Patents by Inventor Ming-Chieh Lee
Ming-Chieh Lee has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7408990Abstract: Video coding efficiency is improved by jointly coding the x and y components of motion vectors with a single variable length code. The motion vector components for a block of pixels are predicted based on motion vectors of neighboring blocks of pixels. The predicted x and y components are then jointly coded by assigning a single variable length code corresponding to the pair of components, rather than a separate code for each component. If the x and y components do not have a corresponding entry in the coding table, they are coded with an escape code followed by fixed length codes.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2004Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Chih-Lung (Bruce) Lin, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7340394Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2005Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Publication number: 20080019449Abstract: The coded block parameters used to code blocks of image samples into structures called macroblocks are compressed more efficiently by exploiting the correlation between chrominance and luminance blocks in each macroblock. In particular, the coded block pattern for chrominance and luminance are combined into a single parameter for the macroblock and jointly coded with a single variable length code. To further enhance coding efficiency, the spatial coherence of coded block patterns can be exploited by using spatial prediction to compute predicted values for coded block pattern parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2007Publication date: January 24, 2008Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Chih-Lung (Bruce) Lin, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Publication number: 20080015850Abstract: Quantization matrices facilitate digital audio encoding and decoding. An audio encoder generates and compresses quantization matrices; an audio decoder decompresses and applies the quantization matrices. The invention includes several techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or separately. For example, the audio encoder can generate quantization matrices from critical band patterns for blocks of audio data. The encoder can compute the quantization matrices directly from the critical band patterns, which can be computed from the same audio data that is being compressed. The audio encoder/decoder can use different modes for generating/applying quantization matrices depending on the coding channel mode of multi-channel audio data. The audio encoder/decoder can use different compression/decompression modes for the quantization matrices, including a parametric compression/decompression mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7299175Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7295973Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Ming-Chieh Lee, Naveen Thumpudi
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Patent number: 7295971Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2006Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7289673Abstract: The coded block parameters used to code blocks of image samples into structures called macroblocks are compressed more efficiently by exploiting the correlation between chrominance and luminance blocks in each macroblock. In particular, the coded block pattern for chrominance and luminance are combined into a single parameter for the macroblock and jointly coded with a single variable length code. To further enhance coding efficiency, the spatial coherence of coded block patterns can be exploited by using spatial prediction to compute predicted values for coded block pattern parameters.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2006Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Chih-Lung Lin, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7283952Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7277848Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level In a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7263482Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. For example, an encoder selects a quantization level within a range of quantization levels, where the selecting accounts for non-monotonicity of quality measure as a function of quantization level within the range. The encoder then quantizes audio information by the quantization level. Or, an encoder determines first and second quality measures associated with a first and second quantization levels, respectively, then determines a third quantization level within a quantization level range based upon location of a target quality on a trajectory of quality measure as a function of quantization level. The first and second quantization levels define endpoints of the quantization level range, and the first and second quality measures define endpoints of the trajectory. The function relates logarithm of quality measure in proportion to inverse logarithm of quantization level.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7260525Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Ming-Chieh Lee, Naveen Thumpudi
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Publication number: 20070185706Abstract: An audio encoder implements multi-channel coding decision, band truncation, multi-channel rematrixing, and header reduction techniques to improve quality and coding efficiency. In the multi-channel coding decision technique, the audio encoder dynamically selects between joint and independent coding of a multi-channel audio signal via an open-loop decision based upon (a) energy separation between the coding channels, and (b) the disparity between excitation patterns of the separate input channels. In the band truncation technique, the audio encoder performs open-loop band truncation at a cut-off frequency based on a target perceptual quality measure. In multi-channel rematrixing technique, the audio encoder suppresses certain coefficients of a difference channel by scaling according to a scale factor, which is based on current average levels of perceptual quality, current rate control buffer fullness, coding mode, and the amount of channel separation in the source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2007Publication date: August 9, 2007Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7249016Abstract: Quantization matrices facilitate digital audio encoding and decoding. An audio encoder generates and compresses quantization matrices; an audio decoder decompresses and applies the quantization matrices. The invention includes several techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or separately. For example, the audio encoder can generate quantization matrices from critical band patterns for blocks of audio data. The encoder can compute the quantization matrices directly from the critical band patterns, which can be computed from the same audio data that is being compressed. The audio encoder/decoder can use different modes for generating/applying quantization matrices depending on the coding channel mode of multi-channel audio data. The audio encoder/decoder can use different compression/decompression modes for the quantization matrices, including a parametric compression/decompression mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7240001Abstract: An audio encoder implements multi-channel coding decision, band truncation, multi-channel rematrixing, and header reduction techniques to improve quality and coding efficiency. In the multi-channel coding decision technique, the audio encoder dynamically selects between joint and independent coding of a multi-channel audio signal via an open-loop decision based upon (a) energy separation between the coding channels, and (b) the disparity between excitation patterns of the separate input channels. In the band truncation technique, the audio encoder performs open-loop band truncation at a cut-off frequency based on a target perceptual quality measure. In multi-channel rematrixing technique, the audio encoder suppresses certain coefficients of a difference channel by scaling according to a scale factor, which is based on current average levels of perceptual quality, current rate control buffer fullness, coding mode, and the amount of channel separation in the source.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2001Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7206453Abstract: An encoder dynamically filters information for lossy compression so as to control bitrate or quality with few sudden, dramatic changes to perceptual quality of the compressed information. For example, a video encoder regulates the level of a buffer (e.g., how full or empty the buffer is) by adjusting median filtering of video information (e.g., pixel data and/or prediction residuals). The buffer stores compressed video information for the video encoder. Based upon the buffer level, the video encoder changes the median filter kernel applied to video information. If the buffer starts to get too full, the video encoder increases the size of the kernel, which tends to smooth the video information, introduce slight blurriness, and deplete the buffer. If the buffer starts to get too empty, the video encoder decreases the size of the kernel or stops filtering, which tends to preserve the video information and fill the buffer.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2001Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Ming-Chieh Lee, Chih-Lung (Bruce) Lin
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Publication number: 20070061138Abstract: An audio encoder regulates quality and bitrate with a control strategy. The strategy includes several features. First, an encoder regulates quantization using quality, minimum bit count, and maximum bit count parameters. Second, an encoder regulates quantization using a noise measure that indicates reliability of a complexity measure. Third, an encoder normalizes a control parameter value according to block size for a variable-size block. Fourth, an encoder uses a bit-count control loop de-linked from a quality control loop. Fifth, an encoder addresses non-monotonicity of quality measurement as a function of quantization level when selecting a quantization level. Sixth, an encoder uses particular interpolation rules to find a quantization level in a quality or bit-count control loop. Seventh, an encoder filters a control parameter value to smooth quality. Eighth, an encoder corrects model bias by adjusting a control parameter value in view of current buffer fullness.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2006Publication date: March 15, 2007Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7162055Abstract: A semantic object tracking method tracks general semantic objects with multiple non-rigid motion, disconnected components and multiple colors throughout a vector image sequence. The method accurately tracks these general semantic objects by spatially segmenting image regions from a current frame and then classifying these regions as to which semantic object they originated from in the previous frame. To classify each region, the method performs a region based motion estimation between each spatially segmented region and the previous frame to compute the position of a predicted region in the previous frame. The method then classifies each region in the current frame as being part of a semantic object based on which semantic object in the previous frame contains the most overlapping points of the predicted region. Using this method, each region in the current image is tracked to one semantic object from the previous frame, with no gaps or overlaps.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2005Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Chuang Gu, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7155383Abstract: Quantization matrices facilitate digital audio encoding and decoding. An audio encoder generates and compresses quantization matrices; an audio decoder decompresses and applies the quantization matrices. For example, the audio encoder includes a multi-channel transformer operable to output multi-channel audio data in jointly coded channels and a program module for generating a single quantization matrix for weighting all of the jointly coded channels. In one such example, the program module computes the single quantization matrix from an aggregation of pattern information for all of the jointly coded channels, and the aggregation of pattern information is an aggregate excitation pattern.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2005Date of Patent: December 26, 2006Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee
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Patent number: 7146313Abstract: An audio processing tool measures the quality of reconstructed audio data. For example, an audio encoder measures the quality of a block of reconstructed frequency coefficient data in a quantization loop. The invention includes several techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or separately. First, before measuring quality, the tool normalizes the block to account for variation in block sizes. Second, for the quality measurement, the tool processes the reconstructed data by critical bands, which can differ from the quantization bands used to compress the data. Third, the tool accounts for the masking effect of the reconstructed data, not just the masking effect of the original data. Fourth, the tool band weights the quality measurement, which can be used to account for noise substitution or band truncation. Finally, the tool changes quality measurement techniques depending on the channel coding mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2001Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wei-Ge Chen, Naveen Thumpudi, Ming-Chieh Lee