Abstract: A circuit which performs a block motion estimation procedure disclosed. The patterns are based on genetic competition between paired coordinate points. An evaluation of a block matching cost is used to identify a survivor between the two selected points. Models are also provided for estimating performances of new search algorithms and image sequences.

Abstract: A method for audio encoding includes: analyzing an audio frame using a psychoacoustic model to obtain a corresponding masking curve and window information; transforming the audio frame according to the window information to obtain a spectrum, and dividing the spectrum into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; estimating a scale factor for each frequency sub-band; quantizing the frequency sub-bands; encoding the quantized frequency sub-bands; and packing the encoded frequency sub-bands and side information into an audio stream. Each scale factor is estimated based on a quantizable audio intensity of each frequency sub-band, which is adjusted according to a cumulative total amount of buffer space used for storing the encoded frequency sub-bands and an amount of buffer space used for storing a previously encoded audio frame, and a mean of intensities of all signals in the corresponding frequency sub-band and spectrum position of the corresponding frequency sub-band.

Abstract: A method for coordinate generation to be implemented using an orientation device includes the steps of: providing at least three reference marks on a target; aiming the orientation device at an initial point on the target, and operating the orientation device such that the sensor is able to capture an image of the target that contains at least one of the reference marks; correlating a coordinate space of the orientation device with a coordinate space of the target; aiming the orientation device at a target point on the target, and operating the orientation device such that the sensor is able to capture an image of the target that contains the reference marks; and determining relative coordinates of the target point with reference to the established coordinate space relation and the captured image. An orientation device that performs the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A motion estimation method for a succession of frames in a digital coding system includes: a) with reference to a first block in a first frame, searching a second frame for a second block that corresponds to the first block; and b) estimating a motion vector of the first block on the basis of the second block in the second frame; wherein step a) includes: a1) forming a first initial search range including a virtual rhombus-shaped pattern substantially centered at a pre-determined block, and a2) expanding progressively outward a second initial search range based on the virtual rhombus-shaped pattern.

Abstract: A motion estimation method for a succession of frames in a digital coding system includes: with reference to a first block in a first frame, searching a second frame for a second block that corresponds to the first block; and estimating a motion vector of the first block with respect to the second block in the second frame. Blocks in the second frame are searched according to a distance-weighted search sequence starting from a candidate origin block. In view of the radiating characteristics of motion vectors, the distance-weighted search sequence can save unnecessary search time.