Abstract: A method and apparatus for predictive coding of spherical or 360-degree video with dynamics dominated by camera motion. To achieve efficient compression, a geodesic translation motion model is introduced to characterize the perceived motion of objects on the sphere. Pixels in the surrounding objects are perceived as translating on the sphere along their respective geodesics, which intersect at the two points where a line, determined by the motions of the camera and surrounding objects, intersects the sphere. This motion compensation perfectly models the perceived motion on the sphere, and accounts for perspective distortions due to camera and object motions. Experimental results demonstrate that the preferred embodiments of the present invention achieve significant performance gains over prevalent motion-compensated prediction techniques, across various projection geometries.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for predictive coding of spherical or 360-degree video. To achieve efficient compression, a rotational motion model is introduced to characterize motion on the sphere, specifically, in terms of sphere rotations about given axes. This model preserves an object's shape and size on the sphere. A motion vector in this model implicitly specifies an axis of rotation and the degree of rotation about that axis, to convey actual motion of the object on the sphere. Complementary to the rotational motion model, an effective location-invariant motion search technique that is agnostic of the projection format is provided that is tailored to the sphere's geometry. Experimental results demonstrate that the preferred embodiments of this invention achieve significant gains over prevalent motion models, across various projection geometries.

Abstract: A method, device, and apparatus provide the ability to predict a portion of a polyphonic audio signal for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a framework of a cascade of long term prediction filters, which by design is tailored to account for all periodic components present in a polyphonic signal. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize the system parameters. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of each enhanced prediction is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides enhanced inter-frame prediction for the compression of polyphonic audio signals, particularly at low delay. Another specific technique provides improved frame loss concealment capabilities to combat packet loss in audio communications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide the ability to code signals in a layered manner for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a relaxed hierarchical structure of layers, wherein only an optimal subset of information from lower quality levels is transmitted to higher level decoders. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize system parameters. Specialization may include techniques for employing irregular quantizers and/or estimation theoretic optimal parameter selection and/or content specific optimization (e.g., exploiting harmonic structure in audio, adaptive transform coding and enhanced motion compensated prediction for video) and/or optimization of the structure of the layers, where the potential of exploiting all the common information is realized to improve overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides improved compression of signals with multiple quality levels with or without prediction.

Abstract: A scalable predictive coder in which the current frame of data is predicted at the enhancement-layer by processing and combining the reconstructed signal at: (i) the current base-layer (or lower layers) frame; and (ii) the previous enhancement-layer frame. The combining rule takes into account the compressed prediction error of the base-layer, and the parameters used for its compression.

Abstract: A method, device, and apparatus provide the ability to predict a portion of a polyphonic audio signal for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a framework of a cascade of long term prediction filters, which by design is tailored to account for all periodic components present in a polyphonic signal. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize the system parameters. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of each enhanced prediction is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides enhanced inter-frame prediction for the compression of polyphonic audio signals, particularly at low delay. Another specific technique provides improved frame loss concealment capabilities to combat packet loss in audio communications.

Abstract: The present invention is a proxy based network communication system and method that incorporates one or more proxy servers that may be non-static, dynamic proxy servers, operable to automatically identify aspects of a user's network environment and details of the servers in said network and to set-up and configure software to be utilized by a user without user input of details of the user's network environment. These operations of the present invention may be undertaken at a point of user setup and reinitiated upon recognition of a communication problem, The present invention may further be operable to allow a user to access only the part of the network to which the user requires access, and to prevent the user from accessing other parts of the network. The present invention therefore provides a secure environment by implementing changing proxy servers rather than static proxy servers and restricting user access within the network on a need-for-access basis.

Abstract: A method, device, and apparatus provide the ability to predict a portion of a polyphonic audio signal for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a framework of a cascade of long term prediction filters, which by design is tailored to account for all periodic components present in a polyphonic signal. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize the system parameters. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of each enhanced prediction is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides enhanced inter-frame prediction for the compression of polyphonic audio signals, particularly at low delay. Another specific technique provides improved frame loss concealment capabilities to combat packet loss in audio communications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide the ability to resample video frame into various resolutions, and to predict, quantize, and entropy code the video signal for spatially scalable compression and networking applications. The solution involves a unified re-sampling and estimation-theoretic prediction, quantization, and entropy coding framework, which by design is tailored to allow base layer coding information to be fully accessible and usable by enhancement layers; and for the enhancement layer to account for all available information from both layers for superior compression performance. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of the unified resampling and estimation-theoretic framework is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance over existing schemes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence at least 90% identical to a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, where the protein as an aspartic acid (Asp) at amino acid position 106. The present invention also relates to a transgenic plant with reduced or delayed softening and deterioration of fruit compared to wild-type plants, methods of genetic screening for plants having reduced or delayed softening and deterioration of fruit, isolated oligonucleotides, and a method of imparting to a plant the dfd trait.

Abstract: Disclosed is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that is at least 90% identical to a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 4, wherein the protein has an aspartic acid (Asp) at amino acid position 106 Transgenic plants comp?sing the nucleic acid have reduced or delayed softening and detenoration of fruit compared to wild-type plants Methods of genetic screening for plants having reduced or delayed softening and detenoration of fruit, isolated oligonucleotides, and a method of imparting to a plant the dfd trait are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide the ability to code signals in a layered manner for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a relaxed hierarchical structure of layers, wherein only an optimal subset of information from lower quality levels is transmitted to higher level decoders. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize system parameters. Specialization may include techniques for employing irregular quantizers and/or estimation theoretic optimal parameter selection and/or content specific optimization (e.g., exploiting harmonic structure in audio, adaptive transform coding and enhanced motion compensated prediction for video) and/or optimization of the structure of the layers, where the potential of exploiting all the common information is realized to improve overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides improved compression of signals with multiple quality levels with or without prediction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide the ability to resample video frame into various resolutions, and to predict, quantize, and entropy code the video signal for spatially scalable compression and networking applications. The solution involves a unified re-sampling and estimation-theoretic prediction, quantization, and entropy coding framework, which by design is tailored to allow base layer coding information to be fully accessible and usable by enhancement layers; and for the enhancement layer to account for all available information from both layers for superior compression performance. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of the unified resampling and estimation-theoretic framework is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance over existing schemes.

Abstract: A method is described for efficiently determining total end-to-end distortion of a pre-compressed data stream, such as video streams or other media streams, at the time of delivery over a lossy-network, and for providing adaptive error-resilient delivery schemes based on distortion estimates. The methods can be utilized with single or multilayer packet streams and are particularly well suited for video streams. By way of example, distortion estimates are performed by generating side-information at the time of data stream compression, wherein the side-information is used in conjunction with information about the network status to determine an estimated distortion for the group of packets when the data stream is transported over the network to a destination end. This estimation may be utilized within described resiliency techniques in which the error correction mechanism is selected in response to the estimated distortion, which may be additionally refined in reference to cost factors.

Abstract: The present invention is a proxy based network communication system and method that incorporates one or more proxy servers that may be non-static, dynamic proxy servers, operable to automatically identify aspects of a user's network environment and details of the servers in said network and to set-up and configure software to be utilized by a user without user input of details of the user's network environment. These operations of the present invention may be undertaken at a point of user setup and reinitiated upon recognition of a communication problem, The present invention may further be operable to allow a user to access only the part of the network to which the user requires access, and to prevent the user from accessing other parts of the network. The present invention therefore provides a secure environment by implementing changing proxy servers rather than static proxy servers and restricting user access within the network on a need-for-access basis.

Abstract: A method, device, and apparatus provide the ability to predict a portion of a polyphonic audio signal for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a framework of a cascade of long term prediction filters, which by design is tailored to account for all periodic components present in a polyphonic signal. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize the system parameters. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of each enhanced prediction is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides enhanced inter-frame prediction for the compression of polyphonic audio signals, particularly at low delay. Another specific technique provides improved frame loss concealment capabilities to combat packet loss in audio communications.

Abstract: A scalable predictive coder in which the current frame of data is predicted at the enhancement-layer by processing and combining the reconstructed signal at: (i) the current base-layer (or lower layers) frame; and (ii) the previous enhancement-layer frame. The combining rule takes into account the compressed prediction error of the base-layer, and the parameters used for its compression.

Abstract: A system for low-latency, high-resolution, continuous motion, staring panoramic video imaging includes a plurality of high-resolution video cameras, each video camera generating about at least 500 kilopixel near-real time video. The cameras can be supported for positioning the plurality of cameras at predetermined angular locations to generate a full 360 degree field of view. The system can also include an image processor for processing video image signals in parallel and providing panoramic images. In one embodiment, the system can include a display to provide seamless panoramic images. In another embodiment, the panoramic imaging and display system incorporates an intelligent driver's viewer for use with vehicles which can intelligently and adaptively select and display a separate field of view in response to a variety of internal and external data inputs.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for adapting bandwidth utilization over fabric links. In one embodiment of the method, a transmitting device transmits data at a first non-zero rate to a memory for storage therein during a first period of time. The transmitting device then transmits data at a second non-zero rate to the memory for storage therein during a second period of time. The second period of time is subsequent to the first period of time, and the second non-zero rate is greater than or less than the first non-zero rate. This method may find application in switching network where the transmitting device is contained in a switching fabric, the memory is a FIFO buffer contained in a line card coupled to the switching fabric via a data link, and where the transmitter transmits data via the data link to the FIFO buffer for storage therein.