Abstract: A method for transcoding between video streams using different entropy coding, comprising the steps of (A) decoding a first video stream using a first set of entropy codes, and (B) generating a second video stream by entropy encoding the decoded first video stream using a second set of entropy codes. The first set of entropy codes and the second set of entropy codes are configured to represent all valid coefficient values of the first video stream.

Abstract: A method for deinterlacing a picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) calculating a potential sample at a location interfaced with a first field of the picture by temporal filtering, (B) evaluating a protection condition in a current region around the location after inclusion of the potential sample and (C) calculating an interpolated sample at the location by vertical spatial filtering the first field in response to the protection condition indicating a significant increase in a vertical activity within the current region due to the potential sample.

Abstract: A method for contour reduction in a digital picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering a plurality of luma samples in a current line of the digital picture, each of the luma samples having a respective input value, (B) calculating a plurality of horizontal sum-of-signs along the current line, wherein each of the horizontal sum-of-signs comprises a sum of a plurality of amplitude differences between pairs the luma samples from the current line and (C) generating a plurality of output value based on the horizontal sum-of-signs, one of the output values for each one of the luma samples.

Abstract: A method for transcoding between videostreams using different entropy coding, comprising the steps of (A) decoding a first videostream using a first set of entropy codes, and (B) generating a second videostream by entropy encoding the decoded first videostream using a second set of entropy codes. The first set of entropy codes and the second set of entropy codes are configured to represent all valid coefficient values of the first videostream.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first processing circuit and a second processing circuit. The first processing circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of reconstructed samples in response to one or more macroblocks of an input signal. The second processing circuit may be configured to determine a best intra prediction chroma mode 0 predictor for reach chroma sub-block of a current macroblock in response to available reconstructed samples adjacent to the current macroblock.

Abstract: A method of motion compensation for an input block is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of tap values in response to a motion vector for the input block, (B) generating an interpolated block by programmable filtering a reference block using the tap values, the interpolated block being spatially offset from the reference block by less than a half-pel separation and (C) generating an output block in response to the input block and the interpolated block.

Abstract: A video encoder is disclosed that includes an encoder circuit, a quantizer circuit and a control circuit. The encoder circuit may be configured to generate a number of coefficient values in response to a video stream and a number of quantized values. The quantizer circuit may be configured to generate the number of quantized values in response to the coefficient values, two or more quantization dead zones and two or more offsets. The control circuit may be configured to set the two or more quantization dead zones and the two or more offsets to different values. The two or more quantization dead zones and the two or more offsets are independently programmable.

Abstract: A method for detecting progressive material in a video sequence is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) calculating a plurality of block statistics for each of a plurality of blocks in a current field of the video sequence, (B) calculating a plurality of field statistics by summing the block statistics over all of the blocks in the current field, (C) calculating a noise level for the current field based on a subset of the block statistics from each of the blocks and (D) generating a mode flag for the current field based on both (i) the field statistics and (ii) the noise level, wherein the mode flag identifies if the current field is part of a 2:2 pull-down pattern.

Abstract: A system for reducing storage requirements for content-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) is provided. The system includes a transcode engine performing CABAC on a video data stream. The transcode engine receives save data, stops CABAC, and converts the video data stream into sub-network abstraction layer (NAL) unit state data. An entropy state data storage system receiving the sub-NAL unit state data and stores the sub-NAL unit state data. The transcode engine subsequently receives restore data, extracts the sub-NAL unit state data from the entropy state data storage system, and re-starts CABAC on the video stream data.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit, a second circuit, and a watermark detection circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a bitstream, wherein the bitstream comprises a watermark message which represents hidden information. The second circuit may be configured to (i) simulate film grain in response to one or more predetermined values on the watermark message and (ii) generate a video output. The watermark detection circuit may be configured to extract hidden information from the decoded video output.

Abstract: A system having a memory and a processor is disclosed. The memory may be arranged as (i) a first pipeline to buffer a plurality of full resolution fields and (ii) a second pipeline to buffer a plurality of low resolution fields. The processor is generally configured to (i) receive a particular one or more of the full resolution fields and a particular one or more of the low resolution fields from the memory and (ii) generate a film mode signal based on the particular low resolution fields, the film mode signal indicating a current mode among a plurality of pull-down modes related to a current field being deinterlaced.

Abstract: A method and circuit for processing a reconstructed picture generated from compressed data is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) estimating a magnitude of coding artifacts created by a coding process for the compressed data based upon the compressed data, (B) generating a plurality of noise samples with a probability distribution over a range, the probability distribution determined by the magnitude and (C) adding the noise samples to the reconstructed picture for concealment of the coding artifacts.

Abstract: A method of decoding a video bitstream is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering the video bitstream in a main memory, the video bitstream comprising a first residual block based on a first motion compensated block, the first motion compensated block having been generated by a subpixel motion compensation using an N-tap interpolation on a plurality of first reference samples, (B) copying a first subset of the first reference samples from the main memory to an internal memory, (C) generating a first decode block using the subpixel motion compensation with an M-tap interpolation on the first subset in the internal memory, and (D) reconstructing a first original block by adding the first residual block to the first decode block.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising a source circuit and a processing circuit. The source circuit may be configured to present a compressed video signal. The processing circuit may be configured to present an output signal in response to (i) the compressed video signal and (ii) a pause signal. The output signal (a) may be in a format that may be displayed by a display device and (b) may comprise (i) a first video source when the pause signal is in a first state and (ii) a second source when the pause signal is in a second state.

Abstract: A method for display compositing is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of respective color values and a plurality of respective blending values for a plurality of graphics pixels to be blended with a display picture, (B) examining in a sequence a plurality of neighboring pixels of the graphics pixels adjoining a current pixel of the graphics pixels, the current pixel having a current color value of the respective color values and a current blending value of the respective blending values and (C) replacing the current color value with the respective color value for a particular pixel of the neighboring pixels where (i) the respective blending value for the particular pixel comprises one of a plurality of non-transparent values and (ii) the current blending value comprises one of at least one transparent value.

Abstract: A method for filtering digital video is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) checking a plurality of original blocks in an original field for a plurality of artifacts, wherein detection of the artifacts is based on an adjustable threshold, (B) first filtering each of the original blocks having at least one of the artifacts to remove the at least one artifact and (C) second filtering each of the original blocks lacking at least one of the artifacts to remove noise, wherein the second filtering is (i) motion compensated and (ii) adaptive to a respective noise level in each of the original blocks.

Abstract: A method of compressed picture reconstruction using a plurality of post-processed reference pictures. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a first of a plurality of reconstructed pictures by decoding a first of a plurality of compressed pictures using at least one of a plurality of non-post-processed reference pictures buffered in a reference memory, wherein the compressed pictures are received in an input bitstream, (B) generating a first of a plurality of processed pictures by artifact processing the first reconstructed picture to remove artifacts, (C) buffering in the reference memory both (i) the first reconstructed picture as one of the non-post-processed reference pictures and (ii) the first processed picture as one of the post-processed reference pictures and (D) generating a second of the reconstructed pictures by decoding a second of the compressed pictures using at least one of the post-processed reference pictures buffered in the reference memory.

Abstract: A video decoder comprising a first comfort noise addition block and a second comfort noise addition block. The first comfort noise addition block may be configured to (i) add comfort noise to luminance data and (ii) adjust a distribution of the comfort noise added to the luminance data. The second comfort noise addition block may be configured to (i) add comfort noise to chrominance data and (ii) adjust a distribution of the comfort noise added to the chrominance data. The first and the second comfort noise addition blocks may be integrated into a video output path of the video decoder. The distribution of the comfort noise added to the luminance data and the distribution of the comfort noise added to the chrominance data may be adjusted independently.

Abstract: A method for determining a context for coding is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of results by examining a prediction mode for each of a plurality of neighbor blocks to a current block in a bitstream for digital video, wherein at least one of the neighbor blocks is subpartitioned, (B) generating a plurality of first variables based on the results and (C) coding the bitstream using a binary arithmetic coding based on a particular context among a plurality of context determined from the first variables.

Abstract: A method for activating and deactivating parameter sets during decoding of a bitstream for display, comprising the steps of: (A) tagging a first picture parameter information set associated with a first identification value as active in response to a reference to the first identification value in a bitstream; (B) changing the tag of the first picture parameter information set from active to inactive and tagging a second picture parameter information set associated with a second identification value as active in response to a reference to the second identification value in the bitstream; and (C) tagging the second picture parameter information set as inactive and re-tagging the first picture parameter information set as active in response to a subsequent reference to the first identification value in the bitstream.