incremented, and the next section of the table is stored in memory.

Abstract: A digital video encoder system having a motion estimation processor, and an interface to the motion estimation processor. The motion estimation processor includes a reference memory interface, and inverse quantization processor, an inverse discrete cosine transform processor, and a motion estimation processor unit including a hierarchal search unit. The motion estimation processor is utilized generating temporally compressed datastreams, that is, I-P and I-P-B datastreams.

Abstract: A method of decoding a multiplexed, system layer bitstream. The bitstream is made up of packets of audio, video, and system data. Each packet has a packet header, and data packets. The first step in the process is demultiplexing the bitstream into separate audio and video bitstreams for decompression while maintaining synchronization of the video and audio. The system data and the audio and video packets are next loaded into buffers, from which they are unloaded for subsequent decoding. The decoding is in accordance with the system data entries. The method is characterized by storing the system data and the audio and video packets in a single buffer.