Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting (51) in a video stream a scene cut (11, 12) between a current field of the video stream and an immediately preceding field includes determining (61) differences for a first plurality of image parameters between values of the image parameters for a current field and for one or more immediately preceding fields. A flag value is set (62) for each parameter indicating whether a possible scene break exists between the current field and the immediately preceding field dependent on the respective differences. The flag values for each parameter are combined (63) to form a combined parameter and a scene break trigger signal generated (64) indicating a scene break between the current field and the immediately preceding field if the combined parameter exceeds a predetermined trigger threshold. A change of criticality is determined (52) at a forthcoming scene cut.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for mineral oil extraction by means of Winsor Type III microemulsion flooding, in which an aqueous surfactant formulation comprising at least one ionic surfactant of the general formula (R1)(R2)—CH—O-(D)n-(B)m-(A)l-XYa? a/b Mb+ is injected through injection boreholes into a mineral oil deposit, and crude oil is withdrawn from the deposit through production boreholes. The invention further relates to ionic surfactants of the general formula, to surfactant formulations, and to a process for preparation thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for mineral oil extraction by means of Winsor type III microemulsion flooding, in which an aqueous surfactant formulation comprising at least three ionic surfactants which are different with regard to the alkyl moiety (R1)(R2)—CH—CH2— and are of the general formula (R1)(R2)—CH—CH2—O—(D)n—(B)m—(A)l—XYa? a/b Mb+ is injected through injection boreholes into a mineral oil deposit, and crude oil is withdrawn from the deposit through production boreholes. The invention further relates to surfactant formulations of ionic surfactants of the general formula.

Abstract: There is provided a method of adapting a Quantization parameter of digitally encoded video, comprising using a look-ahead encoding pass to provide look-ahead bit costs for each macroblock in a picture of interest, calculating an activity metric for each macroblock in the picture of interest, determining at least an accumulated look-ahead bit cost threshold for a low macroblock activity category, wherein the low macroblock activity category comprises macroblocks having an activity metric below a pre-determined level, sorting the macroblocks according to the calculated activity metrics of each macroblock to provide sorted macroblocks, adding sorted macroblocks to the low macroblock activity category in ascending activity order and accumulating bit costs of the added sorted macroblocks up to the determined accumulated look-ahead bit cost threshold, and applying a change in quantization parameter, Qp, to the macroblocks of the picture of interest comprising decreasing the Qp value of the macroblocks in the low ma

Abstract: There is provided a method of adapting a Quantization parameter of digitally encoded video, comprising calculating spatial activity values of macroblocks in a picture of interest, creating a histogram of the spatial activity values, determining a change of quantization parameter value for a low activity category ?QPLA from a skewness parameter of the histogram. There is also provided an apparatus for carrying out the method, and a computer readable product carrying instructions which when executed carry out the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing 4-cyclohexyl-2-methyl-2-butanol. The process comprises the following steps: a) reaction of styrene with isopropanol at elevated temperature to obtain 4-phenyl-2-methyl-2-butanol, and b) heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation of 4-phenyl-2-methyl-2-butanol over a catalyst suitable for ring hydrogenation of aromatics.

Abstract: There is provided a method of statistically multiplexing a plurality of input video data streams into at least one output data stream having a pre-determined capacity, comprising providing a plurality of bit rate estimates at different quality levels for each input video data stream using a look-ahead encoder, summing together the bit rate estimates of the same quality level for all input video data streams, determining the picture quality of each input video data stream at which the summed bit rate estimates is equal to or less than the output data stream pre-determined capacity. There is also provided an apparatus and system for carrying out the method, and a computer readable product carrying instructions which when executed carry out the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing 4-isopropylcyclohexylmethanol (IPCHM) from para-cymene. The process for preparing 4-isopropylcyclohexylmethanol (IPCHM) comprises an electrochemical process for preparing a mixture of 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde dimethyl acetal and 4-(1-alkoxy-1-methylethyl)benzaldehyde dimethyl acetal, and intermediates passed through in the process, a hydrolysis step to form the corresponding benzaldehydes and a hydrogenation of this mixture to form 4-isopropylcyclohexylmethanol (IPCHM).

Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting repeated pictures in a sequence of video picture data, each picture of said video picture data comprising a plurality of macroblocks, the method comprising performing hierarchical motion estimation on the video picture data to provide best motion vectors for each macroblock, best motion vector sum of absolute difference values for each macro block and zero motion vector sum of absolute difference values for each macroblock, wherein the hierarchical motion estimation includes a plurality of levels, and said best motion vectors, best motion vector sum of absolute difference values and zero motion vector sum of absolute difference values for each macroblock are provided for at least a top level, providing a noise threshold value based upon the zero motion vector sum of absolute difference values from the top level of the hierarchical motion estimation, accumulating the best motion vector sum of absolute difference values for macroblocks having best motion vector sum of abs

Abstract: A method of pre-processing a sequence of video picture data comprising I pictures, P pictures and B pictures, where the pictures are arranged as a plurality of Group Of Pictures (GOP) and each of the Group Of Pictures has a first picture and a plurality of Sub Group of Pictures (Sub-GOP). The method uses an analysis of the sequence of video picture data to determine a position of a scene change relative to a position of a start of a new GOP within the sequence of video picture data and then moves the start of the new GOP to coincide with the scene change by extending or decreasing a current GOP length according to whether the scene change and the start of a new GOP are within a predetermined number of pictures of each other. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a type of picture encoding of a decompressed video signal by detecting periodic changes of high frequency content of individual fields of the video signal. The determination may be used in particular to align picture types in successive video compression systems in a video compression concatenation chain.

Abstract: A method of controlling frame types in a video compression system having I, P and B frames calculates activity figures of the video signal in vertical, vertical temporal and horizontal directions. Video sequences with low complexity in which the vertical activity within a field is less than the vertical-temporal activity within a frame are encoded without using B frames whereas sequences with high complexity, i.e. spatial detail, are encoded using B frames by the use of the invention, disadvantages associated with B frames are reduced by the selected use of B frames.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting and replacing spurious motion vectors in video signal compression includes determining whether a motion vector of a current macroblock is spurious by comparing the motion vector with motion vectors of motion vectors of neighbouring macroblocks; and replacing the motion vector as spurious if the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold. In particular, the method and system seeks to determine (72, 73) whether at least one cluster of motion vectors of neighbouring macroblocks can be formed; and if not, leaves (80) the motion vector of the current macroblock unchanged but if so determining (74) whether the motion vector falls within a cluster. The motion vector may be replaced (81) under certain criteria if the motion vector does not fall within a cluster of motion vectors of neighbouring macroblocks.

Abstract: A method and encoder for compressing a video signal inserts at least one non-referenced frame to coincide with a duration of a flash on detecting the flash in the video signal. On detecting a fade in the video signal, an order in which frames are coded is changed such that referenced frames are positioned immediately before and after the fade and a pyramidal structure of bidirectionally coded frames are used for the duration of the fade.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically detecting and selecting between progressively scanned and interlaced signals has an input video signal 11 applied to a progressive frame detector 12, a de-interlacer 14 and a compensating delay 13 which has the same latency as the de-interlacer 14. The progressive frame detector determines if the input video signal is an interlaced signal or a progressively scanned signal. If it is determined that the applied signal is interlaced, then output from the de-interlacer 14 is selected. If, on the other hand, it is determined that the applied signal is progressively scanned, then the input video signal is selected after passing through the compensating delay. In both instances, the selected output is a progressive video signal 19 which may be transmitted if the device is used in an encoder or applied to a display device if the apparatus is used in a decoder.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in compressing digital signals, particularly in buffer management prior to transmission.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of digital broadcasting, and more particularly the insertion of digital video streams into other digital video streams. Compressed digital video streams, such as those compressed using the common MPEG-2 system, use a sequence of frames to compress a video sequence. Part of the encoding method to compress frames involves making predictions based on past or future frames. Where part of a compressed video stream is to be inserted into another existing video stream, problems may arise at the insertion point due to dependencies on past or future frames which occur outside of the insertion point. The effect of this is that the decoding process lacks information on which to make its predictions, and this could cause a decoder to reset or display frames out of order. The present invention overcomes this problem in a way which allows frame accurate insertion to be achieved without compromising quality.

Abstract: The method of forming a high temperature resistant copper coating on a ceramic and/or enamel substrate, includes the steps of chemically depositing a copper layer having a thickness of at least 3 .mu.m on the substrate, heating the copper layer formed thereon at a temperature of from 200.degree. to 450.degree. C., mechanically treating the copper layer with brush and polishing means to consolidate an upper surface thereof and galvanically depositing an additional copper layer having a thickness of 3 .mu.m on the upper surface. The high temperature resistant copper coating for the ceramic or enamel substrate can stand a higher thermal load for a longer time than similar conventional coatings and can act to rapidly dissipate heat generated by electronic components.

Abstract: Contacts of microcircuits are produced by galvanically depositing aluminum layers on a substrate carrying a microcircuit.

Abstract: To provide for more reliable determination of resistance of sample surfaces to light and weather influences, test apparatus is equipped with a radiation-measuring device. A portion of radiation used for testing is guided to the measuring device, by quartz guides, spectrally dispersed, and measured as to intensity and/or dosage in one or several pre-selected spectral regions. Tests may use natural or artificial radiation, and a measuring device may be stationary or movable relative to a radiation source.