Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting a system from high current flows in its signal lines. A signal line expected to carry radio frequency signal is provided. A thin region is disposed in series with the signal line. The thin region is destroyed in the presence of current above a safety level. Additionally, the thin region is designed to maintain the impedance profile of the signal path at an approximately constant RF impedance or else the impedance discontinuity caused by the thin region is sufficiently narrow such that it falls within an exception window.

Abstract: Security from an unwanted intrusion into a computer system is provided by coupling a host component with a peripheral component using a high-speed serial bus having a high-speed physical layer and using features of the bus to implement the security. In an embodiment, the high-speed serial bus has a secondary bus layer that is used to implement a number of the security features of the invention.

Abstract: A network interface for coupling a computer node to a network has a physical interface which is coupleable to the network for coupling the network interface to the network. The network interface is coupleable to the computer node through a high-speed serial bus which has a latency and a signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission of signals between the network and the computer node without interim storage of the signals in a buffer on the network interface. In a preferred embodiment, the computer node has a processor capable of processing network protocols and the signals may be transmitted between the network and the computer node without processing of the network protocols by a processor on the network interface.

Abstract: A printer for printing an image onto a physical medium. The printer includes a print engine for physically printing the image onto the physical medium. The print engine receives signals representing the image to be printed directly from an external computer. The printer is coupleable to the external computer by a high-speed serial bus that enables the printer to print the images without prior interim storage of the signals in an on-board buffer in the printer. The signals may be processed by a processor in the external computer before being transmitted to the print engine, thereby eliminating a need for an on-board processor in the printer.

Abstract: A method, means, and computer program are provided for filtering jitter from motion estimation video data. The movement of one or more identifying features of an image is observed over a plurality of frames. The movement is analyzed and a pattern to the movement is determined. The pattern is analyzed for a jitter signature. In the event the pattern reflects the presence of jitter, the data associated with the affected frames of video is filtered by, for example, altering the magnitude of motion vectors to offset the components of jitter or discarding affected motion vectors. Embodiments of the invention filter translational jitter in either or both of the x- and y-axes as well as rotational jitter from motion estimation data. In one embodiment of the invention, motion vectors themselves are analyzed for the presence of jitter. In the event jitter is identified, affected motion vectors are discarded or filtered.

Abstract: A copier for rendering an image of an object onto a physical medium includes a scanner, a printer and an external processor. The scanner and the printer are coupled to the external processor by a high-speed serial bus having a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission to the external processor of digital image signals generated by the scanner which represent the image of the object without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the scanner. The high-speed serial bus further has a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission of the digital image signals from the external processor to the printer for rendering the digital image signals onto the physical medium without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the printer.

Abstract: A mass storage device having a storage medium on which digital signals can be stored. The mass storage device is coupleable to a computer through a high-speed serial bus. The high-speed serial bus has a latency and a signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission of digital signals between the mass storage device and the computer without interim storage of the digital signals in a buffer inside the mass storage device. The computer has a processor capable of processing the digital signals and the digital signals may be transmitted between the mass storage device and the computer without processing of the digital signals by a processor in the mass storage device.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of operating as either a master device or a slave device on a communication link such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB). The apparatus includes a first communication port which is utilized when the apparatus is operating as a slave device. A second communication port is utilized when the apparatus is operating as a master device. A device controller is coupled to both the first communication port and the second communication port. The device controller enables either the first communication port or the second communication port after detecting whether an active host controller is coupled to the first communication port. A timer may be used to determine the presence or absence of an active host controller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing from frames of video the effects of automatic gain control (AGC), preferably to prevent the AGC effects from adversely affecting a video codec architecture using motion estimation. Video images are processed by first characterizing the luminance of first and second frames of video data. Any difference in the characterized luminance values is determined. The luminance of the second frame is adjusted based on the determined difference between the luminance of the first frame and the luminance of the second frame, to generate an adjusted second frame. The adjusted second frame is encoded to generate encoded video signals for the second frame.

Abstract: A system for generating a digital output signal representing a captured image includes a sensor for capturing the image and generating a sensor output signal. A gain control amplifier is coupled to the sensor and receives the sensor output signal. The gain control amplifier has controls for applying various levels of gain to the sensor output signal. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the gain control amplifier and generates the digital output signal representing the captured image. A processor is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and the gain control amplifier. The processor provides a control signal to the gain control amplifier for adjusting the level of gain applied by the amplifier.

Abstract: A method, and computer program are provided for adjusting motion estimation video data to remove unwanted data generated by an automatic focusing control (AFC) circuit on the video data recorder. One or more edges or fine points in a sequence of motion compensated images is identified. Difference frames composed of pixel differences are generated from the motion compensated images. The difference frames are examined for evidence of AFC action. In the event AFC action is identified, one or more frames of the sequence of difference frames are filtered to remove the AFC effects. The filtered difference frames are encoded. Identification can be made by detecting a component of oscillation in a comparison of summed pixel differences of a sequence of frames. The difference frames may be filtered by reducing the energy level of one or more of the difference frames or by discarding one or more of the difference frames.

Abstract: A system for generating a digital output signal representing a captured image includes a sensor for capturing the image and generating a sensor output signal. A gain control amplifier is coupled to the sensor and receives the sensor output signal. The gain control amplifier has controls for applying various levels of gain to the sensor output signal. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the gain control amplifier and generates the digital output signal representing the captured image. A processor is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and the gain control amplifier. The processor provides a control signal to the gain control amplifier for adjusting the level of gain applied by the amplifier.

Abstract: A system and method for processing video signals. According to a preferred embodiment, a plurality of video signals is captured with a camera in response to an image. The plurality of video signals is converted with the camera to a plurality of raw digital signals. The plurality of raw digital signals is converted into a plurality of usable digital video signals with a computer, and the plurality of raw digital signals is transmitted to the computer with a bus. The computer processes successive pluralities of raw digital signals at a predetermined frame rate. The bus has a commumcations bandwidth sufficient to transmit successive pluralities of raw digital signals in accordance with the predetermined frame rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing video signals. According to a preferred embodiment, a video processor is provided, and a video camera interfaced with with the video processor is provided. The video camera supplies video frames to the video processor, and comprises an automatic exposure setting mechanism for automatically updating at least one video exposure parameter before transmitting a next video frame to the video processor. The video camera enables or disables the automatic exposure setting mechanism in response to a strobe signal. It is determined whether to intra-frame encode or to difference encode the next video frame. The video processor transmits a strobe signal to the video camera in accordance with this determination to control the automatic exposure setting mechanism of the video camera.

Abstract: A system produces a standardized image of an object from an intermediate object recorded on film. An image of a spectrum of the light source illuminating the object is recorded on the film together with the image of the object. The image of the spectrum on the film is recorded by a film scanner and compared with the spectrum of a standatd illuminant. Color correction data is generated from the comparison. The color correction data may be used to control a photographic printer to produce a color corrected print. The color correction data may also be used to correct a digital image of the object produced by scanning the image of the object on film.

Abstract: A system for electronically recording a standardized color image of an object. The system incorporates a linear variable bandpass filter and a linear variable neutral density filter.