Abstract: Prior to sending to a requesting client device a requested multimedia application which comprises a plurality of kinds of materials and a scenario which defines a role of each material, the server converts an input (or original) format of a certain kind of materials of the requested application into a format with which the requesting client device can deal and converts format-dependent data of the scenario accordingly. This enables every consuming device to consume any of the multimedia applications stored in the server regardless of the material format with which the consuming device can deal with respective to a certain kind of materials. Four schemes different in conversion timing of the materials and the scenario are disclosed. The original format of the materials may be limited to a master data format, eg., the DV format if the certain kind of materials are moving picture materials.

Abstract: In order to enhance the picture quality of a detected area, the present invention provides a video coding apparatus. In the apparatus, a reliability indicative of the degree of coincidence of an area detected by an important area detecting section with a real important area is calculated, and a coding parameter calculating section calculates a coding parameter to be set to the detected area according to the reliability, thereby controlling the picture quality of the detected area. Consequently, a whole image has a coding bit amount which does not break the restrictions of a transmission bit rate, and a larger coding bit amount is assigned to the important area so that a picture quality thereof can be improved and a visibility can be enhanced. In addition, the picture quality is more enhanced if a probability that the detected area might be an important area is higher.

Abstract: Image coding equipment wherein no sense of incongruity occurs when domains whose image quality should be improved are selected. To the domains selected with the domain selection section 111, the gradual coding parameter calculation section 112 computes the quantization values so that the quality of image may improve gradually toward the central part from the outside of the selected domain, and a picture is coded based on the value of such a parameter.

Abstract: Moving picture transforming system which executes transformation of moving picture coding scheme at high speed and with less degradation of picture quality, in that there are provided a motion compensating means 42 for compensating an image based on the motion information output from the variable length decoding means; a moving picture decoding means 120 consisting of an image memory for storing a reference image used by the motion compensating means; a motion information memory portion 20 for storing the motion information output from the moving picture decoding means; a motion prediction controlling portion 60 for outputting a candidate of the motion vector and controlling execution of the motion prediction, based on the motion information accumulated in the motion information memory portion; a motion candidate memory 53 for storing a plurality of outputs of the motion prediction controlling portion in sequence; an adaptive motion predicting means 51 for performing the motion prediction of the image output

Abstract: A video signal conversion apparatus converts DV-format encoded compressed video data to MPEG format data, by utilizing motion flag information contained in the DV data which specifies for each of respective DCT blocks whether interlaced-frame mode DCT processing or progressive-field mode DCT processing has been applied to the block when executing DV encoding. The motion flag information can be used by a procesing mode selection section to determine various MPEG encoding modes to be applied in units of MPEG macroblocks, such as selecting respective macroblocks to be subjected to interlaced-frame mode DCT processing by an orthogonal transform processing section when the set of motion flags corresponding to the blocks constituting that macroblock are judged to indicate no substantial amount of motion for the macroblock, and to select progressive-field mode DCT processing when a substantial amount of motion is judged to exist.

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: 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: When the bit rate of the moving picture data is changed, and the moving picture data is newly produced, to quickly realize the moving picture data production without decoding the moving picture data, and without generating the image quality deterioration due to the motion compensation error. The non-compression moving picture data is an input, quantization means, and rate correction data producing means for producing the rate correction data which is the data to be used at the time of bit rate change, are provided, and the moving picture data having together the rate correction data other than the normal moving picture stream is produced. Thereby, by selecting and replacing the rate correction data whose bit amount is different in the input moving picture data, by adjusting to the objective bit rate, the bit rate is changed and the moving picture data can be quickly produced without decoding the moving picture data.

Abstract: To perform a motion picture format conversion at high speed in a motion picture converting apparatus, the apparatus comprises: input device 101 for inputting a digital image signal constituted of blocks, each block being orthogonally transformed; a frame memory 102 for storing the digital image signal; block reading device 103 for reading the blocks or a macro block from the frame memory in response to a request; region dividing section controlling device 109 for sending a read request to the block reading device; component extracting device 104 for extracting a low-frequency component alone of the captured image signal; two low-resolution frame memories 105 for storing extracted information; motion detecting device 106 for detecting a motion in accordance with the information in the low-resolution frame memories; a region dividing section 113 including macro block classifying device 107 for labeling the macro block in response to a motion detection result by the motion detecting device and label storing devi

Abstract: In this picture signal converting apparatus, digital picture signals compressed in a DVC format are decoded to non-compressed picture signals of a 4:1:1 color component type which are composed of color difference signals and luminance signals. The color difference signals of the 4:1:1 color component type arranged in a matrix are removed on every other row to halve the number of color difference signals in a y direction, and a color difference signal is added to a position between each pair of color difference signals adjacent to each other in an x direction to double the number of color difference signals in the x direction. Therefore, converted color difference signals of a 4:2:0 color component type are produced from the color difference signals. Values of the converted color difference signals are determined according to values of the color difference signals.

Abstract: A multimedia information distributing system for accumulating multimedia title data to supply title data in accordance with a demand from a client. The multimedia information distributing system is composed of clients and a server which are in communicable relation to each other. Each client includes a material and scenario storage information converting section having a conversion rule between an environment depending upon the client and an internal environment of a title server to convert material position information into a format agreeing with each environment. The client transmits material storage information and a title comprising materials and scenario to the server. The server registers the transmitted title through the use of the material storage information made in advance in the client to agree with the server environment.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel chemically synthesized gene including a base sequence coding for the primary amino acid sequence of natutal-type streptokinase, a corresponding plasmid recombinant, corresponding transformant and process for preparing streptokinase by the incubation of the transformant, the invention further relating to novel streptokinase derivative proteins having streptokinase activity and a modified primary amino acid sequence corresponding to the primary amino acid sequence of natural-type streptokinase which is deficient in the amino acid residues at the 373-position to the C-terminus, and wherein at least one of the amino acid residues may be deficient, replaced or inserted; the chemically synthesized gene including a base sequence coding for the derivative protein, plasmid containing the gene, transformant transformed by the plasmid, and process for preparing the streptokinase derivative protein by the incubation of the transformant.