Abstract: Disclosed is a method for correcting for shimmer due to thermal turbulence, even for moving subjects, on a time smoothed base. The device is provided with: a movement compensation means that, for a correction-targeted block of a correction-targeted image within an input image, uses a temporally proximate correction image to derive movement information about a moving object, performs motion compensation, and outputs a correction block and a cost value; and a shimmer correction means that carries out time averaging processing, in accordance with the cost value, of the correction-targeted block and the correction block, and outputs a corrected block in which shimmer of the moving object has been corrected, and correction information. Through two-stage motion detection, the movement compensation means extracts and compensates for movement of a moving object, in a manner unaffected by thermal turbulence.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus that can reduce degradation in image quality due to heat haze and the like. An input image memory 110 stores an input image group 200 and an input image 210. A time-series smoothed image memory 112 stores a time-series smoothed image 220 obtained by time series smoothing. A moving body removed image memory 113 stores a moving body removed image 230 that is a background image. A histogram analyzing unit 130 computes a differential of histograms of partial images for the input image 210 and the time-series smoothed image 220 or the moving body removed image 230, and calculates similarity information between the images. On the basis of the similarity information, a region dividing unit 140 divides the input image 210 into a moving body region, and a region other than the moving body region. An image correcting unit 150 performs image synthesis of the input image 210 or the time series-smoothed image 220, for each of the regions.

Abstract: An image encoding device that appropriately estimates a prediction vector by avoiding an uncoded macro block (MB) is disclosed. The device determines a start point of searching a motion vector for an encoding target region, from the prediction vector for the target region which is determined with motion vectors for surrounding blocks around the target region and in accordance with a predetermined rule, and starts searching for the motion vector from the search start point. If the size of the encoding target region cannot be acquired during calculation of the prediction vector, the device determines the size of the encoding target region, from the size of an encoded region other than the target region. If at least one of the motion vectors for the surrounding blocks cannot be acquired, the device calculates the prediction vector using alternatively a motion vector of an encoded block outside of the target region.

Abstract: A method of decoding videos comprises the steps of performing, in respect of a decoding objective area of decoding objective frame, a motion search by using images of plural frames finished with decoding and deciding, on the basis of the result of the motion search, whether an image of the decoding objective area is to be generated through an interpolation process or a decoded image is to be generated through motion compensation using data included in an encoding stream.

Abstract: In a variable length encoding for video data, the compression rate of video image encoding is increased by improving the level encoding method. A CAVLC encoding unit acquires coefficients obtained by orthogonally transforming and quantizing video image data in each block unit, determines an encoding mode of variable length encoding among those in a table_A and a table_B, or a mixture thereof by a level encoding mode controller and outputs the determination result to a level_prefix unit. In the table_B, a fixed_length bit string is allocated to a level_prefix which is at least a prescribed value. The level_prefix unit performs a level_prefix encoding in the determined encoding mode to output the result to an output control unit.

Abstract: In order to transfer an image encoded at a high compression rate and suitably increase the resolution of the transferred image, it is provided an image transfer system, comprising: an image transmission unit that transmits an image; and an image reception unit that receives the image transmitted from the image transmission unit. The image transmission unit scales down the image, and transmits the scaled-down image to the image reception unit. The image reception unit calculates an angle between a line displayed in the image transmitted from the image transmission unit and a horizontal direction of the image in correspondence with pixels included in the image, scales up the image transmitted from the image transmission unit, and removes an aliasing component of the scaled-up image based on the calculated angle.

Abstract: Provided is a video encoding/decoding technique for improving the compression efficiency by reducing the motion vector code amount. In a video decoding process, the prediction vector calculation method is switched from one to another in accordance with a difference between predetermined motion vectors among a plurality of motion vectors of a peripheral block of a block to be decoded and already decoded. The calculated prediction vector is added to a difference vector decoded from an encoded stream so as to calculate a motion vector. By using the calculated motion vector, the inter-image prediction process is executed.

Abstract: Provided is a video encoding/decoding technique for improving the compression efficiency by reducing the motion vector code amount. In a video decoding process, the prediction vector calculation method is switched from one to another in accordance with a difference between predetermined motion vectors among a plurality of motion vectors of a peripheral block of a block to be decoded and already decoded. The calculated prediction vector is added to a difference vector decoded from an encoded stream so as to calculate a motion vector. By using the calculated motion vector, the inter-image prediction process is executed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique of appropriately compensating for loss of even an entire image frame due to data error such as a transmission error to allow display of a high quality image. An image display apparatus of the present invention comprises: a decoding unit which decodes an encoded bit stream into an image signal; an interpolation image generating unit which generates an interpolation frame based on frames of the decoded image signal; and a control unit which detects an error in the encoded bit stream and controls the interpolation image generating unit; wherein when a frame of the encoded bit stream is lost (that is, it has not been able to be decoded) due to an uncorrectable error, the above interpolation frame is displayed instead of the lost frame.

Abstract: In a variable length encoding for video data, the compression rate of video image encoding is increased by improving the level encoding method. A CAVLC encoding unit acquires coefficients obtained by orthogonally transforming and quantizing video image data in each block unit, determines an encoding mode of variable length encoding among those in a table_A and a table_B, or a mixture thereof by a level encoding mode controller and outputs the determination result to a level_prefix unit. In the table_B, a fixed_length bit string is allocated to a level_prefix which is at least a prescribed value. The level_prefix unit performs a level_prefix encoding in the determined encoding mode to output the result to an output control unit.

Abstract: Provided is an image encoding method and device capable of encoding moving image random allowing access with low delay and high compression. The image encoding method which inputs image data and encodes the image data using a reference picture about the image data and a difference between the reference picture and the image data, and performs the steps of: setting an image output availability parameter indicating that it is possible to decode the image data to output the same if past pictures fall within a fixed range have been decoded, when decoding the image data which has been encoded; calculating influenced range information indicating a range where pictures encoded in the past influence a target picture to be encoded when encoding the image data; and controlling a range of the reference picture upon encoding such that the influenced range information calculated does not exceed the image output availability parameter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a video encoding and decoding device which encodes images and compresses the information volume in accordance to the standard H.264. In the device, image folding determination processing is performed utilizing the symmetry of an input image, and a block of one area of the input image is set to be a folding area. By setting folding points describing the folding area, only information for the folding area and the folding points is encoded. After decoding, the entire image is restored from the folding area, which was the encoded area, but in areas that cannot be directly restored from the folding area, the image is restored by performing padding from peripheral blocks. By this means, the symmetry of an image is utilized to increase encoding efficiency without degrading image quality.

Abstract: In order to transfer an image encoded at a high compression rate and suitably increase the resolution of the transferred image, it is provided an image transfer system, comprising: an image transmission unit that transmits an image; and an image reception unit that receives the image transmitted from the image transmission unit. The image transmission unit scales down the image, and transmits the scaled-down image to the image reception unit. The image reception unit calculates an angle between a line displayed in the image transmitted from the image transmission unit and a horizontal direction of the image in correspondence with pixels included in the image, scales up the image transmitted from the image transmission unit, and removes an aliasing component of the scaled-up image based on the calculated angle.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus includes a frequency transform unit for executing an orthogonal transform on a prediction difference or an original image; a quantizing unit for quantizing transform coefficients outputted by the frequency transform unit; a variable-length coder for executing variable-length encoding on a bit string generated from the quantized transform coefficients; a rate controller for performing a rate control to control a code bit stream outputted by the variable-length coder to be maintained at a bit rate; and a code amount estimating unit for estimating a code amount to be generated by the variable-length coder based on a length of the bit string and an occurrence frequency of symbol in the bit string. The rate controller executes the rate control based on the estimated code amount.

Abstract: A video signal recording and reproducing apparatus is provided that is capable of reducing the encoding amount required for video recording thereby to record a longer video signal while suppressing deterioration of image quality when the video is displayed. An apparatus is also provided that is similarly capable of efficiently transmitting the video signal with a smaller transmission capacity during transmission of the video signal. A structure constituting the present invention comprises: a decoding unit which decodes an inputted video signal into video frames; a decimation unit which decimates the number of video frames decoded by the decimation unit; an encoding unit which encodes the video frames decimated by the decimation unit into encoded video signals; and a storage device which stores the video signals encoded by the encoding unit, wherein the decimation unit performs decimation for each video signal.

Abstract: High-quality video is provided using a small amount of coded bits. The moving picture decoding method performs inter-frame prediction processing. With the aforementioned inter-frame prediction processing, blocks with similar motion vectors from among the motion vectors in multiple blocks that have already been decoded are combined and a combined area is computed. A predicted vector for a target block to be decoded is computed using the motion vector of the aforementioned combined area, and a motion vector for the aforementioned target block is computed based on the aforementioned predicted vector and a difference vector which is included in a coded stream that is input. A predicted image is generated using the aforementioned motion vector, and a difference image which is included in the aforementioned coded stream and the aforementioned predicted image are added to generate a decoded image.

Abstract: Provided is a video encoding/decoding technique for improving the compression efficiency by reducing the motion vector code amount. In a video decoding process, the prediction vector calculation method is switched from one to another in accordance with a difference between predetermined motion vectors among a plurality of motion vectors of a peripheral block of a block to be decoded and already decoded. The calculated prediction vector is added to a difference vector decoded from an encoded stream so as to calculate a motion vector. By using the calculated motion vector, the inter-image prediction process is executed.

Abstract: A video encoder for evaluating a prediction error by using a prediction technique include: an image encoding section which encodes a prediction image; and an encoding control device which selects any one of a plurality of prediction modes in prediction used by the image encoding section. The image encoding section performs clipping of higher-order bits of the prediction error input to the encoding control device and reduction of lower-order bits thereof for each of the prediction modes to control prediction mode selection, thus reducing the prediction error bit width to a predetermined bit width. The encoding control device sets to the image encoding section the number of higher-order bits to be clipped and the number of lower-order bits to be reduced. The predetermined bit width of the prediction error after bit width reduction is matched with the bus width used for prediction error transmission by the encoding control device and the image encoding section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a video transmission system that uses an encoding/decoding technique. An object of the present invention is to refrain from using a memory for storing decoded image data, avoid a decoder input buffer problem (buffer overflow or underflow) with ease, achieve cost reduction, and provide enhanced image quality. In the video transmission system with an encoding/decoding device, a reference signal for adjusting a synchronization schedule of the entire system is generated and supplied to various sections. In addition, a timing adjustment amount for adjusting the synchronization schedule for the reference signal is generated by a decoder and supplied to a camera.

Abstract: A method of decoding videos comprises the steps of performing, in respect of a decoding objective area of decoding objective frame, a motion search by using images of plural frames finished with decoding and deciding, on the basis of the result of the motion search, whether an image of the decoding objective area is to be generated through an interpolation process or a decoded image is to be generated through motion compensation using data included in an encoding stream.