Abstract: A collation device includes: a storage that stores a search target image showing a search target; an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image generated by an imaging device; and a controller that determines whether the search target is included in the captured image. The controller searches out a collation area in the captured image, the collation area including a subject similar to at least a part of the search target, and selects, depending on the collation area, at least one of a whole of the search target image and a part of the search target image, and collates the selected at least one with the captured image so as to determine whether the search target is included in the captured image.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A picture decoding method is provided for decoding coded picture data. The method includes decoding the coded picture data to obtain a reconstructed picture. The method also includes removing coding distortion in an area disposed on both sides of a block boundary between a first block and an adjacent second block in the reconstructed picture having a plurality of blocks, each block being adaptively decoded either as a field structure block, comprising only even field pixels or comprising only odd field pixels, or a frame structure block, comprising odd field pixels and even field pixels. The method further includes storing the reconstructed picture, for which coding distortion is removed, as a reference picture.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: The invention provides a redox flow battery comprising a microporous or nanoporous size-exclusion membrane, wherein one cell of the battery contains a redox-active polymer dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent or a redox-active colloidal particle dispersed in the non-aqueous solvent. The redox flow battery provides enhanced ionic conductivity across the electrolyte separator and reduced redox-active species crossover, thereby improving the performance and enabling widespread utilization. Redox active poly(vinylbenzyl ethylviologen) (RAPs) and redox active colloidal particles (RACs) were prepared and were found to be highly effective redox species. Controlled potential bulk electrolysis indicates that 94-99% of the nominal charge on different RAPs is accessible and the electrolysis products are stable upon cycling. The high concentration attainable (>2.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A picture decoding method is provided for decoding coded picture data. The decoding method includes decoding coded picture data to obtain a first transform block and an adjacent second transform block in a reconstructed picture having a plurality of blocks forming a moving picture image. The decoding method also includes determining whether the first transform block is located inside a motion-compensation block in which the second transform block is located. The decoding method further includes performing a filtering on pixels in a block boundary between the first and second transform blocks when the first transform block is located outside the motion-compensation block in which the second transform block is located, and performing no filtering on the pixels in the block boundary between the first and second transform blocks when the first transform block is located inside the motion-compensation block in which the second transform block is located.

Abstract: An image coding and decoding system is provided that includes an image coding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus. The image coding apparatus includes a coder that codes an input image, a first decoder that decodes the coded image to obtain a first reconstructed image, a first pixel difference value obtainer, a first average deriver, a first threshold value setter, a first comparator, and a first remover that removes a coding distortion. The image decoding apparatus includes an obtainer that obtains the first quantization parameter of the first block and the second quantization parameter of the second block, a second decoder that decodes the coded image, a second pixel difference value obtainer, a second average deriver, a second comparator, and a second remover that removes a coding distortion in an area disposed on both sides of a block boundary between the first block and the second block.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A picture decoding method is provided for decoding coded picture data. The decoding method includes decoding coded picture data to obtain a first transform block and an adjacent second transform block in a reconstructed picture having a plurality of blocks forming a moving picture image. The decoding method also includes determining whether the first transform block is located inside a motion-compensation block in which the second transform block is located. The decoding method further includes performing a filtering on pixels in a block boundary between the first and second transform blocks when the first transform block is located outside the motion-compensation block in which the second transform block is located, and performing no filtering on the pixels in the block boundary between the first and second transform blocks when the first transform block is located inside the motion-compensation block in which the second transform block is located.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: The current invention provides methods for 3D content capturing, 3D content coding and packaging at content production side, and 3D content consuming and rendering at display or terminal side, in order to ensure healthy and effective 3D viewing all the time. According to the current invention, maximum disparity and 3D budget, which are scene dependent, are calculated, utilized for coding and embedded in the coded streams or media file, and checked against the allowable values during the content rendering, so to determine if the same 3D content can be shown to the user according to the viewing condition which the user has. In the case where a healthy 3D viewing guideline cannot be met, it is suggested to adjust the 3D content for its new maximum disparity and 3D budget to be within the allowable range, to achieve healthy and effective 3D viewing for that user with his/her viewing condition.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: An image coding and decoding system is provided that includes an image coding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus. The image coding apparatus includes a coder that codes an input image, a first decoder that decodes the coded image to obtain a first reconstructed image, a first pixel difference value obtainer, a first average deriver, a first threshold value setter, a first comparator, and a first remover that removes a coding distortion. The image decoding apparatus includes an obtainer that obtains the first quantization parameter of the first block and the second quantization parameter of the second block, a second decoder that decodes the coded image, a second pixel difference value obtainer, a second average deriver, a second comparator, and a second remover that removes a coding distortion in an area disposed on both sides of a block boundary between the first block and the second block.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.