Patents by Inventor Nicholas Ian Saunders

Nicholas Ian Saunders 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).

  • Publication number: 20190281291
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and a method that enable easier encoding and decoding of a wider variety of images. The image processing device includes a setting unit that sets a parameter indicating a setting state of a coding tool required in specifying an extended profile that is an extension of a profile specified in a coding standard for performing encoding on each unit having a recursive hierarchical structure and an encoding unit that generates an encoded stream by encoding an image in accordance with the parameter set by the setting unit. The present disclosure can be applied to image processing devices that encode image data, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: TERUHIKO SUZUKI, NICHOLAS Ian SAUNDERS, KARL James SHARMAN, JAMES Alexander GAMEI
  • Publication number: 20190253702
    Abstract: A video encoding method for encoding both the 4:2:0 video and 4:4:4 video formats. The method includes generating blocks of quantized spatial frequency data by quantizing coefficients and generating a matrix of data. The method further includes determining quantization matrices for use with at least two block sizes. The method further includes determining a first quantization matrix for a 32×32 chroma block of samples with respect to a first modification of a first scaling list for quantization of a block of samples smaller than 32×32, and determining, for blocks of another block size different than the 32×32 chroma block of samples, a second quantization matrix by modifying a second scaling list according to a second modification. The second scaling list is different from the first scaling list, and the first scaling list is a reference scaling list for video in 4:2:0 video format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Patent number: 10382752
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and a method that enable easier encoding and decoding of a wider variety of images. The image processing device includes a setting unit that sets a parameter indicating a setting state of a coding tool required in specifying an extended profile that is an extension of a profile specified in a coding standard for performing encoding on each unit having a recursive hierarchical structure. The image processing device further includes an encoding unit that generates an encoded stream by encoding an image in accordance with the parameter set by the setting unit. The present disclosure can be applied to image processing devices that encode image data, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruhiko Suzuki, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, James Alexander Gamei
  • Publication number: 20190222833
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, including storing one or more images preceding a current image, interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images so that the luminance component has a horizontal resolution P times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image and a vertical resolution Q times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image, detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images, and generating a motion compensated prediction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Publication number: 20190191154
    Abstract: A method of coding 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 video data comprises predicting luminance and/or chrominance samples of an image from other respective reference samples derived from the same image according to a prediction mode associated with a sample to be predicted, the prediction mode being selected for each of a plurality of blocks of samples, from a set of two or more candidate prediction modes; detecting differences between the samples and the respective predicted samples; selecting a frequency-separation transform from two or more candidate frequency separation transforms according to the prediction mode associated with a current block of samples using a mapping between transform and prediction mode, the mapping between different, as between chrominance and luminance samples, for at least the 4:4:4: format; and encoding the detected differences by frequency-separating the differences, using the selected frequency-separation transform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10291909
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method operable to generate blocks of quantized spatial frequency data by quantizing the video data according to a selected quantization step size and a matrix of data modifying the quantization step size for use at different respective block positions within an ordered block of samples, the method being operable with respect to at least two different chrominance subsampling formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10244232
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution of the luminance component and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, comprises: storing one or more images preceding a current image; interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images so that the luminance component of an interpolated prediction unit has a horizontal resolution P times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image and a vertical resolution Q times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image, where P and Q are integers greater than 1; detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images; and generating a motion compensated prediction of the pr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Publication number: 20190089959
    Abstract: A data encoding method for encoding an array of data values as data sets and escape codes for values not encoded by the data sets, an escape code including a unary coded portion and a non-unary coded portion, the method including: setting a coding parameter defining a minimum number of bits of a non-unary coded portion; adding an offset value of 1 or more to the coding parameter to define a minimum least significant data portion size; generating one or more data sets indicative of positions, relative to the array of data values, of data values of predetermined magnitude ranges, to encode the value of at least one least significant bit of each data value; generating respective complementary most-significant data portions and least-significant data portions; encoding the data sets; encoding the most significant data portions; and encoding the least-significant portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David BERRY, James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN
  • Patent number: 10205941
    Abstract: A method of coding 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 video data comprises predicting luminance and/or chrominance samples of an image from other respective reference samples derived from the same image according to a prediction mode associated with a sample to be predicted, the prediction mode being selected for each of a plurality of blocks of samples, from a set of two or more candidate prediction modes; detecting differences between the samples and the respective predicted samples; selecting a frequency-separation transform from two or more candidate frequency separation transforms according to the prediction mode associated with a current block of samples using a mapping between transform and prediction mode, the mapping between different, as between chrominance and luminance samples, for at least the 4:4:4 format; and encoding the detected differences by frequency-separating the differences, using the selected frequency-separation transform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Patent number: 10136136
    Abstract: A data encoding method for encoding an array of data values as data sets and escape codes for values not encoded by the data sets, an escape code including a unary coded portion and a non-unary coded portion, the method including: setting a coding parameter defining a minimum number of bits of a non-unary coded portion; adding an offset value of 1 or more to the coding parameter to define a minimum least significant data portion size; generating one or more data sets indicative of positions, relative to the array of data values, of data values of predetermined magnitude ranges, to encode the value of at least one least significant bit of each data value; generating respective complementary most-significant data portions and least-significant data portions; encoding the data sets; encoding the most significant data portions; and encoding the least-significant portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: David Berry, James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman
  • Patent number: 10097844
    Abstract: A video data decoding apparatus configured to decode input encoded data representing a plurality of independently decodable portions of a video image, each portion representing a spatially subsampled version of the video image so that a combination of the plurality of portions provides a representation of all of the pixels of that video image, the video data decoding apparatus: one or more decoders having a collective processing capacity which is lower than the maximum possible processing requirements for decoding the plurality of portions; a controller configured to route data of the portions to the one or more decoders so that the one or more decoders cooperate to decode the whole of at least one of the portions for that video image; and a combiner configured to combine the decoded portions to generate a representation of that video image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman
  • Patent number: 10097834
    Abstract: A method of encoding image data, including: frequency-transforming input image data to generate an array of frequency-transformed input image coefficients by a matrix-multiplication process, according to a maximum dynamic range of the transformed data and using transform matrices having a data precision; and selecting the maximum dynamic range and/or the data precision of the transform matrices according to the bit depth of the input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: David Berry, James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman
  • Publication number: 20180227577
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method operable to generate blocks of quantised spatial frequency data by quantising the video data according to a selected quantisation step size and a matrix of data modifying the quantisation step size for use at different respective block positions within an ordered block of samples, the method being operable with respect to at least two different chrominance subsampling formats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Publication number: 20180160112
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method using inter-image prediction to encode input video data in which each chrominance component has 1/Mth of the horizontal resolution of the luminance component and 1/Nth of the vertical resolution of the luminance component, where M and N are integers equal to 1 or more, comprises: storing one or more images preceding a current image; interpolating a higher resolution version of prediction units of the stored images so that the luminance component of an interpolated prediction unit has a horizontal resolution P times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image and a vertical resolution Q times that of the corresponding portion of the stored image, where P and Q are integers greater than 1; detecting inter-image motion between a current image and the one or more interpolated stored images so as to generate motion vectors between a prediction unit of the current image and areas of the one or more preceding images; and generating a motion compensated prediction of the pr
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Publication number: 20180160114
    Abstract: An image data encoding and/or decoding apparatus comprises a data processor to process an image data signal comprising successive arrays of data values according to respective data value processing orders associated with the arrays of data values; and a processing order selector to select a processing order for processing a current array of data values in dependence on one or more attributes of a plurality of arrays of data values in the image data signal already processed by the data processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Magali Kimlee Miri Philippe, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman
  • Publication number: 20180124392
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples are predicted from other respective reference samples according to a prediction direction associated with a current sample to be predicted, the chrominance samples having a lower horizontal and/or vertical sampling rate than the luminance samples so that the ratio of luminance horizontal resolution to chrominance horizontal resolution is different than the ratio of luminance vertical resolution to chrominance vertical resolution, so that a block of luminance samples has a different aspect ratio to a corresponding block of chrominance samples, the method including: detecting a first prediction direction defined in relation to a first grid of a first aspect ratio in respect of a set of current samples to be predicted; and applying a direction mapping to the prediction direction to generate a second prediction direction defined in relation to a second grid of a different aspect ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Patent number: 9948929
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method operable to generate blocks of quantized spatial frequency data by quantizing the video data according to a selected quantization step size and a matrix of data modifying the quantization step size for use at different respective block positions within an ordered block of samples, the method being operable with respect to at least two different chrominance subsampling formats, and includes for at least one of the chrominance subsampling formats, defining one or more quantization matrices as one or more predetermined modifications with respect to one or more reference quantization matrices defined for a reference one of the chrominance subsampling formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock
  • Publication number: 20170359576
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples in a 4:4:4 format or a 4:2:2 format are predicted from other respective samples according to a prediction direction associated with blocks of samples to be predicted; comprises detecting a prediction direction in respect of a current block to be predicted; generating a predicted block of chrominance samples according to other chrominance samples defined by the prediction direction; if the detected prediction direction is substantially vertical, filtering the left column of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples, or if the detected prediction direction is substantially horizontal, filtering the top row of samples in the predicted block of chrominance samples; and encoding a difference between the filtered predicted chrominance block and the actual chrominance block or applying a decoded difference to the filtered predicted chrominance block so as to encode or decode the block respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Publication number: 20170339402
    Abstract: A method of coding 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 video data comprises predicting luminance and/or chrominance samples of an image from other respective reference samples derived from the same image according to a prediction mode associated with a sample to be predicted, the prediction mode being selected for each of a plurality of blocks of samples, from a set of two or more candidate prediction modes; detecting differences between the samples and the respective predicted samples; selecting a frequency-separation transform from two or more candidate frequency separation transforms according to the prediction mode associated with a current block of samples using a mapping between transform and prediction mode, the mapping between different, as between chrominance and luminance samples, for at least the 4:4:4: format; and encoding the detected differences by frequency-separating the differences, using the selected frequency-separation transform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander GAMEI, Nicholas Ian SAUNDERS, Karl James SHARMAN, Paul James SILCOCK
  • Patent number: 9826231
    Abstract: A video coding or decoding method in which luminance and chrominance samples are predicted from other respective reference samples according to a prediction direction associated with a current sample to be predicted, the chrominance samples having a lower horizontal and/or vertical sampling rate than the luminance samples so that the ratio of luminance horizontal resolution to chrominance horizontal resolution is different than the ratio of luminance vertical resolution to chrominance vertical resolution, so that a block of luminance samples has a different aspect ratio to a corresponding block of chrominance samples, the method including: detecting a first prediction direction defined in relation to a first grid of a first aspect ratio in respect of a set of current samples to be predicted; and applying a direction mapping to the prediction direction to generate a second prediction direction defined in relation to a second grid of a different aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Alexander Gamei, Nicholas Ian Saunders, Karl James Sharman, Paul James Silcock