Abstract: Video coding apparatus and decoding apparatus capable of reproducing decoded pictures without introducing unwanted noises, even if any considerable difference in pixel values or discontinuity exists at a certain block boundary. In a video coding apparatus employing predictive techniques, a dequantizer and an inverse DCT processor reproduce a prediction error signal from quantized transform coefficients. Here, a first resolution conversion unit (or downsampling unit) might have subsampled the original prediction error signal to reduce its picture resolution. If this is the case, a second resolution conversion unit (or upsampling unit) attempts to restore the original resolution of the prediction error signal by applying an upsampling process to the reproduced prediction error signal having the reduced resolution. In this upsampling process, each new pixel value in a certain block are calculated with reference to some surrounding pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interframe predictive video coding and decoding which avoid the accumulation of rounding errors and thus obtain high-quality reproduced pictures. A frame memory outputs at least one reference picture to a prediction picture calculation unit, according to motion vector information with half-pel accuracy. From the reference picture(s), the prediction picture calculation unit produces a prediction picture by performing interpolation operations if the motion vector has a half-pel component. Here, each interpolated pel value is rounded off to an integer according to a particular rounding algorithm specified by a calculation controller. More specifically, the prediction picture calculation unit supports a first algorithm that rounds off the pel values toward positive infinity and a second algorithm that rounds off them toward negative infinity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for watermark-embedding/extracting identification information into/from picture data and apparatuses thereof. When identification information is watermark-embedded, the following steps are performed. Combinations of basis functions orthogonal each other are generated in association with each numerical signal. For each combination of the orthogonal basis functions, a weight coefficient is calculated so as to correspond to the combination of the basis functions by calculating a sum of products of values of the basis functions for pixels in the original picture data and pixel values of the pixels. For each numerical signal, a watermark-embedding function is referred, a input value is specified, and a pixel value is changed. When the identification information is extracted from the picture data, for each weight coefficient, the watermark-embedding function is referred, and the value of the watermark-embedding function is calculated for each weight coefficient.

Abstract: Video coding apparatus and decoding apparatus capable of reproducing decoded pictures without introducing unwanted noises, even if any considerable difference in pixel values or discontinuity exists at a certain block boundary. In a video coding apparatus employing predictive techniques, a dequantizer and an inverse DCT processor reproduce a prediction error signal from quantized transform coefficients. Here, a first resolution conversion unit (or downsampling unit) might have subsampled the original prediction error signal to reduce its picture resolution. If this is the case, a second resolution conversion unit (or upsampling unit) attempts to restore the original resolution of the prediction error signal by applying an upsampling process to the reproduced prediction error signal having the reduced resolution. In this upsampling process, each new pixel value in a certain block are calculated with reference to some surrounding pixels.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for coding and decoding digital video images, capable of maintaining the quality of static regions, such as background images, in decoded pictures even when the resolution of pictures has been changed from high to low. The apparatus is equipped with two storage units, low-resolution and high-resolution picture storage units, to hold reference pictures in two different picture formats. When processing coded blocks (or blocks having at least one non-zero transform coefficient), a high-resolution picture updating unit converts corresponding blocks of a low-resolution reference picture retrieved from the low-resolution picture storage unit to obtain high-resolution block images. It then updates a high-resolution picture stored in the high-resolution picture storage unit with the obtained high-resolution block images. This updating operation is not applied on non-coded blocks.

Abstract: A moving picture encoding system. There is provided a moving picture encoding system and method for changing the resolution of an original picture that is an object of encoding using a proper criterion, and encoding the picture while preventing deterioration of picture quality. A motion prediction/calculation means provides information of an error in prediction or of randomness of a motion vector which is calculated in the course of or as a result of motion prediction. A resolution determination means determines a resolution for the input picture to be encoded using the information. The input picture is converted into a picture having the determined resolution, and the picture resulting from the conversion is encoded and output.

Abstract: A motion picture reconstructing method includes steps of inputting motion picture data of a plurality of frames, the frames including a processed frame and a reference frame, inputting motion vectors of picture elements of each frame, region data of objects in a motion picture of each frame, and object identification data, the object identification data indicating an object among the objects which is to be removed, determining estimated values of picture elements of the processed frame by using estimated motion vectors of picture elements of the reference frame, the picture elements of the processed frame being within a region of the object, substituting the estimated values for values of the picture elements of the processed frame, and outputting the picture elements having the estimated values. Thus, providing a reconstructed motion picture of the processed frame in which the object is removed to view the concealed picture beneath the object.

Abstract: A moving image coding apparatus, a moving image decoding apparatus and a moving image coding-decoding apparatus suitable for use when a moving image is compressed and transmitted have a prediction error signal generating means for dividing an inputted image into blocks each consisting of plural pixels and computing a difference between the inputted image and a predicted image generated from a past inputted image to generate a prediction error signal, an amplitude modulating means for conducting amplitude modulation on an amplitude of each pixel of the prediction error signal at a predetermined modulation factor, a transforming means for transforming the prediction error signal having been undergone amplitude modulation in order to remove correlation among the pixels to generate a transform coefficient, a quantizing means for quantizing the generated transform coefficient, and a channel coding means for assigning a code to the quantized transform coefficient and outputting it, whereby a visually prominent erro

Abstract: An image generation apparatus is provided with an image acquisition unit for acquiring images of a three-dimensional object from a plurality of positions along a curve by computer graphics or a television camera. A memory unit stores images obtained by the image acquisition unit. An address generating unit calculates a first address showing the position of the image acquisition and a second address showing the position corresponding to the direction of the line of sight in the image according to the first address, for each line of sight from a specified viewpoint according to the positional information for the viewpoint and the curve at the time of image acquisition. An image generation processing unit combines the image information read from the memory unit by the first and second addresses generated by the address generating unit and generates the image of the three-dimensional object. Display equipment displays the image.

Abstract: A device for coding moving pictures includes a coding unit for applying intra-frame coding or inter-frame coding to the of blocks dividing each frame of the moving pictures. The device further includes a refresh-operation-control unit for controlling the coding unit to carry out the intra-frame coding as a refresh operation at predetermined intervals. The refresh-operation-control unit reschedules the predetermined intervals when the coding unit applies the intra-frame coding during one of the predetermined intervals, such that a timing of the intra-frame coding during the one of the predetermined intervals marks a start of a next one of the predetermined intervals.

Abstract: A video coding apparatus for performing predictive coding of digital video input signals. The apparatus employs a resolution selection controller that selects picture resolution to be used in coding of a source picture of a current frame, according to coding information in a previous frame. Such coding information includes quantizer step size, amount of coded data, and buffer occupancy. Before being supplied to a coding unit, the source picture is sent to a resolution converter, where the source picture is converted to gain the resolution selected by said resolution selection controller. The coding unit then encodes the source picture with the selected picture resolution.

Abstract: A holographic stereogram which includes a plurality of element holograms and which reproduces a stereoscopic image by irradiation of coherent light, wherein each element hologram is loaded with a modulation value (pattern) corresponding to the stereoscopic image, the modulation value being a one-dimensional or two-dimensional transform coefficient obtained by one-dimensional or two-dimensional cosine transform or discrete cosine transform of the distribution of the intensity of diffraction light expressing the stereoscopic image, enabling simplification of the drive system of the display device displaying the stereoscopic image and reproduction of the original stereoscopic image much more faithfully.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image information transmission system which combines into one unit the information source coding means of the stereoscopic image, which was indispensable at the transmission side in conventional systems, and the interference fringe generating means, for generating the interference fringes expressing the stereoscopic image, into one by an image processing means utilizing a specific conversion rule effective for information compression, whereby it becomes possible to eliminate the information source decoding means which had been required at the reception side in conventional systems, which system thereby enables the hardware on the transmission side to be made much smaller and which enables the load on the transmission line from the transmission side to the reception side to be lightened.

Abstract: A scene change detecting device of a relatively small circuit scale is capable of accurately detecting a scene change using data which have already been compressed and coded. The scene change detecting device has an extracting circuit for extracting frame type information, frame identification information, and block type information from a coded signal of a moving picture which has been processed by block-adaptive interframe predictive coding. The block type information is sent to a counter, and the frame type information and the frame identification information are sent to a frame estimating circuit. Based on the block type information, the counter counts macroblocks with respect to each of the types of predictive processes over one frame. The frame estimating circuit estimates a frame immediately following a scene change based on the counted number of macroblocks with respect to each of the types of predictive processes, the frame type information, and the frame identification information.

Abstract: A holographic stereogram which includes a plurality of element holograms and which reproduces a stereoscopic image by irradiation of coherent light, wherein each element hologram is loaded with a modulation value (pattern) corresponding to the stereoscopic image, the modulation value being a one-dimensional or two-dimensional transform coefficient obtained by one-dimensional or two-dimensional sine transform or discrete sine transform of the distribution of the intensity of diffraction light expressing the stereoscopic image, enabling simplification of the drive system of the display device displaying the stereoscopic image and reproduction of the original stereoscopic image much more faithfully.