Abstract: Mode searching and early termination of a video picture may include determining the cost value of a simple intra-mode prediction of the video picture; determining the cost value of an inter-mode prediction of the video picture; determining a threshold value based on a given quantization parameter (QP); comparing the cost value of the simple intra-mode prediction to the sum of the cost value of the inter-mode prediction and the threshold value; and performing a mode-prediction of the video picture in accordance with the result obtained. Fast compression of variable length symbols may include receiving a variable length symbol with one or more tokens; combining the one or more tokens in the variable length symbol to form a token combination; and determining a bit representation of the token combination in correspondence to a probability threshold associated with the token combination.

Abstract: Mode searching and early termination of a video picture may include determining the cost value of a simple intra-mode prediction of the video picture; determining the cost value of an inter-mode prediction of the video picture; determining a threshold value based on a given quantization parameter (QP); comparing the cost value of the simple intra-mode prediction to the sum of the cost value of the inter-mode prediction and the threshold value; and performing a mode-prediction of the video picture in accordance with the result obtained. Fast compression of variable length symbols may include receiving a variable length symbol with one or more tokens; combining the one or more tokens in the variable length symbol to form a token combination; and determining a bit representation of the token combination in correspondence to a probability threshold associated with the token combination.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for parallel digital picture encoding are disclosed. A digital picture is partitioned into two or more vertical sections. An encoder unit is selected to serve as a master and one or more encoder units are selected to serve as slaves. The total number of encoder units used equals the number of vertical sections. A mode search is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. Entropy coding is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of each vertical section is performed in parallel such that each encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section. De-blocking is performed on the two or more vertical sections in parallel on a row-by-row basis.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for parallel digital picture encoding are disclosed. A digital picture is partitioned into two or more vertical sections. An encoder unit is selected to serve as a master and one or more encoder units are selected to serve as slaves. The total number of encoder units used equals the number of vertical sections. A mode search is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. Entropy coding is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of each vertical section is performed in parallel such that each encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section. De-blocking is performed on the two or more vertical sections in parallel on a row-by-row basis.

Abstract: The invention is an architecture, a system and a method for monitoring data structures over an IEEE 1394-1995 serial bus network. The data structures are portions of entries that are posted and stored to a descriptor mechanism. Preferably, the entries are schedule entries posted and stored to an AV/C resource schedule bulletin board subunit. According to the invention, a resource request is submitted by a requesting control device to the AV/C resource schedule bulletin board subunit, where request data is stored and posted as a schedule entry. The requesting control device also submits a corresponding notify command data frame to the AV/C bulletin board subunit. The notify command frame instructs the bulletin board subunit to monitor a specified data structure within the schedule entry. Preferably, the notify command frame also specifies the type of access activity that is monitored.

Abstract: A system comprising at least two devices coupled to a bus wherein at least one device contains a descriptor hierarchy. A data structure has a descriptor specifier which specifies an entry by a list identifier and an object identifier.