Abstract: A package for containing cylindrical items comprising a backing board having a front and rear face and an item holder. The item holder is configured to retain the cylindrical items therein and is connected to the backing board and extending forwardly from the front face. The item holder includes a front side, a rear side, a first side and a second side, with the front side of the item holder having a front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface faces the front face and the front surface faces away from the backing board. The rear surface of the item holder includes at least one ramp extending towards the front face. The at least one ramp is configured to roll the cylindrical items in the item holder towards the first side of the item holder when the front side of the item holder is placed on a horizontal surface.

Abstract: Individual pixels in an image block undergo blending with film grain from a film grain block randomly selected from among a pool of previously established film grain blocks in accordance with a luma characteristic of the image block. Prior to blending, the selected film grain block undergoes deblocking by a deblocking filter (28). Following blending, a clipper clips the individual pixels prior to display. The pool of film grain blocks is created by scaling a set of film grain patterns in accordance with at least one parameter of a film grain information message that accompanies the image block.

Abstract: A video decoder, and corresponding method are described for enabling fast channel change of compressed video, where a video decoder for receiving compressed stream data and providing decompressed video output includes a demultiplexor for receiving the compressed stream data and separating the normal stream and the channel change stream, a normal decoding portion in signal communication with the demultiplexor for selectably receiving the compressed normal and channel change streams, and providing decompressed video output, and a normal frame store in signal communication with the normal decoding portion for storing reference pictures.

Abstract: The simulation of film grain in an image makes use of parameters contained in a Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI) message that accompanies the image upon transmission. The SEI message specifies film grain simulation parameters such as the film simulation model, the blending mode, and color space.

Abstract: The addition of comfort noise to an image serves to hide compression artifacts. To facilitate comfort noise addition, supplemental information accompanying a video image contains at least one parameter that specifies an attribute regarding comfort noise. Typically, the supplemental information includes parameters that function to turn the comfort noise on and off, as well as to indicate the level of noise to add, based on the expected level of compression artifacts.

Abstract: A system and process is disclosed for duplicating or replicating remote control units for automobile locks and other common purposes. The system comprises a device that reads the remote control signal codes in an existing keyfob device, analyzes the code for type, stores the code, then transfers the code into a replacement remote control device. The process for testing, reading, analyzing, storing and transferring the control codes is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for staggercasting to a mobile receiver, includes encoding a first signal representing content at a first quality and encoding a second signal representing the content at a second quality different than the first quality. A composite signal comprising the first and second encoded signals, wherein the first encoded signal is delayed with respect to the second encoded signal, is broadcast. The broadcast composite signal receiving at the mobile receiver where the received encoded signal having the lower quality is extracted from the received composite signal and the extracted encoded signal is decoded.

Abstract: A decoding arrangement for decoding pictures in an incoming video stream includes a noise generator for adding a dither signal containing random noise to the pictures after video decoding, to improve the subjective video quality. The noise generator adds noise to each pixel in an amount correlated to additive noise of pixels in a prior picture, either a previously displayed picture (i.e., a previously decoded picture to which noise has been added), or a previously decoded picture.

Abstract: A video encoder and corresponding method are described for enabling fast channel change of compressed video, where a video encoder for receiving input pictures and providing compressed stream data includes a normal encoding portion for receiving input pictures and providing normal stream data, a lower-quality encoding portion for receiving input pictures and providing channel change stream data, and a multiplexor in signal communication with each of the normal and lower-quality portions for receiving and combining the normal and channel change data streams.

Abstract: A self-contained and convertible dental instrument system includes both a lighted mirror and a direct illuminator. A hand piece has a handle section, including a battery in a housing, and a dual attachment section to receive a mirror and a light source. The illumination can be by reflection by said mirror or directly upon removal of the mirror from alignment with the light source. The handle and attachment sections preferably form a Y with the handle section reduced in size for balance and enhanced manipulation. The light source is an LED, is connected through wires in the hand piece to the battery and is controlled by a switch on the battery housing. A lens for the LED is attached by a snap-on adapter. For close contact illumination in the dental cavity, the lens includes a translucent rod, also attached by an adapter. The mirror and rod are rotatable for angular positioning to improve the illumination and the viewing.

Abstract: Simulation of a block of film grain for addition to a block of an image occurs by first establishing at least one parameter at least in part in accordance with an attribute of the image block At least one at least one block of film grain is simulated from at least one film grain pattern generated in accordance with the at least one parameter. In particular, the film grain pattern is generated using a bit accurate technique.

Abstract: A method for staggercasting, includes encoding a first signal representing content using encoding having successive independent decoding segments and encoding a second signal representing the content using encoding having successive independent decoding segments respectively corresponding to the independent decoding segments of the first encoded signal. A composite signal including the first and second encoded signals is generated in which the first encoded signal is delayed with respect to the second encoded signal. If an error is detected in the composite signal during a portion of an independent decoding segment of the delayed first encoded signal, then the corresponding independent decoding segment of the received second encoded signal is decoded to produce the content, otherwise, the received delayed first encoded signal is decoded to produce the content.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for staggercasting includes encoding a set of signals representing content. The set of encoded signals is capable of being decoded to produce a corresponding set of decoded signals, each having a quality which is different from the qualities of the decoded signals corresponding to the other encoded signals. A composite signal is generated which includes the set of encoded signals, staggered in time. The set of encoded signals extracting from the composite signal. Errors in the set of extracted encoded signals are detected to produce a subset of available extracted encoded signals which are not erroneous. A content representative signal at a selectable desired quality is then decoded.

Abstract: A laser level disposable on a reference surface includes a housing, a pendulum pivotably connected to the housing, a first laser diode disposed on the pendulum for emitting a first laser beam along a first path, and a lens disposed on the pendulum in the first path for converting the first laser beam into a first planar beam, the first planar beam forming a line on the reference surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for staggercasting a plurality of content representative signals includes encoding a first and a corresponding second signal representing each of the plurality of content representative signals. A composite signal is generated comprising the plurality of first and second encoded signals. In the composite signal, each respective second encoded signal is delayed with respect to the corresponding first encoded signal. The first and second encoded signal representing a selected one of the content representative signals is extracted to reproduce the selected content representative signal. The extracted first encoded signal is decoded if an error is detected in the extracted second encoded signal, otherwise the extracted second encoded signal is decoded. When a different content representative signal is newly selected, the first extracted encoded signal is decoded until the delayed second extracted encoded signal is available.

Abstract: There are provided methods and apparatus for bit-accurate seed initialization for pseudo-random number generators used in a video system. A method includes the steps of creating (205) a look-up table of PRNG seeds, and initializing (210) one of the PRNG seeds from the look-up table for a picture by accessing the look-up table using a value corresponding to an order of the picture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus and system for film grain cache splitting for film grain simulation. In one embodiment of the present invention a method for storing film grain patterns includes storing at least a first portion of film grain patterns in an internal memory and storing at least a second portion of the film grain patterns in an external memory. That is, in the present invention a method for film grain cache splitting for film grain simulation includes splitting the storage of film grain patterns between an internal cache and an external memory. In one embodiment of the present invention, the internal cache is integrated into an integrated circuit chip of a decoder.

Abstract: There is provided method and apparatus for film grain simulation for normal play and trick mode play for video playback systems. A method for simulating film grain in video includes the step of performing (214) film grain simulation on a sequence of decoded video pictures in decode order.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining block averages in film grain simulation including determining block averages during a display process and determining block averages during a decoding process. The methods of the present invention exhibit different characteristics in terms of memory requirements and computational cost. More specifically, the first method uses no external memory, but requires either extra reads of the blocks, or internal memory in the display pipeline, while the second method requires extra memory bandwidth and extra external memory (e.g., RAM).