Abstract: A moving image signal coding apparatus and moving image signal coding method dividing one frame of the moving image signal into a plurality of areas which may possibly overlap each other and refreshing the areas at different periods corresponding to an independent non-overlapped range at the circumferential portion of the frame and to an overlapped range at the central portion. Further, a specific area in the frame can be encoded by selectively using inter-frame prediction coding and intra-frame prediction coding.

Abstract: A surveillance system having at least one primary video camera for translating real images of a zone into electronic video signals at a first level of resolution. The system includes means for sampling movements of an individual or individuals located within the zone from the video signal output from at least one video camera. Video signals of sampled movements of the individual is electronically compared with known characteristics of movements which are indicative of individuals having a criminal intent. The level of criminal intent of the individual or individuals is then determined and an appropriate alarm signal is produced.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus by which a panorama image is produced with a high degree of accuracy from an image signal are disclosed. An image signal produced by a CCD imaging element is recorded onto a video tape by way of a camera signal processing circuit, a recording signal processing circuit, a recording/reproduction amplifier and so forth. Meanwhile, a microcomputer calculates of a motion vector of an image from the output of a motion vector detector to which the image signal from the CCD imaging element is inputted, and controls a video subcode processor so that motion vector information may be recorded onto the video tape. The motion vector information is reproduced from the video tape together with the image signal, and a plurality of images are formed from the thus reproduced image signal and joined together in accordance with the motion vector information to produce a panorama image.

Abstract: Compressed image data of a desired picture is read out from a memory having compressed image data of a sequential format stored therein and then subjected to an examination with respect to a plurality of frequency components of the read-out compressed image data. Part of the plurality of frequency components is deleted to obtain compressed image data of a quality lower than an original quality of the compressed image data. The obtained compressed image data of the lower quality is decoded and displayed on a display. The plurality of frequency components are deleted in a stepwise manner according to a traffic state of a transmission line through which the compressed image data is to be transmitted. For maintaining a picture frame rate to be constant, the plurality of frequency components may be deleted in a stepwise manner. For obtaining a desired decoding rate, the plurality of frequency components may be deleted in a stepwise manner.

Abstract: In a hierarchical encoding apparatus, predictors each including a look-up table are used to form predicted signals for respective hierarchical levels. The difference between the predicted signal and the original signal forms the differential signal for the higher hierarchical levels. The look-up table contains either predictive coefficients which are used as weights for pixels of a signal in one hierarchical level to produce a signal at a higher hierarchical level, or representative values which are combined with a dynamic range and redundant component in a set of pixels of a signal in one hierarchical level to produce a signal at a higher hierarchical level. The values in the look-up table are obtained from representative images.

Abstract: A number of solutions are presented for an image rectification, i.e. a realistic alignment of the image given employment of an intraoral camera. To this end, arrangement is present that reproduce the image on a monitor erect and non-reversed regardless of the sightline of the camera.

Abstract: A photo film, which is hard and has a little winding peculiarity and which is excellent in dynamic intensity, is used, whereby film feeding problems, which easily occur when a line sensor is used, are reduced. A long roll of a developed photo film for still photography, which is loaded between a feeding side and a winding side, is fed at a constant speed between the feeding side and the winding side, so that the image data are taken in through a line sensor. Before taking in the image data of the desired frame, first, a taking environment such as a brightness and a white balance of every frame is detected during the first feeding of the photo film. And, when one frame is reproduced, the image data of the desired frame are taken in through the line sensor during the second feeding of the photo film, and further, an exposure, a white balance and the like are adjusted in accordance with the detected taking environment of said frame when the image data are taken in.

Abstract: A video signal coding apparatus for coding first and second input video images comprises a motion vector generator for matching pixels of the second input image B with pixels of the first input image A to derive motion vectors representing the motion of pixels in the second image between the two images, each motion vector being associated with the location of a pixel in the second image B and the location of the matched pixel in the first image A. The apparatus includes an encoder for processing the two input images A, B to produce first and second output video images C, D, pixels of the first output image C being produced by addition of equally weighted pixels in the two input images A, B, and pixels of the second output image D being produced by subtraction of equally weighted pixels in the two input images A, B.

Abstract: A security and surveillance system (10) uses a processor (40) to generate an infrared coded signal for performing a specific function. A detector (12) monitors a zone of surveillance (A) and generates an activation signal in response to the detection of an intruder in the zone. The activation signal triggers the processor (40) to generate an infrared coded signal to perform a specific function corresponding to the triggered zone of surveillance (A). In a specific application, a camera switcher (38) transmits an appropriate camera signal to a television monitor (36) and infrared coded signals generated by the processor (40) control and command the television monitor (36) to display the images from the video camera (20) in response to an intruder detection.

Abstract: A system for automatically producing audio and video records of every procedure performed in a surgical operating room. Video cameras are mounted in the operating room to capture video of each surgical procedure performed. Microphones are mounted in the operating room to pick up audio from each procedure. Videocassette recorders located at a remote master recording facility communicate over telephone lines with the equipment at the operating room and create an audio/video record from the video images and audio generated by the video cameras and microphones. Motion and photoelectric sensors mounted in the operating room detect the presence of persons and start and stop the videocassette recorders at the recording facility in response thereto.

Abstract: An image processing system for processing a video signal has an encoder and a corresponding decoder wherein the encoder includes a frame decimator; a current frame prediction block for estimating displacements between a previous and a current frames provided from the frame decimator, and providing a predicted current frame based on the displacements; and a subtractor for providing a difference between the predicted and the original current frames and providing motion vectors representing the displacement, and the decoder includes a current frame prediction block for estimating displacements between the previous and the current frames and compensating the previous frame with the displacements to reconstruct the predicted current frame; and an adder for adding the reconstructed predicted current frame with the difference, to thereby reconstruct the current frame.

Abstract: A system and methods for implementing an encoder suitable for use with the motion picture compression. The system includes a motion estimation apparatus which performs temporally interpolative motion estimation. The temporally interpolative motion estimation is performed by first performing unidirectional motion estimation between the current picture and one or more other pictures. The results of the unidirectional motion estimation alone, and not any picture data, are used to perform temporally interpolative motion estimation.

Abstract: An image reproducing apparatus for reproducing an image recorded on successive frames of a film having a storage medium which information for each frame is readable from and writable on, the reproducing apparatus includes a pick-up device for picking up the image from the film; a read and write device for reading and writing frame information from and on the storage medium in a specified relative movement to the film; a drive device for rendering the specified relative movement and such special relative movement as fast transporting, rewinding; a directing device for directing the special relative movement; and a controller for keeping the drive device from rendering the special relative movement when the information reading and writing is performed.

Abstract: Disparity estimation between the right and left view pixel luminance values in a stereoscopic video signal is optimized by determining the minimum least-square-error between macroblocks of the right and left view pictures. Affine transform coefficients and disparity vectors which correspond to the minimum error are also determined and transmitted in the data stream for use by a decoder in reconstructing the right view picture. The scheme can be implemented either locally, at the macroblock level, or globally, at the picture level. At the macroblock level, least-square-error optimization may occur for each individual macroblock in the right view picture. In this case, affine transform coefficients are provided for each macroblock. At the picture level, the sum of the least-square-errors is minimized after the blocks of the right view picture are matched to the left view picture. In this case, only one set of affine transform coefficients are required for the entire right view picture.

Abstract: Recording of the stream of very coarse samples with which a preferred multiphase dither-quantizer sends compressed television permits multiple playback modes for reconstructing an archival TV picture with different tradeoffs between contrast resolution and blurring due to image motion. A real-time receiver can be arranged to change mode automatically pel-by-pel, thereby adapting locally to rates of change in the picture detail. For better resolution of contrast in combination with spatial resolution, both transmitter and receiver can be modified so that only a stipple component is averaged to recover decimated gray levels and a major fraction of the gray scale is refreshed every frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a bidirectionally coded picture, i.e., a B frame, from two reference pictures, e.g. I or P frame pictures. The method utilizes a single memory fetch of each reference picture, and interpolation of the estimated motion of each picture. This is accomplished by identifying a full pixel closest match from three full pixel boundary searches, calculating half pixel reference picture data therefrom, interpolating the half pixels to form bidirectionally coded pictures, and finding the closest match at the half pixel boundary. The intermediate results are stored in an 18.times.18.times.11 bit buffer holding a 7 bit partial sum for each pixel, said partial sum formed by adding the six most significant bits of corresponding I and P frame pixels. In this buffer four bits of each word in the buffer are the two Least Significant Bits of the corresponding I and P frame pixels.

Abstract: A motion vector detecting circuit and a motion video compressing system are disclosed. The detecting circuit detect a vector which direct from a spatial location of a current macroblock to a spatial location of a reference macroblock. The detecting circuit includes a first extracting circuit, a second extracting circuit and a searching circuit. The first extracting circuit extracts upper bits from each pixel data of the current macroblock. The second extracting circuit extracts upper bits from each pixel data of the reference frame. The searching circuit searches the upper-bits-extracted reference frame for a macroblock having the strongest correlation with the current macroblock by comparing the upper-bits-extracted current macroblock with the upper-bits-extracted reference frame and outputs the spatial location of the reference macroblock. The motion video compressing system includes the motion vector detecting circuit, a transform-coding circuit, a subtracter, a comparator and a controller.

Abstract: A process for source coding which divides image areas of an image, by use of a set of image statistics, into image areas to be intraframe-coded and interframe-coded and, by use of a movement estimation, additionally determines the image areas as foreground or as background. In the course of coding, in the first instance the image areas which belong to the foreground and are to be intraframe-coded are processed. Subsequently, the image areas which belong to the foreground and are to be interframe-coded are coded. Next, the image areas which belong to the background and are to be intraframe-coded are coded. Finally, the image areas which belong to the background and are to be interframe-coded are transmitted until the available data rate has been used up.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an illusion of depth when viewing moving pictures projected on a plane surface. Glasses to worn by a viewer when viewing the moving pictures have the property of altering or distorting the real image projected. The disparity between the apparent images viewed by the two eyes creates an image disparity that is interpreted as a perception of depth. The glasses incorporate a lens for the dominant eye and a lens for the docile eye of the viewer with lens for the dominant eye having different attributes than the attributes for the docile eye. The lens for dominant eye narrows the image along the visual plane and the lens for the docile eye broadens the image along the visual plane. The lens for each eye is appropriately tinted to enhance the perception of depth. The glasses are reversible to enable placing the desired lens in front of the dominant and thus the docile eye.

Abstract: One or more time delay and integration camera assemblies (A) are mounted in a housing (100) which is rotated by a motor (40, 106) relative to a vertical axis. A tachometer or encoder (44) produces signals whose frequency or voltage varies in accordance with an angular velocity of the camera assemblies about the vertical axis. A clock generator (46) converts the angular velocity signals into clocking signals for controlling movement of vertical lines of data values (20) along an array (14) of light sensitive elements to a shift register (22). In one embodiment, the clock generator includes a divider (82) which converts the angular velocity signal into a voltage, a comparator (84) which compares the first voltage with a second voltage, and a voltage controlled oscillator (88) which oscillates to generate the clocking signal. A second divider (88) defines a feedback loop between the output of the voltage controlled oscillator and the comparator for generating the second voltage.