Abstract: In one embodiment, the method includes receiving signals from user equipment, despreading the received signals by applying an unused channelization code, and determining the uplink noise power based on output of the despreading.

Abstract: A user terminal device, a server device, a system and a method for assessing quality of media data are described. The user terminal device is used for extracting artifact features from the media data and for communicating the features to the server device which is then used for determining a quality score using the artifacts and an artifact/quality score database accessible by the server device. The score, transmitted to the user terminal device, is presented to a user from which a subjective quality score and a request for re-determination are received which the user terminal device communicates to the server device. This in turn is used for re-determining the quality score and for transmitting back the re-determined quality score wherein the quality score is re-determined using the received artifacts, the received subjective quality score and the artifact/quality score database.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for controlling an output power of a transmitter. Adjustment amounts for a transmitter to transmit at a desired power level are determined. For a predetermined time period, an actual power level of the transmitter is adjusted at a first adjustment rate. Upon an expiration of the predetermined time period, the actual power level is adjusted at a second adjustment rate, wherein the second adjustment rate is slower than the first adjustment rate.

Abstract: A macroblock in a video sequence may be undecodable because the corresponding compressed data is lost or the syntax is out of synchronization. An undecodable macroblock may be concealed using error concealment technique. The level of initial visible artifacts caused by undecodable macroblocks may be estimated as a function of motion magnitude, error concealment distance, and/or residual energy. The initial visible artifacts may propagate spatially or temporally to other macroblocks through prediction. Considering both initial visible artifacts and propagated artifacts, levels of overall artifacts may be estimated for individual macroblocks. The visual quality for the video sequence can then be estimated by pooling the macroblock level artifact levels.

Abstract: To estimate content complexity of a video, energy of prediction residuals is calculated. The prediction residuals are usually smaller when the video is less complex and more predictable. Scales of prediction residuals also depend on encoding configurations, for example, I pictures usually have larger prediction residuals than P and B pictures even when the contents are very similar and thus have similar perceived content complexity. To more closely reflect the content complexity, alignment scaling factors are estimated for different encoding configurations. Based on the energy of prediction residuals and alignment scaling factors, an overall content unpredictability parameter can be estimated to compute a compression distortion factor for the video. The compression distortion factor, combined with slicing and freezing distortion factors, can be used to estimate a video quality metric for the video.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting a gradual transition picture in a bitstream. The method comprises: accessing a bitstream including encoded pictures; and determining a gradual transition picture in the bitstream using information from the bitstream without decoding the bitstream to derive pixel information.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a mail sending method and an email system and relates to the field of internet communications. The method includes: receiving a mail sending request which carries a mail template filled out by a sender; encapsulating the mail template into an anonymous mail that includes no receiver mailbox ID and no sender mailbox ID; and obtaining a receiver mailbox ID and delivering the encapsulated anonymous mail to a mailbox corresponding to the obtained receiver mailbox ID. The email system includes: a receiving module, an encapsulating module, and a delivering module. The present invention enables a sender to send an anonymous mail to a stranger whose mailbox address is unknown to the sender and provides a service for users to talk about privacy issues.

Abstract: Accuracy and efficiency of video quality measurement are major problems to be solved. According to the invention, a method for accurately predicting video quality uses a rational function of the quantization parameter QP, which is corrected by a correction function that depends on content unpredictability CU. Exemplarily, the correction function is a power function of the CU. Both QP and CU can be computed from the video elementary stream, without full decoding the video. This ensures high efficiency.

Abstract: Various implementations address distortion and quality measurements related to, for example, freeze-with-skip and/or a freeze-without-skip events. In several implementations, information is accessed indicating that a first and second set of one or more consecutive pictures are not to be displayed. A first and second indicator are determined. In one such implementation, the first and second indicators indicate an amount of distortion across one or more types of distortive effects that result from displaying substantially a first, or second, same picture during a display time for the first, or second, set of pictures. The first and second indicators are combined in a non-linear manner. In another such implementation, the distortion is associated with a given type of distortive effect, from among multiple types of distortive effects, and the first and second indicators are combined for the given type of distortive effect.

Abstract: A particular implementation decomposes an image into a structure component and a texture component. An edge strength map is calculated for the structure component, and a texture strength map is calculated for the texture component. Using the edge strength and the texture strength, texture masking weights are calculated. The stronger the texture strength is, or the weaker the edge strength is, the more distortion can be tolerated by human eyes, and thus, the smaller the texture masking weight is. The local distortions are then weighted by the texture masking weights to generate an overall distortion level or an overall quality metric.

Abstract: A particular implementation detects scene cut artifacts in a bitstream without reconstructing the video. A scene cut artifact is usually observed in the decoded video (1) when a scene cut picture in the original video is partially received or (2) when a picture refers to a lost scene cut picture in the original video. To detect scene cut artifacts, candidate scene cut pictures are first selected and scene cut artifact detection is then performed on the candidate pictures. When a block is determined to have a scene cut artifact, a lowest quality level is assigned to the block.

Abstract: A particular implementation receives a bitstream and derives parameters from the bitstream. The parameters include quantization parameters, content unpredictability parameters, ratios of lost blocks, ratios of propagated blocks, error concealment distances, motion vectors, durations of freezing, and frame rates. Using these parameters, a compression distortion factor, a slicing distortion factor, and a freezing distortion factor are estimated respectively for distortions resulting from video compression, a slicing mode error concealment, and a freezing slicing mode error concealment. The distortion factors are then mapped to a composite video quality score. For applications with limited computational power, the estimation of distortion factors can be simplified. In particular, the compression distortion factor, the slicing distortion factor, and the freezing distortion factor can be predicted from quantization parameters, ratios of lost blocks, and durations of freezing, respectively.

Abstract: A method for switching a current information providing mode is provided, wherein the method comprises steps as follows: user context information related to a user device is firstly collected. A current user context of the user device is then identified in accordance with the collected user context information, so as to an identified consequence data is the generated. A current information providing mode suitable for the current user context of the user device is subsequently switched according to the consequence data.

Abstract: A method for estimating video quality on bit-stream level, wherein the video quality refers to a video after error concealment and the method is performed on bit-stream level before said error concealment, comprises extracting and/or calculating a plurality of global condition features from a video bit-stream, extracting and/or calculating a plurality of local effectiveness features at least for a lost MB, calculating a numeric error concealment effectiveness level for each (or at least for each lost) MB by emulating an error concealment method that is used in said error concealment, and providing the calculated error concealment effectiveness level as an estimated visible artifacts level of video quality.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the method includes despreading the received signals by applying an unused channelization code, determining noise power based on output of the despreading, and determining a signal-to-noise ratio, SIR, based on the noise power and at least one of the received signals.

Abstract: A method of providing information to a prospective user is performed at a server having one or more processors and memory storing programs to be executed by the processors, the method including receiving audio feature information and location information from a client device, wherein the audio feature information is extracted from an audio signal received by the client device and the location information identifies a current location of the client device; comparing predefined audio feature information with the received audio feature information and comparing predefined location information with the received location information; and pushing predefined information to the client device from the server if there is a match of both comparisons made at the server.

Abstract: A user terminal device, a server device, a system and a method for assessing quality of media data are described. The user terminal device is used for extracting artefact features from the media data and for communicating the features to the server device which is then used for determining a quality score using the artefacts and an artefact/quality score database accessible by the server device. The score, transmitted to the user terminal device, is presented to a user from which a subjective quality score and a request for re-determination are received which the user terminal device communicates to the server device. This in turn is used for re-determining the quality score and for transmitting back the re-determined quality score wherein the quality score is re-determined using the received artefacts, the received subjective quality score and the artefact/quality score database.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing matching information to prospective first and second users is performed at a server, the method including: receiving first audio data and first user information; receiving second audio data, and second user information; storing a first timestamp of the first audio data and first user information and a second timestamp of the second audio data and second user information; performing analysis processing on the first audio data to obtain first feature information, and performing analysis processing on the second audio data to obtain second feature information; judging whether the first timestamp and the second timestamp and the first feature information and the second feature information match; and if the first and second times of receipt and the first and second feature information match, sending the first user information to the second user and sending, by the server, the second user information to the first user.

Abstract: In video coding, prediction of P- and B-frames is based on reference frames, which are indicated by reference picture lists. Scalable video coding (SVC) requires this for both, base-layer and enhancement-layer. The invention describes a decoding process for reference picture list construction for spatial enhancement layer. With just one flag of syntax modification, it provides simpler and direct reference lists construction process. By using this, complicated RPLR and other syntaxes can be skipped, and the RPLR process for spatial enhancement layer can also be avoided. The process also can be used as for error concealment when the spatial enhancement layer slice is lost.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a mail sending method and an email system and relates to the field of internet communications. The method includes: receiving a mail sending request which carries a mail template filled out by a sender; encapsulating the mail template into an anonymous mail that includes no receiver mailbox ID and no sender mailbox ID; and obtaining a receiver mailbox ID and delivering the encapsulated anonymous mail to a mailbox corresponding to the obtained receiver mailbox ID. The email system includes: a receiving module, an encapsulating module, and a delivering module. The present invention enables a sender to send an anonymous mail to a stranger whose mailbox address is unknown to the sender and provides a service for users to talk about privacy issues.