Abstract: An image coding apparatus includes: a search range control unit which sets a search range that requires a small amount of data to be transferred; an obtaining unit which obtains data of pixels within the search range from an image memory storing the data; and a predicting unit which performs motion estimation.

Abstract: Techniques and tools for video coding/decoding with sub-block transform coding/decoding and re-oriented transforms are described. For example, a video encoder adaptively switches between 8×8, 8×4, and 4×8 DCTs when encoding 8×8 prediction residual blocks; a corresponding video decoder switches between 8×8, 8×4, and 4×8 inverse DCTs during decoding. The video encoder may determine the transform sizes as well as switching levels (e.g., frame, macroblock, or block) in a closed loop evaluation of the different transform sizes and switching levels. When a video encoder or decoder uses spatial extrapolation from pixel values in a causal neighborhood to predict pixel values of a block of pixels, the encoder/decoder can use a re-oriented transform to address non-stationarity of prediction residual values.

Abstract: A scalable video bitstream may have an H.264/AVC compatible base layer and a scalable enhancement layer, where scalability refers to color bit depth. The H.264/AVC scalability extension SVC provides also other types of scalability, e.g. spatial scalability where the number of pixels in BL and EL are different. According to the invention, BL information is upsampled in two logical steps, one being texture upsampling and the other being bit depth upsampling. Texture upsampling is a process that increases the number of pixels, and bit depth upsampling is a process that increases the number of values that each pixel can have, corresponding to the pixels color intensity. The upsampled BL data are used to predict the collocated EL. The BL information is upsampled at the encoder side and in the same manner at the decoder side, wherein the upsampling refers to spatial and bit depth characteristics.

Abstract: A method and a system for bit reorganization and packetization of uncompressed video for transmission over wireless communication channels. The bit stream of the uncompressed video is reorganized according to importance levels of video bits. Then, various unequal protection methods such as encoding are applied to bits at different video importance levels. The reorganized and encoded information is then transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver over a wireless channel. The receiver performs the reverse steps of the transmitter, along with error detection/correction as needed, to recover the uncompressed video information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for integrated transcoding on a plurality of data channels to convert one or more data channels from an incoming encoding format to an outgoing encoding format are disclosed.

Abstract: A prediction set determining section (13) selects a prediction set from a prediction set group including a plurality of prediction sets having different combinations of prediction modes corresponding to different prediction directions. Further, a prediction mode determining section (11) selects a prediction mode from the prediction set thus selected. An entropy encoding section (4) encodes the prediction set thus selected, the prediction mode thus selected, and residual data between an input image and a predicted image formed on the basis of the prediction set and the prediction mode. This allows an image encoding device to carry out predictions from more various angles, thereby improving prediction efficiency.

Abstract: A video coding system and method for increasing a transmitted output bit rate of a video encoding system by altering the content of the bit stream. A video encoder may receive a coding mode signal from a computer application for coding source video data, the coding mode signal indicating a target bit rate having a risk factor related to transmission error associated to the target bit rate. The coded bitstream may be modified based on the risk factor indicated in the coding mode signal. A modified coded bitstream may be outputted at the target bit rate and at a reduced coding efficiency, and the channel may be tested for transmission errors. Based on the test results, a revised coding mode signal indicating the same target bit rate, but a revised risk factor may be provided. The coded bitstream may be revised by removing the modifications previously made to the coded bitstream and a revised coded bitstream having greater coding efficiency may be output at the target bit rate.

Abstract: A video encoder and a decoder analyze the spatial content video data in an H.264 stream using the discrete cosine transform (DCT). Although the DCT is computed as part of the H.264 encoding process, it is not computed as part of the decoding process. Thus, one would compute the DCT of the video data after it has been reconstructed by the video decoder for video post-processing or enhanced video encoding. A method for accelerating the computation of the DCT at the decoder side when transmitting intra-mode macroblocks uses information computed by the encoder and transmitted as part of the H.264 video stream.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding an image, which can variably encode a residual of a current block that is predicted with a skip mode according to prediction modes of neighboring blocks, and a method and apparatus for decoding the encoded image. When both the prediction mode of the current block and the prediction modes of the neighboring blocks are skip modes, since the method of encoding the image also encodes the residual of the current block that is predicted with the skip mode, more bits can be assigned to the current block with a high probability of acting as a reference block for other blocks.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, information processing apparatus which decodes compressed and encoded video stream by software, selectively generates one of intra and inter prediction image on the basis of encoding mode of decoding object from video stream and decoded images thereof, generates a residual error decoded image on the basis of a quantization parameter of decoding object from video stream, generates decoded image by adding intra and inter prediction image selectively generated, and residual error decoded image, applies deblocking filter process for reducing block distortion onto decoded image, extracts at least one of information on a quantization parameter and information on encoding mode of decoding object from video stream, determines whether or not filter process is skipped on the basis of extracted information thereof, and selectively skips filter process on the basis of a result of determination, and selectively switches determination and processing of skip to be valid or invalid.

Abstract: Methods for pre-processing video sequences prior to compression to provide data reduction of the video sequence. Also, after compression of the pre-processed video sequence, the bit rate of the pre-processed and compressed video sequence will be lower than the bit rate of the video sequence after compression but without pre-processing. Pre-processing may include spatial anisotropic diffusion filtering such as Perona-Malik filtering, Fallah-Ford filtering, or omni-directional filtering that extends Perona-Malik filtering to perform filtering in at least one diagonal direction. Pre-processing may also include performing filtering differently on a foreground region than on a background region of a video frame. This method includes identifying pixel locations having pixel values matching characteristics of human skin and determining a bounding shape for each contiguous grouping of matching pixel locations.

Abstract: A technique for suppressing a significant variation of a quantization step value and enabling a stable rate control to be performed. A function is used for calculating a quantization step conversion factor from a bit rate ratio is a straight line with an inclination of ?1, intersecting a function at a reference point. The function is a monotone decreasing exponential function. A reference bit rate ratio (R0) is expressed as R0=T/S by using a total bit rate (S) of a first stream and a total target bit rate (T) of a second stream. The function appropriately represents a relation between the bit rate ratio and the quantization step conversion factor in coding conversion but has a large rate of variation in an area where the bit rate ratio is about 0.5. The function has a small rate of variation and can suppress a significant variation of the quantization step conversion value.

Abstract: In a video signal processing device that generates an interpolated frame between original-image frames formed by an existing video signal, a frame interpolation unit generates pixel interpolation information indicating for each pixel a process in which a pixel forming the interpolated frame is generated. Next, an enhancement-filter-coefficient adjusting unit determines for each pixel a level of enhancement to be applied to the pixel forming the interpolated frame by using pixel interpolation information, and adjusts for each pixel a coefficient of an enhancement filter according to a determined level. An enhancement-filter applying unit then applies the enhancement filter of which coefficient is adjusted for each pixel, to each pixel forming the interpolated frame.

Abstract: An apparatus generally including a first circuit and a second circuit is disclosed. The first circuit may be configured to generate an intermediate bitstream by parsing a Joint Picture Expert Group (JPEG) bitstream carrying a picture. The intermediate bitstream generally includes one or more encoded frames each representing a portion of the picture. The second circuit may be configured to (i) generate one or more intermediate images by decoding the encoded frames and (ii) recreate the picture using the intermediate images.

Abstract: A method for encoding a video frame. The method including obtaining a current frame from a video stream, where the video stream includes a number of frames, determining a first base QP value for the current frame, and sending the first base QP value for the current frame to a decoder. The method also includes obtaining a first macroblock from the current frame, where the first macroblock includes a first image on the current frame, determining a first actual quantization parameter (QP) value for the first macroblock, and determining a first reference block for the first macroblock. The method also includes determining a first predicted QP value for the first macroblock using the first reference block, calculating a first ?QP value for the first macroblock, and sending the first ?QP value, a first prediction mode, and a first reference vector to the decoder.

Abstract: A frame prediction system and a prediction method thereof. An initializing module initializes a first image block having a plurality of pixels. A providing module provides a first centroid and a first motion vector of a second image block. The location lookup module finds a location according to the first centroid, and generates a first weight and a second weight respectively according to a relationship between each of the pixels, the first centroid and the location. A vector lookup module finds a second motion vector, which gives a minimum pixel intensity error for the plurality of pixels in the first image block according to the first centroid, the first motion vector, the location, the first weight and the second weight. A processing module sequentially calculates a plurality of predictive intensity values according to the motion vectors and the weights.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing compression and/or decompression is described. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a system having a buffer, a wavelet transform unit, and a coder. The wavelet transform unit has an input coupled to the buffer to perform a wavelet transform on pixels stored therein and to generate coefficients at an output. The coder is coupled to the wavelet transform unit to code the transformed pixels received from the buffer.

Abstract: For encoding of a picture whose macroblock is divided into parts of various sizes, a picture encoding method is provided to appropriately reduce a coding amount of a motion vector, without lowering coding efficiency. In order to reduce a processing amount and an increase of a coding amount, which result from generation of a large number of motion vectors due to bi-directional prediction selected for a small-sized part, a motion estimation unit selects the optimal prediction method from prediction method candidates decided by a prediction-method-candidate determination unit. Thereby, when motion compensation is performed for a large-sized part, forward-directional, backward-directional, and bi-directional prediction can be permitted. On the other hand when motion compensation is performed for a small-sized part, the bi-directional prediction is prohibited but the forward-directional or backward-directional prediction is permitted.

Abstract: An invention for generating a coding schema for identifying a spatial location of an event within video image data is provided. In one embodiment, there is a spatial representation tool, including a compression component configured to receive trajectory data of an event within video image data, generate a lossless compressed contour-coded blob to encode the trajectory data of the event within video image data, and generate a lossy searchable code to enable searching of a relational database based on the trajectory data of the event within the video image data.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of motion detection for mosquito noise reduction in video sequences are provided. In one aspect, a method of motion detection in a sequence of digital images classifies a pixel of a plurality of pixels of a current image frame represented by a digital video input signal as a motion or non-motion pixel. A motion value for the pixel is calculated based on the classification of the pixel. The motion value is mapped to a coefficient of a temporal filter based on a control curve. A digital video output signal is generated based on the coefficient.