Abstract: A method for estimating a boundary between a background and a user object in a video, in which the user object is segmented from the background is provided. The initial object contour is estimated in a first video frame for object segmentation, and color probability density functions are estimated for the user object and the background segmented from the first video frame. An edge strip with a predetermined width is generated in a current frame based on an object contour of a previous frame, and a coherence probability density function of the edge strip is estimated. The user object is segmented in the current frame by energy minimization.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a thumbnail image are provided so that the out-of-focus (OOF) information can be ascertained from looking at the thumbnail. An input image is decoded, and a degree of the amount of OOF of the decoded image is measured (OOF information). There is a determination as to whether or not there is an EXchangeable Image File (EXIF) information about the input image. In the presence of EXIF information, a thumbnail image is extracted from the EXIF information and as much an OOF effect is applied to the thumbnail image in accordance with the degree of OOF. In the absence of the EXIF information, a thumbnail image is generated by scaling down the decoded image at a down scaler and applying as much of an OOF effect is applied to the thumbnail image in accordance with the degree of OOF.

Abstract: A method for encoding a multiview video includes estimating and compensating for a motion between a plurality of pictures from more than one view. A first video captured at a first view becomes a basis and for performing encoding on the first video using the motion estimation and compensation result. Motion estimation and compensation is then performed on a predetermined picture selected from among a plurality of pictures included in a second video captured at a second view being different from that of the first video. The picture from the second view is then encoded using the motion estimation and compensation result. A bit stream is generated including encoded data of the first video and encoded data of the second video.

Abstract: A field programmable gate array (FPGA) for multiplexing data and enable signals input from a plurality of input ports and outputting the multiplexed signal to one output port is disclosed. The FPGA includes a plurality of memories, which are connected to the input ports, for storing the input data and enable signals, respectively, and outputting one-shot signals at trailing edges of the enable signals; and a finite state machine (FSM) for sequentially reading the data signals stored in the memories in an order of the one-shot signals input from the memories.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding video data that is encoded by bit rate control to keep a bandwidth of a bit stream in a predetermined range are provided. The encoded video data is decoded, picture quality estimation information is estimated, the estimation including information about a bit stream size of a decoded video frame, the number of fragmented macro blocks included in the video frame, and the number of skip-mode macro blocks included in the video frame, the picture quality of the video data is determined based on a correlation between picture quality estimation information and SNR, and the video data is output by applying a picture quality improving algorithm to the video data, if the determined picture quality is lower than a predetermined level.

Abstract: Disclosed is a selective frame error concealment method for a moving picture frame, the method including the steps of determining if an erroneous frame corresponds to one among a predetermined number of frames received after an I frame when the erroneous frame is received during reception of moving picture frames, determining if the number of consecutive erroneous frames is greater than a threshold value when the erroneous frame does not correspond to one among the predetermined number of frames received after the I frame, using an error concealment technique when the number of consecutive erroneous frames is equal to or less than the threshold value; and displaying a frame, which has been received without error before the erroneous frame, until receiving a new I frame, either when the erroneous frame corresponds to one among the predetermined number of frames received after the I frame, or when the number of consecutive erroneous frames is greater than the threshold value.

Abstract: A portable terminal and a method for managing videos in the portable terminal are provide increased efficiency in managing videos in the portable terminal. The portable terminal includes: a memory for storing at least one video and a preview thereof a controller for playing back a preview of a video corresponding to a set preview section during a video search and, upon selection of a video, playing back the selected video; and a display unit for displaying, under control of the controller, the video preview and the video that are being played back. The method for managing videos in the portable terminal includes: displaying a list of at least one video preview on a first screen during a video search; playing back, on a second screen, a preview of a video corresponding to a set preview section; selecting the video corresponding to the video preview being played back; and playing back the selected video.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting a scene change in real time in order to control a moving-picture encoding data rate, the method including: dividing a current frame into a plurality of regions, and calculating a dissimilarity metric (DM) of each divided region; determining if the dissimilarity metric of each divided region is beyond a preset reference value; calculating the number of regions, the dissimilarity metric of which is beyond the preset value, in the current frame; and determining that a scene change occurs in the current frame, when the number of regions, the dissimilarity metric of which is beyond the reference preset value, is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value.

Abstract: A ring-shaped wireless input device is disclosed. The ring-shaped wireless input device includes a housing having a ring shape, a wheel rotatably installed on the housing, a first sensor unit, that has first and second sections alternatively disposed along a circumference of the wheel and rotated along with the wheel, and a wireless communication unit which is fixedly disposed in the housing, has a second sensor unit arranged with the first sensor unit, and sends a scroll signal indicating an arranged state of the input device to the host device.

Abstract: An optical subscriber network system is disclosed, which comprises: a server bi-directional optical transmitter including a multiplexer to multiplexes communication data and broadcast data, a server laser diode to converts the multiplexed data into an optical signal, and a server photo diode receive communication data from a subscriber, wherein the server bi-directional optical transmitter transmits the upstream communication data; and a subscriber bi-directional optical receiver including a subscriber laser diode to transmit upstream communication data, a subscriber photo diode to receive the optical signal transmitted from the server bi-directional optical transmitter, and a demultiplexer to demultiplex and divide the multiplexed signal into communication data and broadcast data. In the optical subscriber network system, the optical transmitter and the optical receiver can transceive image signals and Ethernet communication signals in a two-way direction by means of a single laser diode and photo diode.

Abstract: Disclosed is video encoding technology, and more particularly a method for searching for a motion vector in a procedure of estimating a motion in video frames. The motion vector search method includes the steps of: individually calculating error energies of a center point and vertices of a search pattern in a search window used in a previous frame with respect to a center of the search window established in the current frame, thereby designating a motion vector candidate point; either determining the motion vector candidate point as a moving point of a motion vector, or calculating error energies of a pair of neighboring points and re-establishing a motion vector candidate point; and either determining the re-established motion vector candidate point as a moving point of a motion vector, or re-establishing a search pattern, re-checking the error energies of the center point, the vertices and the neighboring points, and determining a moving point of a motion vector.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a handover of a mobile station (MS) by considering Quality of Service (QoS) in a broadband mobile communication system. The method can include the steps of: receiving information about one or more neighbor base stations and reception strengths for the neighbor base stations from a Serving Radio Access System (RAS) currently communicating with the MS; extracting a value of a specific field from the received information about the neighbor base stations; combining the extracted value of the specific field with the reception strengths to thereby obtain combined values, and selecting a maximum value among the combined values; and transmitting a handover (handoff) request message to a base station corresponding to the selected maximum value. The system includes an MS that analyzes information about neighbor stations received in a Mobile Neighbor Base-station Advertisement (MOB_NBR_ADV) message to select a target RAS.

Abstract: A fiber to the home FTTH network for convergence of broadcasting and communication is disclosed. The network includes: an OLT for receiving and converting a first predetermined number of broadcast signals and an Ethernet signal into a plurality of converted optical signals, combining the converted optical signals into converged optical signals for subsequent transmission by an optical wavelength division multiplexing method; and an optical network unit (ONU) for classifying the optical signal transmitted from the OLT into the first predetermined number of broadcast signals and the Ethernet signal, switching a second predetermined number of broadcasting signals of the first predetermined number of broadcasting signals according to each SIU by channel selection information contained in upstream Ethernet information, and switching the Ethernet signal to be transmitted to the SIU according to each SIU so as to transmit the switched signal.

Abstract: A motion search method and apparatus for minimizing an off-chip memory access to reduce cycles for predicting a motion vector. A sum of absolute differences (SAD) calculation processing is performed, while an off-chip memory is accessed using Direct Memory Access (DMA). A position of a current macro block is determined if a frame is input and the length of a horizontal search line is set according to adjacent motion vectors and predetermined external parameters. The SADs are calculated by calculating medians of the adjacent motion vectors as a predictive motion vector, setting a vertical direction value of the predictive motion vector as an initial search line, and sequentially searching at least one horizontal search line, and determining a position of a minimum SAD from the at least one horizontal search line. The minimum SAD position is selected as a final motion vector.

Abstract: A 0.75-power computation apparatus and method are provided in which the range of an input value X is divided into a predetermined number areas, a 0.75 power of the input value X is represented as a predetermined approximation polynomial, coefficients for the approximation polynomial representing the input value X are preset for each of the areas, predetermined coefficients of the approximation polynomial are checked according to an actual input value X, and a 0.75-power of the actual input value X is computed using the approximation polynomial.

Abstract: Disclosed is an H.264 decoder equipped with multiple operation units, and a method for decoding compressed image data using same. The decoder comprises a plurality of operation units that successively perform a Variable Length Decoding (VLD) operation, an Inverse Transform & DeQuantization (ITDQ) operation, and an intra PREDiction & inter PREDiction (PRED) operation with respect to a macroblock for which each operation unit is to perform a decoding operation, on receiving information on a macroblock, for which each operation unit is to carry out the decoding operation, with reference to a synchronization information storage unit.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for providing a video service of a video service system including multimedia video in real time to a mobile terminal connected by a wireless network. A video frame coded by a coding scheme is transmitted to the mobile terminal for decoding and display. The coding scheme may include a first coding scheme and a second coding scheme used together at a predetermined ratio according to the mobile terminal demanding the video service. A server typically receives coding scheme change determining information from the mobile terminal in order to determining whether or not to change the coding scheme for the video frame during transmission of the video frame. The changed coding scheme can be used to transmit the video frame to the mobile terminal according to the result of analyzing the coding scheme change determining information.

Abstract: A Frame Rate Conversion (FRC) method using motion interpolation is disclosed. The FRC method includes checking the position of a motion vector intersecting an interpolated frame for each block of the interpolated frame, performing motion interpolation by acquiring a motion vector of each vertex of each block using motion vectors adjacent to each vertex, and performing motion interpolation on pixels of each block using the motion vector of each vertex.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a memory for processing moving pictures, which loads data from a frame buffer of an external memory, and uses a motion prediction technique. The method includes the steps of: loading, from the frame buffer, pixels of a relevant block of 8×8 size and extra pixel data necessary for an inter prediction while performing the inter prediction of a block of an 8×8 size following division of a macroblock, storing the pixels of the relevant block size of 8×8 and the extra pixel data in an internal cache memory. The stored pixels of the relevant block size of 8×8 and the stored extra pixel data are used; and then the stored pixels of the relevant block size of 8×8 and the stored extra pixel data stored in the cache memory are re-used during an inter prediction of the relevant block size of 8×8 and sub-blocks.

Abstract: An apparatus for calculating a boundary strength on a macroblock basis to determine a filter condition area in a deblocking filter includes a memory unit for storing a table containing a filter condition area value for a boundary strength calculation, which correspond to each of a type value of a current macroblock and a type value of a neighbor macroblock, and storing a boundary strength calculation method per filter condition area, the deblocking filter for performing the boundary strength calculation according to a filter condition area with respect to an input macroblock, and a controller for determining a filter condition area value corresponding to a type value of a current macroblock input to the deblocking filter and a type value of its neighbor macroblock using the table when the boundary strength calculation is performed with respect to the current macroblock input to the deblocking filter.