Abstract: In an electronic endoscope system, a flexible scope has a solid image sensor provided at a distal end thereof, to generate image-pixel signals. A proximal end of the scope is detachably connected to a video-signal processing unit, which produces a video signal based on the image-pixel signals. A monitor reproduces an image in accordance with the video signal. A displaying-size changer changes a size of a displaying-area of the image on a screen of the monitor to another size and vice versa. A pointer-image generator generates a pointer image on the monitor screen. A pointer-image controller controls a shifting of the pointer image on the monitor screen, and includes a pointer-image-position converter that converts a position of the pointer image on the monitor screen in accordance with the size-change of the displaying-area of the image on the monitor screen, such that two positions, indicated by the pointer image on the two-sized displaying-areas, correspond to each other.

Abstract: A video encoder that allows for the selection of a distortion level, comprising: a selection system for selecting a target distortion level; and a system for determining a quantization parameter q that will ensure compliance with the selected target distortion level, wherein the system includes an algorithm for calculating distortion that utilizes a Gaussian distribution having a variance that is a function of the quantization parameter q. The algorithm is based on a distortion model D(q)=N(a1q2+a2q+a3, b1q2+b2q+b3), wherein N is a Gaussian distribution and a1, a2, a3, b1, b2 and b3 are distortion model parameters.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus processes input pixel data and outputs the processed pixel data as output pixel data. The image processing apparatus includes an input-reliability calculation section for calculating an input reliability indicating the reliability of the input pixel data; an output-reliability calculation section for calculating an output reliability indicating the reliability of the output pixel data; a motion-amount detecting section for detecting the motion amount of the input pixel data; a motion-amount-reliability calculation section for calculating a motion-amount reliability indicating the reliability of the motion amount; a compensation section for compensating for the output reliability according to the motion-amount reliability; and a processing section for processing the input pixel data according to the input reliability and the output reliability compensated for, and for outputting the output pixel data. The image processing apparatus effectively reduces noise.

Abstract: An encoding apparatus includes: (a) input circuitry for inputting image data including luminance component data and chrominance component data; (b) block forming circuitry for dividing the image data input by input circuitry into blocks so as to divide the respective component data into the blocks separately, each of the blocks being formed by a same predetermined amount of the input image data; and (c) encoding circuitry for encoding the input image data divided into the blocks by the block forming circuitry. The encoding circuitry includes code amount control circuitry for controlling a code amount of encoded data on a unit basis of a predetermined number of blocks, the predetermined number of blocks being formed so as to include at least one of the blocks of each type of component data.

Abstract: A graphical work station for use with security devices associated with a location in which the graphic work station provides a graphical image and direction relative to the graphical image enables functions to be performed within the work station, at the security devices and/or with respect to the location.

Abstract: A moving picture compression apparatus in which signal deterioration can be minimized on repeated compression/expansion. The moving picture compression apparatus compresses a moving picture signal having a motion vector multiplexed in its blanking portion and includes a motion vector separator 13 for separating the motion vector multiplexed in the blanking portion of the moving picture signal and components from a difference calculating unit 2 to a motion compensation unit 10 for compressing the moving picture signal using the motion vector.

Abstract: An image encoder and its processing method for compression-encoding a dynamic image at a variable encoding rate in the case of an application required to perform real-time processing. A variable bit rate (VBR) control section (22) determines a VBR control quantizing scale VBRq according to a VBR buffer value held in a VBR buffer recording section (21). A constant bit rate (CBR) control section (23) determines a CBR control quantizing scale CBRq according to an inputted maximum bit rate BRmax. A quantizing scale comparing section (25) outputs the CBRq during constant rate encoding and outputs the larger one of the VBRq and CBRq during variable rate encoding. An image compression-encoding section (24) encodes the inputted image signal at a quantizing scale outputted from the quantizing scale comparing section (25) and outputs a bit stream (S20).

Abstract: Image data is communicated from a source system to a target system. At the source system, a background environment map is generated and communicated to the target system. The source system then captures a source image from position and field of view of a camera. In addition, the background environment map is rendered according to the position and field of view of the camera to generate a background image visible for the position and field of view of the camera. A difference image is generated representing difference between the source image and the background image. Finally, the difference image and the position and field of view of the camera is communicated to the target system. At the target system, the background environment map is received from the source system. In addition, the difference image and the position and field of view of the camera is received from the source system.

Abstract: A method of modifying data in an encoded data signal 128 corresponding to successive pictures divided into sub-pictures, for providing an output modified data signal 129. In particular, this model can be used for the insertion of an additional data signal 130 into a compressed video data signal 128. The proposed arrangements/diagrams according to the method are based on a transcoder arrangement including at least partial decoding and partial re-encoding. This method leads to a cost-effective solution compared with the prior art comprising a minimum number of functional DCT/IDCT sub-steps, taking advantage of simplifications and combinations between different sub-steps.

Abstract: A group of video plane (GOV) layers in which the encoding start time is absolute time with an accuracy of one second is provided as a coded bit stream. A GOV layer can be inserted not only at the head of the coded bit stream but at an arbitrary position in the coded bit stream. The display time of each video object plane (VOP) included in the GOV layer is represented by modulo_time_base which represents absolute time in one second units with the encoding start time set as the standard, and VOP_time_increment, which represents in millisecond units, the time that has elapsed since the time point represented by the modulo_time_base.

Abstract: A moving picture compression/decompression system utilizes a method for concealing errors in a received picture. A macro block, lost due to an error, is compensated using either a temporal or spatial prediction method, depending upon the type of frame and the characteristics of the picture. Thus, the displayed picture quality can be significantly improved.

Abstract: Using an endoscope system, a surgeon A holds an endoscope with a TV camera (hereinafter, an endoscope) and a therapeutic appliance such as forceps and carries out a surgical procedure while viewing a first monitor. A surgeon B holds a therapeutic appliance such as forceps and carries out the surgical procedure while viewing a second monitor. A video signal sent from the TV camera of the endoscope is fed to and processed by an image processing apparatus, and displayed on each of the first and second monitors. The image processing apparatus transfers the video signal sent from the endoscope to each of an image inverting circuit and a selector switch. The image inverting circuit inverts an image (laterally (to produce a mirror image), vertically, or vertically and laterally (180°)), and supplies a processed video signal to the selector switch.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a wavelet packet structure for subsequent tree-structured coding which preserves coherent spatial relationships between parent coefficients and their respective four offspring at each step. A valid frequency tree is defined by a wavelet packet decomposition algorithm. Constraints are placed on the pruning of the frequency tree in order to select valid frequency trees as each step. These constraints include considering any four offspring sub-bands as candidates for pruning only when their current frequency decomposition level is the same as that of their respective spatially co-located parent sub-band, and pruning the spatially co-located offspring sub-bands when pruning only the parents results in an invalid wavelet packet structure.

Abstract: The transformation method for moving picture coding system reads data of a frame from the first data sequence in the first moving picture moving coding system, prereads a coding mode of a successive frame to record, and when the preread coding mode of the successive frame is the intra-frame coding mode, performs a control not to perform coding of a present frame or decrease a generated code amount corresponding to the generated coed content of the second data sequence in the second moving picture coding system. Then, the method preferentially transforms data coded by the intra-frame coding mode existing in the first data sequence to the second data sequence.

Abstract: It is detected whether an automobile is running in a direction departing from a traffic lane, has already departed from the lane, or is running in a direction recovering from departure, by mounting on the automobile a steering angle detecting device for detecting an actual steering angle based on steering wheel operation of a driver, a television camera for taking pictures of the lane and a computer for processing the pictures taken by the television camera. The television camera is used to take pictures of markers on the lane while the automobile is running on the lane, and video signals are input into the computer.

Abstract: A coded moving-picture signal is decoded by a resolution-converting motion compensation process and a resolution-converting inverse discrete cosine transform, both of which decrease the resolution of the picture, thereby reducing the amount of reference picture data that has to be stored and accessed. The reference picture data may also be stored in a compressed form. The resolution conversion and compression processes may also be used in the coding of the moving-picture signal. The resolution-converting inverse discrete cosine transform may be performed by output of intermediate results that have not been combined by addition and subtraction in a butterfly computation.

Abstract: An optimal system for determining whether simulcast coding (400) or spatial scalability coding (100) should be used to encode video for clients with a specific communication link. Operating points (A′, B′, C′) for both simulcast coding and spatial scalability are also determined. Adaptive switching (3130, 3140) is provided, with the operating points and decision boundaries being used to guide the switching to optimize the quality of the higher-resolution data based on a bit allocation to the associated lower-resolution data. A system for determining the point (A′, C′) of equal quality in both layers of simulcast and spatial scalability coding is also provided. The proportion of bits allocated to the base layer to achieve equal quality is essentially independent of the total bit rate for both simulcast and spatial scalability.

Abstract: Distance from a small block to a synchronizing pattern inserted into coded data is calculated for each small block in an image frame. On the basis of the count, a data-loss probability estimation unit estimates the probability that coded data of a target small block will be lost during transmission. In regard to a small block in which interframe predictive coding has been performed, an image-quality degradation estimation unit estimates the degree of image-quality degradation that will be caused in this small block in the decoded image. The forced refresh priority of each small block is calculated upon comparing the estimated data-loss probability and estimated degree of image-quality degradation with threshold values, and the values of priority are recorded in the form of a forced refresh map. When the next frame is coded, reference is had to the recorded values of priority and a small block in which intraframe coding will be forcibly performed is selected based upon the recorded values of priority.

Abstract: A video-signal processing device connectable to an electronic endoscope capable of outputting a component-type electric analog color video signal. An analog-to-digital converter converts video-signal components of the component-type video signal into parallel digital color video-signal components. A color-conversion digital matrix circuit produces a parallel digital luminance signal-component, and two kinds of parallel digital color-difference signal-components based on the parallel digital color video-signal-components. A parallel-to-serial converter converts the luminance signal-component and digital color-difference signal-components into serial digital color video-signal-components. The electric analog video signal outputted from the electronic endoscope is fed outside the device as the serial electric digital video signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preserving the dynamic range of a relatively high dynamic range information stream, illustratively a high resolution video signal, subjected to a relatively low dynamic range encoding and/or transport process(es). The invention subjects the relatively high dynamic range information stream to a segmentation and remapping process whereby each segment is remapped to the relatively low dynamic range appropriate to the encoding and/or transport process(es) utilized. An auxiliary information stream includes segment and associated remapping information such that the initial, relatively high dynamic range information stream may be recovered in a post-encoding (i.e. decoding) or post-transport (i.e., receiving) process.