Abstract: A method for depth map generation is disclosed, capable of generating a depth map corresponding an image signal, for the application of a 2D to 3D image transformation system. In the depth map generated by the disclosed method, each of the plural image regions of the image signal is assigned with a depth value. Besides, by means of comparing the depth map with another depth map of the earlier time point, the disclosed method can generate a modulated depth map, for assigning a depth value to each of the plural image regions of the image signal more precisely. Thus, the transformation performance and efficiency of the 2D to 3D image transformation system are hereby improved.

Abstract: An apparatus for managing a memory including a working region and a compression region is provided. The working region stores uncompressed data. The apparatus includes a management module and a compression/decompression module. According to a recent used index and a compression ratio of a set of target data stored in the working region, the management module determines whether to transfer the target data to the compression region. When the management module determines to transfer the target data to the compression region, the compression/decompression module compresses the target data and transfers the compressed target data to the compression region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for merging regions in the image/video, capable of merging plural of image regions into an image merging region. In the disclosed method, these image regions are first sequenced basing on their compactness value. Then, one of these image regions is designated as a reference image region, and a merging test process is executed by merging the reference image region with one of the nearby image regions thereof in sequence, for forming a temporal image merging region. Later, the compactness value of the temporal image merging region is compared with the compactness value of the two consisting image regions thereof, respectively. When the compactness value of the temporal image merging region is larger than either one of the compactness value of the two consisting image regions thereof, the temporal image merging region is designated as an image merging region.

Abstract: A decoding method for an audio video coding standard (AVS) system is provided. According to a stop-fetching criterion, a stop-fetching flag is set to an enabled status or a disabled status. In an offset fetching procedure, it is determined whether an offset value is smaller than a threshold and whether the stop-fetching is in the disabled status. When a determination result is affirmative, one subsequent bit is fetched for the offset value, an offset shift value is correspondingly increased, and the determination step is iterated. When the determination result is negative, the offset fetching procedure is terminated. Next, it is determined whether a decoding result is a least probable symbol (LPS) or a most probable symbol (MPS).

Abstract: A method for color feature extraction extracts a color feature vector representative of the color of each image pixel contained in an image signal. The method comprises: receiving the image signal; mapping the image signal to a color space model, where the color of each of the plural image pixels is represented by a first parameter, a second parameter, and a third parameter; obtaining an adjusted second parameter; clustering the plural image pixels into plural color regions or plural fuzzy regions of a color plane of the color space model; and designating the color feature vector to each of the plural image pixels based on the clustering result.

Abstract: A method for image/video segmentation, capable of segmenting an image signal for obtaining plural texture color feature regions, by utilizing both of the advantages carried by the texture feature and the color feature is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: (A) receiving an image signal including plural image pixels; (B) executing a Gabor filtering process and a value operation process on each of the plural image pixels; (C) designating each of the plural image pixels a corresponding texture feature vector basing on the result of the value operation process; (D) executing a segmentation process on the image signal basing on the texture feature vector of each of the plural image pixels, for obtaining plural texture feature regions; and (E) executing a re-segmentation process on plural color feature regions basing on the distribution of the plural texture feature regions, for obtaining plural texture color feature regions.

Abstract: A method for 3D video content generation is disclosed, capable of transforming a 2D image into a 3D video through proper operation process. The method comprises the following steps of: (A) receiving a 2D image and generating a ROI distribution map from the 2D image; (B) executing a color feature capture process, for forming a plural of color feature regions; (C) executing an image segmentation process basing on the texture feature of the plural of color feature regions, for forming an image region distribution map; (D) executing a depth map generation process, for generating a depth map basing on the ROI distribution map and the image region distribution map; (E) executing a 3D image generation process, for forming the 3D image basing on the image region distribution map and the depth map; and (F) chaining a plurality of the 3D images to form the 3D video basing on a frame rate.

Abstract: A design space exploration method of a reconfigurable motion compensation architecture is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining a design framework is implemented by an algorithm analyzer. The method includes configuring the algorithm analyzer to perform intrinsic complexity analysis of an algorithm for a predetermined application to obtain a set of parameters representing intrinsic characteristics of the algorithm. The method also includes configuring the algorithm analyzer to establish candidate design frameworks based on the parameters. Each candidate design framework includes a set of design constraints corresponding to the algorithm and which are used when designing a hardware and/or software configuration for implementing the predetermined application. The method also includes configuring the algorithm analyzer to analyze the suitability of the set of design constraints of each candidate design framework based on given specification restrictions of the predetermined application to determine which candidate design framework(s) is suited for the predetermined application.

Abstract: A method of analyzing intrinsic parallelism of an algorithm, comprising: generating a dataflow graph which is composed of vertexes representing computation and directed edges denoting the dependency and flow of data from the algorithm; building a matrix representing the dataflow graph; and quantifying the intrinsic parallelism based on rank and dimension of the matrix representing the generated dataflow graph.

Abstract: Methods for decoding are provided. The proposed method includes steps of: receiving a most probable symbol (MPS) value and a probability value for generating a probability model update; and receiving the probability model update for generating the MPS value and the probability value, wherein when the probability value shows that an MPS is occurred, a path corresponds to the MPS is estimated and a first bin included in the path is decoded beforehand.

Abstract: The quantifying method for intrinsic data transfer rate of algorithms is provided. The provided quantifying method for an intrinsic data transfer rate includes steps of: detecting whether or not a datum is used; providing a dataflow graph G including n vertices and m edges, and a Laplacian matrix L having ixj elements L(i,j) when the datum is not reused, wherein each of the vertices represents one of an operation and a datum, each of the edges represents a data transfer, and vi is the ith vertex; and using the Laplacian matrix L to estimate a maximum quantity of the intrinsic data transfer rate.

Abstract: A motion estimation method includes: (A) defining one pixel in a reference image as a center of search (CS) corresponding to a target pixel set in a current image; (B) determining a center error (CE) signal; (C) defining another pixel in the reference image as a target of search (TS) with reference to the CS, one candidate search vector available for selection from a vector set, and a step size; (D) determining a target error (TE) signal; (E) determining whether to update the CS and the CE signal; (F) if determined, updating the CS, the CE signal and the vector set; (G) repeating steps (C)˜(F) using a candidate search vector selected from the vector set and the same step size until there is no candidate search vector available for selection in the vector set; (H) repeating steps (C)˜(G) using a smaller step size until a predetermined value is reached; and (I) computing a motion vector based on the target pixel set and one pixel set that includes the CS.

Abstract: A method for color feature extraction extracts a color feature vector representative of the color of each image pixel contained in an image signal. The method comprises: receiving the image signal; mapping the image signal to a color space model, where the color of each of the plural image pixels is represented by a first parameter, a second parameter, and a third parameter; obtaining an adjusted second parameter; clustering the plural image pixels into plural color regions or plural fuzzy regions of a color plane of the color space model; and designating the color feature vector to each of the plural image pixels based on the clustering result.

Abstract: A method for image/video segmentation, capable of segmenting an image signal for obtaining plural texture color feature regions, by utilizing both of the advantages carried by the texture feature and the color feature is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: (A) receiving an image signal including plural image pixels; (B) executing a Gabor filtering process and a value operation process on each of the plural image pixels; (C) designating each of the plural image pixels a corresponding texture feature vector basing on the result of the value operation process; (D) executing a segmentation process on the image signal basing on the texture feature vector of each of the plural image pixels, for obtaining plural texture feature regions; and (E) executing a re-segmentation process on plural color feature regions basing on the distribution of the plural texture feature regions, for obtaining plural texture color feature regions.

Abstract: A method for depth map generation is disclosed, capable of generating a depth map corresponding an image signal, for the application of a 2D to 3D image transformation system. In the depth map generated by the disclosed method, each of the plural image regions of the image signal is assigned with a depth value. Besides, by means of comparing the depth map with another depth map of the earlier time point, the disclosed method can generate a modulated depth map, for assigning a depth value to each of the plural image regions of the image signal more precisely. Thus, the transformation performance and efficiency of the 2D to 3D image transformation system are hereby improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for merging regions in the image/video, capable of merging plural of image regions into an image merging region. In the disclosed method, these image regions are first sequenced basing on their compactness value. Then, one of these image regions is designated as a reference image region, and a merging test process is executed by merging the reference image region with one of the nearby image regions thereof in sequence, for forming a temporal image merging region. Later, the compactness value of the temporal image merging region is compared with the compactness value of the two consisting image regions thereof, respectively. When the compactness value of the temporal image merging region is larger than either one of the compactness value of the two consisting image regions thereof, the temporal image merging region is designated as an image merging region.

Abstract: A method for 3D video content generation is disclosed, capable of transforming a 2D image into a 3D video through proper operation process. The method comprises the following steps of: (A) receiving a 2D image and generating a ROI distribution map from the 2D image; (B) executing a color feature capture process, for forming a plural of color feature regions; (C) executing an image segmentation process basing on the texture feature of the plural of color feature regions, for forming an image region distribution map; (D) executing a depth map generation process, for generating a depth map basing on the ROI distribution map and the image region distribution map; (E) executing a 3D image generation process, for forming the 3D image basing on the image region distribution map and the depth map; and (F) chaining a plurality of the 3D images to form the 3D video basing on a frame rate.

Abstract: Methods for decoding are provided. The proposed method includes steps of: receiving a most probable symbol (MPS) value and a probability value for generating a probability model update; and receiving the probability model update for generating the MPS value and the probability value, wherein when the probability value shows that an MPS is occurred, a path corresponds to the MPS is estimated and a first bin included in the path is decoded beforehand.

Abstract: A design space exploration method of a reconfigurable motion compensation architecture is disclosed.