Abstract: A testing method is described of at least one device provided with an integrated testing circuit and in communication with at least one tester where messages/instructions/test signals/information are exclusively sent from the tester to the device. A testing architecture is also described for implementing this testing method.

Abstract: A testing method is described of at least one device provided with an integrated testing circuit and in communication with at least one tester where messages/instructions/test signals/information are exclusively sent from the tester to the device . A testing architecture is also described for implementing this testing method.

Abstract: A method of processing video frame data includes the steps of: receiving a video frame; partially decoding the video frame; fully decoding the video frame to produce macroblocks; determining video data parameters from the partially decoded video frame or both the partially and fully decoded video frame; and encoding the macroblocks based on the determined video data parameters to provide a compressed video frame for subsequent display.

Abstract: Method of compressing a digital image signal in which a first quantization step set, which is unique for a given segment, is determined so that the number of bits needed to encode the quantized data corresponding to this segment is greater than a target value. This first quantization step set then being modified, as a priority, for the blocks of the segment for which the gain, in the course of this modification, on the reduction of the number of bits needed to encode the quantized data corresponding to the segment to which it belongs, is the highest. This modification is carried out, on as many blocks as is necessary for the number of bits of this segment to be less than or equal to the target value. Device to implement this method.

Abstract: A method of selecting a motion vector for use in a motion estimation system in which the motion vector defines movement of a block of pixels between a search window and a reference frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of encoding digital video, for example according to the ISO/IEC MPEG standards (ISO/IEC 11172-2 MPEG-1 and ISO/IEC 13818-2 MPEG-2), which employs a local motion estimator for determining respective local motion vectors for groups of adjacent macroblocks in a picture. A local motion vector is determined for each row of macroblocks in a picture from the motion vectors of the macroblocks in that row. Then, for macroblocks in the corresponding row of a subsequently coded picture, the local motion vector can be used to select the search window used for determining the motion vectors. The local motion estimator improves search range and accuracy of macroblock motion vector detection without increasing the search window accessing bandwidth and caching requirement, and computation lode of searching.

Abstract: A method of processing video frame data includes the steps of: receiving a video frame; partially decoding the video frame; fully decoding the video frame to produce macroblocks; determining video data parameters from the partially decoded video frame or both the partially and fully decoded video frame; and encoding the macroblocks based on the determined video data parameters to provide a compressed video frame for subsequent display.

Abstract: A method of selecting a motion vector for use in a motion estimation system in which the motion vector defines movement of a block of pixels between a search window and a reference frame.

Abstract: Method of compressing a digital image signal in which a first quantization step set, which is unique for a given segment, is determined so that the number of bits needed to encode the quantized data corresponding to this segment is greater than a target value. This first quantization step set then being modified, as a priority, for the blocks of the segment for which the gain, in the course of this modification, on the reduction of the number of bits needed to encode the quantized data corresponding to the segment to which it belongs, is the highest. This modification is carried out, on as many blocks as is necessary for the number of bits of this segment to be less than or equal to the target value. Device to implement this method.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a device for estimation of movement by block matching in an image compression system based on blocks, characterized in that it comprises N lines.times.M columns of means of calculation of an error function between two values, N.times.M means of memorization of values representing the block whose movement is to be estimated, N.times.M means of memorization of values representing a block of a reference window, the two means of memorization being linked respectively to the means of calculation, M means of adding that totalize simultaneously the values of the error function for a column of N elements of calculation. The invention is applicable to image compression.

Abstract: A circuit for squaring a binary number X of n bits, x.sub.0 to x.sub.n-1, includes pre-processing circuits to form a group of all the products x.sub.i y.sub.j of the bits of number X, where i and j vary between 0 and n-1 such that i.ltoreq.j. The outputs of the pre-processing circuits provide words such that each word is formed by a succession, as complete as possible, of products selected among the products remaining from the group of products after forming the preceding word, each product x.sub.i y.sub.j of this succession being affected with a weight i+j+1 of the word if i is different from j, or with a weight 2i if i=j. Adders are connected to sum the words as the square of the number X.