Abstract: An image compression/decompression device achieving increased utilization efficiency of the memory bandwidth in the access to the memory used for the compression/decompression operation while maintaining ill effect on the images at a low level is realized. The image compression/decompression device comprises a data conversion unit which reduces the data access rate when original images (as input images at the time of performing the compression) and reference images (used for performing the interframe prediction) are stored in the memory by accessing the memory. The access to the memory is performed in an address sequence (order) that differs between data write and data read. This makes it possible to increase the utilization efficiency of the memory bandwidth, and further to reduce the capacity of the buffer memory used for the data read.

Abstract: A video communication system having: an encoder coding input video data and outputting a video stream; and a packet processing part grouping into packets the output video stream from said encoder and outputting the same to a communication path; wherein said packet processing part generates an original data cluster consolidating a packet for each group of a prescribed number of MB processes and redundant data for correcting data errors of said original data cluster; and controls the insertion quantity of redundant data so that the combined number of bits of said original data cluster and said redundant data works out to be equal to or less than the target number of bits.

Abstract: An imaging device (100) is provided with: an imager (1) that includes an imaging element with multiple pixels arranged two-dimensionally, and that outputs an image signal in accordance with setting of either a pixel addition readout method or a cutout readout method; a signal processor (2) that processes the image signal from the imager (1); an operator (3) that inputs operation information; a lightness detector (4) that detects a subject lightness; and a controller (5). The controller (5) includes a zoom setter (51) that sets a zoom magnification for a subject based on a zoom signal that is input by the operator (3), and a readout-method switching controller (52) that switches between the pixel addition readout method and the cutout readout method according to the zoom magnification set by the zoom setter (51) and the lightness detected by the lightness detector (4).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of notifying a reception side of a fact that a halftone process has been performed for data to be transmitted and a method of transmitting additional information to a reception side in image transferring among a plurality of devices. The present invention includes a step of performing image processes for video information and a step of outputting a signal containing the video information for which the image processes have been performed, and the signal to be output includes information related to the image processes.

Abstract: An image encoding apparatus is provided which realizes an encoding process at a high bit rate without degradation in image quality at boundary parts within a picture. The image encoding apparatus 1 includes: a plurality of entropy encoding sections 105 and 106 for generating bit streams by entropy-encoding intermediate data generated from syntax elements of image data; and an encoding control section 104 for supplying the intermediate data to any of the entropy encoding sections. The encoding control section 104 determines the entropy encoding section that performs an entropy encoding process by a frame in accordance with the processing status of each of the entropy encoding sections.

Abstract: An imaging device (100) is provided with: an imager (1) that includes an imaging element with multiple pixels arranged two-dimensionally, and that outputs an image signal in accordance with setting of either a pixel addition readout method or a cutout readout method; a signal processor (2) that processes the image signal from the imager (1); an operator (3) that inputs operation information; a lightness detector (4) that detects a subject lightness; and a controller (5). The controller (5) includes a zoom setter (51) that sets a zoom magnification for a subject based on a zoom signal that is input by the operator (3), and a readout-method switching controller (52) that switches between the pixel addition readout method and the cutout readout method according to the zoom magnification set by the zoom setter (51) and the lightness detected by the lightness detector (4).

Abstract: A compressed-image noise removal device includes a decoder unit for decoding a digital-image-compressed stream, an information holding unit for holding sub information by the amount of a plurality of blocks, the sub information being decoded by a VLD unit, a noise judgment unit for making a judgment on noise removal of a display image generated by the decoder unit, and the information holding unit, a noise removal unit for executing the noise removal of a block whose noise removal has been judged to be executed by the noise judgment unit, using image data outputted from an inverse quantization unit, motion compensation data outputted from a motion compensation unit, and the sub information held in the information holding unit, and a display-image holding unit for holding, as a display image, an output image of the noise removal unit if the noise removal has been judged to be executed by the noise judgment unit, or the output of the decoder unit if the noise removal has been judged not to be executed thereby.

Abstract: An image encoding apparatus is provided which realizes an encoding process at a high bit rate without degradation in image quality at boundary parts within a picture. The image encoding apparatus 1 includes: a plurality of entropy encoding sections 105 and 106 for generating bit streams by entropy-encoding intermediate data generated from syntax elements of image data; and an encoding control section 104 for supplying the intermediate data to any of the entropy encoding sections. The encoding control section 104 determines the entropy encoding section that performs an entropy encoding process by a frame in accordance with the processing status of each of the entropy encoding sections.

Abstract: An image compression/decompression device achieving increased utilization efficiency of the memory bandwidth in the access to the memory used for the compression/decompression operation while maintaining ill effect on the images at a low level is realized. The image compression/decompression device comprises a data conversion unit which reduces the data access rate when original images (as input images at the time of performing the compression) and reference images (used for performing the interframe prediction) are stored in the memory by accessing the memory. The access to the memory is performed in an address sequence (order) that differs between data write and data read. This makes it possible to increase the utilization efficiency of the memory bandwidth, and further to reduce the capacity of the buffer memory used for the data read.

Abstract: A refresh area is taken advantage of when a series of images are coded using Intra-frame coding and Inter-frame coding, a partial area of an image being forcefully Intra-frame coded (Intra MBs) in the refresh area. As the prediction mode for prediction of the Intra MBs inside the refresh area, a prediction mode is selected where the prediction is executable based on only the image that exists inside the refresh area.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus and an image coding method are provided for reducing arithmetic processing while keeping a high compression ratio. A coding process necessary for the bi-prediction motion search can be effectively reduced by determining a block size for a bi-prediction motion search or a center position for a motion search on the basis of a result of a motion search of a unidirectional prediction. Further, a compression ratio can be also kept as high as possible, because the block size or the center position are obtained on the basis of the result of the motion search of the unidirectional prediction.

Abstract: The time required to transcode an encoded image signal to an image signal encoded by a different encoding method is reduced. Disclosed herein is a transcoder comprising: picture selector 4 which extracts specific types of pictures (I- and P-pictures) from a first image signal (MPEG2 stream) and generates a subset of the first image signal; a first decoder 5 which decodes the subset image signal; and a first encoder 7 which encodes the decoded image signal to a second image signal (MPEG4 stream). The picture selector 4 uses the extracted pictures to generate the subset image signal with a reduced effective length.

Abstract: When a motion image is to be compressed, the present invention divides a high-resolution still image into image segments to perform a motion image encoding process on each image segment. In this instance, the importance of each image segment and the relativity of each image segment with another image segment are computed. The image segments are then aligned in the order of importance to determine a picture type for motion image encoding in accordance with the computed relativity. Encoding is performed in accordance with a determined encoding sequence and picture type. Further, the rate control bit allocation amount for motion image encoding is increased for highly important image segments. Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to exhibit a high overall image compression efficiency while avoiding image quality deterioration in an important portion of a still image by using a motion image compression technology for still image compression.

Abstract: A transcoder for decoding a motion picture stream encoded by using a first coding scheme, which provides intraframe coding and interframe predictive coding, and encoding the decoded motion picture stream by using a second coding scheme, the transcoder including: at decoder for decoding an input motion picture stream and detecting sub-information indicating whether an intraframe coding scheme or an interframe predictive coding scheme is used; and an encoder for changing the frame to be referenced at the time of coding depending on whether the sub-information indicates the use of the intraframe coding scheme or the interframe predictive coding scheme.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image decoder which implements high speed image decoding with a low cost and simple configuration. By a stream dividing module, an input video stream is divided in units of frames as a plurality of frame rows for distribution. Each of plural decoders generates decoded images by decoding a distributed frame row. Of the decoded images generated by the decoders, reference images to be referred to when a subsequent frame is decoded is stored in a reference image frame memory. A timing control module receives information about stream distribution from the stream dividing module and controls the respective timings of decoding frames distributed to the decoders.

Abstract: A playlist creating apparatus is provided which allows a user to select desired digital images from a plurality of programs and use the desired digital images to simply create a playlist or to select a digital image in dubbing it to another recording medium. One image data that agrees in terms of a specific condition with another image data selected from recorded image data is added to an image screen as a selective candidate for display.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of notifying a reception side of a fact that a halftone process has been performed for data to be transmitted and a method of transmitting additional information to a reception side in image transferring among a plurality of devices. The present invention includes a step of performing image processes for video information and a step of outputting a signal containing the video information for which the image processes have been performed, and the signal to be output includes information related to the image processes.

Abstract: A transcoder for decoding a motion picture stream encoded by using a first coding scheme, which provides intraframe coding and interframe predictive coding, and encoding the decoded motion picture stream by using a second coding scheme, the transcoder including: at decoder for decoding an input motion picture stream and detecting sub-information indicating whether an intraframe coding scheme or an interframe predictive coding scheme is used; and an encoder for changing the frame to be referenced at the time of coding depending on whether the sub-information indicates the use of the intraframe coding scheme or the interframe predictive coding scheme.

Abstract: A refresh area is taken advantage of when a series of images are coded using Intra-frame coding and Inter-frame coding, a partial area of an image being forcefully Intra-frame coded (Intra MBs) in the refresh area. As the prediction mode for prediction of the Intra MBs inside the refresh area, a prediction mode is selected where the prediction is executable based on only the image that exists inside the refresh area.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image display device, for outputting left and right two (2) pieces of output videos, by superimposing an OSD (On Screen Display) on left and right two (2) pieces of output images, comprises: a disparity correction portion for correcting disparity of the input images, thereby outputting corrected images; and an OSD superimpose for superimposing the OSD on each of the corrected image, thereby outputting output images, wherein correction is made in such that the disparity of the corrected images in jumping out direction comes to be small, when displaying the OSD, and thereby lightening visual fatigue due to the fact that an object on the input image is seen in front than the OSD.