Abstract: The present invention is directed to an endoscope provided with a color CCD chip located in the distal end of the endoscope. The CCD chip directly produces a chromatic signal which is sent to a video system center and then to a monitor for viewing.

Abstract: A digital image signal recording apparatus can record a digital image signal in which a picture quality can be prevented from being deteriorated even when dubbing is repeated. The digital image signal recording apparatus in which a digital image signal is recorded in the form of a compressed digital image signal uses an even rounding circuit as a device for rounding a signal calculated result. The even rounding circuit includes an added value generating circuit (104) for generating an added value to be added to an input digital signal at its low-order bits to be rounded-off, an adder (102) for adding the added value to the input digital signal, and a circuit (106) for omitting the low-order bits of an added result.

Abstract: A motion vector is calculated on the basis of a current block having current block data and a search window having search window data. The search window includes integer pel blocks and half-pel blocks each deviated by half-pel pitch from each of the integer pel blocks. The search window data are repeatedly transferred between and held by the shift registers. The search window data held by the shift registers and the current block data outputted from current block data outputting means are supplied to an integer pel block distortion calculating unit of each of processor elements. The integer pel block distortion calculating unit calculates local distortion values, and each of integer pel block distortion values defined by the local distortion values and indicative of a difference between a current block and each of integer pel blocks on the basis of the received search window and current block data.

Abstract: When quantizing the components transformed in each block, the transformed components in the block are classified into plural sets, and the quantizing width is determined in each classification, and when quantizing with a large quantizing width, the quantizing width of the transformed component belonging to the set of the transformed components less important visually is set larger.

Abstract: A medical instrument interfacing apparatus including a video instrument for outputting a video signal on which the pattern information of at least one of a character and device is superimposed, a video signal transmitting apparatus for transmitting the video signal of the video instrument, a pattern discriminating apparatus for extracting the pattern information from the video signal transmitted from the video signal transmitting apparatus and a controlled instrument in which the signal of the pattern discriminating apparatus is input.

Abstract: A video compression system in accordance with the present invention may use a frame buffer which is only a fraction of the size of a full frame buffer. A subsampler connected to an input of the frame buffer performs 4 to 1 subsampling on the video data to be stored in the frame buffer. This allows the frame buffer to be one-fourth the size of a full frame buffer. The subsampling may even be 9 to 1, 16 to 1, or another ratio, for a concomitant decrease in frame buffer size. An upsampler is connected to the output of the frame buffer for providing interpolated and filtered values between the subsamples. Novel methods of filtering and interpolating performed by the upsampler are described. A new motion estimation technique is also described herein which directly detects the number of bits required to be transmitted to convey the difference between the predicted video data and the current video data, where a fewer number of bits used to convey the difference corresponds to better motion estimation.

Abstract: Using a multi-stage operation, a motion vector is detected between a base block in a present frame and the best matching position of an inspection block in a reference frame. In an initial stage, constant and transient components, such as a mean value and a standard deviation, are extracted from the base block and compared with constant and transient components extracted from the inspection block as its position is varied through a predetermined search range. A coarse motion vector to a first best matching block in the predetermined search range is obtained. In a next stage, the base block is formed into small blocks, and the inspection blocks at positions in the neighborhood indicated by the coarse motion vector are formed into small blocks. Constant and transient components for each of the small blocks are obtained and compared. A next motion vector to a second best matching block in the neighborhood indicated by the coarse motion vector is obtained.

Abstract: The invention is a compact multi-camera closed circuit video television system for use in commercial aircraft. The arrangement of the cameras and the construction of the system are arranged to allow installation within either the pressurized or unpressurized portions of the aircraft, and the video cameras are arranged to provide multiple views of the exterior of the aircraft under the control of the flight crew.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus for video signals, adjacent pixels in input image signals are collected as blocks and subjected to orthogonal transformation. Then, the dc component, control data, ac components, end-of-block signal and the like in a block after orthogonal transformation are coded and the codewords are arranged in prescribed record areas. One or a plurality of record areas forms a correction area, and error correction coding is performed and recorded on the data in a correction area. When record data are reproduced and recorded again, errors are detected in the unit of the error correction area. The dc component and the like in a record area wherein an error which cannot be corrected exists are replaced by a codeword which is not used ordinarily, and a codeword for the first ac component is replaced by an end-of-block codeword.

Abstract: Picture-signal encoding methods and systems are disclosed for encoding interlaced scan picture signals. A first one of a pair of interlaced odd and even fields of one frame, as well as a field of another frame are encoded. The second one of the pair of interlaced odd and even fields is encoded such that at least a portion is encoded through bidirectional prediction from three fields. Decoding methods and systems are disclosed for decoding the picture-signal encoded as described above. Record media storing the encoded signals are also disclosed.

Abstract: A stereoscopic display system unambiguously tags the perspective view for left and right video fields by encoding at least one of the video fields with a unique code, then detecting the code in order to drive shuttered eyewear in synchrony therewith.

Abstract: Motion in an image signal to be transmitted is detected to produce motion information. An encoded image signal comprising the image signal and the motion information is transmitted to a transmitting path. The encoded image signal is received from the transmitting path, and code errors are concealed according to an operating characteristic determined on the basis of the motion information.

Abstract: Device for transmitting or storing digital television pictures in which a maximum possible number of data of a group of transformed pixel blocks (DB.sub.1 . . . DB.sub.12) is transmitted in the form of variable-length code words (V.sub.1 . . . V.sub.N) in a corresponding channel block of predetermined length (FIG. 5A). If all code words of the groups of blocks are accommodated in the corresponding channel block (FIG. 5C), the channel block will also comprise surplus data of other blocks. The boundary, within a channel block, between these code words and surplus data is transmitted in the form of an address (P) which is accommodated at a predetermined position of the channel block. If the channel block length is inadequate for transmitting all code words of the group of blocks, the channel block (FIG. 5B), will comprise at least the code words which are representative of the DC coefficient and a number of important AC coefficients of each block.

Abstract: A system for improved echo cancellation for use in particular in television receivers. The system features a superior ghost cancellation reference signal which exhibits improved performance in noisy environments and which exhibits the flat and wide bandwidth necessary for effective channel characterization while exhibiting a higher and more evenly distributed amplitude versus time characteristic than that provided by known, non-cyclic ghost cancellation signals.

Abstract: In a system for compressing video data, the degree of global motion between a plurality of successive frames is determined for use in designating and spacing reference frames, relative to the global motion exceeding predetermined thresholds or levels of motion between certain ones of the frames.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image pickup circuit having a plurality of photographic modes, such as television standards, a compression processing circuit for performing compression processing of an image pickup signal outputted from the image pickup circuit, the compression circuit having a plurality of compression modes, and a selecting circuit for selecting one of the compression modes of the compression processing circuit in accordance with a selected one of the photographic modes of the image pickup circuit.

Abstract: A method for producing panoramic images whereby a shot is made from a desired shooting position, with the use of a camera having fish eye optics whereby the image is scanned and then digitized, images are transformed into a panoramic image with the use of a computer and software. The digital image is scanned by dividing the image into narrow radial segments, each of which is divided into a number of parts of equal length whereafter each segment part is depicted as a point on a straight line, whereby the grey tint of each segment part is corrected for the modified surface on which it is depicted. Apparatus comprises a camera with fish eye optics and a CCD matrix imager upon which the image to be obtained is projected, obtaining immediately an image in digital form.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a reproducing circuit for reproducing an encoded image signal from a recording medium, a decoding circuit for decoding the image signal reproduced by the reproducing circuit, a movement detection circuit for detecting a movement of an image signal which cannot be detected by the decoding circuit, and outputting a signal indicating the movement level of the undecodable signal, and a construction circuit for constructing an image signal with respect to the undecodable image signal on the basis of the output from the movement detection means. Even when an undecodable image signal is an intermediate signal between signals with and without a movement, a good reproduced image is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image signal reproducing apparatus, in which a writing operation memory structure temporarily storing the image signal is controlled such that control structure prohibits sad memory structure from writing the same portion of the image signal that said memory structure has stored, to prove the image signal reproducing apparatus which is adequate to reproduce image data compressed by the inter-frame encoding, an image signal reproducing apparatus, in which a reading operation of memory structure temporarily storing the image signal is controlled such that control structure changes a unit portion of an image signal repeatedly read out from said memory structure according to a motion of the image signal, to maintain the vertical resolving power for still images and to prevent the motion images to become unnatural, and an image signal reproducing apparatus, in which a writing operation of memory structure temporarily storing the image signal is controlled such that control structu

Abstract: Display standards in common use for the display of computer or television images on high resolution displays, commonly assume that the output image will be displayed on an output device having a high refresh rate. A high refresh rate is normally required so the viewer does not observe flicker, stilted motion or other visual artifacts if a lower refresh rate were used. It is difficult to drive some displays at a high refresh rate. An apparatus is disclosed for detecting areas of an input image that are changing over time, even where the input image may be subject to some degree of noise. A priority value is determined for providing a measure of this change for use with a system to determine which areas of the image may need changing as a matter of high priority.