Abstract: A central service facility is connected via a network and a uniform service interactive platform to a multiplicity of remotely located medical diagnostic systems. The interactive platform includes a video/audio plug-in application which can be used to access a library of videos via a network. The video library is stored at the central service facility or on a local area network at the remote facility. The interactive platform of the medical diagnostic system comprises a web browser which enables the end-user to search and select a training video from the database, and a video/audio player for viewing the selected video directly from the operator's console. Depending on bandwidth availability, the video file can be downloaded to the remotely located medical diagnostic equipment prior to display or streamed in real-time.

Abstract: A compression system and process employs a group of quantizers (or sets of predefined quantized values) and involes the selection of the quantizers for each video frame or frame portion. For each frame portion, a selection of the most appropriate quantizer is made. The selection of which quantizer from the selection group is most appropriate for coding of a video frame or frame portion is based on a formula which takes into account both the distortion (accuracy) and bit rate characteristics of each quantizer. The quantizer that exhibits the best combined distortion and bit rate characteristics is selected for coding the frame or frame portion. A similar formula, based on both distortion and bit rate characteristics, is used to select the particular quantization value within the quantizer set for each video signal value being coded.

Abstract: An electro-optical framing camera forward motion compensation (FMC) reconnaissance system comprising a moving shutter and a full frame focal plane array detector is designed to minimize the variation of image motion from a target scene across the focal plane array. The full frame focal plane array, such as a Charge Coupled Device (CCD), is designed to transfer and add the image from pixel to pixel at a predetermined rate of image motion corresponding to the region exposed by the focal plane shutter. The focal plane shutter aperture and velocity are set to predetermined values coordinated with the available illumination. The CCD image transfer rate is set to minimize the smear effects due to image motion in the region of the scene exposed by the focal plane shutter. This rate is variable with line of sight depression angle, aircraft altitude, and aircraft velocity/altitude ratio.

Abstract: A memory efficient image processor receives DPCM prediction error values from decompressed MPEG coded digital video signals in the form of pixel blocks containing luminance and chrominance data in a 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 format and recompresses the pixel blocks to a predetermined resolution. Luminance and chrominance data are processed with different compression laws during recompression. Luminance data are recompressed to an average of six bits per pixel, and only a reference pixel and one other pixel are processed separately from all other luminance pixels in a block. Chrominance data are recompressed to an average of four bits per pixel. Each pixel block is stored with overhead information facilitating efficient and accurate reconstruction.

Abstract: A system for the production of a second three-dimensional image magnified from a first three-dimensional image in substantially the same proportions, including a first active optical system for creating from the three-dimensional image, a first two-dimensional array. The array is comprised of two-dimensional elemental images. The first active optical system has a number of elements which is equal to the number of elemental images in the array. The configuration of the elements of the first active optical system corresponds to the configuration of the elemental images in the array. The first array is magnified equally in all directions to create a second two-dimensional array comprised also of two-dimensional elemental images. A second active optical system reconstructs a second three-dimensional image that is a magnification of the first three-dimensional image. The second active optical system has an F-number equal to the F-number of the first active optical system.

Abstract: A video imaging apparatus for receiving, recording, and displaying images from a motor vehicle in which the video camera rigidly connects to a support member in a headrest protion of a seat in the motor vehicle. A video recorder mounts in a slidable drawer in a seat cushion, which drawer is selectively moveable from a first position recessed in the seat to a second position outwardly of the seat for selective access to the video recorder. The video recorder communicates with the video camera, as well as with a image display device mounted within the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A digital video presentation system is provided with hardware and software logic for mapping the picture data into buffer memory in a way that permits both the reading of motion vector compensated macroblocks of data and the reading of horizontal picture wide scan lines with a low number of memory page crossings. Preferably, the memory is a plurality of rows, for example 16 rows, wide. Preferably, 16 lines of 8-pixel (two 32 pixel wide column) line segments of 8×8 pixel blocks are stored in consecutive storage locations followed by the consecutive storage vertically adjacent line segments until one line segment is stored in each logical row of the memory. Then the next horizontally adjacent set of line segments of similarly stored until the right boundary of the picture is reached, then the each additional row of 16 lines of the picture similarly are stored until the bottom of the picture is reached.

Abstract: The motion vector decoder includes a parameter delay block which delays transmissions of various input signals necessary for motion vector decoding; a motion vector residual block which extracts a motion residual value and outputs a positive number of the motion residual value; a motion vector code table block which searches for a motion code, a condition of a sign of the motion code, and a zero condition of the motion code using a variable length decoding table and outputting the searched values; a motion vector delta block which calculates a difference of motion vectors from the motion vector residual block and the motion vector code table block; a MV adder which adds the difference value received from the motion vector delta block and a motion vector of a preceding macroblock to output a new motion vector; and a register which updates a flip-flop corresponding to a current (r, s, t) of a new motion vector.

Abstract: A method for searching for a motion vector in a moving-video image about a template to be evaluated, by evaluating motion by a predetermined operation between the template and a group of pixel blocks of the same size as the template, which is comprised of a first step for assuming a first area having a size of more than one pixel block, and for performing a motion vector searching operation between pixel values of pixels consisting of the first area and pixel values of pixels consisting of the template; and a second step, if the operational result satisfying a predetermined condition, for obtaining a motion vector from the operational result, if the operational result not satisfying the predetermined condition, for assuming a second area of a size completely to cover the first area, and for performing a motion vector searching operation between pixel values of pixels consisting of the second area, and pixel values of pixels consisting of the template, to obtain a motion vector.

Abstract: A method selects a requantization step size which abruptly changes a bit-rate in a piecewise linearly decreasing model and controls the bit-rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of digital image decoding is provided for reducing compression-related deterioration of an image to a minimum with a reduced storage capacity. The digital image decoding apparatus is equipped with a compression rate judging section for judging an optimal rate of compression for effecting the least deterioration to the image based upon the size of image in connection with the storage capacity of a frame memory. A compressing section compresses decoded data based upon the optimal rate of compression and sends the compressed data to a predictive/display frame memory for storage. An expanding A section expands the compressed data based upon the optimal rate of compression and sends the expanded data to a decoding section when the expanded data is required.

Abstract: A decoder for decoding video data through motion-compensated prediction coding and a method of motion-compensated-predictive-coding video data are disclosed.

Abstract: A picture reproducing device in which a still picture can be recorded/reproduced to high picture quality without requiring a dedicated still picture processor or a RAM configured for storing picture data for processing by the dedicated still picture processor. In reproducing video signals from a recording medium having quantized and recorded DCT coefficient data for every DCT block made up of a pre-set number of blocks two-dimensionally arrayed as a continuous picture of video signals, the playback signals from the recording medium are dequantized by a dequantizer to generate DCT coefficient data from which playback picture data are generated by the inverse DCT processor, while motion detection is effected for every DCT block based on the DCT coefficient data. The resulting motion detection information is replaced by the LSB of the playback picture data of the corresponding DCT block by the deblocking-deshuffling processor.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing television signal including an A/D converter which converts a television signal (a luminance signal) into a digital television signal. A sampling circuit samples television signal data outputted from the A/D converter in response to a sampling clock outputted from a VCO included in a PLL, and outputs sampled data. An output of the A/D converter is also applied to a band elimination filter which outputs luminance signal data that a chrominance signal component is completely eliminated. The sampled data and the luminance signal data are compared with each other by a comparator, and an output of the comparator is applied to a low-pass filter included in the PLL during a burst period. An output of the low-pass filter becomes a control voltage signal for the VCO, whereby an oscillation frequency (phase) of the VCO is controlled.

Abstract: In a packet-based video environment, video frame data is compressed according to a block-based vide transform algorithm and fragmented into a sequence of packets. One or more packets are appended with transport header information indicating the place in the sequence for each packet. The packets of compressed video frame data are sent over a network or transmission medium to a remote user creating the possibility that one or more of the packets would be lost. When the packets are received, the transport header is checked to determine if any packets are lost. An extended compressed bitstream is created that includes the compressed video frame data from the packets and bitstream information stream data that identifies which of the video frame data are lost and indicating parameters for decompressing the compressed bitstream.

Abstract: An alpha-map encoding apparatus includes a first down-sampling circuit (21) for down-sampling an alpha-map signal which represents the shape of an object and the position in the frame of the object at a down-sampling ratio based on size conversion ratio information, an up-sampling circuit (23) for up-sampling the alpha-map signal at an up-sampling ratio based on size conversion ratio information given to restore the down-sampled alpha-map signal to an original size, and outputting a local decoded alpha-map signal, a motion estimation/compensation circuit (25) for generating a motion estimation/compensation signal on the basis of the previous decoded video signal and a motion vector signal, a second down-sampling circuit (26) for down-sampling the motion estimation/compensation signal at the down-sampling ratio, a binary image encoder for encoding the alpha-map signal down-sampled by the first down-sampling circuit to a binary image in accordance with the motion estimation/compensation signal down-sampled by t

Abstract: A method for encoding picture data using scan interleaving pixels and an apparatus and method for encoding the picture data includes the steps of determining whether pixels of a present scanning line in a predetermined frame of an image should be encoded according to comparison results between pixels of a previous scanning line and pixels of a next scanning line and between pixels of a previous or next scanning line and pixels of the current scanning line, and encoding pixels of lines of the image excluding pixels that are determined to not be encoded.

Abstract: Techniques for doing motion estimation in video encoding. A predictor block which is a best match for a current block is located by comparing the current block of the picture currently being encoded with candidate blocks that are located using the motion vectors of blocks that are either spatially or temporally proximate to the current block. If a given proximate block does not have a usable motion vector, another proximate block is used. The temporally proximate blocks are blocks in the last picture to be encoded prior to the current picture. The candidate blocks are further used to define a minimized portion of the search space which will fit inside the local RAM of the processor used to compare the current block with the candidates. The minimized search space is used in a two-phase method which begins with the candidates located using the proximate blocks and continues with a diamond-shaped search space centered on the best candidate located using the proximate blocks.

Abstract: A picture signal encoding apparatus and a picture signal decoding apparatus are disclosed. The picture signal encoding apparatus includes: first compression coding device for converting and compression-coding basic picture signals having a sampling frequency ratio of a luminance signal and two color-difference signals of 4:2:2 to have a sampling frequency ratio of the luminance signal and the two color-difference signals of 4:1:1 or 4:2:0 so as to generate first compressed data; encoding residual extracting device for extracting an encoding residual between the basic picture signals and the compressed data; and second compression coding device for compression-coding the extracted encoding residual so as to generate second compressed data.

Abstract: A system for processing a sequence of video or other data frames at a data encoder during a sync loss. During a sync loss of input data at a video or other data encoder, substitute data such as black video is used to provide complete “clean” data frames to a compressor at the encoder. Artifacts due to compression and encoding of partial frames are avoided. If a sync loss is detected in the middle of a particular data frame that is input to the encoder, the remainder of the frame is completed with substitute data which is in sync with the earlier data in the frame. Additional complete frames of the substitute data are provided to the compressor following the particular data frame, still in sync with the particular frame, until such time that a sync recovery is detected, and a field or frame check is performed on the new, post-sync loss, data to gain confidence of the sync recovery.