Abstract: A first encoding section encodes an original picture S(1) and outputs it to a communication line of a first channel. The encoded image data is decoded in a first decoding section. This decoded data C(1) is input to a first compensation section. The first compensation section uses the original picture S(1) and the decoded data C(1) as the input, and performs calculation of the following expression (1) to thereby generate a first compensated original picture S(2): S ? ( i + 1 ) = ( S ? ( 1 ) × i - ? k = 1 i ? C ? ( k ) ) / ( N - i ) + S ? ( 1 ) ( 1 ) wherein i=2 to N, and N denotes the total number of channels in image encoding. The first compensated original picture S(2) is encoded in a second encoding section and output from a communication line of a second channel. Thereafter, similar operation is performed for the total number of channels N.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to perform DCT coefficient operation and drift compensation for embedding watermark data with the small amount of computing. An MB data extraction unit extracts a macro block or block into which the watermark data is embedded on the basis of a template. Additionaly, a DCT coefficient extraction unit extracts the DCT coefficient at a position into which the watermark data is embedded according to a direction of the template. A DCT coefficient operation unit performs the process of embedding the watermark data or the process of compensating the drift to the extracted DCT coefficient.

Abstract: The present invention improves the encoding efficiency, image quality, resolution, and the like of an input image having a special property, for example, an image input from a special camera. The input image is sliced according to a recognized shape and divided into blocks having a size according to a pixel density or an image resolution. Then, an object in the image is defined using a parameter including the numbers of the sliced images and the amounts of shift of the sliced images from a reference position, and the respective blocks are encoded using the movement of the object. Further, when a partial image is cut out from a base image, encoded, and then transmitted, a processing load in the encoding processing is reduced by encoding the partial image making use of preprocessing data.

Abstract: At second or later generation coding of video signal in tandem video coding, at least one coding parameter of previous coding is estimated in accordance with picture properties of the input video signal, and the estimated coding parameter in the previous coding is used in the second or later coding.

Abstract: It is made possible to concretely estimate actual transmission bit rate in a frame of grasping a line state by using a report packet.

Abstract: To provide a moving picture file distributing device capable of avoiding a failure due to competition between uploading and downloading in a real-time distribution of a moving picture file.

Abstract: When a predetermined amount of data is written in a file of a magnetic disk, a data pack creating section creates a data pack. A plurality of transmission threads allocates the data pack, and transmits it to a plurality of receiving threads via a connection. The received data pack is written in a magnetic disk. The transmission threads register a data pack, a transmission starting flag and a file position of the data pack in a transmission control table included in a transmission control section. The transmission threads are operated independently from each other, and when finishing a transmission of the allocated data pack, first, investigate a retry queue, and then, transmit a data pack if the data pack exists in the retry queue, and request a data pack from the data pack creating section so as to transmit the data pack if no data pack exists, in the retry queue.

Abstract: An encoding unit encodes data at a first rate during an initial predetermined section of uncompressed data (a), and encodes data at a second rate after the initial predetermined section (where the first rate<the second rate), and encoded data are stored in a storage. The storage is read out the stored data to a network at a transmission rate equal to the transmission rate of the network. A decoding unit decodes received data at the first rate during an initial predetermined section, and decodes received data at a second rate after the initial predetermined section. For finite contents, receiving completion and decoding completion of the received data are simultaneous. In accordance with the present invention, while tolerance with respect to data incoming fluctuations is ensured, playback of dynamic images and music and the like can be immediately started after receiving.

Abstract: A first encoding section encodes an original picture S(1) and outputs it to a communication line of a first channel. The encoded image data is decoded in a first decoding section. This decoded data C(1) is input to a first compensation section.

Abstract: A motion vector candidate selector selects candidate motion vectors for a MB to be coded based on the allowable calculation amount supplied from a controller. A predictive motion vector determinator determines an optimum predictive motion vector from among the candidate motion vectors. A statistical amount measuring unit determines the variance of motion vectors from among the motion vectors already determined. A search area determinator determines the size of the search area based on the allowable calculation amount. Also, a predictive motion vector periphery searcher determines the shape of the search area from the variance of the motion vectors, sets the size of the shape to the value determined by the search area determinator, and with the optimum predictive motion vector as an origin, searches the search area. An optimum motion vector is determined from among the motion vectors thus searched.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information search and display apparatus capable of dealing with information provided in various data formats from a plurality of different media in an integrated manner.

Abstract: This invention aims to form hierarchies of coded moving picture data in a simple method or apparatus. An I, P and B separator separates I, P and B picture data from coded moving picture data. A first to a third header/low/high separator separate headers and low and high DCT data components of the separated I, P and B picture data, and hierarchy forming means assigns the outputs of the separators for a 1-st to a 6-th hierarchy by supplying the outputs to packetizers therefor. The packetizers packetize the assigned data, and send out the packetized data on communication lines for the 1-st to 6-th hierarchies.

Abstract: An H. 261 encoder outputs coded video data together with a mode selection signal and a judging signal as to discarding or not of a packet. A packetizer receives the output signal from the H. 261 encoder and separately packetizes motion data and DCT data in the input coded data. A gateway judges whether packet including the DCT data is discarded or not with reference to the packet discarding judging signal and also to the bitrate of the network to which the gateway is connected. The gateway thus can effect bitrate conversion according to the bitrate of the network with a simple construction. The gateway may selectively discard high frequency component packets without discarding low frequency component packets, or it may not discard first importance component packets having greater influence on picture quality and selectively discard second importance component packets having less influence.

Abstract: An encoding control unit obtains a quantization step size and a video encoding rate Rc on the basis of various kinds of conditions including a transmission time and image quality specified through an input unit by a user, and property of image contents from a signal compression processing unit. Next, the video encoding rate Rc is compared with a network transmission rate Rt which is obtained through a network IF unit. Then, if the transmission rate Rt of the network is smaller than the video encoding rate Rc and is present in the range any of values of which is equal to or larger than the value smaller than Rc by a predetermined quantity, then the quantization step size is corrected in such a way that the video encoding rate Rc is equal to or smaller than the transmission rate Rt of the network, or in such a way that the video encoding rate Rc is increased.

Abstract: An apparatus for constructing a variable length code includes a unit for producing a unique word consisting of continuous N "0" bits, a prefix processing unit for producing a codeword including at least one "1" bit, the prefix of the codeword having continuous "0" bits with a length equal to or shorter than s, and a suffix processing unit for modifying a bit pattern of the produced codeword from the prefix processing unit so that the suffix of the codeword has continuous "0" bits with a bit length equal to or shorter than t, that a bit length of continuous "0" bits in the codeword is shorter than N, and that s+t<N is satisfied.

Abstract: A motion picture coding apparatus for searching a plurality of proposed coding modes and/or parameters, for selecting a suitable coding mode and/or a suitable parameter, and for encoding motion pictures using the selected coding mode and/or parameter. The apparatus includes a measuring part for measuring coding status during coding processes to provide at least one measured coding status, and a limiting part for adaptively limiting search range of the proposed coding modes and/or parameters in accordance with the at least one measured coding status.

Abstract: A variable length code system which is instantaneously decodable in both forward direction and backward direction is generated either in asymmetrical form or symmetrical form. The code thus generated has high transmission efficiency, and capable of backward reconstruction of video signals even when some bits are lost during transmission. The symbols to be encoded are prepared (1) with occurrence probability, and they are provisionally encoded to a non-reversible variable length code (2). Then, the provisional code is transformed to an asymmetrical reversible code (4) through equivalent transform process (9), reverse symbol tree process (10), and bit supplement process (12) when suffix condition is not satisfied. The provisional code is also transformed to a symmetrical reversible code (3) by assigning a symmetrical code word to each symbol on a symbol tree (FIG. 5). At least one of symmetrical code or a asymmetrical code is selected (5), and is provided as a final resultant code.

Abstract: A coded video signal encoded into a variable length code is packed into a frame called a cell having a predetermined number of fixed bits for transmission through ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) which is subject to cell loss due to the congestion of network nodes or bit errors in cell headers, causing burst errors or synchronization slips in a received video signal. In order to avoid such errors, one idea for a variable length transmission unit is introduced. A transmission unit has a plurality of cells and any coded video signal terminates in the transmission unit; in other words, a coded video signal is not shared by two transmission units. A transmission unit is closed or terminated during packing operation when the number of available bits in a cell under packing operation becomes less than a predetermined first threshold value and when a cell number in the transmission unit reaches a predetermined second threshold value, so that transmission efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A variable length code is converted to a new code in order to improve synchronization recovery capability without changing the length of each codeword. A short codeword with high occurrence probability is first selected as a seed. An object codeword, which is longer than the seed located at a leaf of a tree structure of the code, is exchanged with another node or leaf, which at the same is located depth as that of the object codeword in the tree structure, when a rear portion, called a suffix of said object codeword, coincides with the seed. The seed is also exchanged with another node or leaf on the same level as that of the seed, and the exchange of the object codewords is effected for the fresh seed in a similar manner as above. The final seed and the object codewords are determined so that the number of the codewords which coincide with the suffixes of seeds becomes maximum.

Abstract: In a moving picture transmission in which each picture frame is inter-frame coded for information suppression, and coded data is divided into blocks for transmission, any changes resulting from the loss of transmission blocks in order reproduce a picture on a receiver side is automatically corrected. A receiver side calculates an area in a picture frame affected by the loss of the transmission blocks, conceals the affected picture area by using information from a former picture frame, and affected picture area.