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 encoding apparatus includes a first encoder for encoding inputted picture information at a first rate or first resolution, and a second encoder for encoding the inputted picture information at a second rate lower than the first rate or at second resolution lower than the first resolution, in which when the second encoder encodes picture information, the second encoder encodes the picture information by use of encoding information of picture information in the first encoder corresponding to the picture information, and the encoding apparatus outputs the picture information encoded by the first encoder and the second encoder, respectively, thereby the second encoder executing the encoding by using encoding information of the first encoder.

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: The invention provides an effective means that realizes a long-hour recording and multi-channel simultaneous recording of TV broadcast programs without sacrificing the picture quality in reproduction. The invention also enhances user-friendliness in recording multiple channels. The invention provides a transcoder for the digital broadcast, utilizes program information during recording, and adaptively controls the recording bit rate in correspondence with the maximum transfer rate of a record medium.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured to have units for compressing and expanding image data and an arbitrating unit for arbitrating control units for executing image processing so that the compressing and expanding units are located between the arbitrating unit and the control units respectively. The apparatus further includes the circuits for compressing and expanding the image data in a reversible manner and a nonreversible manner so that the compressing and expanding manner may be switched according to the image processing condition. When treating a large amount of image data, this configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of accesses to memory and make effective use of a bandwidth, thereby being able to reduce the power consumption. Since the bandwidth is reduced and the random access to memory is made possible, more image processing capabilities may be provided so that the operability of this apparatus is enhanced.

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: 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: An apparatus by which a user can easily set a parameter for conversion when a compression encoding system of video stream is converted is provided. A particular period in a first video stream is repeatedly reproduced to convert the reproduced portion into a second video stream in real time. At that time, the user checks the image quality after conversion on a preview screen and sets a desired conversion parameter. A local decode image is output to the preview screen. Thus, the circuit configuration is simplified.

Abstract: An encoding apparatus includes a first encoder for encoding inputted picture information at a first rate or first resolution, and a second encoder for encoding the inputted picture information at a second rate lower than the first rate or at second resolution lower than the first resolution, in which when the second encoder encodes picture information, the second encoder encodes the picture information by use of encoding information of picture information in the first encoder corresponding to the picture information, and the encoding apparatus outputs the picture information encoded by the first encoder and the second encoder, respectively, thereby the second encoder executing the encoding by using encoding information of the first encoder.

Abstract: An apparatus by which a user can easily set a parameter for conversion when a compression encoding system of video stream is converted is provided. A particular period in a first video stream is repeatedly reproduced to convert the reproduced portion into a second video stream in real time. At that time, the user checks the image quality after conversion on a preview screen and sets a desired conversion parameter. A local decode image is output to the preview screen. Thus, the circuit configuration is simplified.

Abstract: An encoding apparatus includes a first encoder for encoding inputted picture information at a first rate or first resolution, and a second encoder for encoding the inputted picture information at a second rate lower than the first rate or at second resolution lower than the first resolution, in which when the second encoder encodes picture information, the second encoder encodes the picture information by use of encoding information of picture information in the first encoder corresponding to the picture information, and the encoding apparatus outputs the picture information encoded by the first encoder and the second encoder, respectively, thereby the second encoder executing the encoding by using encoding information of the first encoder.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image coding apparatus and an image coding method 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: In a transcoder that decodes and encodes a motion picture stream, a highly compressed motion picture stream cannot be obtained if the same corresponding frame is referenced for coding purposes in a situation where an intraframe coding mode, in which an unconverted stream is not provided with vector information, is used and in a situation where an interframe predictive coding mode, in which the unconverted stream is provided with vector information, is used. Further, if an additional frame is referenced after searching for the corresponding frame, the circuit scale and power consumption increase.

Abstract: The invention provides an effective means that realizes a long-hour recording and multi-channel simultaneous recording of TV broadcast programs without sacrificing the picture quality in reproduction. The invention also enhances user-friendliness in recording multiple channels. The invention provides a transcoder for the digital broadcast, utilizes program information during recording, and adaptively controls the recording bit rate in correspondence with the maximum transfer rate of a record medium.

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: A moving picture recording system includes a communicable moving picture recording apparatus and a mobile terminal. In this case, the communicable moving picture recording apparatus has a recording module which records a moving picture in a recording medium and a transmitting module which transmits information indicating an in-recording state, while the recording module is recording the moving picture in the recording medium. The mobile terminal has a receiving module which receives the information indicating the in-recording state and an informing module which informs a user that the communicable moving picture recording apparatus is recording a moving pictures when the information indicating the in-recording state is received.

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: a 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: An encoding apparatus includes a first encoder for encoding inputted picture information at a first rate or first resolution, and a second encoder for encoding the inputted picture information at a second rate lower than the first rate or at second resolution lower than the first resolution, in which when the second encoder encodes picture information, the second encoder encodes the picture information by use of encoding information of picture information in the first encoder corresponding to the picture information, and the encoding apparatus outputs the picture information encoded by the first encoder and the second encoder, respectively, thereby the second encoder executing the encoding by using encoding information of the first encoder.

Abstract: An apparatus by which a user can easily set a parameter for conversion when a compression encoding system of video stream is converted is provided. A particular period in a first video stream is repeatedly reproduced to convert the reproduced portion into a second video stream in real time. At that time, the user checks the image quality after conversion on a preview screen and sets a desired conversion parameter. A local decode image is output to the preview screen. Thus, the circuit configuration is simplified.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus and method are disclosed, which positively and easily realize the navigation for a desired image. At least a still picture for navigation is produced from an input moving picture, and a moving picture and the still picture are recorded in a recording media. At the time of navigation, the still pictures for navigation are collectively read and displayed in a list. A corresponding moving picture is read from the recording media based on the still picture selected by the user, and displayed in superposition on the still picture on a navigation screen. The simultaneous display of at least a still picture and a moving picture on the navigation screen realizes a positive navigation.