Abstract: Audio visual or other equipment modules in a common enclosure are controlled through an SNMP control agent by interrogating module locations for the presence of an equipment module; determining an equipment type; determining a list of available control objects associated with that equipment type; associating values identified by equipment type and by control parameter with the control objects of equipment modules to be controlled; and communicating said values across a network.

Abstract: A method of compressing data representing a sequence of images in dependence upon data defining at least one region of particular interest within at least one image in the sequence includes causing data representing an image region that is not of particular interest to be more highly compressed than data representing an image regions that is of particular interest.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for image analysis for picture loss detection in fields or frames in video or film content makes use of different correlation characteristics of picture images and non-picture images to detect picture loss. A measure of self correlation of a plurality of image data samples, and a measure of the correlation of the plurality of image data samples with a mean value are determined, and a positive detection of picture loss is based on a comparison between the two correlation measures.

Abstract: This invention concerns image analysis of video signals or data in order to detect prior, block-based processing, and to quantify block-related picture impairments. Adjacent samples of video data are high pass-filtered, rectified and auto-correlated to form an auto-correlation function. The auto-correlation function may be analysed to provide information regarding block size and other block artefact measures.

Abstract: A method of image segmentation using graph-theory techniques, in which pixels of an image are represented by the vertices of a graph. A minimum spanning tree is generated and edges of the tree are successively removed according to a morphological property to leave a spanning forest, trees of which correspond to segments of the image. Selection of edges for removal may depend on an energy function of a tree and on the energy function of trees created by removal of that edge.

Abstract: Monochrome images are detecting by analysing the skew of the statistical distribution of color difference values of pixels. A skew parameter is derived from an upper percentile, a lower percentile and a median value of the statistical distribution of color difference values and color is detected when the said skew parameter exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: To modify the aspect ratio of images in a video sequence, a measure of image energy is provided at or around each pixel, for example by taking differences between adjacent pixels. A minimum energy path of contiguous pixels is then identified which extends across the image from one edge to another, for example vertically if the width of the picture is to be modified. Information concerning the location of a path in one image is used in the identification of a path in the next image, for example by biassing the energy measure of the path. The aspect ratio of each image is then modified by removing or by replicating the minimum energy path of contiguous pixels.

Abstract: The invention concerns image processing and, in particular, the processing of picture attribute fields for an image. A method of obtaining a new picture attribute field of an image is disclosed in which a picture attribute value at one position is allocated to a new position in the image in dependence upon the value of a parameter, such as luminance data, at the original position and at the new position and/or in dependence on the distance between the original position and the new position. The invention may be used to process picture attribute fields comprising: motion vectors; motion vector confidence; segment labels; depth labels; texture labels.

Abstract: A method for the automatic detection of fields or frames in film or video content having similar or substantially the same luminance or color component values, for example to detect black frames. Image sample values are assigned to a sample value range having a signed weight associated therewith, and a contribution to a discriminator function is determined for each sample range depending on the signed weight and the number of input samples in the sample value range. The discriminator function output is then compared with a threshold.

Abstract: This invention concerns the interpolation of new intermediate images within an existing set of related images, for example views of a scene captured at different times, such as a sequence of film frames or video fields, or views of a scene captured from different camera positions, either simultaneously or in a time sequence. Motion vectors established for pixels or regions in at least one existing image are used to shift those pixels or regions to the output position of the new image. The shifted pixels or regions are combined in dependence on a probability of accuracy measure for the respective motion vector. The probability of accuracy measure may be formed from displaced-field difference measurements. The occlusion of objects is determined and used in forming the probability of accuracy measure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a border region in an image. A blank border in a video picture is determined by summing luminance or other pixel measures in a direction parallel to the border and looking for the maximum gradient of those summed measures in a direction perpendicular to the border. Sensitivity can be enhanced by increasing (relative to other pixels) the gain of pixels around the present pixel value of the border. The location of the maximum gradient may be weighted by other measures before a decision on border location is taken.

Abstract: This invention concerns image analysis of video signals or data in order to detect prior, block-based processing, and to quantify block-related picture impairments. Adjacent samples of video data are high pass-filtered, rectified and auto-correlated to form an auto-correlation function. The auto-correlation function may be analysed to provide information regarding block size and other block artefact measures.

Abstract: A video mixer may be employed to form a transition between two video compositions, for example a fade or a wipe. A video storage device may be associated with the video mixer and plays out a video signal, the timing of which is controlled in dependence upon the progress of the transition made by the said video mixer.

Abstract: In a video encoder a prediction signal at a bit resolution of P is subtracted from an input signal received at a bit resolution of P+?, where P is typically 8 bits, and P+?, 10 bits. A transform is then performed on the result, the output of which transform being at a bit resolution of at least P+?. The transformed signal is quantised, and the quantised signal used to form the prediction signal. The quantised signal is then coded for downstream delivery. At a decoder, the process is inverted, preserving the extra ? bits input to the encoder.

Abstract: In a video encoder a prediction signal at a bit resolution of P is subtracted from an input signal received at a bit resolution of P+?, where P is typically 8 bits, and P+?, 10 bits. A transform is then performed on the result, the output of which transform being at a bit resolution of at least P+?. The transformed signal is quantized, and the quantized signal used to form the prediction signal. The quantized signal is then coded for downstream delivery. At a decoder, the process is inverted, preserving the extra ? bits input to the encoder.

Abstract: A video signal is analyzed to determine what compression coding decisions would be taken if the video signal were to be MPEG2 encoded. A representation of these coding decisions then accompanies the un-coded video signal for use in a downstream “dumb” encoding process. The coding decisions take the form of an MPEG2 bitstream and are embedded in Isb's of the video.

Abstract: A method of generating an orthogonally sampled video signal based on a line phase measure. In a first aspect the input signal is sampled by a clock locked to the average line frequency of a video input and the resulting samples are time shifted, optionally with or without interpolation, to an orthogonal sampling grid. In a second aspect input samples are taken and shifted to an orthogonal sampling grid according to a line phase measure. The line phase measure can be derived from a number of measurements or interpolated. In one embodiment a delay is employed so that a measure of a later sample is used to shift an earlier sample.