Patents by Inventor Kohtaro Asai

Kohtaro Asai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGION-BASED MOVING IMAGE ENCODING AND DECODING
    Publication number: 20070263727
    Abstract: In partitioning and encoding an image into multiple regions, the degree of freedom of the region shape has generally been low and setting regions based on image features was difficult. A moving image encoding apparatus includes a region partitioning section, an encoder, and a memory for motion-compensated prediction. The region partitioning section includes a partitioning processing section and a integration processing section. The partitioning processing section partitions the input image based on a criterion relating to the state of partition. The integration processing section integrates mutually close regions based on a criterion relating to the state of integration. Thereafter, each region is encoded. A large variety of region shapes can be produced by the integration processing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Yoshimi Isu, Kohtaro Asai
  • Coded Data Recording Apparatus, Decoding Apparatus and Program
    Publication number: 20070230805
    Abstract: A coded data recoding apparatus includes a coded data analyzing unit 1 for extracting block data and data showing the image characteristics of the block data from moving image coded data, two or more code tables 4 and 5 in each of which the code amount is optimized for each of the above-mentioned image characteristics, a code table selecting unit 2 for selecting a code table which is used for recoding on the basis of the data showing the image characteristics extracted by the coded data analyzing unit 1, and a variable length recoding unit 3 for outputting a bit stream of coded data in which the block data are recoded thereby using the code table selected by code table selecting unit 2 selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Yoshiaki Kato, Kohtaro Asai
  • Digital signal coding apparatus, digital signal decoding apparatus, digital signal arithmetic coding method and digital signal arithmetic decoding method
    Publication number: 20070205927
    Abstract: In a bit stream syntax containing compressed video slice data for compressed video data of a slice structure, a slice header for compressed video slice data has attached thereto a slice start code, a register reset flag indicating whether a register value, which designates a status of a codeword occurring in an arithmetic coding process, should be reset in the next transmission unit, an initial register value which indicates a register value to be used to start arithmetic coding/decoding to build/decompose the next transmission unit, only when the register reset flag indicates that the register should not be reset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Yoshihisa Yamada, Kohtaro Asai
  • Image coding apparatus, image coding method, image decoding apparatus and image decoding method
    Publication number: 20070172138
    Abstract: A coded bit stream generated on a coding side consists of a VO header, a VOL header, a GOV header, a VOP header and VOP data, and the VOL header multiplexes an object intra-coded indicator signal indicating whether all the VOP data contained in a VOL or GOV are intra coded or not. This enables a decoding side to recognize whether all the VOP data contained in the VOL or GOV in the coded bit stream are intra coded or not by only analyzing the object intra-coded indicator signal. This can facilitate such processings as frame skip control or random access of the VOPs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Yuri Hasegawa, Shunichi Sekiguchi, Shinichi Kuroda, Kohtaro Asai, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Yoshimi Isu
  • Image coding device and method of image coding
    Patent number: 7215710
    Abstract: The input image controller reduces the frame rate of a motion image signal as a preprocessing, provides process information indicating the skipped frames and/or skipped fields to the image coder, wherein the image coder codes, by use of the MPEG 2 method, the motion image signal whose frame rate has been reduced, and outputs the data which is in conformity with the MPEG 2 method and includes overhead information on the basis of the process information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Okikazu Tanno, Kohtaro Asai, Tokumichi Murakami
  • Image coding apparatus, image coding method, image decoding apparatus and image decoding method
    Patent number: 7197188
    Abstract: A coded bit stream generated on a coding side consists of a VO header, a VOL header, a GOV header, a VOP header and VOP data, and the VOL header multiplexes an object intra-coded indicator signal indicating whether all the VOP data contained in a VOL or GOV are intra coded or not. This enables a decoding side to recognize whether all the VOP data contained in the VOL or GOV in the coded bit stream are intra coded or not by only analyzing the object intra-coded indicator signal. This can facilitate such processings as frame skip control or random access of the VOPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuri Hasegawa, Shunichi Sekiguchi, Shinichi Kuroda, Kohtaro Asai, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Yoshimi Isu
  • Image coding apparatus with segment classification and segmentation-type motion prediction circuit
    Publication number: 20070014354
    Abstract: A segmenting section divides an input image into a plurality of segments. A hierarchizing section determines classes of the respective segments according to a predetermined criterion, and produces a class identification signal indicating the classes of the respective segments. A coding section encodes the segmented image signal into code data while changing the value of a coding control parameter for each of the segments in accordance with the class identification signal. Examples of the coding control parameter are a coding time interval and precision of quantization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokumichi Murakami, Kohtaro Asai, Yoshihisa Yamada, Takahiro Fukuhara
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGION-BASED MOVING IMAGE ENCODING AND DECODING
    Publication number: 20070009046
    Abstract: In partitioning and encoding an image into multiple regions, the degree of freedom of the region shape has generally been low and setting regions based on image features was difficult. A moving image encoding apparatus includes a region partitioning section, an encoder, and a memory for motion-compensated prediction. The region partitioning section includes a partitioning processing section and an integration processing section. The partitioning processing section partitions the input image based on a criterion relating to the state of partition. The integration processing section integrates mutually close regions based on a criterion relating to the state of integration. Thereafter, each region is encoded. A large variety of region shapes can be produced by the integration processing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Shunichi SEKIGUCHI, Yoshimi Isu, Kohtaro Asai
  • Image encoding device, image encoding method, image decoding device and image decoding method
    Patent number: 7127110
    Abstract: A coded bit stream generated on a coding side consists of a VO header, a VOL header, a GOV header, a VOP header and VOP data, and the VOL header multiplexes an object intra-coded indicator signal indicating whether all the VOP data contained in a VOL or GOV are intra coded or not. This enables a decoding side to recognize whether all the VOP data contained in the VOL or GOV in the coded bit stream are intra coded or not by only analyzing the object intra-coded indicator signal. This can facilitate such processings as frame skip control or random access of the VOPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuri Hasegawa, Shunichi Sekiguchi, Shinichi Kuroda, Kohtaro Asai, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Yoshimi Isu
  • Video encoder, video decoder, video encoding method, video decoding method, and video encoding and decoding system
    Patent number: 7110456
    Abstract: A method and a video decoder for decoding an encoded bitstream of video data in a picture encoding and decoding system are disclosed. The video decoder includes a motion compensation unit for calculating a position for a sample image portion using an encoded bitstream of video data having a motion vector and rounding information. The calculated position of a sample image is rounded with the rounding information. The rounding information indicates the accuracy for rounding, and it is decoded from the bitstream. An image reconstruction unit reconstructs a decoded image portion of the video data from the sample image portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Kohtaro Asai, Tokumichi Murakami, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Shinichi Kuroda, Yoshimi Isu, Yuri Hasegawa
  • Digital signal encoding device, digital signal decoding device, digital signal arithmetic encoding method and digital signal arithmetic decoding method
    Patent number: 7095344
    Abstract: In a bit stream syntax containing compressed video slice data for compressed video data of a slice structure, a slice header for compressed video slice data has attached thereto a slice start code, a register reset flag indicating whether a register value, which designates a status of a codeword occurring in an arithmetic coding process, should be reset in the next transmission unit, an initial register value which indicates a register value to be used to start arithmetic coding/decoding to build/decompose the next transmission unit, only when the register reset flag indicates that the register should not be reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Yoshihisa Yamada, Kohtaro Asai
  • Moving object detector and image monitoring system
    Patent number: 7082210
    Abstract: A coded stream analyzer (102) variable-length decodes an incoming coded stream and extracts encoding parameters for each macroblock, such as an encoding mode, DCT coefficient values, the amount of codes of DCT coefficients, the amount of codes of each macroblock, and a motion vector, from the coded stream. An effective macroblock identification unit (103) then identifies macroblocks each of which can be contained in a moving object as an effective macroblock by using one or more encoding parameters extracted by the coded stream analyzer (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Sugimoto, Shinichi Kuroda, Fuminobu Ogawa, Kohtaro Asai
  • Video encoder, video decoder, video encoding method, video decoding method, and video encoding and decoding system
    Publication number: 20060159180
    Abstract: A method and a video decoder for decoding an encoded bitstream of video data in a picture encoding and decoding system are disclosed. The video decoder includes a motion compensation unit for calculating a position for a sample image portion using an encoded bitstream of video data having a motion vector and rounding information. The calculated position of a sample image is rounded with the rounding information. The rounding information indicates the accuracy for rounding, and it is decoded from the bitstream. An image reconstruction unit reconstructs a decoded image portion of the video data from the sample image portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Kohtaro Asai, Tokumichi Murakami, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Shinichi Kuroda, Yoshimi Isu, Yuri Hasegawa
  • Motion compensating apparatus, moving image coding apparatus and method
    Patent number: 7075989
    Abstract: The present invention provides a motion compensating apparatus which is capable of enhancing the overall coding efficiency by taking the amount of coded information used to code a motion vector as well as the sum of difference absolute values of estimated differences into consideration in order to determine an optimal vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokumichi Murakami, Hideo Ohira, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Kenichi Asano, Yoshihisa Yamada, Shunichi Sekiguchi, Kohtaro Asai
  • Image coding apparatus with segment classification and segmentation-type motion prediction circuit
    Publication number: 20060140279
    Abstract: A segmenting section divides an input image into a plurality of segments. A hierarchizing section determines classes of the respective segments according to a predetermined criterion, and produces a class identification signal indicating the classes of the respective segments. A coding section encodes the segmented image signal into code data while changing the value of a coding control parameter for each of the segments in accordance with the class identification signal. Examples of the coding control parameter are a coding time interval and precision of quantization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Tokumichi Murakami, Kohtaro Asai, Yoshihisa Yamada
  • Video encoder, video decoder, video encoding method, video decoding method, and video encoding and decoding system
    Publication number: 20060133508
    Abstract: A method and a video decoder for decoding an encoded bitstream of video data in a picture encoding and decoding system are disclosed. The video decoder includes a motion compensation unit for calculating a position for a sample image portion using an encoded bitstream of video data having a motion vector and rounding information. The calculated position of a sample image is rounded with the rounding information. The rounding information indicates the accuracy for rounding, and it is decoded from the bitstream. An image reconstruction unit reconstructs a decoded image portion of the video data from the sample image portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Kohtaro Asai, Tokumichi Murakami, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Shinichi Kuroda, Yoshimi Isu, Yuri Hasegawa
  • Apparatus for re-coding an image signal
    Patent number: 7062102
    Abstract: An apparatus for re-coding an image signal, which conducts re-coding processing using a decoded image signal subjected to coding processing as an input image signal, includes: a DCT unit for subjecting the input image signal to a discrete cosine transform (DCT); a DCT coefficient counter for counting a feature amount on a picture basis using a DCT coefficient output from the DCT unit; a picture type detector for detecting a picture type in coding processing in a previous stage, using the feature amount output from the DCT coefficient counter; a coding control portion for determining coding parameters in re-coding in accordance with detection results of the picture type detector; and a coding portion for conducting re-coding processing, using the coding parameters determined by the coding control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Shinichi Kuroda, Kazuo Sugimoto, Fuminobu Ogawa, Kohtaro Asai
  • Digital signal coding apparatus, digital signal decoding apparatus, digital signal arithmetic coding method and digital signal arithmetic decoding method
    Publication number: 20060109149
    Abstract: In a bit stream syntax containing compressed video slice data for compressed video data of a slice structure, a slice header for compressed video slice data has attached thereto a slice start code, a register reset flag indicating whether a register value, which designates a status of a codeword occurring in an arithmetic coding process, should be reset in the next transmission unit, an initial register value which indicates a register value to be used to start arithmetic coding/decoding to build/decompose the next transmission unit, only when the register reset flag indicates that the register should not be reset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventors: Shunichi Sekiguchi, Yoshihisa Yamada, Kohtaro Asai
  • Image retrieving and delivering system and image retrieving and delivering method
    Patent number: 7031965
    Abstract: In an image retrieving and delivering system and an image retrieving and delivering method, a feature descriptor is retrieved from a data base, in which each of a plurality of images including a moving picture and a static picture is registered with a feature descriptor describing the feature of the image, according to a retrieval condition input by a user, a retrieval result satisfying the retrieval condition is obtained, and the retrieval result is edited and processed according to a delivery condition obtained from a user terminal in which the retrieval result is to be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimi Moriya, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Yamada, Fuminobu Ogawa, Kohtaro Asai
  • Image coding apparatus, image coding method, image decoding apparatus and image decoding method
    Publication number: 20060067581
    Abstract: A coded bit stream generated on a coding side consists of a VO header, a VOL header, a GOV header, a VOP header and VOP data, and the VOL header multiplexes an object intra-coded indicator signal indicating whether all the VOP data contained in a VOL or GOV are intra coded or not. This enables a decoding side to recognize whether all the VOP data contained in the VOL or GOV in the coded bit stream are intra coded or not by only analyzing the object intra-coded indicator signal. This can facilitate such processings as frame skip control or random access of the VOPs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Inventors: Yuri Hasegawa, Shunichi Sekiguchi, Shinichi Kuroda, Kohtaro Asai, Hirofumi Nishikawa, Yoshimi Isu