Abstract: An image processing device that converts original image data to target image data is provided. The image processing device includes: a static random access memory (SRAM); an image scaling circuit that generates scaled image data according to the original image data and stores the scaled image data to the SRAM; and a video encoding circuit that accesses the scaled image data from the SRAM and encodes the accessed scaled image data to generate the target image data. The target image data corresponds to an image frame. A part of the target image data is intra frame data encoded by an intra frame compression method, and the other part of the target image data is predicted frame data encoded by a predicted frame compression method.

Abstract: A data access method applicable on an electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a control unit, a first storage apparatus, and a second storage apparatus. The method comprising: storing a first part of data and a second part of data of a data group in the first storage apparatus and the second storage apparatus, respectively; and selectively accessing the first storage apparatus and the second storage apparatus via different data paths for the first part of data and the second part of data, wherein access speed to the first storage apparatus is different from access speed to the second storage apparatus.

Abstract: A Boolean entropy decoder including a decoding module, a buffer and an updating module is provided. The decoder sequentially generates a first boolean value, a second boolean value and a third boolean value. The first and second boolean values are generated during a same cycle. The decoding module requires a first bit amount while generating a first value corresponding to the first boolean value, and requires a second bit amount while generating a second value corresponding to the second boolean value. The buffer temporarily stores a bit segment in the bitstream to be provided to the decoding module. The updating module fetches a new bit segment according to the first bit amount and the second bit amount and updates the buffer. The decoding module selectively updates a value corresponding to the third boolean value after the buffer is updated.

Abstract: An image processing device that converts original image data to target image data is provided. The image processing device includes: a static random access memory (SRAM); an image scaling circuit that generates scaled image data according to the original image data and stores the scaled image data to the SRAM; and a video encoding circuit that accesses the scaled image data from the SRAM and encodes the accessed scaled image data to generate the target image data. The target image data corresponds to an image frame. A part of the target image data is intra frame data encoded by an intra frame compression method, and the other part of the target image data is predicted frame data encoded by a predicted frame compression method.

Abstract: A motion estimation apparatus used in a video encoding system is provided. The motion estimation apparatus includes a first calculation module and a second calculation module. When a search position moves from a first candidate search position to a second candidate search position along a search path, the first calculation module estimates a first differential motion vector cost according to a search path information corresponding to the search path. The second calculation module selectively adds the first differential motion vector cost to an initial motion vector cost or subtracts the first differential motion vector cost from the initial motion vector cost according to a predetermined rule, so that a first motion vector cost corresponding to the second candidate search position is obtained.

Abstract: A data access method applicable on an electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a control unit, a first storage apparatus, and a second storage apparatus. The method comprising: storing a first part of data and a second part of data of a data group in the first storage apparatus and the second storage apparatus, respectively; and selectively accessing the first storage apparatus and the second storage apparatus via different data paths for the first part of data and the second part of data, wherein access speed to the first storage apparatus is different from access speed to the second storage apparatus.

Abstract: A motion estimation method, applied to an image frame having a time constraint, includes calculating an available time for estimating a motion vector of a block unit of the image frame; and selectively performing at least one stage of a plurality of motion estimation stages according to the available time to estimate the motion vector of the block unit.

Abstract: A data packing apparatus for continuously receiving current data is provided. The apparatus includes N barrel shifters, a controller and a packing module. The controller determines a shift amount according to a length of previous residual data, and controls the N barrel shifters to sequentially perform M barrel shifts on current merging data to achieve the shift amount, noting that N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and M is a natural number smaller than or equal to N. The packing module merges the previous residual data and the current merging data passed through the N barrel shifters. The maximum shift amounts of the M barrel shifts are smaller than a threshold associated with a length of an operation cycle. The current merged data is a part or all of the current data.

Abstract: A video codec method is provided, for processing video data processed by a Discrete Cosine Transformation (DCT) operation, comprising: (a) if a transformation matrix having a plurality of coefficients comprises at least one non-integer coefficient among the coefficients, multiplying the transformation matrix by a multiplication factor ? to make all coefficients of the transformation matrix integers, (b) estimating a compensation set, (c) performing a Column in Row out IDCT two-dimensional operation on the video data according to the transformation matrix and the compensation set, to obtain a compensated two-dimension operation result, (d) selectively dividing the compensated two-dimension operation result by ?2 to obtain an IDCT operation result.

Abstract: A data packing apparatus for continuously receiving current data is provided. The apparatus includes N barrel shifters, a controller and a packing module. The controller determines a shift amount according to a length of previous residual data, and controls the N barrel shifters to sequentially perform M barrel shifts on current merging data to achieve the shift amount, noting that N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and M is a natural number smaller than or equal to N. The packing module merges the previous residual data and the current merging data passed through the N barrel shifters. The maximum shift amounts of the M barrel shifts are smaller than a threshold associated with a length of an operation cycle. The current merged data is a part or all of the current data.

Abstract: A Boolean entropy decoder including a decoding module, a buffer and an updating module is provided. The decoder sequentially generates a first boolean value, a second boolean value and a third boolean value. The first and second boolean values are generated during a same cycle. The decoding module requires a first bit amount while generating a first value corresponding to the first boolean value, and requires a second bit amount while generating a second value corresponding to the second boolean value. The buffer temporarily stores a bit segment in the bitstream to be provided to the decoding module. The updating module fetches a new bit segment according to the first bit amount and the second bit amount and updates the buffer. The decoding module selectively updates a value corresponding to the third boolean value after the buffer is updated.

Abstract: An image coding method for run-length coding (RLC), including quantizing a coefficient string representing a plurality of pixel values to generate a first quantization coefficient string, determining a cutoff quantization coefficient in the first quantization coefficient string, discarding a part of quantization coefficients of the first quantization coefficient string according to the cutoff quantization coefficient, and forming remaining quantization coefficients of the first quantization coefficient string as a second quantization coefficient string, and performing image coding to the second quantization coefficient string with the RLC.

Abstract: A video codec method is provided, for processing video data processed by a Discrete Cosine Transformation (DCT) operation, comprising: (a) if a transformation matrix having a plurality of coefficients comprises at least one non-integer coefficient among the coefficients, multiplying the transformation matrix by a multiplication factor ? to make all coefficients of the transformation matrix integers, (b) estimating a compensation set, (c) performing a Column in Row out IDCT two-dimensional operation on the video data according to the transformation matrix and the compensation set, to obtain a compensated two-dimension operation result, (d) selectively dividing the compensated two-dimension operation result by ?2 to obtain an IDCT operation result.

Abstract: An image coding method for run-length coding (RLC), including quantizing a coefficient string representing a plurality of pixel values to generate a first quantization coefficient string, determining a cutoff quantization coefficient in the first quantization coefficient string, discarding a part of quantization coefficients of the first quantization coefficient string according to the cutoff quantization coefficient, and forming remaining quantization coefficients of the first quantization coefficient string as a second quantization coefficient string, and performing image coding to the second quantization coefficient string with the RLC.

Abstract: A motion estimation apparatus used in a video encoding system is provided. The motion estimation apparatus includes a first calculation module and a second calculation module. When a search position moves from a first candidate search position to a second candidate search position along a search path, the first calculation module estimates a first differential motion vector cost according to a search path information corresponding to the search path. The second calculation module selectively adds the first differential motion vector cost to an initial motion vector cost or subtracts the first differential motion vector cost from the initial motion vector cost according to a predetermined rule, so that a first motion vector cost corresponding to the second candidate search position is obtained.

Abstract: A motion estimation method, applied to an image frame having a time constraint, includes calculating an available time for estimating a motion vector of a block unit of the image frame; and selectively performing at least one stage of a plurality of motion estimation stages according to the available time to estimate the motion vector of the block unit.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining a sampling phase to generate image information according to an analog image signal and timing information are performed. In an exemplary method, sampling clocks having a predetermined phase difference therebetween is sequentially generated according to timing information. The analog image signal is sampled using the sampling clocks, and sequential sampled values corresponding to each sampling clock are generated. The sampled values are detected to obtain edges formed by the sampled values. Magnitudes of the edges are accumulated to generate accumulation values. An optimum sampling clock is obtained according to the accumulation values. The optimum sampling clock corresponding to the accumulation value is the largest one among the accumulation values corresponding to the adjacent sampling clocks, and the difference among the accumulation values corresponding to the adjacent sampling clocks is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining a sampling phase to generate image information according to an analog image signal and timing information are performed. In an exemplary method, sampling clocks having a predetermined phase difference therebetween is sequentially generated according to timing information. The analog image signal is sampled using the sampling clocks, and sequential sampled values corresponding to each sampling clock are generated. The sampled values are detected to obtain edges formed by the sampled values. Magnitudes of the edges are accumulated to generate accumulation values. An optimum sampling clock is obtained according to the accumulation values. The optimum sampling clock corresponding to the accumulation value is the largest one among the accumulation values corresponding to the adjacent sampling clocks, and the difference among the accumulation values corresponding to the adjacent sampling clocks is within a predetermined range.