Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficient encoding of multi-view coded video data is provided. The apparatus includes one or more encoders (300) for encoding image data for a plurality of pictures for at least two views of multi-view video content. The image data is encoded in parallel in a plurality of at least one of threads and processes using a plurality of processors in order to generate a resultant bitstream there from.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for efficient decoding of multi-view coded video data. The apparatus includes one or more decoders (300) for decoding image data from a bitstream. The image data corresponds to a plurality of pictures for at least two views of multi-view video content. The image data is decoded in parallel in a plurality of at least one of threads and processes. The image data is decoded using a staggered approach such that a decoding of a particular one of the plurality of pictures in a particular one or more of the plurality of at least one of threads and process commences only when inter-view reference pictures corresponding to the particular one of the plurality of pictures are decoded using one or more other ones of the plurality of at least one of threads and processes.

Abstract: An improved services gateway environment is provided within a gateway framework. The improvement comprising a SIP service architecture that enables SIP entities to register with itself and translates such registrations into gateway aware registrations.

Abstract: In a video encoder/decoder, a method processes a discrete cosine transform (DCT) block of coefficients. The method receives a DCT block of coefficients, and linearizes the DCT block of coefficients into a one dimensional array of sequentially arranged coefficients. The method stores a portion of the one dimensional array of coefficients in a register, the portion including at least two sequentially arranged coefficients. The stored portion of coefficients in the register is processed. A next portion of coefficients in the one dimensional array is processed. This is repeated until the entire DCT block of coefficients have been loaded into the register. The processing may include computing a run length value, finding a class number, or determining dequantized coefficients of a DCT block.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing bitplane coding with reordering, that may be used in a Fine Granularity Scalability (FGS) system. The apparatus and method reorder coefficients each time after a bitplane is coded. By reordering, the apparatus and method separate the coefficients into two groups. When coding a bitplane, bits in the first group are copied into the bitstream, while the bits in the second group are subject to common run-length, VLC, or arithmetic coding. The apparatus and method may also be used with or in a conventional SNR, temporal and/or spatially scalable architectures, for example, as utilized within an MPEG-4 framework.

Abstract: Error resilient methods and apparatus for coding, transmitting and/or storing digital multimedia data are disclosed. Digital multimedia data is organized into channel blocks, which include columns of data. A priority is determined for each channel block, based on the data within the channel block. Different forward error correction (FEC) procedures may be selected for the channel blocks based on their priority. Also, channel blocks may be transmitted on different transmission channels, and/or stored on different storage elements, based on their priority. Also disclosed is the coding, as pre-interleaved channel blocks, of digital multimedia data having fixed-length segments. The fixed-length segments are ordered and arranged in pre-interleaved channel blocks containing rows and columns. Pre-interleaving of a channel block arranges consecutive fixed-length segments along its columns. FEC data is determined for each row and included in the channel block. The channel blocks are packetized along the columns.

Abstract: The system converts polled information sources into event information sources and then intelligently synthesizes new events, based on other polled, queried and subscribed-to notification messages. The newly synthesized events can be used to generate instant messages or for other purposes such as setting presence attributes, controlling devices and performing other actions. An event gateway collects event information and packages and delivers the information in the form of instant messages for other data to mobile and stationary devices according to the user's wishes.

Abstract: The virtual instant messaging system adds instant messaging and presence capability to devices and appliances which are not natively designed for instant messaging. The virtual instant messaging system performs the physical communication handling and semantic translation issues to allow legacy devices to operate within the instant messaging paradigm. Virtual devices, representing real devices or information sources, may be constructed, on the fly as needed, or on a more permanent or persistent basis. Multiple virtual devices may be combined to compose or synthesize a new virtual device, affording capabilities not found in the real world devices or information sources themselves.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for disseminating information associated with an active conference participant in a conference call to conference participants. Information is disseminated by associating the conference participants with participant information, identifying an active conference participant supplying data to a conference bridge for broadcast to the other conference participants, and transmitting at least a portion of the participant information associated with the active conference participant over a data network to the conference participants substantially concurrent with the broadcast of the data by the conference bridge.

Abstract: A method is provided for transcoding between video signals in two standards, DV and MPEG-2, each standard including discrete cosine transform (DCT) compressed signals. The each of the signals have macroblocks containing a plurality of DCT blocks. The DCT blocks are quantized according to respective quantization methods defined by the standards. The coefficients in each block are zigzag scanned, run-length coded and variable-length coded. The process variable-length decodes the coefficients and translates the quantized coefficients in the DV standard into quantized coefficients in the MPEG standard without fully dequantizing at least some of the DV coefficients and without performing an inverse DCT operation on any of the DCT coefficients. DV blocks that are encoded in a 248 format are translated into an 88 format before they are converted to MPEG-2 blocks. A method for transcoding from MPEG-2 to DV is also described.

Abstract: Presence and availability information is disseminated through a computer system architecture having four interactive elements. A schedule publication element acquires information about user schedules. A schedule management element communicates with the publication element to acquire schedule information and to store integrated schedule information in a storage system. A schedule distribution element acquires schedule information from the schedule management element and selectively disseminates the information to subscribers who have interacted with a schedule subscribing element. Both current and future presence and availability information is thus collected and disseminated in an orderly manner.

Abstract: An improved services gateway environment is provided within a gateway framework. The improvement comprising a SIP service architecture that enables SIP entities to register with itself and translates such registrations into gateway aware registrations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing bitplane coding with reordering, that may be used in a Fine Granularity Scalability (FGS) system. The apparatus and method reorder coefficients each time after a bitplane is coded. By reordering, the apparatus and method separate the coefficients into two groups. When coding a bitplane, bits in the first group are copied into the bitstream, while the bits in the second group are subject to common run-length, VLC, or arithmetic coding. The apparatus and method may also be used with or in a conventional SNR, temporal and/or spatially scalable architectures, for example, as utilized within an MPEG-4 framework.

Abstract: In a video encoder/decoder, a method processes a discrete cosine transform (DCT) block of coefficients. The method receives a DCT block of coefficients, and linearizes the DCT block of coefficients into a one dimensional array of sequentially arranged coefficients. The method stores a portion of the one dimensional array of coefficients in a register, the portion including at least two sequentially arranged coefficients. The stored portion of coefficients in the register is processed. A next portion of coefficients in the one dimensional array is processed. This is repeated until the entire DCT block of coefficients have been loaded into the register. The processing may include computing a run length value, finding a class number, or determining dequantized coefficients of a DCT block.

Abstract: A simple and efficient scheme is used to predict the number of bits needed to block of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients with variable length coding (VLC). The scheme defines an easily computable parameter that has a strong correlation with the number of bits needed to encode the DCT data. Then a second order polynomial is developed to approximate the correlation and is used to predict the number of VLC bits that will be produced if a corresponding quantization matrix is used. The approach can be used to streamline the encoding/transcoding process for DV, and the result on that is presented. A further feature is the ability to present multiple results for multiple quantization matrixes.

Abstract: Error resilient methods and apparatus for coding, transmitting and/or storing digital multimedia data are disclosed. Digital multimedia data is organized into channel blocks, which include columns of data. A priority is determined for each channel block, based on the data within the channel block. Different forward error correction (FEC) procedures may be selected for the channel blocks based on their priority. Also, channel blocks may be transmitted on different transmission channels, and/or stored on different storage elements, based on their priority. Also disclosed is the coding, as pre-interleaved channel blocks, of digital multimedia data having fixed-length segments. The fixed-length segments are ordered and arranged in pre-interleaved channel blocks containing rows and columns. Pre-interleaving of a channel block arranges consecutive fixed-length segments along its columns. FEC data is determined for each row and included in the channel block. The channel blocks are packetized along the columns.

Abstract: A simple and efficient scheme is used to predict the number of bits needed to block of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients with variable length coding (VLC). The scheme defines an easily computable parameter that has a strong correlation with the number of bits needed to encode the DCT data. Then a second order polynomial is developed to approximate the correlation and is used to predict the number of VLC bits that will be produced if a corresponding quantization matrix is used. The approach can be used to streamline the encoding/transcoding process for DV, and the result on that is presented. A further feature is the ability to present multiple results for multiple quantization matrixes.