Abstract: An encoder may include a luma transform, a transformer, and a chroma transform. The luma transform may determine a linear luminance value based upon a plurality of primary color values of a pixel. The transformer may generate a transformed luminance value based upon the linear luminance value and a plurality of transformed color values based upon corresponding more than one of the primary color values of the pixel. The chroma transform may determine a plurality of chroma values based upon corresponding plurality of transformed color values and the transformed luminance value of the pixel.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generate estimates of device motion from two data sources on a computing device—a motion sensor and a camera. The device may compare the estimates to each other to determine if they agree. If they agree, the device may confirm that device motion estimates based on the motion sensor are accurate and may output those estimates to an application within the device. If the device motion estimates disagree, the device may alter the motion estimates obtained from the motion sensor before outputting them to the application.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for overcoming communication lag between interactive operations among devices in a streaming session. According to the techniques, a first device streaming video content to a second device and an annotation is entered to a first frame being displayed at the second device, which is communicated back to the first device. Responsive to a communication that identifies the annotation, a first device may identify an element of video content from the first frame to which the annotation applies and determine whether the identified element is present in a second frame of video content currently displayed at the first terminal. If so, the first device may display the annotation with the second frame in a location where the identified element is present. If not, the first device may display the annotation via an alternate technique.

Abstract: A system and method for switching between multiple encoders or decoders may be implemented to quickly and seamlessly transfer coding operations between two encoders. Before switching from a first encoder to a second encoder, the second encoder is initialized and updated with a copy of the necessary information from the first encoder. Similarly when switching from a first decoder to a second decoder, the second decoder is initialized and the necessary information from the first decoder is passed to the second decoder. A controller may monitor the system to identify a condition that would trigger an encoder switch and identify the encoder that best suits the system conditions. A shared memory unit accessible by either encoder may store the initialization information. A shared decode unit accessible by either encoder may transmit decoded frames between encoders.

Abstract: A method for processing media assets includes, given a first media asset, deriving characteristics from the first media asset, searching for other media assets having characteristics that correlate to the characteristics of the first media asset, when a match is found, deriving content corrections for the first media asset or a matching media asset from the other of the first media asset or the matching media asset, and correcting content of the first media asset or the matching media asset based on the content corrections.

Abstract: Computing devices may implement instant video communication connections for video communications. Connection information for mobile computing devices may be maintained. A request to initiate an instant video communication may be received, and if authorized, the connection information for the particular recipient mobile computing device may be accessed. Video communication data may then be sent to the recipient mobile computing device according to the connection information so that the video communication data may be displayed at the recipient device as it is received. New connection information for different mobile computing devices may be added, or updates to existing connection information may also be performed. Connection information for some mobile computing devices may be removed.

Abstract: In a video coder/decoder system using variable resolution adaptation, decoder techniques provide a mechanism to changing resolution of coded lower-resolution video to a higher resolution for rendering. Coded video data of a low resolution frame may be decoded. A motion estimation search may be performed between the decoded low resolution frame and a cache of previously-stored high resolution video frames. If the motion estimation search generates one or more matches, high resolution video data of the decoded frame may generated as a derivation of matching data from the cached video frames.

Abstract: System and methods for improved playback of a video stream are presented. Video snippets are identified that include a number of consecutive frames for playback. Snippets may be evenly temporally spaced in the video stream or may be content adaptive. Then the first frame of a snippet may be selected as the first frame of a scene or other appropriate stopping point. Scene detection, object detection, motion detection, video metadata, or other information generated during encoding or decoding of the video stream may aid in appropriate snippet selection.

Abstract: Computing devices may implement dynamic display of video communication data. Video communication data for a video communication may be received at a computing device where another application is currently displaying image data on an electronic display. A display location may be determined for the video communication data according to display attributes that are configured by the other application at runtime. Once determined, the video communication data may then be displayed in the determined location. In some embodiments, the video communication data may be integrated with other data displayed on the electronic display for the other application.

Abstract: Methods for organizing media data by automatically segmenting media data into hierarchical layers of scenes are described. The media data may include metadata and content having still image, video or audio data. The metadata may be content-based (e.g., differences between neighboring frames, exposure data, key frame identification data, motion data, or face detection data) or non-content-based (e.g., exposure, focus, location, time) and used to prioritize and/or classify portions of video. The metadata may be generated at the time of image capture or during post-processing. Prioritization information, such as a score for various portions of the image data may be based on the metadata and/or image data. Classification information such as the type or quality of a scene may be determined based on the metadata and/or image data. The classification and prioritization information may be metadata and may be used to organize the media data.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide video compression to reduce a “popping” effect caused by differences in quality between a refresh frame (e.g., I-frame or IDR-frame) and neighboring frame(s). In an embodiment, a quality of a pre-definable number of frames preceding a refresh frame (“preceding frames”) may be increased. A quantization parameter may be decreased for a region within at least one of the preceding frame(s). In an embodiment, preceding frames may be coded according to an open group of pictures (“GOP”) structure. In an embodiment, a refresh frame may be first coded as a P-frame, then coded based on the coded P-frame. In an embodiment, preceding frames may be first coded based on the refresh frame, then coded based on the coded frames without referencing the refresh frame. Each of these methods may increase consistency of quality in a sequence of frames, and, correspondingly, minimize or remove I-frame popping.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for contextual video content adaptation are disclosed. Video content is adapted based on any number of criteria such as a target device type, viewing conditions, network conditions or various use cases, for example. A target adaptation of content may be defined for a specified video source. For example, based on receiving a request from a portable device for a live sports feed, a shortened and reduced resolution version of the live sport feed video may be defined for the portable device. The source content may be accessed and adapted (e.g., adapted temporally, spatially, etc.) and an adapted version of content generated. For example, the source content may be cropped to a particular spatial region of interest and/or reduced in length to a particular scene. The generated adaptation may be transmitted to a device in response to the request, or stored to a storage device.

Abstract: A system for processing media on a resource restricted device, the system including a memory to store data representing media assets and associated descriptors, and program instructions representing an application and a media processing system, and a processor to execute the program instructions, wherein the program instructions represent the media processing system, in response to a call from an application defining a plurality of services to be performed on an asset, determine a tiered schedule of processing operations to be performed upon the asset based on a processing budget associated therewith, and iteratively execute the processing operations on a tier-by-tier basis, unless interrupted.

Abstract: Techniques for coding video data are described that maintain high precision coding for low motion video content. Such techniques include determining whether a source video sequence to be coded has low motion content. When the source video sequence contains low motion content, the video sequence may be coded as a plurality of coded frames using a chain of temporal prediction references among the coded frames. Thus, a single frame in the source video sequence is coded as a plurality of frames. Because the coded frames each represent identical content, the quality of coding should improve across the plurality of frames. Optionally, the disclosed techniques may increase the resolution at which video is coded to improve precision and coding quality.

Abstract: Techniques are described for responding to changes in bandwidth that are available to transmit coded video data between an encoder and a decoder. When such changes in bandwidth occur, estimates may be derived of visual significance of coded video data that has not yet been transmitted and also video data that is next to be coded. These estimates may be compared to each other. When the estimated visual significance of the coded video data that has not yet been transmitted is greater than the estimated visual significance of the video data that is next to be coded, transmission of the coded video data that has not yet been transmitted may be prioritized over coding of the video data that is next to be coded.

Abstract: Coding techniques for image data may cause a still image to be converted to a “phantom” video sequence, which is coded by motion compensated prediction techniques. Thus, coded video data obtained from the coding operation may include temporal prediction references between frames of the video sequence. Metadata may be generated that identifies allocations of content from the still image to the frames of the video sequence. The coded data and the metadata may be transmitted to another device, whereupon it may be decoded by motion compensated prediction techniques and converted back to a still image data. Other techniques may involve coding an image in both a base layer representation and at least one coded enhancement layer representation. The enhancement layer representation may be coded predictively with reference to the base layer representation. The coded base layer representation may be partitioned into a plurality of individually-transmittable segments and stored.

Abstract: An adaptive scaler switching system may implement multiple scalers including both a software scaler and a hardware scaler, and a controller that may manage the switch between scalers by considering the real-time constraints of the system and the available system resources. Information about the availability of system resources may be received in real-time, for example the controller may receive information about the system thermal status, the timing requirements for processing the video data, the quality of the scaled data, and any other relevant system statistics that may affect the scaler switch decision. According to an embodiment, the system may maintain statistics in a table, and update the table information as necessary.

Abstract: Computing devices may implement instant video communication connections for video communications. Connection information for mobile computing devices may be maintained. A request to initiate an instant video communication may be received, and if authorized, the connection information for the particular recipient mobile computing device may be accessed. Video communication data may then be sent to the recipient mobile computing device according to the connection information so that the video communication data may be displayed at the recipient device as it is received. New connection information for different mobile computing devices may be added, or updates to existing connection information may also be performed. Connection information for some mobile computing devices may be removed.

Abstract: A method of managing resources on a terminal includes determining a number of downloaded video streams active at the terminal, prioritizing the active video streams, assigning a decoding quality level to each active video stream based on a priority assignment for each active video stream, and apportioning reception bandwidth to each active video stream based on an assigned quality level of each active video stream.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for overcoming communication lag between interactive operations among devices in a streaming session. According to the techniques, a first device streaming video content to a second device and an annotation is entered to a first frame being displayed at the second device, which is communicated back to the first device. Responsive to a communication that identifies the annotation, a first device may identify an element of video content from the first frame to which the annotation applies and determine whether the identified element is present in a second frame of video content currently displayed at the first terminal. If so, the first device may display the annotation with the second frame in a location where the identified element is present. If not, the first device may display the annotation via an alternate technique.