Abstract: A technique for displaying 3D videos creates a representation of image deformation, such as depth maps, in terms of a function for overlaying kernels with variable support and order. By optimizing the kernel type, order and support, which are allowed to be varied across different region of the deformation, it is able to approximate the image deformations in terms of the kernel parameters. Since the number of kernel parameters is usually much smaller than that of the number of pixels, this allows a significant reduction in the storage size of the image deformation.

Abstract: A method for encoding depth map image involves dividing the image into blocks. These blocks are then classified into smooth blocks without large depth discontinuities and discontinuous blocks with large depth discontinuities. In the discontinuous blocks, depth discontinuities are represented by line segments and partitions. Interpolation-based intra prediction is used to approximate and compress the depth values in the smooth blocks and partitions. Further compression can be achieved with of depth-aware quantization, adaptive de-blocking filtering, scale adaptive block size, and resolution decimation schemes.

Abstract: The present invention relate to methods and codecs for image and video compression. Embodiments of the present invention include a novel shape-adaptive model-based codec (SAM) that supports binary shapes as well as matte and soft segmentation image compression by decomposing input shapes into deterministic and stochastic components for flexible lossy and lossless coding. The present invention can provide inter/intra prediction and flexibly adapts between lossy and lossless modes with various parameters for compression quality control. The compression module can also be adapted with numerous other compression techniques.

Abstract: It is proposed a Method and System for Global Motion Estimation and Compensation. The system operates on two depth maps which contain a reference depth map and a current depth map as well as their associated texture images if available. The system executes four major steps which are feature detection (step 1), global motion compensation (GMC) (step 2), major moving objects (MMO) detection and the estimation of their motion parameters denoted as major motion parameters (MMPs) (step 3), and local motion compensation (LMC) of macroblocks or other coding/prediction units (step 4). The output of the system is the global motion parameters (GMPs), major moving objects (MMOs) and MMPs, the local motion vectors (LMVs), and the coding modes.

Abstract: A technique for displaying 3D videos creates a representation of image deformation, such as depth maps, in terms of a function for overlaying kernels with variable support and order. By optimizing the kernel type, order and support, which are allowed to be varied across different region of the deformation, it is able to approximate the image deformations in terms of the kernel parameters. Since the number of kernel parameters is usually much smaller than that of the number of pixels, this allows a significant reduction in the storage size of the image deformation.

Abstract: Original or compressed Auxiliary Data, including possibly major depth discontinuities in the form of shape images, partial occlusion data, associated tuned and control parameters, and depth information of the original video(s), are used to facilitate the interactive display and generation of new views (view synthesis) of conventional 2D, stereo, and multi-view videos in conventional 2D, 3D (stereo) and multi-view or autostereoscopic displays with reduced artifacts. The partial or full occlusion data includes image, depth and opacity data of possibly partially occluded areas to facilitate the reduction of artifacts in the synthesized view. An efficient method is used for extracting objects at partially occluded regions as defined by the auxiliary data from the texture videos to facilitate view synthesis with reduced artifacts.

Abstract: It is proposed a Method and System for Global Motion Estimation and Compensation. The system operates on two depth maps which contain a reference depth map and a current depth map as well as their associated texture images if available. The system executes four major steps which are feature detection (step 1), global motion compensation (GMC) (step 2), major moving objects (MMO) detection and the estimation of their motion parameters denoted as major motion parameters (MMPs) (step 3), and local motion compensation (LMC) of macroblocks or other coding/prediction units (step 4). The output of the system is the global motion parameters (GMPs), major moving objects (MMOs) and MMPs, the local motion vectors (LMVs), and the coding modes.

Abstract: A method for encoding depth map image involves dividing the image into blocks. These blocks are then classified into smooth blocks without large depth discontinuities and discontinuous blocks with large depth discontinuities. In the discontinuous blocks, depth discontinuities are represented by line segments and partitions. Interpolation-based intra prediction is used to approximate and compress the depth values in the smooth blocks and partitions. Further compression can be achieved with of depth-aware quantization, adaptive de-blocking filtering, scale adaptive block size, and resolution decimation schemes.

Abstract: The present invention relate to methods and codecs for image and video compression. Embodiments of the present invention include a novel shape-adaptive model-based codec (SAM) that supports binary shapes as well as matte and soft segmentation image compression by decomposing input shapes into deterministic and stochastic components for flexible lossy and lossless coding. The present invention can provide inter/intra prediction and flexibly adapts between lossy and lossless modes with various parameters for compression quality control. The compression module can also be adapted with numerous other compression techniques.

Abstract: Original or compressed Auxiliary Data, including possibly major depth discontinuities in the form of shape images, partial occlusion data, associated tuned and control parameters, and depth information of the original video(s), are used to facilitate the interactive display and generation of new views (view synthesis) of conventional 2D, stereo, and multi-view videos in conventional 2D, 3D (stereo) and multi-view or autostereoscopic displays with reduced artifacts. The partial or full occlusion data includes image, depth and opacity data of possibly partially occluded areas to facilitate the reduction of artifacts in the synthesized view. An efficient method is used for extracting objects at partially occluded regions as defined by the auxiliary data from the texture videos to facilitate view synthesis with reduced artifacts.

Abstract: Briefly, embodiments of methods or structures for reconstruction of uniform digital signal sample values from nonuniform digital signal sample values are disclosed.

Abstract: Briefly, embodiments of methods or structures for reconstruction of uniform digital signal sample values from nonuniform digital signal sample values are disclosed

Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the-actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the-actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: Selective quality light field operations efficiently manipulate a multi-resolution representation of a light field. These operations include intra-image and inter-image decomposition and compression of a light field to a multi-resolution representation. These operations also include intra-image and inter-image decompression and reconstruction of a light field at selective quality. These selective quality operations also apply to storage, rendering, and transmission. Various techniques improve spatial displacement estimation of a prediction light field image from a reference light field image. These techniques includes constraining the placement and size of a search window based upon a geometrical relationship between prediction and reference light field images, hierarchical spatial displacement estimation, edge extension of a reference light field image, differential coding of displacement vectors, and multi-predictor spatial displacement estimation.