Abstract: An image encoding method includes, using an image as input, determining a first mode suited to encode the image in accordance with a first processing procedure; using the image as input, determining a second mode suited to encode the image in accordance with a second processing procedure; selecting one of first mode and the second mode as a final mode; encoding the image, using the final mode; and calculating a cost of using the second mode to encode the image. The second processing procedure is implemented by a reconfigurable circuit. In the selecting, the first mode is selected when the cost calculated in the calculating is higher than a first predetermined value, and the second mode is selected when the cost is lower than or equal to the first predetermined value.

Abstract: A video encoding method includes a first mode selection step of selecting at least one mode as a first candidate mode from a predetermined first mode group for encoding a video, a second mode selection step of selecting one mode as an encoding mode from a predetermined second mode group, based on the selected first candidate mode, and an encoding step of encoding the video in the selected encoding mode.

Abstract: An image encoding method includes, using an image as input, determining a first mode suited to encode the image in accordance with a first processing procedure; using the image as input, determining a second mode suited to encode the image in accordance with a second processing procedure; selecting one of first mode and the second mode as a final mode; encoding the image, using the final mode; and calculating a cost of using the second mode to encode the image. The second processing procedure is implemented by a reconfigurable circuit. In the selecting, the first mode is selected when the cost calculated in the calculating is higher than a first predetermined value, and the second mode is selected when the cost is lower than or equal to the first predetermined value.

Abstract: A video encoding method includes a first mode selection step of selecting at least one mode as a first candidate mode from a predetermined first mode group for encoding a video, a second mode selection step of selecting one mode as an encoding mode from a predetermined second mode group, based on the selected first candidate mode, and an encoding step of encoding the video in the selected encoding mode.

Abstract: An image decoding device includes: an arithmetic decoding unit performing arithmetic decoding of a bitstream to obtain a binary symbol; and a bitstream decoding control unit selecting a bitstream on which the arithmetic decoding is performed by the arithmetic decoding unit. The bitstream decoding control unit causes the arithmetic decoding unit to suspend the arithmetic decoding one bit stream and start the arithmetic decoding of another bitstream at a time point when a predetermined time period elapses, and suspend the arithmetic decoding of the other bitstream and resume the arithmetic decoding of the one bitstream at a time point when another predetermined time period elapses.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus (camcorders, optical disc recorders, etc.), the operator presses down priority designating buttons for designating priorities when recording input image data. An additional information generating section records and holds, in a storage section, additional information indicating priorities of data to be recorded (e.g., “low”, “intermediate”, “high”, or “highest”) which are set, depending on what priority designating button has been pressed down. If recordable remaining space in the storage section detected by the remaining amount detecting section falls below a predetermined value before the start of or during recording of data, a control section overwrites regions in order of priority of data which is stored therein, the lowest first, with data which is about to be recorded or is being recorded, based on the additional information generated by the additional information generating section.

Abstract: An image decoding apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a management information storage unit that stores first management information for identifying areas in each of which one of first decoded image signals is stored, and second management information for identifying areas in each of which one of second decoded image signals is stored; and a control unit that notifies, by referring to the first management information, an image decoding unit of an area in which a reference image to be referred to when a first coded signal is decoded is stored, and notifies, by referring to the first management information and the second management information, the image decoding unit of an area in which a reference image to be referred to when a second coded signal is decoded is stored.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus (camcorders, optical disc recorders, etc.), the operator presses down priority designating buttons for designating priorities when recording input image data. An additional information generating section records and holds, in a storage section, additional information indicating priorities of data to be recorded (e.g., “low”, “intermediate”, “high”, or “highest”) which are set, depending on what priority designating button has been pressed down. If recordable remaining space in the storage section detected by the remaining amount detecting section falls below a predetermined value before the start of or during recording of data, a control section overwrites regions in order of priority of data which is stored therein, the lowest first, with data which is about to be recorded or is being recorded, based on the additional information generated by the additional information generating section.

Abstract: In order to reduce noise appropriately according to scaling factor and a degree of motion of an image and to suppress degradation in image quality resulting from the noise reduction to a negligible level, a noise reduction control section outputs a noise detection instruction, a noise detection threshold instruction and a filtering mode instruction based on a scale factor output from a scale factor calculating section and a motion detection result output from a motion detecting section. A mosquito noise reducing section and a blocking artifact reducing section in a noise reducing section adaptively conducts an appropriate noise reducing process using noise detection sensitivity and the number of filter taps and a filter coefficient of a smoothing filter according to these instructions.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a noise detection means for performing noise detection on an input image; a noise removal means for removing noise from a predetermined region of the input image, on the basis of the result of the noise detection; a counting means for obtaining the ratio of an area targeted for noise removal to the predetermined region of the input image; a statistics calculation means for obtaining the statistics on the ratios obtained by the counting means over a predetermined period of time; an image generation means for generating an image indicating the statistics; and an image composition means for superimposing the image generated by the image generation means on the image outputted from the noise removal means to generate a composite image for display. Therefore, the viewer can easily know how much noise is removed from the predetermined region of the input image, for every predetermined period of time.

Abstract: In order to reduce noise appropriately according to scaling factor and a degree of motion of an image and to suppress degradation in image quality resulting from the noise reduction to a negligible level, a noise reduction control section outputs a noise detection instruction, a noise detection threshold instruction and a filtering mode instruction based on a scale factor output from a scale factor calculating section and a motion detection result output from a motion detecting section. A mosquito noise reducing section and a blocking artifact reducing section in a noise reducing section adaptively conducts an appropriate noise reducing process using noise detection sensitivity and the number of filter taps and a filter coefficient of a smoothing filter according to these instructions.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a noise detection means for performing noise detection on an input image; a noise removal means for removing noise from a predetermined region of the input image, on the basis of the result of the noise detection; a counting means for obtaining the ratio of an area targeted for noise removal to the predetermined region of the input image; a statistics calculation means for obtaining the statistics on the ratios obtained by the counting means over a predetermined period of time; an image generation means for generating an image indicating the statistics; and an image composition means for superimposing the image generated by the image generation means on the image outputted from the noise removal means to generate a composite image for display. Therefore, the viewer can easily know how much noise is removed from the predetermined region of the input image, for every predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A welding wire packaging container of mono-cylinder pail type accommodating a welding wire winding which includes of a multitude of layers of looped wire portions having diameters smaller than the inside diameter of the container and centrally having a cavity of substantially cylindrical form. The container includes a retaining member placed on overlying layers of wire loops and adapted to be lowered by gravity as the wire is withdrawn from the container, the retaining member being centrally formed with a circular wire guide hole to permit wire withdrawal therethrough, and resilient members mounted at least two spaced positions around the outer periphery of the retaining member for contact with the inner wall surface of the container, the guide hole in the retaining member being located in vertically spaced relation with an upper lid of the container.