Abstract: Quantization interval determining method and circuit are provided. The quantization interval determining circuit has a quantizer matrix calculator, a macroblock classifier, a reference quantization interval storage, a block classifier, a bit table storage, a histogram calculator, a frame bit generation predictor, a reference quantization interval adjuster, a target bit allocator, and a bit rate controller. In the quantization interval determining method and circuit, a video signal is classified based on human visual sense characteristics, a reference quantization interval suited for each class is determined, a target bit is adaptively allocated, considering distribution of the video signal, to determine a quantization interval compatible with a given transmission speed, simultaneously with the reference quantization interval determination, and then a final quantization interval is determined.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for performing inverse telecine processing on an input video frame sequence to be encoded. A method well-suited for detelecine of film-only telecine in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 applications includes the steps of attempting to fit known 3:2 pulldown pattern phases to the entire sequence, determining a likely edit point in the sequence if a known phase cannot be fit to the sequence, and recursively repeating the fitting and edit point determination steps on subsequences until the entire sequence is partitioned into subsequences which can be fit with one of the known phases. The phases fit to the sequence or subsequences are then used to generate field-match indicators which are further processed to generate MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 compliant repeat field codes.

Abstract: Upon receiving an FM multiplex broadcasting wave carrying audible information and supplemental visible information, an FM radio receiver equipped with a display unit audibly outputs the audible information and displays the supplemental visible information on the display unit. When the FM radio receiver receives the supplemental visible information while the receiver is not in a reproduction mode, the received supplemental visible information is stored in a reproduction buffer. When the FM radio receiver is set to the reproduction mode, the supplemental visible information stored in the reproduction buffer is displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing spectral control of intermodulation products in communications systems to reduce the distorting and interfering effects of system nonlinearities. The method provides a technique which controls the phases of video carriers in order to minimize second and third order intermodulation distortion products both in-band and out-of-band.

Abstract: A heterodyne receiver operating on the principle of synchronous modulation for time-signal reception where a first mixer is driven by the first phase-locking loop which is fed from a reference frequency source and a switchable precharging value. By means of switched frequency dividers and the precharging values, internationally different clock frequencies (JP: 40 kHz; USA/GB: 60 kHz; EU/D: 77.5 kHz) can be processed and converted to the intermediate frequencies. These are then synchronously demodulated by means of a second mixer which receives its signal from the second phase-locking loop that is driven through the intermediate frequency signal via the phase comparator, and also through the control signal of the phase-locking loop, so that only residual error adjustment need be performed.

Abstract: Method and device for estimating motion between segmented images, or partitions, composed of a number I regions R.sub.i. For performing the method, this device comprises a stage (41) for initializing parameters which describe the motion of each region R.sub.i, in which one of different motion hypotheses chosen a priori is selected after prediction, computation of the prediction error and selection of the motion hypothesis to which the smallest prediction error corresponds. This stage (41) is followed by a stage (42) for intermediate processing by filtering, and a stage (43) for refining the motion parameters and is looped to the input of the stage (42) for an iterative operation until it ends at a given criterion so as to finally obtain I motion information M.sub.i (t) corresponding to the regions R.sub.i.

Abstract: A scanner mechanism having a multi-position lens assembly for capturing images resident on an original includes an electronic camera for capturing the images and providing an image signal therefrom and a base assembly having a camera housing which supports the camera for movement relative to an optical axis in order to define plural fields of view. A lifting cam is mounted for pivotal movement from the base assembly, pivoting at one end thereof in spaced relation to the camera and engaging the camera at the other thereof for movement relative to the base assembly to define the plural fields of view, the lifting cam further having a contour cam surface on one side thereof. A slide is movable in relation to the base assembly and supports at least two lens assemblies in spaced relation relative to the optical axis of the camera.

Abstract: There is provided a correlation degree operation apparatus in which the search area is readily extensible, in which a high-speed process can be assured even though the search area is extended, and which can be formed in a simple arrangement. The search area memory stores the picture element data of a search area including ((m.times.M).times.L) candidate blocks. The correlation degree operation unit executes an operation of a degree of correlation between a reference picture block and each of the candidate blocks, with the use of picture element data supplied from the search area memory, this operation being executed by a pipeline process for each candidate block group composed of (M.times.L) candidate blocks. The search area memory has the function of supplying four picture element data at the same clock cycle. This enables the correlation degree operation unit to continuously execute the pipeline processes for the candidate block groups.

Abstract: A machine independent high resolution digital screen recorder provides high quality video displays with manageable storage capacity and bandwidth. The screen recorder includes an analog to digital frame grabber for converting the high resolution video signal that modulates a video display into RGB sequences of digital frames. A video compression unit separates the high and low variance portions of the digital frames, encodes them with respective lossy and lossless compression algorithms and stores them in a mass storage device.

Abstract: A video encoder optimized so as to be implemented using general purpose DSPs or as software executable on a general purpose microprocessor includes a modified motion detector module (50) which classifies blocks in the currently processing image as moving or stationary. Blocks classified as moving are then processed by an modified motion compensation module (52) which uses a center-biased orthogonal searching procedure to match the block with a previously processed image. A zero block detector module (54) determines whether the block will generate a zero-valued block after being processed by a transform module 18 and a quantization module 20. If a zero-valued block is predicted, the transformation module 18 and the quantization module 20 are bypassed.

Abstract: The video memory requisite of an MPEG-2 decoder commonly comprising a stage of decompression of the respective I, P and B-pictures of the MPEG compression algorithm before writing the data in respective buffers organized in the video memory and in which the decompression of a B-picture implies the use of forward and backward motion compensation predictors is reduced without losing image quality.

Abstract: A system for reducing bandwidth of video signals. Ordinarily, an NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) video signal has (a) a bandwidth of 6.0 MHz, (b) chrominance and luminance carriers separated by about 3.58 MHz, and (c) an audio carrier located at the upper end of the 6.0 MHz bandwidth. The invention reduces the separation between chrominance and luminance carriers to about 2.15 MHz, and decreases the bandwidth to about 4.0 MHz. In addition, the invention moves the audio carrier outside the 4.0-MHz bandwidth. The invention allows multiple channels, of 4.0 MHz bandwidth each, to be placed adjacent each other in a cable television spectrum, and the audio signals of the channels to be placed together, at the upper end of the spectrum, outside the range allocated to the video information. A larger number of channels is obtained than would otherwise be available, because the upper end of the spectrum is not suitable for carrying video information, but will handle audio information.

Abstract: A surveillance system which can store and replay information which is not generated contemporaneously. In some point-of-sale systems, the behavioral events occur before the transaction data is generated. The present system asynchronously records the video signals corresponding to the behavioral events and the transaction data. Upon playback, the transaction data is matched up with the behavioral event being replayed from the video tape.

Abstract: A reflective rotund lens is positioned for projecting a panoramic picture of its horizontal surroundings at a given elevation onto a CCD array, for converting the picture into "pixel form" or an image signal. The image signal is digitized via an A/D converter circuit. A digital signal processor system is programmed for extracting a strip of pixel locations representative of an image ring mapped to pixel locations via superimposition upon the image, whereby all pixel locations outside of the image ring are eliminated by passing the pixels thereof through said A/D converter circuit at a rate higher than the conversion rate of the A/D converter circuit.

Abstract: A quantitative data and video data acquisition system is provided, including a video imaging device, a video data capture unit, a set of quantitative sensors, a data acquisition unit coupled to the sensors, a data interface coupled to the acquisition unit, and a digital controller programmed to establish a common timing base line, cause the video data capture unit to capture video data, cause the data acquisition unit to acquire quantitative data, and control the video data capture rate and the quantitative data acquisition rate such that concurrent capture of the video data and acquisition of the quantitative data are achieved.

Abstract: A high speed image capture apparatus includes a camera with an integration period between consecutive flashes of an illuminating light pulse, where the camera has an image read out period and an image output. A timer for provides a strobe output representative of the start of a flash. An image capture apparatus captures a first image during the integration period and a second image within a predetermined time after capturing the first image but before the image read out period has elapsed so as to substantially increase a rate of producing usable image outputs. The image capture apparatus is coupled to the strobe output and the image output.

Abstract: To facilitate editing of first and second compressed picture data each having been obtained by prediction-coding, the second compressed picture data is modified by decoding a frame of the second compressed picture data at an editing point and re-coding the decoded data such that every frame around the editing point can be decoded after editing. The first compressed picture data and the modified second compressed picture data are linked to complete the editing. To facilitate mixing of a compressed picture data with a non-compressed picture data, the compressed picture data is decoded and added to the non-compressed picture data to obtain a mixed picture data. The mixed picture data is re-coded to be a compressed picture data. In each of the editing and mixing, the re-coding may be performed by using at least one of the motion compensation information, motion vector information and orthogonal transform mode information which can be derived from the compressed picture data during the decoding process.

Abstract: A video coding/decoding apparatus comprises a prediction circuit that divides an input video signal into large regions and small regions in a hierarchical fashion and produces a prediction signal by performing prediction region by region, a subtracter for generating a prediction error signal for a prediction signal at the lowest level, a DCT circuit for coding a prediction error signal, a quantization circuit and a variable-length encoder, a variable-length encoder for coding the prediction mode and motion vector information obtained at each level from the prediction circuit, and a multiplexer for multiplexing the code strings obtained from the variable-length encoder and dividing them into the upper-layer and lower-layer code strings to output the code strings obtained at the variable-length encoder particularly as upper-layer code strings.

Abstract: An error concealment method first detects a lost block in a reconstructed current frame and then extracts pixel values and motion vectors corresponding to neighboring blocks of the lost block. Thereafter, a motion variance of the motion vectors corresponding to the neighboring blocks of the lost block is determined and compared with predetermined threshold values. Subsequently, according to the result of the above comparison process, the method produces a block substituting the lost block based on the motion vectors of the neighboring blocks or pixel values of the neighboring blocks.

Abstract: In order to protect body members adjacent an invasive procedure on a body, the member to be protected is illuminated preferably with infrared light energy and the entire site of the invasive procedure is viewed through an optical system that conducts both infrared and visible light energy to one or more video cameras. Various structures may be employed to separate the visible and infrared light energies so that the signals representing such light energies may be processed separately and differently if desired and then recombined for display or separately displayed on a video color monitor.