Abstract: A formatter 2s13 is provided and, when a code sequence which matches a part (‘00’) of the head of a predetermined code sequence detected by a start code prefix detection unit 2s3, is detected, the start code prefix detection unit 2s3 detects the residual part (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘E0’) of the detected predetermined code sequence to detect a pattern of (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘00’), and the formatter 2s13 outputs one (‘00’). After the boundary of packets is defined, amongst data which are not transferred to a decoding buffer 2s9, data corresponding to code sequences other than the code sequence (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘E0’) indicating the packet boundary are output to the decoding buffer 2s9. Therefore, when separating a coded and multiplexed signal, control of an input buffer reading control circuit 2s4 is simplified, and thereby the hardware scale is reduced, resulting in an inexpensive apparatus for reproducing a digital code sequence.

Abstract: In order to cope with format conversion of user data, the bit rate value and VBV (Video Buffering Verifier) buffer size value in a sequence header of an input code and the VBV delay value in a picture header of the input code are modified to obtain an intermediate code (305 to 309), and additional information (300) is generated for distinguishing GOP (Group of Pictures) user data (307) from the other main data. A VBV buffer simulation is performed using this additional information (300) to multiplex the GOP user data in a picture user data region to a data amount such that the operation does not fail, whereby an output code is generated.

Abstract: A formatter is provided and, when a code sequence which matches a part (‘00’) of the head of a predetermined code sequence detected by a start code prefix detection unit, is detected, the start code prefix detection unit detects the residual part (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘E0’) of the detected predetermined code sequence to detect a pattern of (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘00’), and the formatter outputs one (‘00’). After the boundary of packets is defined, amongst data which are not transferred to a decoding buffer, data corresponding to code sequences other than the code sequence (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘E0’) indicating that the packet boundary are output to the decoding buffer. Therefore, when separating a coded and multiplexed signal, control of an input buffer reading control circuit is simplified, and thereby the hardware scale is reduced, resulting in an inexpensive apparatus for reproducing a digital code sequence.

Abstract: A formatter 2s13 is provided and, when a code sequence which matches a part (‘00’) of the head of a predetermined code sequence detected by a start code prefix detection unit 2s3, is detected, the start code prefix detection unit 2s3 detects the residual part (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘E0’) of the detected predetermined code sequence to detect a pattern of (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘00’), and the formatter 2s13 outputs one (‘00’). After the boundary of packets is defined, amongst data which are not transferred to a decoding buffer 2s9, data corresponding to code sequences other than the code sequence (‘00’, ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘E0’) indicating the packet boundary are output to the decoding buffer 2s9. Therefore, when separating a coded and multiplexed signal, control of an input buffer reading control circuit 2s4 is simplified, and thereby the hardware scale is reduced, resulting-in an inexpensive apparatus for reproducing a digital code sequence.

Abstract: A recording/reproduction apparatus includes a first recording medium (a flash memory) having a first time that is required for the first recording medium to go from a low-power consumption state to a state in which recorded video data can be read out, and a second recording medium (an HDD or a DVD drive) having a second time that is required for the second recording medium to go from a low-power consumption state to a state in which recorded video data can be read out, where the second time is longer than the first time. When a video content is reproduced from the second recording medium in the low-power consumption state, the first recording medium is caused to go to a readable state while the second recording medium is not in a readable state, and a leading portion of the content is reproduced from the first recording medium.

Abstract: In a recording/playback terminal used for recording, on a recording medium, a plurality of target contents sent from a content server in which a plurality of contents are accumulatively stored such that each of the target contents is stored in a compressed state, a capacity determining section for determining a compression mode of each of the target contents to be recorded so that all the target contents can fit on the recording medium is provided. A content obtaining section for obtaining, from the content server, the target contents each of which is compressed in the compression mode determined by the capacity determining section is further provided. The target contents obtained by the content obtaining section are recorded on a recording medium.

Abstract: A content providing device of the present invention includes an access destination specifying portion for specifying an access destination; a control information obtaining portion for obtaining control information via a network from the access destination specified by the access destination specifying portion; a video content obtaining portion for obtaining video content available to an unspecified large number of people via a route other than from the access destination; and a video content displaying portion for displaying the video content by using the control information.

Abstract: When a digitized broadcast is recorded in a storage medium, a required capacity of the storage medium is firstly calculated on the basis of a bit-rate of digitized broadcast data and a recording time which is known in advance. If the remaining capacity of the storage medium is smaller than the required capacity of the storage medium, for example, a frame rate decimation and pixel reduction are performed upon a broadcast to be newly stored, a re-encoding processing is performed for the broadcast and then the resultant broadcast is stored in the storage medium. If the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium is larger than the required capacity of the storage medium and thus remains, a frame interpolation and pixel interpolation are performed for the broadcast to be stored and then a re-encoding processing is performed for the resultant broadcast in order to improve its image quality. As a result, recording of the broadcast data in the storage medium can be ensured.

Abstract: A video compression processing section capable of compressing a video stream in multiple different compression modes is provided. An audio compression processing section capable of compressing an audio stream in multiple different compression modes is also provided. And a system control section determines a compression mode in the video compression processing section and a compression mode in the audio compression processing section.

Abstract: An audio visual data recording/reproducing device, including: a fixed recording media recording/reproducing section for recording/reproducing audio visual data to/from a fixed recording medium provided fixedly; an external recording media recording/reproducing section for recording/reproducing audio visual data to/from a removable external recording medium; a control information reading section for reading out, from the external recording medium, control information regarding at least one of a method for recording audio visual data to the external recording medium and a method for reproducing audio visual data from the external recording medium; and a control section for controlling, based on the control information, at least one of an operation of recording audio visual data to the external recording medium and an operation of reproducing audio visual data from the external recording medium.

Abstract: When a digitized broadcast is recorded in a storage medium, a required capacity of the storage medium is firstly calculated on the basis of a bit-rate of digitized broadcast data and a recording time which is known in advance. If the remaining capacity of the storage medium is smaller than the required capacity of the storage medium, for example, a frame rate decimation and pixel reduction are performed upon a broadcast to be newly stored, a re-encoding processing is performed for the broadcast and then the resultant broadcast is stored in the storage medium. If the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium is larger than the required capacity of the storage medium and thus remains, a frame interpolation and pixel interpolation are performed for the broadcast to be stored and then a re-encoding processing is performed for the resultant broadcast in order to improve its image quality. As a result, recording of the broadcast data in the storage medium can be ensured.

Abstract: In order to cope with format conversion of user data, the bit rate value and VBV (Video Buffering Verifier) buffer size value in a sequence header of an input code and the VBV delay value in a picture header of the input code are modified to obtain an intermediate code (305 to 309), and additional information (300) is generated for distinguishing GOP (Group of Pictures) user data (307) from the other main data. A VBV buffer simulation is performed using this additional information (300) to multiplex the GOP user data in a picture user data region to a data amount such that the operation does not fail, whereby an output code is generated.

Abstract: A decoding device 1 decodes a bit stream including a plurality of packets. Data corresponding to an access unit includes a first data portion 150a-1 and a second data portion 150a-2. The decoding device 1 includes a packet regeneration section 10 for receiving a first packet 130 and a second packet 130 following the first packet 130, and when the first packet 130 includes the first data portion 150a-1 and the second packet 130 includes the second data portion 150a-2, producing a new packet 164 including the data corresponding to the access unit by combining the first data portion 150a-1 and the second data portion 150a-2. The decoding device 1 also includes a decoding section 40 for decoding the data corresponding to the access unit. The new packet 164 includes information indicating a length of the data corresponding to the access unit.

Abstract: When a digitized broadcast is recorded in a storage medium, a required capacity of the storage medium is firstly calculated on the basis of a bit-rate of digitized broadcast data and a recording time which is known in advance. If the remaining capacity of the storage medium is smaller than the required capacity of the storage medium, for example, a frame rate decimation and pixel reduction are performed upon a broadcast to be newly stored, a re-encoding processing is performed for the broadcast and then the resultant broadcast is stored in the storage medium. If the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium is larger than the required capacity of the storage medium and thus remains, a frame interpolation and pixel interpolation are performed for the broadcast to be stored and then a re-encoding processing is performed for the resultant broadcast in order to improve its image quality. As a result, recording of the broadcast data in the storage medium can be ensured.

Abstract: A variable length encoding apparatus such as an encoding apparatus using the MPEG standard, wherein without degrading the precision of quantization step, the generated code bit amount is limited. Encoding is performed at the quantization step of required picture quality by an encoding part 106, and a bit stream 141 is written in an external memory 101. The generated encoded bit amount is measured from the increment of a write pointer 121 increased because of the writing in the external memory 101 by a control unit 107. If the amount is larger than a preset value, the data is replaced with data leading to the same decoding result as those of the preceding or following reference picture by using a replacement pattern in accordance with the picture type and the position on a times series, and the data is written in the external memory 101, thus outputting the data as an output bit stream 111 controlled to the generated code amount within an upper limit value.

Abstract: A picture data encoding apparatus includes a target bit amount determining part for calculating a target bit amount for each block according to a bit rate and a number of blocks to be converted; and a bit amount adjusting part for reducing a bit amount for each block to the target bit amount by means of reducing the bit amount for each code by converting run level information for each code into lower run level information.

Abstract: An external memory interface in a DVMPEG converter inputs/outputs DV data, which has been decoded by a DV decoder, to/from an external memory. Moreover, a format converter receives data, which is read out from the external memory via the external memory interface, and converts the format thereof from a DV format to an MPEG format. Then, an MPEG encoder encodes the DV data whose format has been converted so as to produce MPEG data. Thus, it is possible to provide a DVMPEG converter having a small circuit scale.

Abstract: A frame memory is provided which has five fields each having N slots, and three additional slots. Each slot has a storage capacity to store eight image lines. Four fields of the five fields serve to store motion compensation reference frames. The remaining one field and the three additional slots are used for B-picture interlace conversion. Disposed in a control unit are a slot control memory, a write slot pointer, and a read slot pointer. For an image output unit to acquire information from the frame memory in a correct slot order, the contents of the slot control memory are updated at the time of performing write operation to enter information into the frame memory by a bit stream analysis unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a video encoding apparatus including a video processor for performing video processing on input video data, a variable length encoder for performing variable length encoding on the processed (quantized) video data and for supplying the encoded data and a generated bit quantity, a DRAM for storing the encoded data that is output as a bitstream, a bitstream output circuit for computing, based on a value found by subtracting the generated bit quantity from a set bit quantity predetermined in advance, a period taken to read from the DRAM the bitstream and for outputting the bitstream as output video data in the computed period, and an arbiter for controlling the operations of the video processor, the variable length encoder, the DRAM, and the bitstream output circuit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an MPEG decoder for reproducing moving picture data. A first frame memory (FM0) and a second frame memory (FM1), each of which is composed of 2N slots, are provided. A third frame memory (FM2) is provided which is composed of N+4 slots. Each slot is provided with a memory capacity of eight lines. FM0 and FM1 each have a 1-frame memory capacity for storing reference frames for motion compensation. FM2, on the other hand, has a memory capacity of half a frame+32 lines for B-PICTURE interlace conversion. A slot control memory (SM) is further provided which is composed of 2N+6 words each of which stores a respective slot number of FM2. For an output section to read the slots of FM2 in the correct order, the contents of SM are updated by an control section at the time of the writing of FM2 by a decoding section.