Abstract: An intra prediction apparatus includes: a candidate narrowing-down unit which narrows down, from a plurality of intra prediction directions, an intra prediction direction candidate which is applied to a block of multiple pixels that constitutes a video in accordance with a characteristic of the video; and an intra prediction execution unit which executes intra prediction in the intra prediction direction narrowed down by said candidate narrowing-down unit. Through this, computational load can be lightened while contributing to improvement in picture quality and encoding efficiency.

Abstract: A picture coding apparatus, optimizing a data amount of coded picture data without entailing an increase in circuit size and/or power consumption, includes a picture input unit obtaining a moving picture signal Vin. Further, the picture coding apparatus includes a buffer, includes a lead detecting unit detecting a lead portion from the moving picture represented by the moving picture signal Vin, includes a coding unit coding the moving picture signal Vin in the lead portion detected by the lead detecting unit, according to a coding condition for temporary coding, and includes a coding condition generating unit generating a coding condition for actual coding, based on the result of the coding by the coding unit and the coding condition for temporary coding. Additionally, coding unit codes the moving picture signal Vin representing the moving picture including the aforementioned lead portion, according to the coding condition for actual coding.

Abstract: A video coding apparatus includes: a change amount detection unit that detects, based on pixel data included in a target block to be coded, an amount of change indicating a displacement between a top field and a bottom field caused by a difference in image capture time between the top field and the bottom field which are consecutive; a quantization width determination unit that determines, as a quantization width used for the target block, a first quantization width when the amount of change is a first value, and a second quantization width when the amount of change is a second value that is larger than the first value, the second quantization width being smaller than the first quantization width; and a quantization unit that quantizes the target block using the quantization width determined by the quantization width determination unit.

Abstract: A coding method conversion apparatus converts the first coded data coded by the first coding method into the second coded data. The coding method conversion apparatus includes: an H.264 decoder which decodes the first coded data; a deblocking filter strength calculation unit which calculates a filter strength of deblocking filtering of a second coding method, using at least one piece of decoding information except a coding type of the first coded data, the decoding information being obtained by decoding the first coded data; and a deblocking filter which performs the deblocking filtering to reduce noise in a boundary of blocks according to the filter strength calculated by the deblocking filter strength calculation unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member, a toner image forming device for forming an image on the image bearing member, and an intermediary transfer member for carrying a toner image. A cleaning member removes toner remaining on the image bearing member, a speed switching device selectively set a speed of the recording material, and an intermediary transfer member speed switching device switches a rotational speed of the intermediary transfer member after the toner image is transferred. A charging control device render off a DC voltage applied to the charging member after transfer of the toner image and while the intermediary transfer member is carrying the toner image. A charging member cleaning control devices permits, when a signal for starting image formation is inputted, a cleaning operation for discharging toner deposited on the charging member to the image bearing member before starting the image formation.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus executes intra-frame prediction with a predetermined intra-frame prediction mode for a certain block. A block selection unit judges that the current block to be coded is a prediction error calculation block or a non-prediction error calculation block. In the case where the current block is a prediction error calculation block, a mode error value calculation unit calculates the prediction error by the sum of absolute differences and for all of the intra-frame prediction modes, an inter-mode comparison unit compares the prediction errors, and as a result of the comparison, an intra-frame prediction mode having the minimum prediction errors is determined as the intra-frame prediction mode. In the case where the current block is a non-prediction error calculation block, the prediction error is not calculated. As an alternative, a prediction mode estimation unit determines the intra-frame prediction mode based on the neighboring prediction mode information stored in a storage unit.

Abstract: A picture coding apparatus includes a static area information calculating unit that calculates static area information indicating a size of a static area of which motion is smaller than a predetermined value for each of fields included in an interlaced picture, a reference field selecting unit that selects, as a reference field to be used to predict a field to be coded, one of a field having of the same parity as a field to be coded and a field having the opposite parity of the field to be coded, among fields previously coded, based on the static area information of the fields previously coded, and a coding unit that codes the field to be coded by using the reference field selected by the reference field selecting unit.

Abstract: The picture coding apparatus includes: a picture feature amount extracting unit which extracts respective feature amounts of the current picture and a picture having a specific relationship with the current picture; a correlation degree calculating unit which calculates, based on the feature amount extracted by the feature amount extracting unit, a correlation degree indicating a degree of image similarity between the current picture and the picture having a specific relationship with the current picture; a picture type determining unit which determines, depending on the calculated correlation degree, a picture type for the current picture, from two picture types on which different inter-picture prediction is performed; and a coding unit which codes the current picture according to the determined picture type.

Abstract: The picture coding apparatus, which optimizes data amount of coded picture data without entailing an increase in circuit size and/or power consumption, includes: a picture input unit which obtains a moving picture signal Vin; a buffer; a lead detecting unit which detects a lead portion from the moving picture represented by the moving picture signal Vin; a coding unit which codes the moving picture signal Vin in the lead portion detected by the lead detecting unit, according to a coding condition for temporary coding; and a coding condition generating unit which generates a coding condition for actual coding, based on the result of the coding by the coding unit and the coding condition for temporary coding. Then, coding unit codes the moving picture signal Vin representing the moving picture including the aforementioned lead portion, according to the coding condition for actual coding.

Abstract: The image coding apparatus according to the present invention is an image coding apparatus, including an imaging unit, a chroma quantization width adjustment unit configured to determine a chroma quantization width using a first method when the amount of the incident light on the imaging unit is larger than the predetermined amount, and to adjust the chroma quantization width such that the chroma quantization width is larger than a quantization width determined using the first method when the light amount judging unit judges that the amount of the incident light is smaller than the predetermined amount, and a luma quantization width adjustment unit configured to determine a luma quantization width using a second method without being dependent on the amount of the incident light.

Abstract: A coding method conversion apparatus converts the first coded data coded by the first coding method into the second coded data. The coding method conversion apparatus includes: an H.264 decoder which decodes the first coded data; a deblocking filter strength calculation unit which calculates a filter strength of deblocking filtering of a second coding method, using at least one piece of decoding information except a coding type of the first coded data, the decoding information being obtained by decoding the first coded data; and a deblocking filter which performs the deblocking filtering to reduce noise in a boundary of blocks according to the filter strength calculated by the deblocking filter strength calculation unit.

Abstract: Provided is a moving picture coding device and a moving picture coding method used by the device, which can prevent a search range of reference pictures from being unnecessarily extended when the first coding method is converted into the second coding method.

Abstract: The moving picture coding apparatus according to the present invention includes: a decoding unit 10 which decodes an MPEG2 stream; a coding parameter extracting unit 11 which extracts a coding parameter of MPEG2 from the MPEG stream; a re-coding parameter determining unit 12 which judges, based on the coding parameter of MPEG2 extracted by the coding parameter extracting unit 11, the degree of correlation between image data coded in MPEG2 and its reference picture and determines a coding parameter of H.264 based on the result of the judgment; and a coding unit 13 which codes, in H.264, the image data decoded by the decoding unit 10, using the coding parameter of H.264 determined by the re-coding parameter determining unit 12.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member; a charging member contacted to the image bearing member to charge the image bearing member; toner image forming means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; an intermediary transfer member for carrying a toner image transferred from the image bearing member; a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on the image bearing member after transfer of the toner image; speed switching means for selectively setting a speed of the recording material from a plurality of levels; intermediary transfer member speed switching means for switching a rotational speed of the intermediary transfer member after the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member; charging control means for rendering off a DC voltage applied to the charging member after transfer of the toner image onto the intermediary transfer member and during the intermediary transfer member carrying the toner image; and char

Abstract: The present invention provides a motion vector estimation apparatus which can decrease circuit size by reducing the amount of computations for detecting a motion vector. The motion vector estimation apparatus in the present invention includes a motion vector estimation unit which estimates a motion vector MV0F for the target block BL0 by searching within a reference picture P1 for a block with an image similar to an image in the target block BL0, which is included in a picture B2; a prediction calculation unit and a prediction range control unit which specify a search range in the reference picture P1 based on the motion vector MV0F and; the motion vector estimation unit estimates the motion vector MV1F for the target block BL1 by searching in the search range for a block with an image similar to an image in the target block BL1, which is included in the picture B3.

Abstract: To provide a motion vector estimating device and a motion vector estimating method which are capable of estimating motion vectors with a high accuracy while reducing the processing amount.

Abstract: A motion vector estimation apparatus that can reduce an amount of calculation for video coding processing and thus achieve a higher bit rate and lower consumption power, while contributing to improvement in image quality and coding efficiency include: a reduced picture generation unit which generates a reduced current picture to be coded and a reduced reference picture; a region partition unit which partitions a reduced current picture to be coded into regions and generates reduced region images; a region motion vector estimation unit which estimates a region motion vector of a reduced region image; a confidence level calculation unit which calculates a confidence level of a region motion vector; and a block size narrowing-down unit which narrows down candidate block sizes so as to determine a block size to be used for coding a current block to be coded, based on a region motion vector and a confidence level of the region motion vector.

Abstract: A reproduction equipment converts an identification code of the reproduction equipment into a plurality of signal sequences using a correspondence table and embeds the obtained plurality of signal sequences in AV signals as a digital watermark. A reproduction equipment specifying equipment compares correlation values of the AV signals, containing the digital watermark embedded therein with all signal sequences contained in a correspondence table. A comparison of the correlation values with a previously set threshold value determines the embedded signal sequences and the identification code of the reproduction equipment which may be extracted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that bears a toner image; an intermediate transferring material; a transferring unit that transfers a toner image on the image bearing member to the intermediate transferring material; a bias applying unit that applies a bias to the transferring unit; a cleaning unit that contacts and cleans the surface of the image bearing member; a toner supplying unit that, when an image is not being formed, passes a toner image for supply that is formed on the image bearing member through a transferring position to supply the toner image for supply to the cleaning unit; and a switching unit that switches from a state in which the power supply portion is electrically connected to the bias applying unit to a state in which a resistance value between the power supply portion and a ground is 100 M? or more.

Abstract: The image coding apparatus does not determine the intra-frame prediction mode based on the prediction error of the entire blocks included in a macro block, but executes intra-frame prediction with the predetermined intra-frame prediction mode for a certain block. The block selection unit judges that the current block to be coded is a prediction error calculation block or a non-prediction error calculation block. In the case where the current block is a prediction error calculation block, the mode error value calculation unit calculates the prediction error by the sum of absolute differences and the like for all of the intra-frame prediction modes, the inter-mode comparison unit compares the prediction errors, and as a result of the comparison, the intra-frame prediction mode having the minimum prediction errors is determined as the intra-frame prediction mode. In the case where the current block is a non-prediction error calculation block, the prediction error is not calculated.