Abstract: The invention relates to a signal processing system comprising first electronic means for storing an input signal, second means for a real-time processing of the input signal thus stored, and third electronic means for storing the signal thus processed. This system is according to the invention, characterized in that said second processing means themselves comprise off-line signal enhancement means applied to said input signal and using available processing resources, not still used for real-time or on-line processing, for delivering an enhanced signal and storing it in said third means for storing the signal processed by the second processing means.

Abstract: Video stream processing, such as processing that includes MPEG decoding an subsequent post-processing involves using signal processing circuitry (102, 106) to execute a first and a second video stream processing function. The first video stream processing function produces frame data of successive video frames in a temporally ordered output sequence of frames. The second video stream processing function uses the frame data in an ordered input sequence of frames that differs from the output sequence, for example because later P-frames are needed to decode B frames. The frame data is buffered between application of the first and second video processing function to the frame data. A first and a second. buffer memory (12, 106) are used. The first buffer memory (12) is coupled to the signal processing circuitry via a shareable channel (15) such as an external IC terminals, but the processing circuitry does not use the shareable channel (15) to access the second buffer memory (106).

Abstract: The invention provides an integrated circuit comprising a data processing system which performs satisfactorily after integration of the individual building blocks, such as main processors and coprocessors, into the data processing system. This is achieved by measuring the utilization of the communication structure established between the individual building blocks. A measurement unit measures properties of the communication load by observing the communication traffic on connections between processing units and a communication resource, or on connections within the communication resource. The measurement unit performs statistical operations on the observed properties and produces measurement results. The measurement results can be retrieved by measurement software and can be used to modify the data processing system, for example by debugging or by adaptive control.

Abstract: Data, such as an image, is made up of data-items (pixels) that are each associated with a respective data address. Compressed blocks representing the data are stored in a memory system. Each block representing compressed data-items associated with data addresses in a respective sub-range of addresses of the data. Each block starts from a respective preferred starting address for multi address transfer. The sub-range of addresses of each block has a length corresponding to an address distance between the preferred starting address, leaving memory addresses not occupied by the particular block in between blocks due to compression. A decompressor is coupled between a processing element and the memory system.

Abstract: A motion sequence pattern detector (200,300) for detecting a periodic pattern of motion sequences within a succession of video fields (100,102) comprises a motion detection unit (202) for detecting presence of motion between pairs of fields of the succession of video fields (100,102) by means of computing differences between pixel values derived from first and second fields of the pairs of fields, succeeded by comparing the differences with a number of predetermined pixel value difference thresholds and for outputting motion detection signals for the pairs of fields on basis of the comparisons; and a pattern recognition unit (204) for detecting the periodic pattern by comparing the number of sequences of the motion detection signals for the pairs of fields with a predetermined sequence. If for one of the number of sequences the periodic pattern is detected then a final output is generated which indicates that the succession of video fields corresponds to film mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for creating a story-board of video frames from a stream of video data wherein only the video frames of the story-board are transmitted to the portable electronic devices. A content controlled summary is generated from input video data. The content control summary is then synchronized with a continuous audio signal. The summary is encoded along with the continuous audio for transmission.

Abstract: Programmable platforms include components such as a central processing unit (CPU), coprocessors (COP I, COP2), and a shared system bus (SB) that connects the various processors. In media processing applications, the processing of the functions is distributed to the central processing unit and the coprocessors. Such functions may be effected in hardware, in software, or in a mixture thereof. The utilization of each coprocessor may vary both for different applications as well during execution of a single application, depending on the character of the media processing application. As a result, one or more coprocessors may not be effectively utilized during a certain part of the media processing. In case of a synchronous system those coprocessors continue consuming power. According to the invention, a coprocessor can be powered down by a local controller, depending on the workload of that coprocessor.

Abstract: A motion sequence pattern detector (300,301) for detecting presence of film material in a series of consecutive video fields (pp,p,c), is arranged to compute for a first one of the consecutive fields a value of a video motion measure and a value of a film motion measure and to determine the presence of film material on basis of both motion measures. The value of the video motion measure is computed by: establishing a plurality of motion patterns for respective groups of pixels of the first one of the consecutive fields; comparing each of the plurality of motion patterns with a predetermined video motion pattern and conditionally increasing the value of the video motion measure. The value of the film motion measure is computed by comparing each of the plurality of motion patterns with a predetermined film motion pattern and conditionally increasing the value of the film motion measure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing signals representing a series of colored pictures, which colored pictures are to be displayed on a color sequential display. In order to enable a presentation of high quality images using a color sequential display device at reduced costs, it is proposed that the method comprising applying a motion compensation (6-8) on received signals in a color space (Y, U, V) which is different from a primary color space (R, G, B) to obtain at least partly motion compensated signals. The at least partly motion compensated signals can then be converted (9) to at least three primary color components (R, G, B) of the series of colored pictures. Finally, the at least three primary color components are displayed (3) for each of the colored pictures, wherein the at least three primary color components are displayed at least partially in sequence. The invention relates equally to an apparatus and a system comprising means for realizing the proposed method.

Abstract: A temporal recursive filter unit (100,200,300,400) for noise filtering of a series of input images resulting in a series of output images comprises: means (102) for determining a value of a weighing factor, on basis of a difference between a first value of a first pixel of an input image and a second value of a second pixel of a first output image; and an adding (104) unit for calculating a third value of a third pixel of a second output image by adding of a first product of the value of the weighing factor and the first value of the first pixel, to a second product of a complement of the value of the weighing factor and the second value of the second pixel. The value (508) of the weighing factor is higher below a predetermined threshold (506) than above the threshold (506).

Abstract: Signal processing device for providing multiple output images by processing input images of an interlaced video signal, comprising a temporal interpolater circuit (18) and a memory buffer (26, 27) connected to the temporal interpolater circuit. The memory buffer (26, 27)is arranged for storing at least part of a previous input image (11:13) and a current input image (12). The temporal interpolater circuit (18) is arranged for receiving at least the previous and current input image from the memory buffer (26, 27) and for providing multiple interlaced or de-interlaced frame data (15) at temporal positions between the previous input image temporal position and the current input image temporal position.

Abstract: Method and system for motion compensation in video image data, comprising a motion estimator (12) arranged for analysing motion in consecutive frames of the video image data and deriving a motion vector field in dependence on said motion, a motion compensator (14) connected to the motion estimator (12) and first storage means (15). The motion compensator (14) is arranged for performing motion compensation by storing a subset of the video image data in a first storage means (15) and, for each vector retrieving the required data from the first storage means (15), where in cases that the required data is not entirely available in the first storage means (15), video image data containing at least the missing parts of the required data, is retrieved from a second storage means (10) and stored in the first storage means (15).