Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing a stream of pictures. The method comprises the steps of selecting a first portion of pictures from a stream of pictures fulfilling a quality measure for processing in a first processing unit PROC1, and selecting a second portion of pictures not fulfilling said quality measure for processing in a second processing unit PROC2. The first portion of the pictures selected are processed in the first processing unit PROC1, and the second portion of the pictures are processed in the second processing unit PROC2. Finally, the first portion of the pictures processed in the first processing unit PROC1 are combined with the second portion of the pictures processed in the second processing unit PROC2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing a stream of pictures. The method comprises the steps of selecting a first portion of pictures from a stream of pictures fulfilling a quality measure for processing in a first processing unit PROC1, and selecting a second portion of pictures not fulfilling said quality measure for processing in a second processing unit PROC2. The first portion of the pictures selected are processed in the first processing unit PROC1, and the second portion of the pictures are processed in the second processing unit PROC2. Finally, the first portion of the pictures processed in the first processing unit PROC1 are combined with the second portion of the pictures processed in the second processing unit PROC2.

Abstract: A method for detecting and removing errors in pictures associated with a picture sequence in digital video sigals is disclosed. For this purpose an error detector and a filter for continuous processing of pixels associated with said pictures is used. The error detector detects an error if at least one error pixel, being a pixel with a specific contrast, i.e. difference in pixel intensities, is found when comparing the pixel intensities of pixels belonging to at least two pictures in said picture sequence. The error detector determines an error shape, and the filter which is an adaptive filter, replaces the intensity of a current error pixel with a mathematical function of pixel intensities of the current pixel and pixels surrounding the error shape.

Abstract: A block matching method for estimating motion contents in a video signal is presented. The motion is represented by a two-dimensional motion vector field, including horizontal and vertical vector components. The method can be used in a wide range of applications, has high spatial and motion vector resolution, is robust under adverse signal conditions, and is cost effective in real-time implementations. The block matching method includes iterative processing with different block sizes from coarse to fine with prediction of motion vectors from surrounding blocks. Resolution of each iteration's block size is preserved at the same resolution as the original input video signal for which the motion vector field is being generated.

Abstract: A method for estimation of global error motion vectors, which represent unwanted global picture instabilities in a picture sequence in digital video signals. The method uses a motion vector estimator with an adaptively variable measuring time distance, as well as spatial processing and temporal processing, in order to estimate a sequence of global motion vectors, from which a sequence of global error motion vectors is separated in order to allow stabilization of a picture sequence in digital video signals.