Abstract: A method and a device for approximating a DC coefficient of a first block of pixels of a first frame are proposed. The method comprises: calculating a luminance DC average value based on DC coefficients of first frame's macro-blocks without an approximation error; and determining the DC coefficient of the first block based on the DC coefficient of a second block, wherein the second block is a part of a second frame, which is a reference frame of the first frame, the second block overlapping with a reference block of the first block and having the closest DC coefficient to the luminance DC average value.

Abstract: Continuous reproduction can be made possible. An encoding apparatus for executing an encoding process with an encoding system capable of at least B-pictures as pictures to be prediction-encoded comprises a timing calculation means for, anticipating that a plurality of encoded information created by performing the encoding process will be sequentially decoded on a decoding side, calculating output timing for results of decoding the encoded information, and a timing notification means for notifying the decoding side of the output timing calculated by the timing calculation means before a result of decoding corresponding encoded information is obtained.

Abstract: Continuous reproduction can be made possible. An encoding apparatus for executing an encoding process with an encoding system capable of at least B-pictures as pictures to be prediction-encoded comprises a timing calculation means for, anticipating that a plurality of encoded information created by performing the encoding process will be sequentially decoded on a decoding side, calculating output timing for results of decoding the encoded information, and a timing notification means for notifying the decoding side of the output timing calculated by the timing calculation means before a result of decoding corresponding encoded information is obtained.

Abstract: Continuous reproduction can be made possible. An encoding apparatus for executing an encoding process with an encoding system capable of at least B-pictures as pictures to be prediction-encoded comprises a timing calculation means for, anticipating that a plurality of encoded information created by performing the encoding process will be sequentially decoded on a decoding side, calculating output timing for results of decoding the encoded information, and a timing notification means for notifying the decoding side of the output timing calculated by the timing calculation means before a result of decoding corresponding encoded information is obtained.

Abstract: A method and a device for approximating a DC coefficient of a first block of pixels of a first frame are proposed. The method comprises: calculating a luminance DC average value based on DC coefficients of first frame's macro-blocks without an approximation error; and determining the DC coefficient of the first block based on the DC coefficient of a second block, wherein the second block is a part of a second frame, which is a reference frame of the first frame, the second block overlapping with a reference block of the first block and having the closest DC coefficient to the luminance DC average value.

Abstract: A method and a device for extracting a mean luminance value from a inter-coded frame is proposed, wherein the inter-coded frame is a part of a sequence of video frames, the method comprising: approximating DC coefficients for macro-blocks of the inter-coded frame based on DC coefficients of intra-coded macro-blocks surrounding reference blocks in a reference frame of the sequence, the reference blocks being pointed to by motion vectors of the macro-blocks of the inter-coded frame; and calculating the mean luminance value based on the approximated DC coefficients.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus able to start decoding at a timing earlier than the conventional timing and able to reduce the storage capacity required for a storing means for storing the encoded data until a decoding side decodes the input encoded data in comparison with the conventional storage capacity, which apparatus selects frame data from frame data f(5) having the last decoding order to frame data f(0) having the first decoding order for processing for calculating a delay time min_delay and calculates the delay time min_delay. It calculates the delay time min_delay indicating the delay time from when the decoding side starts to receive input of the frame data to when the data is decoded based on the specified size and the bit rate of the input of the frame data to the decoding side for each of the frame data for processing.

Abstract: A connection between remotely controllable devices (1; 1A, 1B, 1C) is established by controlling said remotely controllable devices (1; 1A, 1B, 1C) independently by use of a hypertext transfer protocol. Such a remotely controllable device (1; 1A, 1B, 1C) comprises a control interface (3) using a hypertext transfer protocol to establish said connection. A control device (2) for performing such a remote control comprises a first interface (2a) to control said controllable devices (1; 1A, 1B, 1C) remotely using a hypertext transfer protocol to establish said connection between at least two of said remotely controllable devices (1; 1A, 1B, 1C). A control device (2) according to the present invention is characterized by a second interface (2b) to control said control device (2) using a hypertext transfer protocol. With the invention directly controllable connections between remotely controllable devices can be established with a hypertext transfer protocol.