Patents Examined by Andy S. Rao
  • Patent number: 7688895
    Abstract: A method for decoding a bitstream is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) generating a first signal and a second signal by parsing a common slice in the bitstream, (B) generating a third signal by entropy decoding the first signal, and (C) generating a video signal by combining the second signal and the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Lowell L. Winger, Eric C. Pearson
  • Patent number: 7684495
    Abstract: A scalable layered video coding scheme that encodes video data frames into multiple layers, including a base layer of comparatively low quality video and multiple enhancement layers of increasingly higher quality video, adds error resilience to the enhancement layer. Unique resynchronization marks are inserted into the enhancement layer bitstream in headers associated with each video packet, headers associated with each bit plane, and headers associated with each video-of-plane (VOP) segment. Following transmission of the enhancement layer bitstream, the decoder tries to detect errors in the packets. Upon detection, the decoder seeks forward in the bitstream for the next known resynchronization mark. Once this mark is found, the decoder is able to begin decoding the next video packet. With the addition of many resynchronization marks within each frame, the decoder can recover very quickly and with minimal data loss in the event of a packet loss or channel error in the received enhancement layer bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ya-Qin Zhang, Shipeng Li, Feng Wu, Rong Yan
  • Patent number: 7684483
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for digitizing and compressing video signals for transmitting the signals between a remotely located computer and a host or local computer. The digitization and compression method and apparatus is capable of dividing frame buffers into cells and comparing image data from previously captured frame buffers to create synchronized video signals and transmit the video signals over an extended range by limiting the portions of the transmission bandwidth of pixel data transferred between the remote computer and the local computer. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a keyboard video mouse switch is disposed between the remotely located computer and the local computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Raritan Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Coleman
  • Patent number: 7684493
    Abstract: A scalable layered video coding scheme that encodes video data frames into multiple layers, including a base layer of comparatively low quality video and multiple enhancement layers of increasingly higher quality video, adds error resilience to the enhancement layer. Unique resynchronization marks are inserted into the enhancement layer bitstream in headers associated with each video packet, headers associated with each bit plane, and headers associated with each video-of-plane (VOP) segment. Following transmission of the enhancement layer bitstream, the decoder tries to detect errors in the packets. Upon detection, the decoder seeks forward in the bitstream for the next known resynchronization mark. Once this mark is found, the decoder is able to begin decoding the next video packet. With the addition of many resynchronization marks within each frame, the decoder can recover very quickly and with minimal data loss in the event of a packet loss or channel error in the received enhancement layer bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ya-Qin Zhang, Shipeng Li, Feng Wu, Rong Yan
  • Patent number: 7684492
    Abstract: A method for recovering a lost block of an image processing system, which includes determining characteristics of a lost block by using a cost function with respect to the lost block, and recovering the lost block by applying an error concealment method that is best suitable for the characteristics of the lost block. Because an image is restored by applying the most suitable error concealment method according to characteristics of the lost block, error restoration performance of a receiving end is improved and the closest image of an original image can be reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang-Deok Seo
  • Patent number: 7684489
    Abstract: A unified solution to coding/decoding of different video formats such as 4:2:0, 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 is provided. A method of video coding includes transforming a first m×n macro block of residual chrominance pixel values of moving pictures by a first integer-transform function generating a corresponding second m×n macro block of integer-transform coefficients, further transforming DC values of the integer-transform coefficients by a second integer-transform function to generate a third block of integer-transformed DC coefficients. The method further includes generating the second m×n macro block of integer-transform coefficients by utilizing a k×k integer-transform function on each k×k sub-block of the first m×n macro block, wherein n and m are each a multiple of k, and generating the third block of coefficients by utilizing a second i×j integer-transform function on the DC values resulting in a (m/k)×(n/k) third block of integer-transformed DC coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS
    Inventors: Tom-Ivar Johansen, Gisle Bjøntegaard
  • Patent number: 7684494
    Abstract: A scalable layered video coding scheme that encodes video data frames into multiple layers, including a base layer of comparatively low quality video and multiple enhancement layers of increasingly higher quality video, adds error resilience to the enhancement layer. Unique resynchronization marks are inserted into the enhancement layer bitstream in headers associated with each video packet, headers associated with each bit plane, and headers associated with each video-of-plane (VOP) segment. Following transmission of the enhancement layer bitstream, the decoder tries to detect errors in the packets. Upon detection, the decoder seeks forward in the bitstream for the next known resynchronization mark. Once this mark is found, the decoder is able to begin decoding the next video packet. With the addition of many resynchronization marks within each frame, the decoder can recover very quickly and with minimal data loss in the event of a packet loss or channel error in the received enhancement layer bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ya-Qin Zhang, Shipeng Li, Feng Wu, Rong Yan
  • Patent number: 7680185
    Abstract: An encoder/decoder uses “self-referencing” frames. For example, a second B-field in a current frame references the first B-field from the current frame in motion compensated prediction. Allowing the first B-field in a frame to act as a reference for the second B-field in the frame allows more accurate prediction of the second B-field, while also preserving the temporal scalability benefits of having B-fields in the current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kunal Mukerjee, Thomas W. Holcomb
  • Patent number: 7680181
    Abstract: Techniques are provided which allow computers with relatively less computational power to perform dynamic conversion of video from inter-frame dependent format to an independent-frame format while playing the video as it is being converted. If the conversion operation is not keeping up with the arrival of the incoming video, the video is spooled within the computer system. The playback and conversion operations proceed as the spooling is performed. Thus, to a viewer of the video, the video may appear to slow, but the playback and conversion operation proceed without losing frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ken K. Lin, Kelly M. Hawk, Vaidyanath Mani
  • Patent number: 7671890
    Abstract: A covert all-weather roving camera security system includes a monorail track, at least one self-propelled trolley able to move itself back and forth continuously along the monorail track, and a plurality of surveillance cameras attached to the trolley. A housing completely encloses the monorail track and the trolley and has a sunshield on its top to protect the cameras from overheating and a filtered window on its sides and bottom to prevent human eyes from seeing in the housing while permitting the cameras to see out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Edwin W. Wentworth
  • Patent number: 7672378
    Abstract: A multiple video stream capture and encoding apparatus produces compressed data that represents multiple video streams capturing a common scene. Images from multiple video streams are analyzed to identify image color segments that are encoded into a composite graph data structure. Corresponding image segments across the multiple video streams are also identified and represented by one node in the composite graph data structure. The composite graph data structure also includes links between pairs of nodes that describe the relationship between the image segments associated with those nodes. The composite graph data structure is updated to represent changes to the image segments in the multiple video streams over time. The composite graph data structure is used to create compressed encoded data for storage and/or transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kim Chai Ng, Clifford M. Stein, Huisheng Wang
  • Patent number: 7664185
    Abstract: A scalable layered video coding scheme that encodes video data frames into multiple layers, including a base layer of comparatively low quality video and multiple enhancement layers of increasingly higher quality video, adds error resilience to the enhancement layer. Unique resynchronization marks are inserted into the enhancement layer bitstream in headers associated with each video packet, headers associated with each bit plane, and headers associated with each video-of-plane (VOP) segment. Following transmission of the enhancement layer bitstream, the decoder tries to detect errors in the packets. Upon detection, the decoder seeks forward in the bitstream for the next known resynchronization mark. Once this mark is found, the decoder is able to begin decoding the next video packet. With the addition of many resynchronization marks within each frame, the decoder can recover very quickly and with minimal data loss in the event of a packet loss or channel error in the received enhancement layer bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ya-Qin Zhang, Shipeng Li, Feng Wu, Rong Yan
  • Patent number: 7664184
    Abstract: A method of compressing an image formed of pixels. The method includes providing a pixel of the image, to be encoded, selecting at least two pixels of the image, other than the encoded pixel, defining a straight line including the encoded pixel, to serve as prediction pixels, calculating a prediction value for the encoded pixel using at least the selected pixels, determining a difference between the calculated prediction value and the actual value of the encoded pixel, encoding the determined difference, such that the encoding error is bounded; and repeating for at least 5% of the pixels of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Amimon Ltd.
    Inventors: Zvi Reznic, Nathan Elnathan
  • Patent number: 7660356
    Abstract: A method for decoding a digital video bit-stream comprising the steps of (A) receiving the digital video bit-stream having (i) a first portion containing image information and (ii) a second portion containing overscan information and (B) extracting the overscan information from the video bit-stream. The overscan information describes a shape of a overscan region absent from the digital video bit-stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 7649545
    Abstract: A system for inspecting an object, the system comprising a camera; a work surface for receiving the object; and an apparatus for processing an image of the object taken by the camera wherein, during the capture of an image by the camera, the camera and the object are fixed with respect to one another. The processing apparatus identifies those image data components that represent the an edge of the object in an image plane, and projects each image edge data component onto the object plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Inventor: Jan Antonis
  • Patent number: 7649947
    Abstract: A method of decimation of a digital image, the digital image represented by a plurality of pixels, is claimed. In the pixel domain, the digital image is divided into a plurality of blocks. Certain ones of the blocks are selectively decimated base upon predetermined criteria. In an embodiment, the chrominance portions of a give pixel block are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven A. Morley, Vijayalakshmi R. Raveendran
  • Patent number: 7646814
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Lowell L. Winger, Eric C. Pearson
  • Patent number: 7646817
    Abstract: An accelerated video decoding system utilizes a graphics processing unit to perform motion compensation, image reconstruction, and color space conversion processes, while utilizing a central processing unit to perform other decoding processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Guobin Shen, Lihua Zhu, Shipeng Li, Ya-Qin Zhang, Richard F. Rashid
  • Patent number: 7646813
    Abstract: An encoding circuit transforms a picture signal into blocks of, for example, 8*8 coefficients, in which each block of coefficients is read motion- adaptively. In the case of motion within a sub-picture, the block of coefficients is read in such an order that the obtained series of coefficients includes, as it were, two interleaved sub-series. The first series starts with a dc component. In a first embodiment, the second series starts with the most relevant motion coefficient. In a second embodiment, two interlaced sub-fields are separately transformed and the second series also starts with a dc coefficient. As a result, the coefficients are transmitted as much as possible in their order of significance. This particularly produces the largest possible clusters of zero value coefficients. Such clusters are transmitted as one compact run-length code so that an effective bit rate reduction is achieved, also for moving pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Peter H. N. De With, Stephanus M. C. Borgers
  • Patent number: 7643560
    Abstract: Systems and methods for scalable video coding using special inter-layer prediction modes (called telescopic modes) are provided. These modes facilitate accelerated operation of encoders with improved coding efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Vidyo, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Hong, Alexandros Eleftheriadis, Ofer Shapiro