Abstract: A method and apparatus for rate control in moving picture compression. Bit allocation with initial quantization step size estimation is used at picture level. With the relationship between pre-analyzed activity of current picture to be encoded and actual complexity of previously encoded picture of the same type, a target bit budget can be allocated to the current picture in accordance with the present invention. Once the target bit budget has been determined, an initial value for an average quantization step size is estimated on the basis of the target bit budget, along with the relationship between pre-analyzed activity of current picture and actual complexity of previously coded picture. Such an initial value of the average quantization step size is useful to achieve higher picture quality at a given bit allocation.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a wafer body, a plurality of analog IC dies spacedly and alignedly formed on the wafer body to define a scribe line as a margin formed between each two dies wherein each of the dies has an internal circuit formed therewithin and at least a terminal pad formed along the scribe line, and a conductive arrangement including at least a conductive element formed on the wafer body to electrically connect the terminal pad with the internal circuit of the die in such a manner that when the die is cut off from the wafer body along the scribe line, the terminal pad is cut off from the die so as to keep the internal circuit in the die.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving bandwidth for depth information communication in a computer graphics system. In operation, a decoder checks a type table associated with a collection of pixels in a memory unit in response to a request for depth information with respect to the collection of pixels. If the type table indicates that the depth information with respect to the collection of pixels has been encoded previously, the decoder computes depth values corresponding to the collection of pixels for each visible polygon in accordance with respective sets of plane parameters in a parameter record associated with a plane pattern, and reconstructs the depth information from the depth values for each visible polygon in accordance with the plane pattern. When the collection of pixels is modified by a new polygon, an encoder updates the plane pattern, the parameter record, and the type table in the memory unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a wafer body, a plurality of analog IC dies spacedly and alignedly formed on the wafer body to define a scribe line as a margin formed between each two dies wherein each of the dies has an internal circuit formed therewithin and at least a terminal pad formed along the scribe line, and a conductive arrangement including at least a conductive element formed on the wafer body to electrically connect the terminal pad with the internal circuit of the die in such a manner that when the die is cut off from the wafer body along the scribe line, the terminal pad is cut off from the die so as to keep the internal circuit in the die.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a wafer body, a plurality of dies spacedly and alignedly formed on the wafer body to define a scribe line as a margin formed between each two the dies, wherein at least one of the dies is formed as a tested die having a terminal pad for measuring a voltage of the tested die via a measuring tool, and a test circuit having an output end and an input end electrically extended from an internal circuit of the tested die. An output impedance of the test circuit is relatively smaller than an impedance of the measuring tool, such that the voltage of the tested die adapted for being precisely measured when testing terminals of the measuring tool are electrically pointed at the tested die and the output end of the test circuit respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a wafer body, a plurality of analog IC dies spacedly and alignedly formed on the wafer body to define a scribe line as a margin formed between each two dies wherein each of the dies has an internal circuit formed therewithin and at least a terminal pad formed along the scribe line, and a conductive arrangement including at least a conductive element formed on the wafer body to electrically connect the terminal pad with the internal circuit of the die in such a manner that when the die is cut off from the wafer body along the scribe line, the terminal pad is cut off from the die so as to keep the internal circuit in the die.

Abstract: A video encoding method with support for editing when scene changed. The video encoding method reads and stores the pictures by the display order and detects whether the scene change occurred. The method encodes the pictures by the coding order when there are not scenes changed and encodes the pictures by a special coding process when there are scenes changed. Because the video encoding method encodes the pictures with considering the states of scenes changed and generates a new GOP when a scene change occurred, the video sequence can be cut into two parts by an image editing process without re-encoding. Therefore, the video can be edited without any loss and the editing performance of the editing process can be better.

Abstract: A rate control method with region of interesting support, which coding macroblocks in a current picture with different priority. The rate control method calculates a weighted macroblock activity according to the priority and a macroblock activity and a picture activity for the current picture according to the weighted macroblock activity. Then, the method allocates a bit budget for each macroblock according to the priority and calculates an estimated complexity for the current picture according to a complexity of a previously coded picture, an activity of the previously coded picture and the weighted macroblock activity. The method also calculates an estimated quantizer scale according to the estimated complexity and the bit budget, an initial virtual buffer occupancy according to an reaction factor and the estimated quantizer scale and a macroblock quantizer scale according to a virtual buffer occupancy of a previously coded macroblock, the priority and the reaction factor.

Abstract: A quantization matrix adjusting method for avoiding underflow of VBV by enlarging the default quantization matrix. The adjusting method comprises the steps of: updating a used bits BB_X and an average quantizer scale Avg_Q; allocating the bit budget BB_C for the current picture; calculating an estimated quantizer scale EstQ_C according to the used bits BB_X, the average quantizer scale Avg_Q and the bit budget BB_C; deciding the operation mode, when the estimated quantizer scale EstQ_C is larger than a threshold Th_Q, assigning the operation mode as an alert mode, otherwise remaining at normal mode; enlarging the default quantization matrix as a new quantization matrix when the operation mode is the alert mode; and coding the current picture using the new quantization matrix and default quantization matrix in the alert mode and normal mode, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus for variable bit rate control in moving picture compression. First, a total activity measure for the current picture to be encoded in a set of consecutive pictures is calculated. Based on the total activity measure of the current picture and an activity-to-complexity ratio of a previously encoded picture of the same type in the set of consecutive pictures, a complexity measure of the current picture is estimated. A statistical complexity measure is then calculated from the complexity measure of the current picture. A target bit budget is allocated to the current picture depending on the instantaneous rate, the complexity measure and the instantaneous complexity measure. After encoding the current picture, the activity-to-complexity ratio for the current picture is computed based on the total activity measure, actual bits consumed by the current picture and an average of actual quantization step sizes used to encode the current picture.

Abstract: A quantization matrix adjusting method for quality improvement by scaling down the default quantization matrix. The adjusting method comprises the steps of: updating a used bits BB_X and an average quantizer scale Avg_Q; allocating a bit budget BB_C for a current picture; calculating an estimated quantizer scale EstQ_C according to the used bits BB_X, the average quantizer scale Avg_Q and the bit budget BB_C deciding the operation mode, when the estimated quantizer scale EstQ_C is smaller than a threshold Th_Q, assigning the operation mode as an adjusting mode, otherwise remaining at normal mode; scaling down a default quantization matrix as a new quantization matrix when the operation mode is the adjusting mode; and coding the current picture using the new quantization matrix and default quantization matrix in the adjusting mode and normal mode, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus for constant quality rate control in moving picture compression. First, a total activity measure for the current picture to be encoded in a set of consecutive pictures is calculated. Based on the total activity measure of the current picture and an activity-to-complexity ratio of a previously encoded picture of the same type in the set of consecutive pictures, a complexity measure of the current picture is estimated. Thus, an instantaneous complexity measure is updated using the complexity measure and then an instantaneous rate is calculated. A target bit budget is allocated to the current picture depending on the instantaneous rate, the complexity measure and the instantaneous complexity measure. After encoding, the activity-to-complexity ratio for the just encoded picture is computed based on the total activity measure, actual bits consumed by the picture and the average of actual quantization step sizes used to encode the picture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rate control in moving picture compression. Bit allocation with initial quantization step size estimation is used at picture level. With the relationship between pre-analyzed activity of current picture to be encoded and actual complexity of previously encoded picture of the same type, a target bit budget can be allocated to the current picture in accordance with the present invention. Once the target bit budget has been determined, an initial value for an average quantization step size is estimated on the basis of the target bit budget, along with the relationship between pre-analyzed activity of current picture and actual complexity of previously coded picture. Such an initial value of the average quantization step size is useful to achieve higher picture quality at a given bit allocation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving bandwidth for depth information communication in a computer graphics system. In operation, a decoder checks a type table associated with a collection of pixels in a memory unit in response to a request for depth information with respect to the collection of pixels. If the type table indicates that the depth information with respect to the collection of pixels has been encoded previously, the decoder computes depth values corresponding to the collection of pixels for each visible polygon in accordance with respective sets of plane parameters in a parameter record associated with a plane pattern, and reconstructs the depth information from the depth values for each visible polygon in accordance with the plane pattern. When the collection of pixels is modified by a new polygon, an encoder updates the plane pattern, the parameter record, and the type table in the memory unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rate control in moving picture video compression. According to the present invention, a total activity measure for a current picture to be encoded in a set of consecutive pictures of a video sequence is calculated first. Based on the total activity measure of the current picture and an activity-to-complexity ratio of a previously encoded picture of the same type in the set of consecutive pictures, a complexity measure of the current picture is estimated. A target bit budget is allocated to the current picture depending on the estimated complexity measure of the current picture. Then, the current picture is encoded according to the target bit budget. After encoding the current picture, the activity-to-complexity ratio for the current picture is computed based on the total activity, actual bits consumed by the current picture, and the average quantization step size of the current picture.