Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a active packet bundling in a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) based on a measure of voice concealability of one or more speech packets to be transmitted. Voice concealability is a property of a speech packet which indicates the likelihood that a given speech segment will meet the “quasi-stationary” (QS) behavior assumed by conventional Packet Loss Concealment (PLC) algorithms used to compensate for transmission loss of speech packets. By ensuring that only well-concealed frames are delayed for bundling, it is more likely that the receiver will run the PLC algorithm when it is most effective (i.e., when it is likely to perform well at reconstructing the missing speech frame), rather than when it is more likely to be ineffective. This allows for a reduction in bandwidth while minimizing any potential negative impact on quality.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in which a mobile network advantageously communicates data requests to neighboring data stores so that they may pre-fetch the data. In particular, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a protocol is advantageously established whereby a local data store in a mobile network notifies neighboring data stores of data requests, and whereby the neighboring data stores advantageously pre-fetch the data that may be required, thereby advantageously avoiding cascading cache misses. Such notifications may advantageously reduce the number of cache misses, which in turn may advantageously reduce the latency to download data as the user moves around within the mobile network and changes data sources. Specifically, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a protocol for communicating data requests between local storage centers in a network supporting mobile users is provided.

Abstract: A zoom method and apparatus utilizing object detection. For example, some embodiments allow a user to zoom in or out from the digital content being displayed by moving their head towards or away from the display screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying images for use during a video teleconference provides improved eye contact between the participants. A video camera mounted on a display (e.g., a monitor or laptop) is co-located with a first participant in the video teleconference. An image of a second participant in the video teleconference is received, and a location of one or more facial features (e.g., the eyes) contained in the image of the second participant is determined. Then, the image of the second participant is displayed on the screen such that the eyes of the second participant are displayed in close proximity to (e.g., directly below) the video camera. In this manner, improved eye contact between the participants is advantageously provided. Alternatively, metadata representing the location of such facial features (e.g., the eyes) contained in the image of the second participant is received along with the image of the second participant.

Abstract: A video codec is provided in which virtual reference data (e.g., virtual reference blocks) are advantageously employed by a video coder and decoder to significantly improve coding efficiency as compared to prior art codecs. Specifically, a “virtual reference,” as used herein, is defined as a group of pixels (e.g., a block) that is used as reference material for encoding portions of the video signal (e.g., a motion-compensated inter-predicted block), but that does not comprise or represent any portion of the actual video sequence to be displayed. For example, it may advantageously be determined that portions of the video sequence may be efficiently represented as a motion-compensated block of pixel values which are generated by the video coder based on the blocks being predicted but not based on any actual blocks in any of the actual video frames or slices.

Abstract: A Multiple Bit Rate (MBR) video coding method and apparatus for performing video encodings at multiple bit rates and for performing advantageous switching therebetween. Frequent switching points and high video coding efficiency are achieved with use of a plurality of video encodings at each of a plurality of bit rates, wherein the switching points between multiple encodings at a given bit rate are shifted with respect to one another so that the frequency of available switching points is significantly improved without a corresponding loss of coding quality. In addition, one or more “high quality” encodings may be provided at each bit rate, wherein the “high quality” encodings employ infrequent switching points, providing a very high quality encoding at the given bit rate which may be used (or switched to) whenever possible.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing voice packets through a communications network wherein the routing priority of the packets is based on a location of a packet within a sequence of transmitted voice packets, relative to one or more identified voice packets in the transmitted sequence. In one embodiment of the invention, the routing priority of a voice packet is based on the location of the packet in a sequence of packets relative to voice activity, such as the beginning, middle or end of a talk spurt. For example, the routing priority of the first several voice packets of a talk spurt is increased to compensate for the fact that there is less network jitter protection available at the receiver for these packets. In another embodiment, the routing priority of a voice packet may depend upon its location relative to a cellular handoff from one transmitter to another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying images for use during a video teleconference provides improved eye contact between the participants. A video camera mounted on a display (e.g., a monitor or laptop) is co-located with a first participant in the video teleconference. An image of a second participant in the video teleconference is received, and a location of one or more facial features (e.g., the eyes) contained in the image of the second participant is determined. Then, the image of the second participant is displayed on the screen such that the eyes of the second participant are displayed in close proximity to (e.g., directly below) the video camera. In this manner, improved eye contact between the participants is advantageously provided. Alternatively, metadata representing the location of such facial features (e.g., the eyes) contained in the image of the second participant is received along with the image of the second participant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing voice intelligibility for network communications of speech such as, for example, VoIP (Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol), in the presence of packets which arrive too late for normal playout. When a late speech packet is received by a speech decoder, that packet and, if necessary, one or more additional packets subsequent thereto, are played out over a shorter than normal duration so that the decoder can “catch up” with the encoder. Since a voice frame is usually decoded in several sub-frames—typically two or three—this shortened playout may be achieved, for example, by skipping one sub-frame from each frame to be shortened.

Abstract: A video codec is provided in which virtual reference data (e.g., virtual reference blocks) are advantageously employed by a video coder and decoder to significantly improve coding efficiency as compared to prior art codecs. Specifically, a “virtual reference,” as used herein, is defined as a group of pixels (e.g., a block) that is used as reference material for encoding portions of the video signal (e.g., a motion-compensated inter-predicted block), but that does not comprise or represent any portion of the actual video sequence to be displayed. For example, it may advantageously be determined that portions of the video sequence may be efficiently represented as a motion-compensated block of pixel values which are generated by the video coder based on the blocks being predicted but not based on any actual blocks in any of the actual video frames or slices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bundling packets together for transmission in a Voice over IP communications network based on packet location within a talk spurt. Illustratively, all frames other than the first and last frames of a talk spurt may be advantageously bundled up to a predetermined maximum bundle size. This results from the recognition that the first and last packets of the talk spurt are the packets that will most directly affect the conversational delay. Therefore, other packets can be advantageously considered to be “non-critical” (with respect to conversational delay), and thus, may be bundled together with one or more other packets. In this manner, bandwidth may be advantageously reduced without negatively impacting the perceived conversational delay.

Abstract: A method for performing recoverable image and video watermarking which survives the use of block-based image and video compression techniques. One or more of the lowest order bits of the first DCT coefficient (the “DC” coefficient) which is to be coded are used as a “data channel” by which information representing a recoverable watermark may be embedded into an image or into a video signal frame. Encoding is performed by replacing one or more low order bits of the luminance value of each pixel in a block with a number of bits of the watermark data, and decoding is performed by averaging one or more low order bits of the decoded luminance values of the pixels in a block to retrieve a corresponding number of bits of the watermark data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in which a mobile network advantageously communicates data requests to neighboring data stores so that they may pre-fetch the data. In particular, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a protocol is advantageously established whereby a local data store in a mobile network notifies neighboring data stores of data requests, and whereby the neighboring data stores advantageously pre-fetch the data that may be required, thereby advantageously avoiding cascading cache misses. Such notifications may advantageously reduce the number of cache misses, which in turn may advantageously reduce the latency to download data as the user moves around within the mobile network and changes data sources. Specifically, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a protocol for communicating data requests between local storage centers in a network supporting mobile users is provided.

Abstract: A Multiple Bit Rate (MBR) video coding method and apparatus for performing video encodings at multiple bit rates and for performing advantageous switching therebetween. Frequent switching points and high video coding efficiency are achieved with use of a plurality of video encodings at each of a plurality of bit rates, wherein the switching points between multiple encodings at a given bit rate are shifted with respect to one another so that the frequency of available switching points is significantly improved without a corresponding loss of coding quality. In addition, one or more “high quality” encodings may be provided at each bit rate, wherein the “high quality” encodings employ infrequent switching points, providing a very high quality encoding at the given bit rate which may be used (or switched to) whenever possible.

Abstract: A Multiple Bit Rate (MBR) video encoding system wherein a first video encoding at a first bit rate is performed based on the original video source material, and wherein the first video encoding generates and saves metadata relating to the encoding process. In typical block-based motion-compensated video encoding techniques, this metadata may comprise block motion search information including motion vectors and error information. This saved metadata is then used during one or more subsequent encodings at different bit rates to generate a plurality of video encodings at different bit rates. This approach provides a more efficient MBR video encoding system realization than by encoding at each bit rate independently.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in improving the performance of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication systems which use Robust Header Compression (RoHC) techniques for reducing communications protocol overhead. Specifically, having recognized that in VoIP applications (unlike, for example, data services applications), severely late packets cannot be used, a “RoHC-Guard” filters out packets that are very late, making it impossible for RoHC to perform the costly and unnecessary re-sync. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a RoHC-Guard module, operating as a pre-filter to a RoHC module, saves, rather than merely discards, late packets. Then, if a predetermined number of such packets are consecutively received, they are provided to RoHC module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing Quality-of-Service (QoS) calculations on packet-based communications networks using a QoS measure which is based on data included in non-lost packets, as well as on data included in lost packets, when the proper interpretation of the data in non-lost packets depends upon data in one of the lost packets. Two new QoS measures that address the limitations inherent in the prior art PLR (Packet Loss Rate) measure are introduced. The Packet Loss Distortion Rate (PLDR) measure determines both packets which are lost, as well as packets whose proper interpretation depends on one or more packets which have been lost. The Media Distortion Rate (MDR) measures the actual quantity of media material that is lost, regardless of how the material is grouped into individual packets.

Abstract: An enhanced Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) includes a satellite receiver for use in receiving video and/or data signals. Since most video services (and many data services) are updated relatively infrequently, and since most such services require that the majority of traffic be sent from the core to the client (as opposed to from the client to the core), delivering such services over a satellite channel advantageously provides an opportunity to offer broadcast services, for example, with minimal use of the existing backhaul network, thereby advantageously eliminating the bottleneck typically created by the limited bandwidth of the backhaul network which is conventionally used to supply such video and/or data signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating transmission delay across a telecommunications network by performing a statistical analysis of conversational, behavior in the network. Certain characteristic events associated with conversational behavior (such as, for example, alternative silence events, double-talk events, talk-spurt events and pause in isolation events) are identified and measured. Then, based on the proportion of time that these events occur, an estimate of the delay is calculated using a predetermined equation. Illustratively, the equation is a linear regression equation which has been determined experimentally.

Abstract: A low complexity packet loss concealment method for use in voice-over-IP speech transmission calculates a cross-correlation of previous speech data to estimate the pitch period of the previous speech when speech frames have been lost. A tap interval used to calculate the cross-correlation is dynamically adapted, thereby reducing the computational complexity of the process. In addition, the pitch period estimation is bypassed completely when it is determined not to be necessary, as a result of the speech being unvoiced or silence. A waveform “bending” operation is performed into the current frame without inserting any algorithmic delay into each frame.