Abstract: Different data communication architectures deliver a wide variety of content, including audio and video content, to consumers. The architectures employ channel bonding to deliver more bandwidth than any single communication channel can carry. In some implementations, the communication architectures distribute video programming in the form of MPEG2 TS packets, flagged by marker packets, in a round-robin manner across the communication channels. Channel bonding synchronization information may be present in packets defined above the data-link layer or added to fields within data-link layer frames.

Abstract: Aspects of fast channel change of programs are presented. Initial pictures of a program may be decoded earlier and displayed longer than what is indicated by corresponding clock references. Additional pictures of the program may be decoded and displayed at time indicated by the clock references. Within the time period of the initial pictures, decoding timing advances of initial pictures may be reduced and corresponding picture displaying rates may converge to an intended constant frame rate used for additional pictures displaying. Pictures may be decoded and displayed when the corresponding data are available in a coded data buffer (CDB) and a decoded picture buffer (DPB), respectively. Depending on the implementation, the respective previous picture may be displayed when a decoded picture is available in the DPB.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) video transmitter may be operable to determine a modification process to be utilized for modifying an enhancement layer of a 3D video frame before encoding of the enhancement layer. The modification process may provide increased compression efficiency during the encoding. The enhancement layer may be modified utilizing the determined modification process. The modified enhancement layer may then be encoded by the 3D video transmitter. The 3D video transmitter may transmit the encoded base layer and the encoded enhancement layer as well as modification information associated with the modified enhancement layer to a 3D video receiver. The 3D video receiver may decode the transmitted encoded base layer and the transmitted encoded enhancement layer. The 3D video receiver may then modify the decoded enhancement layer, based on the transmitted modification information, so as to recover an original image of the enhancement layer of the 3D video frame.

Abstract: A technique to ensure watermarking a highest selected layer for decoding when receiving a scalable coded bitstream having a plurality of bitstream layers. In one technique, the watermark is associated only with the highest layer that is selected from the hierarchically arranged layers and not in any of the lower layers of the hierarchy. In another technique, the watermarks are present in all the layers, but each lower layer watermark is compensated in a next higher layer to remove effects of the presence of the lower layer watermark in the next higher layer.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for transmission of related data components across independent streams. In one embodiment, among others, a transmitting device may separate transmission data into related data components and transmit each related data component in an associated transport stream. Each related data component includes a synchronization tag associated with synchronization of the related data component within the transmission data. In another embodiment, a receiving device may receive related data components transmitted in separate transport streams and decode the related data components based at least in part upon a synchronization tag included in each related data component.

Abstract: A receiver may be operable to receive a default version for each portion of each of video frames, and an alternative version and corresponding watermark control information for one or more portions of one or more of the video frames, in a compressed video stream. The receiver may be operable to determine one or more of the default versions and/or one or more of the alternative versions for decoding based on the corresponding watermark control information and/or specific information locally associated with the receiver. The receiver may be operable to select the determined one or more of the default versions and/or the determined one or more of the default versions for decoding of the received compressed video stream by modifying one or more start codes. Each of the one or more start codes comprises a start code suffix.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) video transmitter may be operable to determine a modification process to be utilized for modifying an enhancement layer of a 3D video frame before encoding of the enhancement layer. The modification process may provide increased compression efficiency during the encoding. The enhancement layer may be modified utilizing the determined modification process. The modified enhancement layer may then be encoded by the 3D video transmitter. The 3D video transmitter may transmit the encoded base layer and the encoded enhancement layer as well as modification information associated with the modified enhancement layer to a 3D video receiver. The 3D video receiver may decode the transmitted encoded base layer and the transmitted encoded enhancement layer. The 3D video receiver may then modify the decoded enhancement layer, based on the transmitted modification information, so as to recover an original image of the enhancement layer of the 3D video frame.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) video transmitter may be operable to encode a 3D video to generate a scalable video coding (SVC) base layer and a SVC enhancement layer. A first view such as a first high-resolution view and a second view such as a second high-resolution view of the 3D video in the SVC enhancement layer may be separate frames. A first half-resolution view and a second half-resolution view of the 3D video in the SVC base layer may be packed in a single frame. The first half-resolution view in the SVC base layer may be a base-layer reference for the first high-resolution view in the SVC enhancement layer for inter-layer prediction of spatial scalable coding. The first high-resolution view in the SVC enhancement layer may be an intra-layer reference for the second high-resolution view in the SVC enhancement layer for intra-layer prediction of temporal scalable coding.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) video transmitter may be operable to encode a 3D video to generate a scalable video coding (SVC) base layer and a SVC enhancement layer. A first half-resolution view and a second half-resolution view of the 3D video in the SVC base layer may be packed in a first single frame. A first view such as a first high-resolution view and a second view such as a second high-resolution view of the 3D video in the SVC enhancement layer may be packed in a second single frame. The high-resolution may comprise a resolution that may be greater than half resolution. The first single frame in the SVC base layer may be used as a base-layer reference for the second single frame in the SVC enhancement layer for inter-layer prediction of spatial scalable coding.

Abstract: A technique to ensure watermarking a highest selected layer for decoding when receiving a scalable coded bitstream having a plurality of bitstream layers. In one technique, the watermark is associated only with the highest layer that is selected from the hierarchically arranged layers and not in any of the lower layers of the hierarchy. In another technique, the watermarks are present in all the layers, but each lower layer watermark is compensated in a next higher layer to remove effects of the presence of the lower layer watermark in the next higher layer.

Abstract: A scalable encoder is enabled to crop received video content to form multiple resolution video layers comprising a base video layer and one or more enhancement video layers in different spatial resolutions. The base video layer and the one or more enhancement video layers are successively encoded and combined to generate composite video to be communicated to one or more video reception units. Coding information of the base video layer is utilized for encoding each of the one or more enhancement video layers. A video reception unit is operable to decode first the coded base video layer followed by the coded enhancement video layer based on device requirement. The video reception unit adjusts resolution of the decoded base video layer to improve video quality based on corresponding decoded enhancement video layers. A logo inserted at a desired position inside a cropping window is processed accordingly at the video reception unit.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for PSI handling to improve channel change time. A MPEG-2 transport bitstream (TS) received using a MPEG-2 decoding system may comprise program specific information used for a desired program reception. In instances where signal acquisition or a channel change occurs, the received MPEG-2 TS may be gated or buffered for processing at least a portion of the PSI. The portion of the PSI in the received MPEG-2 TS may be detected and extracted from the buffered MPEG-2 TS during the PSI processing. After the PSI processing, the buffered MPEG-2 TS may be split into video, and/or audio, and/or data components based on the extracted PSI and may be decoded, accordingly. In instances where signal acquisition or a channel change does not occur, the TS buffering may be bypassed.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for fast channel change are provided. Initial pictures of a program may be decoded earlier and displayed longer than what indicated by corresponding clock references. Additional pictures of the program may be decoded and displayed at time indicated by the clock references. Within the time period of the initial pictures, decoding timing advances of initial pictures may be reduced and corresponding picture displaying rates may converge to an intended constant frame rate used for additional pictures displaying. Pictures may be decoded and displayed when the corresponding data are available in a coded data buffer (CDB) and a decoded picture buffer (DPB), respectively. Depending on implementation, the respective previous picture may be displayed when a decoded picture may be available in the DPB.

Abstract: A video processing system is operable to perform one or more display queue trick (DQT) operations utilizing decoded frames queued in memory. The decoded frames are generated from the start of random access points (RAPs) in frame segments in an encoded video stream. Location of RAPs may be determined during decoding of the encoded video stream. Exemplary encoding scheme comprise MPEG, AVC and/or VC1. The DQT modes include forward and/or reverse display modes. The used frames are selected based on determination of DQT mode parameters, queuing limitations and/or frame properties of selected and/or unselected frames in the frame segments. Frame properties comprise frame discardability and/or display inter-frame dependencies between selected and/or unselected frames. The video processing system is operable to jump to preceding and/or subsequent RAPs during DQT mode operations. The video processing system is also operable to skip one or more RAPs during such jumps.

Abstract: De-jittering a transport stream, at least some transport packets of the transport stream carrying audio-video data and at least some of the transport packets of the transport stream containing Program Clock References (PCRs). A data buffer receives the transport packets and stores the transport packets. Pacing counter clock circuitry produces a pacing counter clock and adjusts the pacing counter clock based upon a pacing counter clock adjust signal. Pacing control circuitry produces the pacing counter clock adjust signal based upon receipt of the transport packets. PCR packet pacing circuitry receives the pacing counter clock, based upon the packing counter clock, retrieves transport packets from the data buffer, and transmits the retrieved transport packets as an output transport stream. The pacing counter clock adjust signal may be based upon data buffer fullness or based upon an estimated program clock generated from the PCRs.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for transcoding video information to enable digital video recording (DVR) trick modes are provided. A current picture may be identified that is used in decoding additional pictures and not independently decodable. The picture may be decoded and re-encoded so that it is independently decodable. The re-encoded picture may be stored in a hard drive or network storage and may be accessed to perform DVR trick modes. The identified picture may be descrambled prior to the decoding and re-encoding operations. Moreover, the re-encoded picture may be scrambled prior to storage in a hard drive or network storage.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are described to determine and present proper decoding information to ensure correct decoding in digital video recording applications, and in other applications. For example, decoding and display of certain video units in a compressed bitstream may require the correct header information corresponding to the video unit to be also presented to a decoder along with the video unit. Since, however, the location of the corresponding header information in the compressed bitstream may not be adjacent to the video unit, the described header locating systems, methods, and computer program products may be used not only to index the header information in a bitstream, but also to determine when and what header information needs to be presented to the decoder.

Abstract: Aspects of noise reduction in digital video may comprise monitoring at least one of memory usage and memory bandwidth usage of memory utilized to process video data. The aspect may further comprise adaptively adjusting filtering of the video data according to the monitoring. At least one of impulse filtering, temporal filtering, and spatial filtering may be utilized for the filtering of the video data. At least one of the impulse filtering, the temporal filtering, and the spatial filtering may be adaptively adjusted based on the monitoring. Furthermore, at least one of motion information and edge information may be estimated from the video data for utilizing in at least one of the impulse filtering, the temporal filtering, and the spatial filtering. At least one of the estimated motion information and the estimated edge information may be adaptively adjusted based on the monitoring.

Abstract: A system and method for removing impulsive noise from a digital signal are disclosed. The system and method determines either a neighborhood maximum and/or a neighborhood minimum for a pixel of interest. The intensity of the pixel of interest is then compared to the neighborhood maximum or the neighborhood minimum to determine whether the pixel of interest should be replaced.

Abstract: One or more methods and systems of indexing an AVC video stream are presented. In one embodiment, the method comprises identifying one or more fields within a picture of an AVC video stream. In one embodiment, a field of the one or more fields indicates the beginning of each picture. In a second embodiment, a field of the one or more fields indicates a picture type of a picture. In a third embodiment, a field of the one or more fields indicates whether a picture is a reference or a non-reference picture. By determining that a picture is a non-reference picture, the picture may be discarded, thereby reducing the memory required to implement the indexing system while increasing the available memory size. In one embodiment, a system of indexing an AVC video stream comprises a control processor, a memory, and a set of instructions resident in the memory.