Abstract: This invention provides a mode determination system for maximizing the coding efficiency by minimizing the amount of generated encoded information. An intra-frame picture signal X of 16 pels 16 lines is divided into four sub-blocks of 8 pels.times.8 lines by a DCT block dividing unit. A DCT block dispersion calculation unit calculates the dispersions of the four sub-blocks, and a nonlinear function transform unit transforms the dispersions to values for estimating amounts of generated encoded information. An adder unit adds together the four values for estimating amounts of generated encoded information and outputs the sum. On the other hand, a motion compensated predictive difference Y of 16 pels.times.

Abstract: A digitized topology data compression and decompression method provides the digitized topology data of a collection of segments connected to each other via nodes. The method forms at least one composite line representing a chain of connected segments, which reduces an overall number of lines needed to represent the collection of segments and where each composite line has two end points at known coordinates, resulting in compression of the topology data. The method further represents each composite line by its respective end point coordinates. Next, the method enrolls each composite line into one of at least two sets of composite lines for minimizing a number of intersections between each of the composite lines within each of the sets of composite lines. Finally, the method reconstructs the nodes at a decompression time by calculating coordinates of intersecting composite lines belonging to different sets of composite lines.

Abstract: Each of the N surface images, used to restore the borehole or the core sample surface image, is segmented into related components (C(12), C(11), . . . ) Which are grouped into related regions (C(8)), each touching both the right and left edges of the image. After smoothing out their contours, the related regions are represented in the form of an image, called bed image, representative uftlle stratification beds. The contours appearing on the N bed images are matched to construct the bed boundary sinusoidal curves. This is particularly useful in determining stratification of a geological site.

Abstract: An explicit DST-based filter that comprises a trigonometric transform module, first and second transform coefficient processors (TCPs), an inverse trigonometric transform module and first and second summing arrangements. The trigonometric transform module applies a trigonometric transform to blocks of DCT coefficients related to input blocks of DCT coefficients to generate corresponding input blocks of transform coefficients of a second type ("second coefficients"). The first TCP includes matrix multipliers that generate a multiplied block of DCT coefficients and a multiplied block of second coefficients by multiplying, by diagonal multiplying matrices, intermediate blocks of DCT coefficients derived from the input blocks of DCT coefficients.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for image data compression performs a modified zero-tree coding on a range of absolute image values from the largest to a determined smaller absolute value, based upon file size or quality. If it is desired to maintain more detail in the image, then a vector quantizer codes the remaining values below this determined smaller value to zero, and lossless entropy coding is performed on the results of the two coding steps. The determined smaller value can be adjusted by examination of the histogram of the tree, or iteratively to meet a preselected compressed image size criterion or to meet a predefined level of image quality, as determined by any suitable metric. If the image to be compressed is in RGB color space, the apparatus converts the RGB image to a less redundant color space before commencing further processing.

Abstract: A first feature parameter calculating circuit outputs, as a variable of a first feature parameter, a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of signal levels of pixels calculated in a local block having a target pixel at a center. A second feature parameter calculating circuit determines sums of differences in signal level in the local block, along a direction in which the pixels are arranged, and outputs, as a variable of a second feature parameter, a minimum value of the sums. A third feature parameter calculating circuit binarizes the pixels in the local block, and counts the number of succeedingly arranged pixels having equal density, for example, along a main scanning direction, and calculates a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the numbers counted. In the same manner, a difference is also calculated along a sub scanning direction, and larger of two differences is outputted as a variable of a third feature parameter.

Abstract: An data compression technique combines the benefits of block-wise processing, such as allows reduced buffer memory usage and improved speed through parallel techniques, with tree-type compression normally associated with wavelet-type compression techniques. Block artifacts in the reconstructed data at the partitions between blocks are minimized by use of lapping transformations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for obtaining scalability of a video object (VO) whose position and/or size changes with time. The position of an upper layer picture and that of a lower layer picture in an absolute coordinate system are determined so that corresponding pixels in an enlarged picture and in the upper layer picture may be arranged at the same positions in the absolute coordinate system.

Abstract: A system for analyzing motion contains an overall model that includes local deformations and a scaleable default model having a global component and parametric offsets. The offsets provide two features. First, they help to form an expected model shape which facilitates appropriate model data correspondences. Second, they scale with the global component to maintain the expected shape even in the presence of large global deformations. The system is applied to the recovery of a 3-D object from a volunteer dataset of tagged images.

Abstract: A method of generating a collaborative judgment for use in coding a symbol is described. One method includes generating multiple probability estimates for a symbol to be coded, selecting an exaggeration exponent and weighting information indicative of weighting between the probability estimates, and combining the probability estimates into the collaborative probability estimate based on an exaggeration function using the exaggeration exponent and the weighting information.

Abstract: By fixing the area of interpolation or by enlarging it at a ratio smaller than the magnification ratio of texture cells in relation to pixels, to provide an image-processing device and method of image-processing whereby the display image is not subject to excessive fuzziness. CPU 1 determines the display position of objects including texture on the display image. A texture calculator 3 calculates and determines the coordinates of the pixels on the actual display image which correspond to each texture cell. On the basis of these coordinates, a texture interpolator 5 extracts texture data from a texture memory 4, and determines the value of each pixel on the actual display image in accordance with this data. The texture interpolator 5 employs a box filter to determine the interpolation area, but since the size of the box filter is fixed at the same size as that of the pixels which constitute the display image, it does not create any excessive fuzziness on the display image.

Abstract: A shape coding method of coding an object shape signal indicating a prescribed object shape in an image display signal, includes coding the object shape signal for each unit region of a prescribed size on a display screen to generate a coded shape bit stream, and decoding a signal which is in the middle of the coding to generate a locally decoded shape signal; analyzing the locally decoded shape signal for each unit region, and deciding at least one of a type of shape post-processing of the locally decoded shape signal for making an object shape obtained from the locally decoded shape signal smooth and whether to perform the shape post-processing to the locally decoded shape signal, in accordance with an analysis result; and outputting one of the locally decoded shape signal to which prescribed shape post-processing has been performed and the locally decoded shape signal to which the shape post-processing has not been performed, as a coding shape signal for use in coding a signal other than the object shape s

Abstract: In apparatus for processing a digital color image value originally obtained from an image sensor or the like having color image pixels aligned in rows and columns having diagonal pixels with sufficient information to permit luminance or chrominance estimation the digital image having at least three separate color values but only one color value for each image pixel location, such apparatus computing the luminance or chrominance values for each image pixel. The apparatus stores the digital image and includes a processor operatively associated with the stored image and responsive to said stored measured digital color image values for computing low frequency luminance or chrominance values. In response to the computed low frequency luminance or chrominance values the Laplacian second-order and gradient values in at least two image orientations are computed from neighboring image pixels.

Abstract: A method and system for uniformly encoding arrays of values in a video stream. Using a data type of an element to be encoded, a predictive value is quantized and encoded as part of a video stream. The resulting video stream efficiently encodes rotations, normals, and vectors.

Abstract: In an apparatus for adaptively coding an image signal including a contour signal and a texture signal having object pixels and background pixels thereof, wherein the contour signal discriminates between the object pixels and the background pixels and each of the background pixels and the object pixels is represented by luminance data and chrominance data, a padding circuit replaces each background pixel value with a pixel value derived from object pixel values by using a predetermined padding method to thereby generate a padded texture signal. And then, a luminance data extracting circuit extracts the luminance data from the padded texture signal to provide a modified texture signal, each pixel of the modified texture signal having the luminance data.

Abstract: A target code length is designated at a code length designation unit, and the entire input image data is encoded by a continuous gradation region encoding unit to obtain the target code length. On the other hand, a region segmentation unit segments the input image data into regions, a limited color region encoding unit encodes limited color regions of the segmented regions, and the continuous gradation region encoding unit encodes continuous gradation regions, so as to obtain the target code length. Either the codes obtained when the entire input image data is encoded or the codes obtained when the image data is encoded by the limited color region encoding unit and continuous gradation region encoding unit in units of regions are output on the basis of the coding unit of the codes of the entire input image data, and the coding unit of the codes of the continuous gradation region.

Abstract: An analog, single integrated circuit for providing centered video images. A light detector array which can be, e.g., a CCD or an array of phototransistors or silicon retinas, is scanned out to provide a video signal. Current summing lines along each row and column of the array are used as inputs to x and y position sensitive (computation) circuitry located on the edge of the pixel array. When the array utilizes silicon retinas, an absolute value circuit is added to restore low frequency information removed by the retinas to the current summing output. An on-chip sequencer uses the x and y position outputs to scan out the video image centered to the nearest pixel.

Abstract: Polygon reshaping methods either add or subtract sides of lines of a polygon around an object of a digitized frame of picture stock. A line may be added by selecting a line of a polygon and adding a point to the line, thereby defining two lines with the point as their vertex. The point may be move along the line and away from the line to create an angle between the two lines on either side of the vertex. A line may be subtracted from a polygon either by selecting a line of the polygon and simply deleting it or by selecting a vertex of the polygon and deleting the two lines which shared the vertex. In the former line-removal case, the now-free endpoints of the lines adjacent to the removed line are moved and connected at a point defined along the removed line. In the latter vertex-removal case, a new line is drawn between the now-free endpoints of the lines which were respectively adjacent the removed lines.

Abstract: Provided is a gray scale shape data encoder in shape data coding devices, including: video signal generating device for receiving a video signal, extracting and outputting shape data; transparency data extracting device for receiving the shape data from the shape data extracting device, extracting and outputting transparency data; boundary block merging device for receiving the transparency data output from the transparency data extracting device, performing a boundary block merging, and outputting the merged signal; transparency data coding device for receiving the transparency data merged in the boundary block merging device, coding and outputting them; supporting device for receiving the shape data from the shape data extracting device and extracting binary shape data; binary shape data coding device for receiving binary shape data from the supporting device, coding and outputting them; and binary shape data decoding device for receiving the coded binary shape data from the binary shape data decoding devic

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a scanner mechanism for fetching an image, a function of preparing a density histogram on the basis of the fetched image, a decision function of deciding a sort of the fetched image corresponding to a histogram distribution of a background area when the density histogram is divided into the background area and a character area having an image density higher than the background area, and a first image density frequency having a maximum frequency within a range of the background area, and a circuit for correcting a gradation of the fetched image, in accordance with a decision result of the decision function.