Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided for generating a predictive pixel value of a current picture to be decoded, and decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value. The method includes a first parameter calculation step of calculating a first parameter corresponding to a distance between the current picture and a first reference picture; a second parameter calculation step of calculating a second parameter corresponding to a distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a judgment step of judging whether or not a value of a third parameter calculated using a value obtained by dividing the first parameter by the second parameter is a value which is represented by a plurality of bits; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: A semiconductor for decoding coded image and audio data, which includes an audio processor that decodes coded audio data, and an image decoder that decodes image data. The image decoder removes coding distortion in pixels of two adjacent transform blocks which are motion-compensated, having a coded motion compensation error equal to zero, and are located inside a same macroblock. The image decoder includes a motion compensation block boundary detector that determines whether the motion compensation error of the two adjacent transform blocks located inside the macroblock is zero, and determines whether a boundary of two adjacent transform block is also a boundary of two adjacent motion-compensation blocks. The image decoder also includes a filter that removes coding distortion in pixels of the two adjacent transform blocks, and a selector that selects whether or not the filter removes the coding distortion based on the determination of the motion compensation block boundary detector.

Abstract: A playback apparatus (100) and corresponding method for playing back images. The apparatus comprising a controller (110) configured for executing the steps of: recognizing an object in an image being played back (320); obtaining a keyword (410) associated to the recognized object (340); and—searching for information based on the keyword (370).

Abstract: A semiconductor for decoding coded image and audio data, which includes an audio processor that decodes coded audio data, and an image decoder that decodes image data. The image decoder removes coding distortion in pixels of two adjacent transform blocks which are motion-compensated, having a coded motion compensation error equal to zero, and are located inside a same macroblock. The image decoder includes a motion compensation block boundary detector that determines whether the motion compensation error of the two adjacent transform blocks located inside the macroblock is zero, and determines whether a boundary of two adjacent transform block is also a boundary of two adjacent motion-compensation blocks. The image decoder also includes a filter that removes coding distortion in pixels of the two adjacent transform blocks, and a selector that selects whether or not the filter removes the coding distortion based on the determination of the motion compensation block boundary detector.

Abstract: Mosaic-shaped block noise occurs when a compressed video signal is reproduced. This block noise is removed, but removing block noise from every block using a deblocking filter imposes a significant load on the deblocking filter. This load is therefore reduced by determining whether coding distortion removal (deblocking) is necessary, and applying a deblocking filter only when needed.

Abstract: A method for coding a picture segmented into a plurality of blocks. The method decodes the coded blocks to produce a reproduced image. A filter selection parameter determines a threshold value for each quantization parameter, so as to change between a mode to effect coding distortion removal by a filter and a mode not to effect the coding distortion removal. The determined filter selection parameter is coded. A difference between pixel values of pixels in the adjacent blocks on both sides of a boundary between adjacent blocks forming the reproduced image is compared with the determined threshold value determined by the filter selection parameter, and the coding distortion is removed using the filter when the difference is smaller than the threshold value, and not removed when the difference is larger than the threshold value.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided for generating a predictive pixel value of a current picture to be decoded, and decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value. The method includes a first parameter calculation step of calculating a first parameter corresponding to a distance between the current picture and a first reference picture; a second parameter calculation step of calculating a second parameter corresponding to a distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a judgment step of judging whether or not a value of a third parameter calculated using a value obtained by dividing the first parameter by the second parameter is a value which is represented by a plurality of bits; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: A coding distortion removal method for removing coding distortion in an image which was has been divided in to a plurality of macroblocks. The method operates under the following conditions such that: (i) a size of a pixel in a motion compensation block is smaller than a size of a pixel in said macroblock; (ii) a size of a pixel in a motion compensation block is larger than a size of a pixel in a coding unit; and (iii) a pixel difference between two adjacent motion compensation blocks located inside the macroblock is zero. The method disables the coding distortion removal at a boundary between blocks located inside each of the two adjacent motion compensation blocks, and enables the coding distortion removal at a boundary between the two adjacent motion compensation blocks.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A moving picture prediction method for enabling a calculation amount and a storage capacity to be reduced in a prediction about a moving picture by scaling processing is provided. A method for predicting the value P of Time T from the value P0 of Time T0 and the value P1 of Time T1 includes a step of judging whether it is possible to generate a predictive value with a predetermined significant number of bits by scaling using Time T0, T1 and T (Step S90); a step of predicting the value P from the values P0 and P1 by scaling using Time T0, T1 and T when it is possible to generate a predictive value with the predetermined significant number of bits (Step S92); and a step of predicting the value P from the values P0 and P1 without using Time T0, T1 and T when it is impossible to generate a predictive value with the predetermined significant number of bits (Step S91).

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having the filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filters includes filters having different filtering strength. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a playback device for playback of a video content and of a file obtained separately from the video content. The invention is for a system wherein a file to be played with a movie is obtained from an uncontrolled source such as the Internet. Obtaining a file from such a source creates a number of issues due to the lack of control. The file obtained may not correspond to the intended movie or to the intended language and may not be synchronized with the movie. The invention proposes: 1) to verify that the separately obtained file corresponds to the movie; 2) if the separately obtained file corresponds to the movie, to determine whether it is synchronized with the movie; 3) if the separately obtained file is not synchronized with the movie, to synchronize it. The correspondence can be verified based on language, key phrases relating to the movie, or timing.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.