Abstract: An encode control strategy is provided for variable bit rate encoding of a sequence of video frames in a single pass. The control strategy includes determining whether a video frame has a complexity level statistically outside a defined range from a complexity level of at least one preceding frame of the sequence of video frames, and if so, determining a new average bit rate target for the video frame. The new average bit rate for the video frame is determined employing at least one of spatial complexity and temporal complexity of the video frame. The new average bit rate target for the video frame is used to set frame level bit rate control parameter(s), and the video frame is encoded using the set frame level bit rate control parameter(s).

Abstract: An encode control strategy is provided for variable bit rate encoding of a sequence of video frames in a single pass. The control strategy includes determining whether a video frame has a complexity level statistically outside a defined range from a complexity level of at least one preceding frame of the sequence of video frames, and if so, determining a new average bit rate target for the video frame. The new average bit rate for the video frame is determined employing at least one of spatial complexity and temporal complexity of the video frame. The new average bit rate target for the video frame is used to set frame level bit rate control parameter(s), and the video frame is encoded using the set frame level bit rate control parameter(s).

Abstract: An encode control strategy is provided for variable bit rate encoding of a sequence of video frames in a single pass. The control strategy includes determining whether a video frame has a complexity level statistically outside a defined range from a complexity level of at least one preceding frame of the sequence of video frames, and if so, determining a new average bit rate target for the video frame. The new average bit rate for the video frame is determined employing at least one of spatial complexity and temporal complexity of the video frame. The new average bit rate target for the video frame is used to set frame level bit rate control parameter(s), and the video frame is encoded using the set frame level bit rate control parameter(s).

Abstract: An encode control strategy is provided for variable bit rate encoding of a sequence of video frames in a single pass. The control strategy includes determining whether a video frame has a complexity level statistically outside a defined range from a complexity level of at least one preceding frame of the sequence of video frames, and if so, determining a new average bit rate target for the video frame. The new average bit rate for the video frame is determined employing at least one of spatial complexity and temporal complexity of the video frame. The new average bit rate target for the video frame is used to set frame level bit rate control parameter(s), and the video frame is encoded using the set frame level bit rate control parameter(s).

Abstract: A frequency domain data management technique for producing pseudo-constant bits per picture compressed video bit-streams in a low delay digital encoding environment is presented. This technique forms a hierarchy among the localized samples of the picture in terms of frequency importance and the picture difficulty after a shot-change is detected. After a shot change, the data management technique implements a series of tasks composed of picture difficulty evaluation, frequency classification, frequency constraining, and zero bytes generation to achieve a pre-determined average picture bits. Further, the low delay encoder uses a unique updating mechanism to encode certain regions of the pictures in intra mode and ensures that the whole picture is updated after a pre-selected number of pictures.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided for adaptively encoding in hardware, software or a combination thereof a series of still or partially still pictures using motion video encoding. A pre-encode statistics measurement unit is employed to derive statistics on each frame of the sequence of video frames to be encoded. The statistics are determinative of whether the frame comprises a still frame. If so, at least one controllable parameter to be used to encode the still frame is modified, and an encoding engine employs the at least one controllable parameter to encode the still frame so that pulsation artifacts are prevented between still frames of the series of still frames. Partial still picture encoding to prevent pulsation artifacts on a macroblock level is also addressed.

Abstract: An apparatus used for video encoding MPEG compliant digital visual images, having multiple MPEG encoders used in the motion estimation function. The search capabilities used in the motion estimation function of a single MPEG encoder are extended beyond its design limitations as a result of utilizing more than one MPEG encoder. The utilization of multiple encoders effectively creates the capability for a user to specify a wider search window than what is available in a single encoder configuration. The computational search efficency associated with searching the wider window is not adversely affected as a consequence of the multiple processors subdividing the extended window and analyzing each subdivision in parallel.

Abstract: A method to insert or splice new pictures into an existing video stream is provided where the video stream is compressed according to the MPEG-2 video compression standard. The method assures that the new pictures will fit into the encoded stream in the space allotted without running over or under their given bit allocation. The method comprises of steps by which a number of new pictures may be encoded to a precise bit target given the number of free bits in the buffer at the start and end of the splicing, while preventing buffer overruns and under runs.

Abstract: Automatic generation of a timed delay for a timing clock signal input to an electronic device having a time critical circuit receiving address, data, and control signals at a first time interval and performing data storage and data output operations at subsequent second time intervals as determined by the timing clock signal input thereto. The time delay is generated by combination of a first control device for determining a timing condition of the time critical circuit in accordance with data output results corresponding to a first data storage operation performed by the time critical circuit; and, a second control circuit for automatically adjusting the input of the timing clock signal in time with respect to the first time interval in accordance with the data output results. Adjustment of the timing clock signal delay for subsequent data storage operations optimizes time critical circuit performance for the electronic device.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided for adaptively encoding in hardware, software or a combination thereof a series of still or partially still pictures using motion video encoding. A pre-encode statistics measurement unit is employed to derive statistics on each frame of the sequence of video frames to be encoded. The statistics are determinative of whether the frame comprises a still frame. If so, at least one controllable parameter to be used to encode the still frame is modified, and an encoding engine employs the at least one controllable parameter to encode the still frame so that pulsation artifacts are prevented between still frames of the series of still frames. Partial still picture encoding to prevent pulsation artifacts on a macroblock level is also addressed.

Abstract: A digital video encoder system having a motion estimation processor, and an interface to the motion estimation processor. The motion estimation processor includes a reference memory interface, and inverse quantization processor, an inverse discrete cosine transform processor, and a motion estimation processor unit including a hierarchal search unit. The motion estimation processor is utilized generating temporally compressed datastreams, that is, I-P and I-P-B datastreams.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided for adaptively encoding in hardware, software or a combination thereof a sequence of video frames in real-time. Pre-encode perceptual activity measurement processing is employed to derive statistics on each frame of the sequence of video frames to be encoded. The statistics are used by variable bit rate logic to obtain a number of bits to be used in encoding each frame. The number of bits to be used is provided to a single encoding engine, which encodes the sequence of video frames and produces a constant quality, variable bit rate bitstream output. The pre-encode processing employs a regulator as the global data flow control and synchronization for the encoder. Perceptual activity analysis on each frame of the sequence of video frames can derive information on, for example, shading, scene change, fade, color, motion and/or edge presence within the frame. Voting gives greater weight to the presence of certain characteristics within the frame.

Abstract: A method to compensate for a fade in a digital video input sequence is provided where the video input sequence is to be compressed according to the MPEG-2 video compression standard. The method comprises a first step of dividing each frame of a current frame into two fields. In a second step, each field of the current frame is divided into at least one field band. In a third step, the luminance and chrominance pixel values are individually summed for the pixels in each field of the current frame. In a fourth step, the luminance pixel values are summed for the pixels in each field band of the current frame. In a fifth step, each respective field band sum and field sum of the current frame is compared with that of the previous frame in the video input sequence. In a sixth step, detection of whether or not a fade has occurred is provided, based upon the comparison in the fifth step. In a seventh step, the encoding algorithm is adjusted if a fade has occurred.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided for adaptively encoding in hardware, software or a combination thereof a sequence of video frames in real-time. A first encoding subsystem analyzes the sequence of video frames to derive information on at least one characteristic thereof, such as motion statistics, non-motion statistics, scene change statistics, or scene fade statistics. The gathered information may be either an intraframe characteristic or an interframe characteristic. A control processor is coupled to the first encoding subsystem to automatically analyze the gathered information in real time and dynamically produce a set of control parameters. A second encoding subsystem, coupled to the control processor, then encodes each frame of the sequence of video frames employing the corresponding set of control parameters.