Abstract: A water ring encoding apparatus configured to process an initial data set, such as a video image frame, is disclosed. The water ring encoding apparatus includes a a scanner and an encoder. The initial data set is organized with at least one initial origin enveloped by a plurality of nested initial environs successively surrounding each other in the initial data set. The scanner is configured to write a portion of the data from the initial data set into a scanned data string by starting at the RC grouping corresponding to the initial origin (initial water ring (0)) and by sequentially progressing outwardly from the family of RC groupings corresponding to the nearest nested initial environ (initial water ring (1)) towards the family of RC groupings corresponding to a furthest nested initial environ (initial water ring (n)). The encoder is configured to encode the scanned data string into an encoded data string.

Abstract: Provided is an inter-frame wavelet coding apparatus that can reduce the computation complexity of a decoder by adjusting a decomposition level and a filter length based on the information amount of a frame during wavelet transform and a method therefor.

Abstract: A texture-based image database browsing and sorting method computes the number of edge pixels of objects in static images, measures textures of the static images by numerating the number of edge pixels thereof and measures a texture of a query image by numerating the number of edge pixels of an object in the query image. Then, the method sorts the measured textures according to a sorting order and searches a texture close to the texture of the query image among the sorted textures.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for converting contents. The apparatus includes: a contents input unit for receiving contents for digital television (DTV) broadcasting; a decompiling unit for analyzing a class file of the contents for DTV broadcasting transmitted from the contents input unit and creating common contents conversion information and contents conversion information; a contents converting unit for converting the contents for DTV broadcasting transmitted from the contents input unit based on the created common contents conversion information; and an eXtensible MPEG-4 Textual format (XMT) creating unit for applying the contents conversion information to a template file from outside and creating XMT.

Abstract: In a device for editing and authoring object-based AV (audio and visual) contents using the MPEG-4 method, an object-based MPEG-4 (moving picture experts group 4) contents editing and authoring device comprises: an extensible description generator for receiving either of an MPEG-4 textual format or internal data structure information of object-based MPEG-4 contents, and MPEG-7 (moving picture experts group 7) descriptions of the MPEG-4 contents, and generating an XML (extensible markup language) based textual format file including the MPEG-7 descriptions; an extensible description/binary converter for receiving the XML based textual format file including the MPEG-7 descriptions generated by the extensible description generator, and generating them as a binary file; and an XML based contents storage unit for storing the XML based textual format file generated by the extensible description generator and the binary file generated by the extensible description/binary converter.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a karaoke service using an object-oriented audio/video karaoke contents through a digital TV using a set-top box connected to a cable network or internet is disclosed. The system for providing a karaoke service using the set-top box, the system includes: a user management server for authenticating and managing a user accessing the karaoke service system to use object-oriented audio/video karaoke contents through a cable network or internet; and a contents service server for providing an object-oriented audio/video karaoke contents list to an authenticated user and karaoke contents selected by the authenticated user to a set-top box.

Abstract: A water ring scanning apparatus and method, and an apparatus and method for encoding/decoding video sequences using the same are disclosed. A water ring scanning apparatus includes: a preferential scan unit for scanning information on a water ring origin point (water_ring(0)) in an image frame, which is a most significant bit of the image frame to be preferentially scanned; a scan location decision unit for deciding a location of i_th generated water ring (water_ring(i)), which is a rectangular-shape ring surrounding the water ring origin point; and a scan unit for scanning information on the location of the i_th generated water ring.

Abstract: A method for transmitting variable length packets based on FEC coding. Data packets are successively and contiguously stored in a two-dimensional storage device. FEC coding is performed to generate parity packets. The parity packets are stored in the two-dimensional storage device. The data packets, offsets representing positions of the data packets in the two-dimensional storage device, types of packets, and the parity packets are then transmitted.

Abstract: A texture-based image database browsing and sorting method computes the number of edge pixels of objects in static images, measures textures of the static images by numerating the number of edge pixels thereof and measures a texture of a query image by numerating the number of edge pixels of an object in the query image. Then, the method sorts the measured textures according to a sorting order and searches a texture close to the texture of the query image among the sorted textures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for partially transmitting high-resolution and high-volume JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image data as well as a computer-based recording medium for recording the program to embody the method; and, more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for transmitting the images not by sending the entire data but part of them needed for display only in image data transmission, thus reducing the amount of transmission and shortening waiting time.