Abstract: A method for deinterlacing a picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of primary scores by searching along a plurality of primary angles for an edge in the picture proximate a location interlaced with a field of the picture, (B) generating a plurality of neighbor scores by searching for the edge along a plurality of neighbor angles proximate a particular angle of the primary angles corresponding to a particular score of the primary scores having a best value and (C) identifying a best score from a group of scores consisting of the particular score and the neighbor scores to generate an interpolated sample at the location.

Abstract: A method for encoding video, comprising the steps of (A) detecting repeated fields in a video sequence and (B) generating a first repeated frame from a top field and any adjacent bottom field based upon detection of the repeated fields, wherein the top field and the bottom field are from one film frame.

Abstract: A method for inverse telecine. The method generally includes the steps of (A) checking if a current field of a plurality of fields in a video sequence repeats in the video sequence according to a pattern-based approach where the current field fits a telecine pattern, (B) checking if the current field repeats according to a first pattern-less approach where the current field complies with at least one of a plurality of rules and (C) generating a signal for an encoder in (i) an asserted state if the current field repeats and (ii) a deasserted state if the current field does not repeat.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for storing image data comprising a first storage device and a second storage device. The first storage device may be configured to store at least one first pixel from a first field of a frame of the image at a first physical address in the first storage device. The second storage device may be configured to store a second pixel from a second field of the frame of the image at a second physical address in the second storage device. The first and second physical addresses may have the same relative position in an address space of the respective storage devices.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to analyze an audio-video data stream to determine watermark appropriate information for the audio-video data stream. The second circuit may be configured to communicate the watermark appropriate information either in-band with or out-of-band from a bit stream communicating the audio-video data.

Abstract: A camera system and a method for zooming the camera system is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an electronic image by sensing an optical image received by the camera, the sensing including electronic cropping to a window size to establish an initial resolution for the electronic image, (B) generating a final image by decimating the electronic image by a decimation factor to a final resolution smaller than the initial resolution and (C) changing a zoom factor for the final image by adjusting both of the decimation factor and the window size.

Abstract: A video encoder comprising an encoder circuit, a quantizer circuit and a control circuit. The encoder circuit may be configured to generate a number of coefficient values in response to a video stream and a number of quantized values. The quantizer circuit may be configured to generate the number of quantized values in response to the coefficient values, two or more quantization dead zones and two or more offsets. The control circuit may be configured to set the two or more quantization dead zones and the two or more offsets to different values. The two or more quantization dead zones and the two or more offsets are independently programmable.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising (i) a segmentor circuit, (ii) a plurality of encoders and (iii) a multiplexer circuit. The segmentor circuit may be configured to segment a picture into a plurality of strips. Each of the plurality of encoders may be configured (i) to encode respective strips of the plurality of strips in parallel and (ii) to transfer context information with at least one other encoder of the plurality of encoders. The multiplexer circuit may be configured to combine the encoded strips from the plurality of encoders into an encoded bit stream.

Abstract: A method for encoding video, comprising the steps of: (A) detecting repeated fields in a video sequence and (B) determining a distance between reference frames based upon detection of the repeated fields.

Abstract: A method for conveying private or enhancement information in a compressed bit stream comprising the steps of (A) generating a compressed bit stream in response to a first data stream and a plurality of encoding choices and (B) controlling the encoding choices in response to a second data stream comprising one or both of the private information and the enhancement information.

Abstract: A method for displaying button data streams, comprising the steps of (A) reading two or more input button data streams from a disc, (B) multiplexing the two or more input button data streams to produce a multiplexed button data stream, (C) decoding the multiplexed button data stream into uncompressed button data information, and (D) displaying the uncompressed button data information in a video signal.

Abstract: A method for determining a first and a second reference picture used for inter-prediction of a macroblock, comprising the steps of (A) finding a co-located picture and block, (B) determining a reference index, (C) mapping the reference index to a lowest valued reference index in a current reference list and (D) using the reference index to determine the second reference picture.

Abstract: A method for deinterlacing a picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of primary scores by searching along a plurality of primary angles for an edge in the picture proximate a location interlaced with a field of the picture, (B) generating a plurality of neighbor scores by searching for the edge along a plurality of neighbor angles proximate a particular angle of the primary angles corresponding to a particular score of the primary scores having a best value and (C) identifying a best score from a group of scores consisting of the particular score and the neighbor scores to generate an interpolated sample at the location.

Abstract: A method for deinterlacing a picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) determining a protection condition by performing a static check on the picture in a region around a location interlaced with a first field of the picture, (B) calculating an interpolated sample at the location by temporal averaging the first field with a second field in response to the protection condition indicating significant vertical activity and (C) calculating the interpolated sample at the location by spatial filtering the first field in response to the protection condition indicating insignificant vertical activity.

Abstract: A method for processing a video bitstream is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) determining co-located motion information for a plurality of co-located sub-blocks in a co-located macroblock of the video bitstream, (B) storing the co-located motion information for (i) at least a first three of the co-located sub-blocks along a left side of the co-located macroblock, (ii) at least a second three of the co-located sub-blocks along a right side of the co-located macroblock and (iii) less than all of the co-located sub-blocks and (C) inferring current motion information for a current macroblock co-located in a different picture from the co-located macroblock using the co-located motion information that was stored.

Abstract: A method for processing a video signal, comprising the steps of (A) receiving the video signal comprising (i) a first segment having a series of frames each having a first region and a second region defining a first signature and (ii) a second segment having a series of frames each having a first region and a second region defining a second signature, (B) modifying each of the frames of the first segment from the first signature to a third signature and (C) modifying each of the frames of the second segment from the second signature to a fourth signature.

Abstract: A method for classifying a first video type and a second video type in a digital video signal having a series of frames, comprising the steps of (A) reading a first set of parameters defining an active portion of a first of the frames, (B) reading a second set of parameters defining an active portion of a second of the frames, (C) comparing the first set of said parameters with the second set of parameters to generate a comparison value, (D) if the comparison value is above a predetermined threshold, indicating the first video type and (E) if the comparison value is not above the predetermined value, indicating the second video type.

Abstract: A device generally having a memory manager and a direct memory access unit. The memory manager may be configured to (i) map a first picture from a video signal among a plurality of picture segments and (ii) generate a list associating each of the picture segments to a plurality of physical pages in a memory. The direct memory access unit may be configured to store the first picture among the physical pages according to the list and the mapping.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a decoded video signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate (i) a first video output signal having a first resolution and (ii) a second video signal having a second video resolution in response to the decoded video signal.

Abstract: A method of buffering a video signal is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) storing a plurality of pictures decoded from the video signal having a first resolution in a memory space divided into a plurality of first buffers each having a first size, (B) dividing the memory space into a plurality of second buffers each having a second size in response to the pictures in the video signal changing to a second resolution, and (C) converting at least one unavailable buffer of the second buffers to an available condition by marking at least one unread picture of the pictures from the memory space as destroyed.