Abstract: Network transmission of live digital content from sources to receiving devices is enabled with real-time encoding, customization, and transmission of the live content according to user preferences, receiving device characteristics, network conditions and the like. Content, such as advertising customized to user profile and user location, may be conveniently inserted into the live content. Source-to-screen delay from sources to receiving devices is reduced and channel switching is supported.

Abstract: A method for performing entropy coding comprising the steps of (A) receiving an input stream and side information and (B) replacing the input stream with an index to a list of a number of valid input streams that satisfy all constraints associated with each specific type of the side information, where the list of the number of valid input streams that satisfy all constraints associated with each specific type of side information is based on an amount of redundancy in a system.

Abstract: A method for performing entropy coding comprising the steps of (A) receiving an input stream and side information, (B) analyzing the side information to determine all constraints associated with the side information and (C) replacing the input stream with an index to a list of the number of valid input streams that satisfy all constraints associated with each specific type of the side information.

Abstract: A method of representing encoding or non-encoding by extending a video information field of a block when coding video information, is provided. The method of representing encoding or non-encoding by extending an information field for representing encoding or non-encoding is applied to an error allowable mode. Also, the amount of bits depending on the characteristics of video information to be encoded can be reduced. In this method, an image is encoded by extending a code (COD) field which is used in H.263 and MPEG-4 to indicate the cases where neither a motion vector (MV) nor a discrete cosine transform (DCT) value are encoded, where both the MV and the DCT value are encoded, and where only the MV is encoded. Therefore, in a channel with errors, the extended OCD field can be used in the error allowable mode. Also, video information can be encoded using a smaller amount of bits where the motion of an image is constant, than in the conventional art.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to multimedia, and more specifically, to a system and method of improved television viewing using automatic parallel recording of television channels. The invention continuously captures and records multimedia content for a set of “channels” in a central location, buffering all available channels for a number of days or weeks on a continuous basis. The buffered programming may then be streamed over a network such as the Internet on request, to the viewer's premises where it can be viewed on request via an appropriate display device such as a television equipped with an IP-enabled set top box or on a personal computer.

Abstract: A novel system and method of Reduced-Temporal-Resolution Update (RTRU) and quantizing video transform coefficients is provided for use using hybrid coding standards when receiving a frame from within a group of video frames, where the amplitude of the quantization parameter is defined for the quantization of the frame according to a reduced temporal resolution update process; where the amplitude of the quantization parameter for macroblocks in the frame is defined according to a reduced temporal resolution update process; and where a bitstream is composed for transmission and subsequent decoding by a standard compliant decoder.

Abstract: A method, system, and program product for quantizing discrete cosine transform coefficients, e.g., for MPEG compression, with minimal bit rate overhead and without using a quantization matrix. This is done by scaling a uniform quantization parameter for the entire discrete cosine transform block, defining a variety of thresholds for the quantization of discrete cosine transform coefficients below which the corresponding coefficient will be quantized to zero, and setting different normative reconstructed values for coefficients that have not been quantized to zero as the decoder will still use the original, unmodified reconstructed values as long as the corresponding coefficient is not zero.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system which extracts, manipulates and embeds data from a compressed and standard compliant video bitstream which may be used for digital rights management, e.g. controlling access to a bitstream or for authenticating a video bitstream. The method embeds binary data bits into compressed and standard compliant video bitstream with minimal visual artifacts. The method first parses the compressed video bitstream and locates coded blocks. The codeword C for the last triplet in the original block(RUNc,LEVELc, LASTc=1) is replaced by the VLC code word C? for the last triplet (RUNC,LEVELC, LASTC?=0). A codeword corresponding to a triplet with LAST=1 is placed after C? whose sign bit “s” can be either 0 or 1 and is an embedded data bit, and can be used for authentication.

Abstract: A video coding-decoding (CODEC) method in an error resilient mode, a computer readable medium having a computer program for the video CODEC method, and a video CODEC apparatus. The video CODEC method provides more resilience against channel error such that communications are less affected by error under conditions in which errors are a serious problem such as in a wireless communications channel. In the video CODEC method, a header data part (HDP) bit region, a motion vector data part (MVDP) bit region and a discrete cosine transform data part (DDP) bit regions are partitioned from each macro block of the video data in an error resilient mode, and then the partitioned bit regions are variable-length-coded. Then, the bit regions selected from the variable-length coded bit regions according to a predetermined priority for recovery are reversible-variable-length-coded, and markers are then inserted into the variable-length coded or reversible-variable-length-coded bit regions.

Abstract: Video compression coding with partitioning of data into motion vector data and texture data with reversible Golomb-Rice type codes for the data. Resynchronization markers separate the data types, and the reversible coding permits decoding in both forward and backward directions to minimize data discarded due to errors.

Abstract: A video coding-decoding (CODEC) method in an error resilient mode, a computer readable medium having a computer program for the video CODEC method, and a video CODEC apparatus. The video CODEC method provides more resilience against channel error such that communications are less affected by error under conditions in which errors are a serious problem such as in a wireless communications channel. In the video CODEC method, a header data part (HDP) bit region, a motion vector data part (MVDP) bit region and a discrete cosine transform data part (DDP) bit regions are partitioned from each macro block of the video data in an error resilient mode, and then the partitioned bit regions are variable-length-coded. Then, the bit regions selected from the variable-length coded bit regions according to a predetermined priority for recovery are reversible-variable-length-coded, and markers are then inserted into the variable-length coded or reversible-variable-length-coded bit regions.

Abstract: Video compression coding with partitioning of data into motion vector data and texture data with reversible Golomb-Rice type codes for the data. Resynchronization markers separate the data types, and the reversible coding permits decoding in both forward and backward directions to minimize data discarded due to errors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus automatically manipulates a digitally compressed video bitstream such that the result is compatible with different bandwidth and error resilience requirements at a receiving point in a heterogeneous communication network. The method and device provide for analysis of bitstream header information to determine its relevant coding syntax parameters. Feedback from the receiving point on the network is then used to identify error robustness requirements for an intermediate bitstream. The bitstream is then manipulated by an error robustness regulator to achieve error protection in the network.

Abstract: A motion vector prediction method in an error resilient mode. In the motion vector prediction method capable of decoding backwards, motion vectors of macro blocks are calculated, and motion vectors of macro blocks each having one motion vector are predicted while moving to another macro block from left to right, and motion vectors of macro blocks each having four motion vectors are continuously predicted in a predetermined sequence to have correlation in prediction of the four motion vectors. Thus, in the motion vector prediction method based on the image signal compression method of the MPEG-4 or H.263 standard, the motion vector prediction is performed with continuity and correlation among the motion vectors, so that two-way decoding is possible during transmission of blocks with a predetermined packet, resulting in better error resilient characteristics.

Abstract: Video compression coding with partitioning of data into motion vector data and texture data with reversible Golomb-Rice type codes for the data. Resynchronization markers separate the data types, and the reversible coding permits decoding in both forward and backward directions to minimize data discarded due to errors.

Abstract: ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Video compression coding with partitioning of data into motion vector data and texture data with reversible Golomb-Rice type codes for the data. Resynchronization markers separate the data types, and the reversible coding permits decoding in both forward and backward directions to minimize data discarded due to errors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding encoded parameter data included within a packet containing encoded video data transmitted over an error prone channel is disclosed herein. The method contemplates determining a bit length L of the encoded parameter data. Candidate sequences of codewords are then compared to the encoded parameter data in accordance with a predetermined distortion metric. An optimized sequence is selected from the candidate sequences based upon predefined criteria related to the distortion metric. The optimized sequence collectively has a number of bits equivalent to the bit length L and is usable in decoding the encoded video data.

Abstract: A compliance preserving method and device for access control of a standard compliant multimedia bitstream. The access control method performs selective encryption on information in the bitstream and then remaps the encrypted information into the bitstream, to provide a multimedia bitstream that is accessible to users with a proper key. The method can be applied to both error resilient mode and non-error resilient mode bitstreams. Additionally, the selective encryption method can be used with variable length code (VLC) codewords or fixed length code (FLC) codewords of a bitstream.

Abstract: Video compression coding with partitioning of data into motion vector data and texture data with reversible Golomb-Rice type codes for the data. Resynchronization markers separate the data types, and the reversible coding permites decoding in both forward and backward directions to minimize data discarded due to errors.

Abstract: A motion vector prediction method in an error resilient mode. In the motion vector prediction method capable of decoding backwards, motion vectors of macro blocks are calculated, and motion vectors of macro blocks each having one motion vector are predicted while moving to another macro block from left to right, and motion vectors of macro blocks each having four motion vectors are continuously predicted in a predetermined sequence to have correlation in prediction of the four motion vectors. Thus, in the motion vector prediction method based on the image signal compression method of the MPEG-4 or H.263 standard, the motion vector prediction is performed with continuity and correlation among the motion vectors, so that two-way decoding is possible during transmission of blocks with a predetermined packet, resulting in better error resilient characteristics.