Abstract: Block noises at block boundaries are removed, but when a contour line in the original image matches a block boundary, the degree of block noise removal is adjusted and image quality is improved. An adaptive filter has a step of calculating the weight of pixels near the block boundary by a high-pass filter, and a step of determining an adjusted value for the pixels near the block boundary based on the weight. The pixel values near the block boundary are adjusted and block noises are removed. A low-pass filter is applied to pixels near the block boundary to determine a filtered value. The adjusted values of the pixels near the block boundary are determined by obtaining a weighted sum of the original pixel value and the filtered value.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving image sharpness includes a pixel detector that labels each of pixels in an image as one of an edge/texture type and a non-edge/texture type, a pixel type determiner that classifies each of the pixels that are labeled as the edge/texture type as one of a border point type pixel, a transition point type pixel, and a peak point type pixel, and a filter. The filter includes a shrinking/expanding filter and a high boost filter, the shrinking/expanding filter filtering the border point type pixels, and the high boost filter subsequently filtering the peak point type pixels and then filtering the transition point type pixels.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for estimating temperature are provided for estimating a temperature of a test point in a space with an air conditioner. In the method, a first and a second sensor device are deployed in the space, wherein the second sensor device is deployed at the test point. Then, state parameters and temperature transformation functions are defined according to temperatures detected by the first and the second sensor devices and a state of the air conditioner during a predetermined time period. After the second sensor device is removed, a current state of the air conditioner is determined by reference temperatures detected by the first sensor device and the state parameters. One of the temperature transformation functions is selected according to the current state, and a current temperature of the test point is estimated by using the selected temperature transformation function and the reference temperatures.

Abstract: An image processing method, and an apparatus and an integrated circuit for implementing the method are adapted for use in a liquid crystal display. The method includes the steps of: determining which blocks in a decoded current frame are noisy blocks; finding, in a processed reference frame, a most similar reference block for each noisy block and generating a block velocity for each noisy block; and processing pixels that are in the noisy blocks having block velocities smaller than a liquid crystal response rate of the liquid crystal display, and that are not covered by after-images. The present invention utilizes the characteristics of liquid crystals to increase processing speed.

Abstract: In a method, apparatus and integrated circuit for improving image sharpness, the method includes the following steps: (a) labeling each of pixels in an image as one of an edge/texture type and a non-edge/texture type; (b) classifying each of the pixels that are labeled as the edge/texture type into one of a border point type, a transition point type, and a peak point type; and (c) using a shrinking/expanding filter to filter the pixels of the border point type, and subsequently using a high boost filter to first filter the pixels of the peak point type and then filter the pixels of the transition point type to sharpen the image.

Abstract: Image ringing noise is reduced by calculating a line spread function value of each pixel's luminance in an input image, dividing the input image into a plurality of blocks, and calculating an average value and a maximum value of the line spread function values for all pixels in each block. Based on the average value and the maximum value of the line spread function values of each block, whether a block is an interfered flat block or a non-interfered block is determined and the pixels in the interfered flat block are set as noisy pixels. Whether each pixel in the non-interfered block is an edge pixel or a non-edge pixel is determined and the non-edge pixels in the non-interfered block are set as noisy pixels. The noisy pixels thus set are smoothed, and the smoothed pixels are combined with the edge pixels for output as an output image.

Abstract: An image processing method for improving image quality by appropriately detecting ringing artifacts and reducing only the detected ringing artifacts, is an image processing method which includes: selecting, from among a plurality of pixels included in an input image, a candidate for a noise pixel included in the ringing artifacts, using luminance values of the plurality of pixels; judging whether or not the candidate selected in the selecting is the noise pixel based on whether or not a chrominance value of the candidate is included in a chrominance range corresponding to a comparison target region which is a part of the input image; and filtering the noise pixel which has been judged in the judging.

Abstract: A control circuit includes a temperature detection circuit, a comparison circuit, and an alarm circuit. The temperature detection circuit detects the temperature of a first socket and outputs a first temperature signal correspondingly. The comparison circuit compares the temperature signal with a reference temperature signal corresponding to a reference temperature, and outputs a control signal according to the comparison result. The alarm circuit alerts the users according to the control signal.

Abstract: A hand-off monitoring method is provided for monitoring a space divided into several monitoring regions. Each of the monitoring regions is monitored by a surveillance camera. The hand-off monitoring method comprises receiving a warning signal from a location and identifying a first surveillance camera related to the location according to the warning signal. Then, an object triggering the warning signal is identified according to a video signal provided by the first surveillance camera. A moving path of the object is predicted according to a non-linear movement prediction model. Then, a control operation is performed, according to the moving path, to control the surveillance cameras in the monitoring regions where the moving path passes so as to hand-off monitor the object.

Abstract: A first output pin of a microcontroller is connected to a control pin of a high speed switch chip. A second output pin of the microcontroller is connected to two control pins of first and second switch chips. Two output pins of the high speed switch chip are connected to two input pins of the first switch chip. Two input pins of a third switch chip are connected to two output pins of the second switch chip. Two control pins of the third switch chip are connected to a third output pin of the microcontroller. Three input pins of a bus switch chip are connected to fourth to sixth output pins of the microcontroller. A load board is connected to six output pins of the bus switch chip and four switch pins of the first and second switch chips.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for estimating temperature are provided for estimating a temperature of a test point in a space with an air conditioner. In the method, a first and a second sensor device are deployed in the space, wherein the second sensor device is deployed at the test point. Then, state parameters and temperature transformation functions are defined according to temperatures detected by the first and the second sensor devices and a state of the air conditioner during a predetermined time period. After the second sensor device is removed, a current state of the air conditioner is determined by reference temperatures detected by the first sensor device and the state parameters. One of the temperature transformation functions is selected according to the current state, and a current temperature of the test point is estimated by using the selected temperature transformation function and the reference temperatures.

Abstract: A low power driving method for a display panel and a driving circuit therefor. When the voltage of a corresponding common electrode of a pixel in a pixel array is changed from one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the other thereof according to a polarity signal, the voltage of the corresponding pixel electrode of the pixel is driven. In an embodiment, a data code for the pixel and the polarity signal are utilized to predict a trend of the corresponding target voltage of the data code, and the voltage of the pixel electrode or the data line is changed to a voltage close to the target voltage of the pixel according to the prediction result. Thus, the swing range of the voltage of the data line can be efficiently reduced, and power saving and reduction in transition time can also be achieved.

Abstract: A power management circuit includes a regulator circuit, a first frequency compensation circuit, a first switch circuit and a detection circuit. The regulator circuit includes a signal output end. The first switch circuit is turned on in response to an enabled first control signal such that the first frequency compensation circuit is coupled to the regulator circuit. The detection circuit determines whether an output capacitor is coupled to the signal output end, and generates the enabled first control signal to turn on the first switch circuit and connect the first frequency compensation circuit to the regulator circuit when the output capacitor is not coupled to the signal output end. Therefore, the regulator circuit is frequency compensated by the first frequency compensation circuit.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for implementing new email handling policies in gateway logic that is inserted upstream of the existing email system (which may or may not have an existing email gateway). By inserting the gateway logic upstream of the existing email system, it is unnecessary to reconfigure existing email handling logic since the remainder of the email system downstream of the newly inserted gateway logic is substantially undisturbed. Techniques and arrangements are proposed to ensure the remainder of the email system continues to function correctly after the insertion of the new gateway logic.

Abstract: A hand-off monitoring method is provided for monitoring a space divided into several monitoring regions. Each of the monitoring regions is monitored by a surveillance camera. The hand-off monitoring method comprises receiving a warning signal from a location and identifying a first surveillance camera related to the location according to the warning signal. Then, an object triggering the warning signal is identified according to a video signal provided by the first surveillance camera. A moving path of the object is predicted according to a non-linear movement prediction model. Then, a control operation is performed, according to the moving path, to control the surveillance cameras in the monitoring regions where the moving path passes so as to hand-off monitor the object.

Abstract: Block noises at block boundaries are removed, but when a contour line in the original image matches a block boundary, the degree of block noise removal is adjusted and image quality is improved. An adaptive filter has a step of calculating the weight of pixels near the block boundary by a high-pass filter, and a step of determining an adjusted value for the pixels near the block boundary based on the weight. The pixel values near the block boundary are adjusted and block noises are removed. A low-pass filter is applied to pixels near the block boundary to determine a filtered value. The adjusted values of the pixels near the block boundary are determined by obtaining a weighted sum of the original pixel value and the filtered value.

Abstract: A TFT-LCD capable of repairing discontinuous lines includes a repairing circuit, which includes a plurality of repairing OP amplifiers and a high-impedance detecting unit. The high-impedance detecting unit detects states of input terminals of the OP amplifiers. The high-impedance detecting unit enables a control signal to enable the OP amplifier when the input terminal is not at floating state. The high-impedance detecting unit disables the control signal to disable the OP amplifier when the input terminal is at floating state, so that no output competition between the OP amplifiers is generated.

Abstract: In a method, apparatus and integrated circuit for improving image sharpness, the method includes the following steps: (a) labeling each of pixels in an image as one of an edge/texture type and a non-edge/texture type; (b) classifying each of the pixels that are labeled as the edge/texture type into one of a border point type, a transition point type, and a peak point type; and (c) using a shrinking/expanding filter to filter the pixels of the border point type, and subsequently using a high boost filter to first filter the pixels of the peak point type and then filter the pixels of the transition point type to sharpen the image.

Abstract: An image processing method, and an apparatus and an integrated circuit for implementing the method are adapted for use in a liquid crystal display. The method includes the steps of: determining which blocks in a decoded current frame are noisy blocks; finding, in a processed reference frame, a most similar reference block for each noisy block and generating a block velocity for each noisy block; and processing pixels that are in the noisy blocks having block velocities smaller than a liquid crystal response rate of the liquid crystal display, and that are not covered by after-images. The present invention utilizes the characteristics of liquid crystals to increase processing speed.

Abstract: A method for reducing image ringing noise includes: (a) calculating a line spread function value of each pixel's luminance in an input image; (b) dividing the input image into a plurality of blocks, and calculating an average value and a maximum value of the line spread function values for all the pixels in each of the blocks; (c) based on the average value and the maximum value of the line spread function values for of each of the blocks, determining whether each of the blocks is an interfered flat block or a non-interfered block; (d) setting the pixels in the interfered flat block as a noisy pixels; (e) determining whether each pixel in the non-interfered block is an edge pixel or a non-edge pixel, and setting each the non-edge pixels in the non-interfered block as a noisy pixels; and (f) performing smoothing on each of the noisy pixels thus set, and combining smoothed pixels with the edge pixels for output as an output image.