Abstract: Fractional parts of quantized video coefficients are used as enhancement layers when encoding a video steam. This use of the fractional parts allows the reuse of decoding components.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting and loading data to/from a buffer are described. The method includes the selection of data from a data buffer in response to execution of a data access instruction. The data buffer includes a plurality of data storage devices, one or more of which initially contain the selected data. Accordingly, the plurality of data storage devices form a single address space that is addressable at a bit-level. When the selected data spans from a source data storage device to a next data storage device of the data buffer, a portion of the selected data from source data storage device is concatenated with a remaining portion of the selected data from the next data storage device to form the selected data as a contiguous unit. Finally, once the selected data is formed, the selected data is stored within a destination data storage device.

Abstract: In an encoding process, video data are represented as a bitstream of a quantized base layer and at least two enhancement layers, with each picture in each layer identified by a start code. The base layer, plus a number of enhancement layers capable of being transmitted by the communication channel's bandwidth, are transmitted on the communication channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing data from a memory. The method includes masking off a portion of a first memory address, and accessing a first unit of data corresponding to the first memory address. In addition, the method includes adding a predetermined offset to the first memory address to generate a second memory address, and accessing a second unit of data corresponding to the second memory address. Thereafter, a section of the first unit of data is shifted off, and a separate section from the second unit of data is shifted off. Next, the first unit of data and the second unit of data are joined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to support a first peer node receiving an inquiry for data from a second peer node. In one embodiment, the first peer node transcodes the data before transmitting the data to the second peer node, wherein the transcoding includes converting the data into a format that can be processed by the second peer node, and transmitting the data to the second peer node in a transport specification as requested by the second peer node.

Abstract: A method to obtain a resource among nodes. In one embodiment, a first node receives an inquiry for a resource from a second node. The first node generates a cost evaluation of obtaining the resource and the first node transmits the cost evaluation to the second node for use in selecting where to obtain the resource.

Abstract: A method determines true motion vectors associated with a sequence of images. The images include fields made up of blocks of pixels. The method selects candidate feature blocks from the blocks of pixels. The candidate feature blocks have intensity variances above a threshold indicative of texture features. Candidate feature blocks in similarly numbered adjacent field intervals are compared to determine sets of displaced frame differences parameters for each candidate feature block. The true motion vectors for each candidate feature block are determined from a minimum weighted score derived from the difference parameters.