Abstract: In encoding high-definition video signals, the method includes overlapping panels with a single row in the overlap, selecting the better-encoded one of the rows in the overlap, removing the unselected row, and merging bit streams from the panels. In deciding which one of the rows in the overlap is better encoded, a heuristic approach may be used, for example, a panel with the fewer bits, or with fewer errors or the panel as suggested by the motion vectors. Optionally, panels may be synchronized by copying the selected row in the overlap in place of the unselected row in the overlap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating views of an environment with proper perspective and parallax. This invention captures panoramic views at many points in the environment, preferably by using fisheye lenses with subhemispherical fields of views to yield overlapping fisheye images that are seemed together, and stores them as planar polygons, which have been extended to include imagery occluded at their viewing position but visible at nearby points. Three-dimensional information on the environmental source of these polygons is determined and stored, enabling the playback system to simulate parallax as well as to produce stereographic images. Given a location and orientation in the environment, the playback system finds a nearby capture point and translates the polygons at that point to the specified location, producing an image. It then rotates that image to the desired orientation which it then displays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating views of an environment with proper perspective and parallax. This invention captures panoramic views at many points in the environment, preferably by using fisheye lenses with subhemispherical fields of views to yield overlapping fisheye images that are seemed together, and stores them as planar polygons, which have been extended to include imagery occluded at their viewing position but visible at nearby points. Three-dimensional information on the environmental source of these polygons is determined and stored, enabling the playback system to simulate parallax as well as to produce stereographic images. Given a location and orientation in the environment, the playback system finds a nearby capture point and translates the polygons at that point to the specified location, producing an image. It then rotates that image to the desired orientation which it then displays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating views of an environment with proper perspective and parallax. This invention captures panoramic views at many points in the environment, preferably by using fisheye lenses with subhemispherical fields of views to yield overlapping fisheye images that are seemed together, and stores them as planar polygons, which have been extended to include imagery occluded at their viewing position but visible at nearby points. Three-dimensional information on the environmental source of these polygons is determined and stored, enabling the playback system to simulate parallax as well as to produce stereographic images. Given a location and orientation in the environment, the playback system finds a nearby capture point and translates the polygons at that point to the specified location, producing an image. It then rotates that image to the desired orientation which it then displays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating views of an environment with proper perspective and parallax. This invention captures panoramic views at many points in the environment, preferably by using fisheye lenses with subhemispherical fields of views to yield overlapping fisheye images that are seemed together, and stores them as planar polygons, which have been extended to include imagery occluded at their viewing position but visible at nearby points. Three-dimensional information on the environmental source of these polygons is determined and stored, enabling the playback system to simulate parallax as well as to produce stereographic images. Given a location and orientation in the environment, the playback system finds a nearby capture point and translates the polygons at that point to the specified location, producing an image. It then rotates that image to the desired orientation which it then displays.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for encoding symbols of a current message with a variable-length code. According to a preferred embodiment, the statistics of the current message, are analyzed, wherein the symbols of the current message constitute a symbol set. Dominant symbols of the symbol set which are out of order are determined. Selected symbols of the dominant symbols are reordered in the variable-length code to reduce the size of code words of the variable-length code which represent the selected symbols.

Abstract: Information for forming a predicted image having at least two blocks sharing a common border is evaluated to determine whether a discontinuity exists at the common border. If it is determined that a discontinuity exists at the border, the predicted image is filtered in the vicinity of the border.

Abstract: An apparatus and computer-implemented method for decoding code words of an encoded bitstream associated with a variable-length code. According to a preferred embodiment, a processor forms a byte having BS bits in accordance with bits of the encoded bitstream and in accordance with any unused bits remaining after decoding a previous code word. The byte is applied to a table, and if the byte comprises at least one complete code word, then the table means produces at least one decoded symbol corresponding to the at least one complete code word, and a plurality of unused bits comprised of bits of the byte not within the at least one complete code word is determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating views of an environment with proper perspective and parallax. This invention captures panoramic views at many points in the environment and stores them as planar polygons, which have been extended to include imagery occluded at their viewing position but visible at nearby points. Three-dimensional information on the environmental source of these polygons is determined and stored, enabling the playback system to simulate parallax as well as to produce stereographic images. Given a location and orientation in the environment, the playback system finds a nearby capture point and translates the polygons at that point to the specified location, producing an image. It then rotates that image to the desired orientation which it then displays.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing signals. According to a preferred embodiment, at least one dominant symbol of a set S comprising a plurality of symbols is determined and a dominant set comprising the at least one dominant symbol is formed. A next symbol for encoding is received. It is determined whether the next symbol is in the dominant set. The next symbol is encoded by either entropy encoding or variable-length encoding in accordance with this determination.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a target image within a sequence of one or more digital motion video images using motion compensation. Displacement vectors are assigned to a plurality of blocks in the target image. First and second block groups are selected from the plurality of blocks, the first and second block groups having corresponding first and second displacement vectors assigned thereto. A first error measure associated with predicting the second block group using the second displacement vector is determined. A second error measure associated with predicting the second block group using said first displacement vector is determined. An error change is obtained from the first and second error measures. A merge-factor is obtained from the error change. The second block group is reassigned to the first displacement vector if the merge-factor is less than a merge-threshold. Alternatively, displacement vectors are assigned to a plurality of parent blocks in the target image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving motion analysis in fade regions where motion compensation systems based on block matching typically fail to accurately encode images. A previous image is selected from an image sequence. A base image is calculated by adjusting the brightness of the previous image. A displacement vector representing the magnitude and direction of the displacement between at least one region in a target image and a corresponding region in the base image is determined. The displacement vector is applied to a corresponding region in a previous reconstructed image to form a predicted image, and is then encoded. Pixel values in the predicted image are subtracted from corresponding pixel values in the target image to form an error image which is also encoded.

Abstract: A method for partially encoding an image. The image is divided into a plurality of blocks and one block is selected for processing. A determination is made whether the selected block is an exterior block. The selected block is encoded only if it is determined to be an exterior block, otherwise, the selected block is ignored for purposes of encoding.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for partially encoding an image. The image is divided into a plurality of blocks and one block is selected for processing. A boundary lying along the selected block that is associated with a discontinuity is also selected. The errors associated with the selected block are reduced unevenly by a reduction factor that increases the degree to which the errors are reduced as the distance between the errors and the boundary increases. The selected block is encoded in accordance with the reduced errors.

Abstract: An image having at least one high frequency feature is encoded by (a) filtering the image to produce a filtered image representing the image minus the at least one high frequency feature; (b) resolving the filtered image into at least one lower level of resolution; (c) encoding a correction image at the at least one lower level of resolution; (d) producing an expanded result image having the same the level of resolution of the image; and (e) encoding at the level of resolution the image the difference between the image and the expanded result image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding an original image. The original image is divided into a plurality of regions and a region is selected therefrom for processing. A region energy value is determined in accordance with the magnitudes of the pixels in the selected region. The region energy value is compared to a threshold and a filtered image is formed by selectively zeroing the selected region in accordance with the comparison. The filtered image is resolved into at least one lower resolution image which is encoded. An expanded image is formed in accordance with the encoded lower resolution image, the expanded image being of the same level of resolution as the original image. An image representative of the difference between the original image and the expanded image is encoded at full resolution.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding an original image. A first error image is formed from the original image and a first predicted image. A second error image is formed from the original image and a second predicted image. The first error image is resolved into at least one lower resolution image which is encoded. An expanded image is formed based on the encoded lower resolution image, the expanded image being of the same level of resolution as the second error image. An image representative of the difference between the second error image and the expanded image is encoded at full resolution.

Abstract: In a method of encoding a sequence of images of a digital motion video signal, information regarding future images in the image sequence is obtained by making an initial analysis of the image data before compression. The initial analysis provides information to the compression system regarding variations in complexity between images. This information is used to determine the setting of a compression controller. From this setting, other compression system thresholds and quantizers are scaled. In addition, the initial analysis provides qualitative information regarding events such as scene changes, brief periods of rapid motion, dissolves, wipes, and the appearance of a single anomalous image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a sequence of digital motion video images at more than one resolution. In a first embodiment, it is determined whether an image selected from the sequence is part of either a dissolve, a fade, a fast motion region or a complex motion region. If the selected image is part of either a dissolve, a fade, a fast motion region or a complex motion region, then the selected image is encoded at a reduced resolution level. In a further embodiment, a selected image is provided for encoding. A determination is then made whether a parameter derived from an estimate of the available decoding time is above a predetermined threshold. If the parameter is above the predetermined threshold, then the selected image is encoded at a reduced resolution. In a still further embodiment, a selected image from a sub-sequence of images is provided for encoding. A determination is then made whether the quantization step size associated with the image is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A full motion color digital video signal is compressed, formatted for transmission, recorded on compact disc media and decoded at conventional video frame rates. During compression, regions of a frame are individually analyzed to select optimum fill coding methods specific to each region. Region decoding time estimates are made to optimize compression thresholds. Region descriptive codes conveying the size and locations of the regions are grouped together in a first segment of a data stream. Region fill codes conveying pixel amplitude indications for the regions are grouped together according to fill code type and placed in other segments of the data stream. The data stream segments are individually variable length coded according to their respective statistical distributions and formatted to form data frames.