Abstract: A router has multiple channel inputs and multiple channel outputs and a switch core for selectively connecting at least two of the channel outputs to respective channel inputs. Each channel output is connected to an output signal path containing a FIFO register and the router is configured so that first and second channel outputs are connected to a pair of channel inputs respectively. The router configuration is changed so that the first and second channel outputs are connected to first and second channel inputs respectively. The FIFO registers in the output signal paths of the first and second channel outputs are forced to equal fullness.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a video signature representative of a content of a video signal. A method and apparatus are further disclosed for providing an audio signature representative of a content of an audio signal. A method and apparatus for detecting lip sync are further disclosed and take advantage of the method and apparatus disclosed for providing a video signature and an audio signature.

Abstract: A router has multiple channel inputs and multiple channel outputs and a switch core for selectively connecting at least two of the channel outputs to respective channel inputs. Each channel output is connected to an output signal path containing a FIFO register and the router is configured so that first and second channel outputs are connected to a pair of channel inputs respectively. The router configuration is changed so that the first and second channel outputs are connected to first and second channel inputs respectively. The FIFO registers in the output signal paths of the first and second channel outputs are forced to equal fullness.

Abstract: A composite input signal having an audio component and a video component is routed from an input to an output by separating a stream of audio data words at an average frequency F1 from the video component and supplying the separated stream of audio data words sequentially to a FIFO input register. The output of the FIFO input register is polled at a frequency F2, greater than F1, and, in the event that an audio data word is available at the output of the FIFO input register, the audio data word is conveyed from the output of the FIFO input register to an input of a signal path. Otherwise a null data word is conveyed to the input of the signal path. The signal path thereby conveys a stream of data words that comprises both audio data words and null data words. The audio data words of the stream conveyed by the path are combined with the video component of the composite input signal.

Abstract: A composite input signal having an audio component and a video component is routed from an input to an output by separating a stream of audio data words at an average frequency F1 from the video component and supplying the separated stream of audio data words sequentially to a FIFO input register. The output of the FIFO input register is polled at a frequency F2, greater than F1, and, in the event that an audio data word is available at the output of the FIFO input register, the audio data word is conveyed from the output of the FIFO input register to an input of a signal path. Otherwise a null data word is conveyed to the input of the signal path. The signal path thereby conveys a stream of data words that comprises both audio data words and null data words. The audio data words of the stream conveyed by the path are combined with the video component of the composite input signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing an indication of a level of distortion created by blocking artifacts in an image comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising for each pixel in a first given direction, determining a corresponding gradient between the pixel and a neighboring pixel, for each pixel in the first direction, summing each of the corresponding determined gradient in a second direction to provide a plurality of gradient summing values, computing a level of distortion for each of at least one potential block size using at least one of the gradient summing values, determining an actual block size using the computed at least one level of distortion and providing the level of distortion corresponding to the determined actual block size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a video signature representative of a content of a video signal. A method and apparatus are further disclosed for providing an audio signature representative of a content of an audio signal. A method and apparatus for detecting lip sync are further disclosed and take advantage of the method and apparatus disclosed for providing a video signature and an audio signature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing an indication of a level of distortion created by blocking artifacts in an image comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising for each pixel in a first given direction, determining a corresponding gradient between the pixel and a neighboring pixel, for each pixel in the first direction, summing each of the corresponding determined gradient in a second direction to provide a plurality of gradient summing values, computing a level of distortion for each of at least one potential block size using at least one of the gradient summing values, determining an actual block size using the computed at least one level of distortion and providing the level of distortion corresponding to the determined actual block size.

Abstract: An efficient and non-iterative post processing method and system is proposed for mosquito noise reduction in DCT block-based decoded images. The post-processing is based on a simple classification that segments a picture in multiple regions such as Edge, Near Edge, Flat, Near Flat and Texture regions. The proposed technique comprises also an efficient and shape adaptive local power estimation for equivalent additive noise and provides simple noise power weighting for each above cited region. An MMSE or MMSE-like noise reduction with robust and effective shape adaptive windowing is utilized for smoothing mosquito and/or random noise for the whole image, particularly for Edge regions. Finally, the proposed technique comprises also, for chrominance components, efficient shape adaptive local noise power estimation and correction.

Abstract: A housing adapted for receiving electronic cards therein, the housing comprising a chassis shielded from electromagnetic interference and having an opening in a face thereof. The chassis is adapted for receiving electronic cards therein. The chassis comprises a conductive cast shell Connector panels each have a printed circuit board body with a conductive plane, a card connector adapted for being connected to an electronic card in the housing, and input/output connectors. Each input/output connector is connected to the card connector by a printed circuit of the printed circuit board body. Each input/output connector is adapted for being connected to an input/output of a peripheral device. The connector panels are adapted for being mounted side by side and in shielding connection to cover the opening of the chassis so as to maintain an electromagnetic interference shielding of the housing.

Abstract: The basic configuration of Single local Adaptive Window Spatial Noise Reducer (SAW-SNR) is based on a preliminary de-noising low-pass filter followed by homogenous region segmentation to the considered pixel in a given local window. The configuration is composed also of an adaptive local mean estimator, an adaptive local statistic estimator which is preferably an economic standard deviation (SD) estimator and finally, a minimum-mean-square-error (MMSE) based de-noising technique. The proposed segmentation configuration outperforms existing spatial noise reducers in term of subjective and objective performances, in term of edge preservation, noise reduction in both homogenous regions or picture edges and Peak Signal to noise Ratio (PSNR). A second configuration in the form of a Parallel Multiple local Adaptive Window Spatial Noise Reducer (Parallel M-AW-SNR), is a combination of several basic configurations which implements different segmented windows.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus for converting a standard video signal having 59.94 fields per second into an HDTV video signal having 60.00 fields per second, by adding a number of video fields into each sequence of 1000 video fields. The apparatus detects the best moment for adding the new video field, so that the human eye does not perceive an abrupt change in the video image, by detecting the best motion conditions which occurs either when the image motion is high or very low. For adding the new video field, the apparatus uses an interpolation technique for creating two interpolated video fields which are inserted in place of one existing video field which is deleted. The apparatus also comprises a de-interlacer module for deinterlacing the 60 Hz video image, by using an advanced interpolation technique for calculating the missing video lines.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing an output non-interlaced, progressive video component signal from an input interlaced video signal by mixing lines of the interlaced video component signal with lines of a calculated signal. A preferred embodiment adaptively combines three interpolation techniques. They include a steered spatio-temporal interpolation for moving edges, a vertical interpolation for vertically moving horizontal lines and a temporal interpolation for local still picture parts. Robust detectors associated respectively with the above interpolations are also provided. The edge direction detector is composed of subband filters, five oriented differentiators and logical filters for reliable direction decision making. The vertical motion detector for horizontal edges introduced for reducing the horizontal line flicker is composed of temporally directional differentiators working on lowpass filtered signal, a decision device and logical filters.