Abstract: A system is arranged by a service providing apparatus 109 for storing a plurality of contents data 110 and capable of transmitting the contents data via network interfaces 116a/116b and a communication path 112; and also a service relaying apparatus 101 for producing compressed moving picture data having a high image quality from still picture data, and capable of transmitting the compressed moving picture data via network interfaces 115a/115b and another communication path 111 to a reproducing terminal 106. As a result, desirable contents data can be displayed by the reproducing terminal which owns a capability of displaying the compressed moving picture data, but does not own such a capability of displaying the desirable contents data.

Abstract: An apparatus for compressing an uncompressed motion picture to generate compressed motion picture data, and also for generating and including rate correction data to be used by another apparatus to change the bit rate of the compressed motion picture data without decoding all of the encoded packets in the compressed motion picture data.

Abstract: A video transmission system that achieves uninterrupted video transmission, even when there are large bit rate fluctuation due to receiving terminal movement and so forth, in a network such as a wireless network in which transmission bit rate fluctuations occur. In this system, when a video receiving apparatus (receiving terminal) 150 is moving, a video transmitting apparatus (transmitting terminal) 100 lowers the base layer bit rate of layered-coded data to the limit. When the base layer bit rate is lowered in this way, the bit rate of the lowest enhancement layer is raised and effects on the received image quality of other terminals due to lowering of the base layer are suppressed, or the lowest enhancement layer is divided finely and the adjustability to a bit rate under bit rate fluctuations is improved.

Abstract: The video compression transmission apparatus comprises a video input unit for inputting pictures, a video compression unit for compressing input pictures, a video transmission unit for transmitting compressed pictures via a communication line, and a controller for controlling operation of each unit. Video compression via a video compression unit and video transmission via a video transmission unit are performed in parallel. Video compression method via the video compression unit and video transmission method via a video transmission unit are controlled by the controller so that each processing time becomes about the same.

Abstract: A picture coding apparatus contains a rate control unit 100, an image buffer 200, an orthogonal transformation unit 300, a quantizing unit 400, a variable length coding unit 500, a motion predicting unit 600, a coding unit 700, and an output buffer 800. The rate control unit 100 allocates a target code amount to each of pictures, and transfers a quantizing value 100a which is determined by a code amount to the quantizing unit 400. This target code amount is calculated by adding a reference target code amount to a correction value. The correction value is calculated based on a difference between a predetermined target value and an actual value of a remaining coding picture amount of the output buffer 800.

Abstract: A picture combining apparatus that automatically displays a picture important to a user, and moreover displays that important picture combined in a screen configuration that is highly appealing visually. In this apparatus, a picture input section 102 inputs images making up a picture on an image-by-image basis, and a picture accumulation section 110 accumulates input pictures. A trigger generation section 104 that generates a trigger indicating the importance of a picture, and a combining trigger calculation section 106 calculates a combining trigger for calculating screen combining parameters using that trigger. A screen configuration calculation section 108 determines the presence or absence of screen combining using a combining trigger and calculates a screen configuration (more specifically, screen combining parameters).

Abstract: A video transmission system, a video transmitting apparatus, a video receiving apparatus, and a video transmission method whereby, when a plurality of terminals whose characteristics differ receive video simultaneously, each terminal can receive video with quality appropriate for that terminal. In this system, a video transmitting apparatus (100) divides layered-coded data by quality and bit rate by means of a channel division section (106), and transmits data on separate channels from a video transmitting section (108) after adding priorities calculated by a priority calculation section (112). Video transmitting apparatus (100) also groups channels by quality and calculates a group list by means of a group list calculation section (114), and transmits this group list from a group list transmitting section (116).

Abstract: A system of detecting a motion vector for an object block in a current frame of an orthogonally transformed video with respect to a stored reference frame. The motion vector is detected by: extracting a predetermined pattern of lower frequency components from the object block; orthogonally inverse transforming the extracted lower frequency components within the pattern to yield the pattern of pixel data; searching the reference frame for a block having a maximum correlation with the pattern of pixel data; and calculating the motion vector from the object block to the block having a maximum correlation. As an orthogonal transform, DCT (discrete cosine transform) is preferable. Creating a row and a column image comprising sums obtained by adding all the pixels in each column and each row of the object block and applying the above searching and calculating process to the row and the column image enables the motion vector detection from a normal or noncompressed video.

Abstract: A video decoding apparatus that adaptively controls post-filter filter parameters according to a characteristic quantity of priority-coded data priority-coded for individual areas classified by importance within a moving image, and improves the subjective image quality of an overall screen. In a video decoding apparatus 200, a filter parameter calculation section 213 calculates filter parameters that control the noise elimination intensity of a post-filter processing section 215 based on shift values of individual small areas set in a stepwise shift map in which the shift value decreases stepwise from an important area to the peripheral area within a screen in the video coding apparatus, and a post-filter processing section 215 performs post-filter processing of a reconstructed image by applying the calculated filter parameters.

Abstract: A multimedia title including sources of plural data-types such as a motion picture, still picture and text data, presentation methods of respective sources, and the data-types is edited in every frame, so that a video signal is created. Based on a scenario, the video signal is coded adaptively to respective data-types of each source. As a result, calculation volume is reduced and picture quality is improved.

Abstract: A video coding method and apparatus realize that a calculation amount required to perform a converting process operation of compression formats can be reduced, and also deterioration in an image quality, which is caused by this compression format converting process operation, can be reduced. A video converting unit includes added information processing means for using added information contained in an input bit stream in coding operation. This added information involves a motion vector, a motion prediction difference signal, a quadrature converting coefficient, and a quantizing value.

Abstract: Network conditions are dynamically measured to extract quality of service condition information that is then translated based on a set of predetermined rules to generate a profile. The profile is configured as structured data about the dynamic state of the network. The profile can be propagated across the network to one or more different locations and to one or more different servers or end users, allowing those systems to adapt to network conditions in real-time.

Abstract: A moving picture coding method capable of maintaining high picture quality for an important area even in a low bit rate and gradually improving picture quality of the neighboring area as the bit rate becomes higher. According to this method, the important area detection section 122 automatically detects an important area within a frame, the gradual shift map generation section 124 generates a gradual shift map whose shift value decreases gradually from the important area toward the neighboring area. The bit shift section 130 bit-shifts DCT coefficients according to the gradual shift map. In this way, more DCT coefficients which contribute to improvement of picture quality of the important area are stored in the start portion of the enhancement layer preferentially.

Abstract: A synchronization message processing method for preventing damage even when a large amount of synchronization messages are transmitted.

Abstract: A resolution transformation apparatus which has longitudinal and lateral change ratio input means 101 for inputting the longitudinal and lateral change ratios of an image, low-frequency orthogonal transformation block extraction means 103 for extracting only low-frequency areas of N orthogonal transformation blocks required for resolution transformation from before-transformation orthogonal transformation image memory 102 for storing orthogonal transformation images before undergoing resolution transformation, resolution transformation means 104 for executing resolution transformation and generating M orthogonal transformation blocks from the N low-frequency orthogonal transformation blocks, and orthogonal transformation block storage means 105 for storing the Morthogonal transformation blocks after resolution transformation in after-transformation orthogonal transformation image memory 106.

Abstract: A quantity of communication burden on a user is to be alleviated, and resetting of a terminal ensuing from user replacement is to take no time or a minimum length of time. To this end, there is provided a user decision unit which has a user list in which users having experience of using the terminal if only once can be referenced and registered as users and controls the resetting of terminal setting information by inquiring about the presence or absence of the user's experience of using the terminal. Further, a mechanism to hold setting information, which would otherwise be initialized after the user is replaced, as a user list to which management numbers which are valid only in the terminal are added in a region separate from the setting information region for terminal users even after the user replacement.

Abstract: A first data sequence generated by a first moving picture coding system having an intra-frame coding mode and an inter-frame coding mode is transformed to a second data sequence generated by a second moving picture coding system having an intra-frame coding mode and an inter-frame coding mode. The method includes prereading a coding mode of a successive frame succeeding a present frame from the first data sequence, judging whether or not a preread coding mode of the successive frame is the intra-frame coding mode and determining whether or not to code the present frame by the second moving picture coding system corresponding to a generated code amount of the second data sequence when the coding mode of the successive frame is the intra-frame coding mode. Data coded by the intra-frame coding mode existing in the first data sequence is transformed to the second data sequence.

Abstract: A method for transforming a first data sequence, generated by a first moving picture coding system that switches an intra-frame coding mode and an inter-frame coding mode on a block unit basis to a second data sequence, generated by a second moving picture coding system that switches an intra-frame coding mode and in inter-frame coding mode on the block unit basis. The method includes increasing the number of blocks to be coded by the intra-frame coding mode in the second moving picture coding system when a generated code amount of the second data sequence is less than a target value.

Abstract: An image coding system converting apparatus is arranged by employing input means 102 for sequentially reading an input bit stream, a decoder unit 103 for decoding inputted data, a data buffer 104 for saving either non-compression image data or image data being decoded in a half way, an added information buffer 105 for saving either added information related to image data or added information related to a coding system, an encoder unit 106 for encoding the image data read out from the data buffer 104 with reference to the added information read out from the added information buffer 105, and output means 107 for outputting the image data encoded by the encoder unit 106.

Abstract: The transformation method for moving picture coding system reads data of a frame from the first data sequence in the first moving picture moving coding system, prereads a coding mode of a successive frame to record, and when the preread coding mode of the successive frame is the intra-frame coding mode, performs a control not to perform coding of a present frame or decrease a generated code amount corresponding to the generated coed content of the second data sequence in the second moving picture coding system. Then, the method preferentially transforms data coded by the intra-frame coding mode existing in the first data sequence to the second data sequence.