Abstract: An imaging system and method for alleviating perceptional problems of a viewer during the transmission and display of high resolution still images on a video system is disclosed. Through modifications to an encoder and decoder within the imaging system, the viewer may select a still image or portion thereof from a video image sequence for viewing. The imaging system and method ameliorate perceptional delays in displaying the lengthy high resolution still image by immediately displaying a lower-resolution, shorter-length video image frame corresponding to the still image. The lower resolution video image being displayed is then updated and refined with the image data from the high resolution still image as it is received.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for manufacturing a high-resolution digital master for filing cinematographic films and their conversion into different TV and multimedia standards, in which the overall picture and sound information associated with the cinematographic film is high-resolution scanned, digitized and stored. For creating a high-quality electronic duplicate of a film master for the purpose of document-secure filing or for manufacturing different TV and multimedia versions, picture and sound data prescriptions derived from the film for processing steps and parameters associated with the corresponding film frames are additionally stored.

Abstract: A lens driving device for an image pickup apparatus in which there is no problem of defocusing of an object caused by changes in the light stop state after manual or automatic focusing with respect to an object. The lens driving device includes a focusing correction amount calculation circuit 27 for calculating the amount of focus correction from the focus position from a focus position detection circuit 26 responsive to the zooming position from a zooming position detection circuit 28 and to a signal S.sub.1 from a light stop value sensor 13. The lens driving device also includes an adder 24 for summing the focusing correction amount to the focusing displacement from an autofocusing displacement calculation circuit 21 or a manual focusing displacement calculation circuit 22 via a signal switching unit 23. The resulting sum is outputted as a displacement of a focusing lens.

Abstract: A method and device for displaying information from multiple sources, in a way that permits rapid assimilation and interpretation of the information. The information may originate from the inspection, e.g., via a remote visual inspection system, of a work piece. The method and device processes (i) frames of video data, each frame including data corresponding to an array of pixels, including video of a sensor, and (ii) data output by the sensor by (a) locating the sensor in one of the frames of video data to define an anchor location, (b) accepting the data output by the sensor, (c) converting the data output by the sensor to either a numeric value or a graphical representation, and (d) in the one of the frames, modifying pixels data in a vicinity of the anchor location based on the numeric value or graphical representation to form a modified frame.

Abstract: An observation apparatus for endoscopes includes a light source for illumination and an endoscope which has an illumination optical system for irradiating an object with light from the light source and an image-forming optical system for obtaining an image of the object illuminated through the illumination optical system, to observe the image with fluorescent light emanating from the object. This apparatus is provided with an excitation filter device placed in an optical path to irradiate the object with the light from the light source and an observation filter device disposed in an optical path to obtain the image of the object. The excitation filter device includes a first filter having spectral transmittances such as to have a cutoff wavelength region on the short-wavelength side of wavelengths of the fluorescent light and to transmit light with shorter wavelengths than in the cutoff wavelength region.

Abstract: A device for scanning films (1) includes a converter (6) for forming an image data signal (11), and for improving the data transfer between the film scanner and a computer network coupled thereto. The image data signal (11) is supplied via a first data interface of the converter (6) in a data format for a single-channel transfer. To transfer the information about the contents of a scanned frame from the film scanner to a further processing stage, one transfer channel is sufficient so that further transfer channels, particularly for feedback information to the film scanner, can be dispensed with. This yields particularly a significantly higher transfer rate.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image is reproduced by unit 3. For that purpose, the interference pattern on carrier 8 is illuminated by source 7 of noncoherent reproduction radiation. The process is that of illuminating the first interference structure 5, which is optically coupled with the interference pattern, or the second interference structure 9, the principle of spatial filtration of which corresponds to the principle of spatial filtration of the first interference structure 5 and the scale of which corresponds to the scale of the interference structure illuminated. The beams are extracted the intensities, spatial positions and directions of which correspond to the intensities, spatial positions and directions of the beams that were registered in recording the interference pattern, i.e., the beams are extracted which correspond to the independent spatial coordinates .alpha. and .beta.. The set of these beams corresponds to a three-dimensional image of object 4, which is indistinguishable from the real image.

Abstract: A coding apparatus and method having an orthogonal transforming unit which can execute orthogonal transformations of at least two kinds of transforming systems including frame units and field units for every block of inputted data, which selects the transforming system to be used based upon calculations which determine a field correlation within the block.

Abstract: An endoscope system including a first hard endoscope which uses a relay lens as an image transmission optical system, a second hard endoscope which uses an image guide formed by a fiber bundle, and a TV camera which is mountable respectively on the first and second hard endoscopes and which is rotatable. The TV camera has built therein a CCD. An optical low-pass filter for removing moire even in case of being rotated is provided on an ocular part of the second hard endoscope.

Abstract: A current frame containing a multiplicity of current block signals is predicted based on a previous frame by employing an apparatus which produces a predicted current block signal corresponding to each of the current block signals. The apparatus first calculates a correlation factor depicting an improved correlation between the current block signal and a corresponding predicted block signal selected from the previous frame based on an estimation of the motion between the current and the previous frames. Once the correlation factor is computed, the predicted current block signal is determined based on the correlation factor and the current and the predicted block signals.

Abstract: The video memory requirement of an MPEG decoder, or of an SQTV processor, or of similar devices, wherein the storing of full pages or pixels or portions thereof is performed in decoding or in filtering noise, may be dynamically reduced by ADPCM recompressing and decompressing of the MPEG decoded digital data stream, before and after storing the data in the video memory, respectively. A particularly efficient and simple ADPCM compression method employs a differential variance estimator which, instead of processing bidimensional blocks of pels, instead processes blocks of pels all belonging to a same horizontal video line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting a quantizer scale for each object within a frame to optimize the coding rate is disclosed. A quantizer scale is selected for each region or "object" within each frame such that the target bit rate for the frame is achieved while maintaining a uniform visual quality over the entire frame.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for inspecting and video taping pipelines is provided. A tubular vessel accommodates a video camera. A plurality of scuba lights are adjustably mounted to the periphery of the tubular housing at the front end of the apparatus. A dual-section guide leg is provided which has limited upward and downward movement and limited forward and rearward movement. An elastic member controls the upward/downward and forward/rearward movement of the guide leg to provide a shock absorber system. The guide leg engages the top inside surface of the pipeline as the apparatus is carried down the pipeline by the current. The angle of inclination of the apparatus may be controlled with weights, foam and the position of the guide leg.

Abstract: A video coding apparatus comprising a memory for storing a coded picture signal used as a reference picture signal, a vector detecting circuit for detecting, from plural field picture signals or plural frame picture signals which are read out from the memory and the reference picture signals, an optimum motion regarding a picture to be coded, a prediction signal producing circuit for subjecting a spatial-temporal filtering to a reference picture designated by the optimum motion vector to produce a prediction signal, and a coding circuit for coding the to-be coded picture signal on the basis of the prediction signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a tracking apparatus and a tracking method by which an imaging object can be set without any special manual operation by a user. An imaged image is supplied to an imaging object setting section via an imaging object processing section. In the imaging object setting section, a motion detection section calculates a difference value between images of successive two frames and detects a motion of an image based on the difference value. Then, a portion of the image from which the motion is detected is set as an imaging object to be tracked.

Abstract: A method for encoding input contour image including a current contour based on a previous contour, the contour encoded previously, is provided. In this method a predicted contour is generated from motion estimating and compensating the previous contour based on the current contour. By indexing the contour pixels on the predicted contour and encoding the indices of the end-points of matched segments, parts where the predicted and the current contours overlap, encoded major vertex information is provided. Unmatched segments, parts on the current contour which are not included on any of the matching segments, are polygonal approximated to find minor vertices and relative location of the minor vertices are encoded to provide encoded minor vertex information. When encoding the minor vertices, modes for encoding the number of minor vertices are selected to minimize the number of bits for encoding the number of minor vertices.

Abstract: In a method of video image motion compensation a plurality of motion vectors are derived by techniques such as phase correlation between pairs of images. In order to produce a set of motion vectors which can be used to define substantially all the motions in an input image, sets of vectors are derived from comparisons with preceding and succeeding images and are then combined to produce a set of vectors for assignment to an input image. Once the set of vectors has been derived they are assigned to the input image from where they can be projected to produce a desired output image. The vectors are assigned to individual elemental areas of the image and certain elemental areas have two (or more) vectors assigned to them.

Abstract: The present invention teaches an improved parallel telecine for converting a plurality of recorded images or frames of film, defined by a first and a second set of frames of film, to a digital data stream. The improved telecine comprises a plurality of image transfer or digitizing systems for respectively digitizing each of the recorded images or frames of film or groupings of frames of film. Each image transfer and digitizing system comprises an illuminator system for illuminating the respective frames or groupings of frames, and a camera system for converting the image of the respective frame or groupings of frames into a digital data stream. Each camera sensor additionally comprises a position sensor for detecting a first and a second pair of edges on a coordinated positional tag at the edge of the film frame. Further, each camera system comprises an aligning mechanism for aligning each camera system in response to the set of edges of the respective coordinated position tag detected by the position sensor.

Abstract: In a process for the display of three-dimensional video images, in which at least two associated stereoscopic left-hand and right-hand partial images are electro-optically sensed at a given read-in frequency and the partial images are then sequentially reproduced on a display, the sensing of the two partial images takes place with a constant delay time with respect to each other, so that a delay which remains constant is ensured between the image formation in the camera and the reproduction of the partial image.

Abstract: A video compression system which is based on the image data compression system developed by the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) uses various group-of-fields configurations to reduce the number of binary bits used to represent an image composed of odd and even fields of video information, where each pair of odd and even fields defines a frame. .[.According to a first method, each field in the group of fields is predicted using the closest field which has previously been predicted as an anchor field. According to a second method, intra fields (I-fields) and predictive fields (P-fields) are distributed in the sequence so that no two I-fields and/or no two P-fields are at adjacent locations in the sequence. According to a third method, t.]. .Iadd.T.Iaddend.