Abstract: Microfluidic devices for the rapid and automated processing of sample populations are provided. Described are multiplexer microfluidic devices configured to serially deliver a plurality of distinct sample populations to a sample processing element rapidly and automatically, without cross-contaminating the distinct sample populations. Also provided are microfluidic sample processing elements that can be used to rapidly and automatically manipulate and/or interrogate members of a sample population. The microfluidic devices can be used to improve the throughput and quality of experiments involving model organisms, such as C. elegans.

Abstract: A method for performing parallel coding with ordered entropy slices includes: providing a plurality of entropy slices to a plurality of processing elements, wherein each entropy slice includes a plurality of blocks; initializing CABAC states of a current entropy slice as the CABAC states of a previous entropy slice after processing DB blocks of the previous entropy slice. DB is a positive integer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deblocking reconstructed video in a video coding system. The method receives reconstructed pixel data, wherein the reconstructed pixel data is configured into LCUs (largest coding units) and each LCU is divided into blocks. The method then identifies horizontal block edges of the blocks in the LCUs, applies first vertical filtering to the reconstructed pixel data corresponding to one or more first lines above a first horizontal block edge in the first edge group, and applies second vertical filtering to the reconstructed pixel data corresponding to one or more second lines above a second horizontal block edge in the second edge group, wherein a first number of said one or more first lines is smaller than a second number of said one or more second lines.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for decoding of a video bitstream are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises: decoding a first coded block flag (cbf) of the color component indicating whether a current coding unit (CU) of the color component has at least one non-zero transform coefficient (830). According to the first cbf of the color component, the method further comprises decoding four second cbfs, each indicating whether one of four sub-blocks in the current CU of the color component has at least one non-zero transform coefficient (850). The residual quad-tree (RQT) of the current CU of the color component is determined based on the first cbf of the color component (870), or based on the first cbf and the second cbfs of the color component if the second cbfs exist (860).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) candidate set for motion vector coding of a current block. Embodiments according to the present invention determine a redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set. The redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is derived from a spatial-temporal MVP candidate set by removing any redundant MVP candidate. The spatial-temporal MVP candidate set includes a top spatial MVP candidate, a left spatial MVP candidate and one temporal MVP candidate. The method further checks whether candidate number of the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is smaller than a threshold, and adds a zero motion vector to the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set if the candidate number is smaller than the threshold. Finally, the method provides the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set for encoding or decoding of the motion vector of a current block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deblocking of reconstructed video in a video coding system are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention determine boundary strength between two blocks without checking whether the block boundary is a coding unit (CU) boundary. In one embodiment according to the present invention, the method comprises determining whether any of the two blocks is Intra coded. If any of the two blocks is Intra coded, the boundary strength is assigned a first value. Otherwise, additional decision processing is performed to determine the boundary strength. In another embodiment, said determining the boundary strength for the block boundary comprises determining whether the block boundary is a TU boundary and whether any of the two blocks contains coefficients. In yet another embodiment, said determining the boundary strength for the block boundary comprises determining whether the two blocks have different reference pictures or different motion vectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) candidate set for motion vector coding of a current block. Embodiments according to the present invention determine a redundancy-removed spatial MVP candidate set by removing any redundant MVP candidate from the spatial MVP candidate set. The redundancy-removal process does not apply to the temporal MVP candidate. In another embodiment of the present invention, a redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is determined and the number of candidates in the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is checked to determine whether it is smaller than a threshold. If the number of candidates is smaller than the threshold, a zero motion vector is added to the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set. The redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is then provided for encoding or decoding of the motion vector of the current block.

Abstract: An adaptive screen and video coding system adaptively selects different coding schemes for coding an image block of a screen or video image based on a type of content included in the image block. The adaptive screen and video coding system further includes a screen coding scheme that classifies pixels of the image block into major colors and escape pixels and convert values of the pixels into index values assigned to the major colors and the escape pixels. Since the number of index values is usually less than a normal range of pixel values, using the index values instead of actual pixel values further facilitate compression and coding of the image block, thus improving coding accuracy and efficiency of the screen or video image. In one embodiment, the adaptive screen and video coding system may be used for screen sharing application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for chroma intra prediction is based on reconstructed luma pixels and chroma pixels, where the chroma intra prediction is based on a linear model of derived co-located current luma pixels of the current luma block scaled by a scaling factor. The scaling factor comprises a product term of a division factor and a scaled covariance-like value associated with neighboring reconstructed luma and chroma pixels of a current block. The division factor is related to a first data range divided with rounding by a scaled variance-like value associated with the neighboring reconstructed luma pixels of the current block. The scaled covariance-like value, the first data range, or both of the scaled covariance-like value and the first data range are dependent on the internal bit depth, with which the chroma signal is processed during video coding process, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Abstract: A video encoder that utilizes adaptive interpolation filtering for coding video data includes a prediction unit, a reconstruction unit, a reference picture buffer, a filter parameter estimator for estimating filter parameters according to the original video data and the predicted samples, and an adaptive interpolation filter for utilizing the stored filter parameters to perform filtering on the reconstructed video data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for clipping a transform coefficient are disclosed. In one implementation, a method is implemented in a video encoder for clipping a quantization level. The method operates by generating the quantization level for a transform coefficient of a transform unit by quantizing the transform coefficient according to a quantization matrix and quantization parameter, determining a clipping range in the video encoder for one or a combination of a fixed-range clipping condition and a dynamic-range clipping condition, and clipping the quantization level according to the clipping range to generate a clipping-processed quantization level. The quantization level is clipped within a fixed clipping range from ?m to m?1 for the fixed-range clipping condition and m corresponds to 128, 32768, or 2147483648.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improved deblocking filter are disclosed. In one embodiment according to the present invention, determining the non-zero transform coefficients existence for a PU-only boundary is skipped and therefore the deblocking filter for PU-only boundary is eliminated if the condition of boundary strength equal to 1 is not fulfilled to avoid unnecessary deblocking. In another embodiment of the present invention, three gradients are determined for two pixel lines and filter ON/OFF decision is made based on the three gradient values of the two pixel lines. One aspect of the invention is related to filter strength selection between strong and weak filters. According to one embodiment, the filter strength selection is based on various gradient values of a pixel line across the block boundary. Another aspect of the invention is related to the weak filter.

Abstract: An adaptive screen and video coding system adaptively selects different coding schemes for coding an image block of a screen or video image based on a type of content included in the image block. The adaptive screen and video coding system further includes a screen coding scheme that classifies pixels of the image block into major colors and escape pixels and convert values of the pixels into index values assigned to the major colors and the escape pixels. Since the number of index values is usually less than a normal range of pixel values, using the index values instead of actual pixel values further facilitate compression and coding of the image block, thus improving coding accuracy and efficiency of the screen or video image. In one embodiment, the adaptive screen and video coding system may be used for screen sharing application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video coding including an Intra transform Skip mode is disclosed. When the transform Skip mode is ON for a transform unit, embodiments according to the present invention apply different coding processes to the transform unit. The coding process with the transform Skip mode ON uses a different scan pattern from the coding process with the transform Skip mode OFF. According to various embodiments, the transform Skip mode is enabled when the transform unit size is 4×4, the prediction unit and the transform unit having the same size, or the prediction unit uses an INTRA_N×N mode. When the transform Skip mode is enabled, a flag can be signaled in the bitstream to indicate the transform Skip mode selection. Furthermore, the flag can be incorporated in a picture level, a slice level or a sequence level of the video bitstream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deblocking reconstructed video in a video coding system. The method receives reconstructed pixel data, wherein the reconstructed pixel data is configured into LCUs (largest coding units) and each LCU is divided into blocks. The method then identifies horizontal block edges of the blocks in the LCUs, applies first vertical filtering to the reconstructed pixel data corresponding to one or more first lines above a first horizontal block edge in the first edge group, and applies second vertical filtering to the reconstructed pixel data corresponding to one or more second lines above a second horizontal block edge in the second edge group, wherein a first number of said one or more first lines is smaller than a second number of said one or more second lines.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for clipping a transform coefficient are disclosed. In one implementation, a method is implemented in a video encoder for clipping a quantization level. The method operates by generating the quantization level for a transform coefficient of a transform unit by quantizing the transform coefficient according to a quantization matrix and quantization parameter, determining a clipping range in the video encoder for one or a combination of a fixed-range clipping condition and a dynamic-range clipping condition, and clipping the quantization level according to the clipping range to generate a clipping-processed quantization level. The quantization level is clipped within a fixed clipping range from -m to m?1 for the fixed-range clipping condition and m corresponds to 128, 32768, or 2147483648.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improved intra prediction mode coding are disclosed. Intra prediction exploits the spatial correlation within a picture or within a picture region. In High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), a coding scheme for the intra luma prediction mode is considered, where the intra prediction mode of a current block is compared with the minimum of two intra luma prediction modes corresponding to two neighboring blocks. If the intra prediction mode of the current block is the same as the minimum of the two neighboring intra luma prediction modes, a single bit is transmitted to indicate the case. Otherwise, information for the current intra prediction mode is transmitted in fixed-length codeword. The present invention provides multiple intra prediction mode candidates based on neighboring intra prediction modes so that there is a better chance for predictor hit. Accordingly, improved coding efficiency is achieved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for clipping a transform coefficient are disclosed. In one implementation, a method is implemented in a video encoder for clipping a quantization level. The method operates by generating the quantization level for a transform coefficient of a transform unit by quantizing the transform coefficient according to a quantization matrix and quantization parameter, determining a clipping condition in the video encoder based on video source bit-depth, and clipping the quantization level according to the clipping condition to generate a clipping-processed quantization level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for chroma intra prediction for a current chroma block with reduced line memory requirement are disclosed. The chroma intra predictor is derived from reconstructed luma pixels of a current luma block using a model with parameters. In various embodiments according to the present invention, the derivation of the parameters relies on a reconstructed luma pixel set corresponding to neighboring reconstructed luma pixels from causal luma neighboring areas of the current luma block, wherein said causal luma neighboring areas include a first area corresponding to reconstructed luma pixels above a horizontal luma block boundary on a top side of the current luma block, and wherein the reconstructed luma pixels from the first area that are included in the reconstructed luma pixel set are from a luma pixel line immediately above the horizontal luma block boundary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for luma-based chroma intra prediction for a current chroma block are disclosed. The chroma intra predictor is derived from reconstructed luma pixels of a current luma block according to the chroma sampling format. Depending on the chroma sampling format, either sub-sampling, down-sampling or no processing is applied to the reconstructed luma pixels in horizontal or vertical direction. The information associated with the chroma sampling format can be incorporated in the sequence parameter set (SPS), the picture parameter set (PPS), the adaptation parameter set (APS) or the slice header of a video bitstream.