Abstract: The present invention is for a ceramic calibration filter, in one embodiment a ceramic attenuator (410), for attenuating radiation between a light source (402) and a photodiode sensor (422). A laser signal is reduced by ceramic attenuator (410) to a low-level signal that can be measured the photodiode sensor (422). A focal plane (240) of the light source is offset from a face of the ceramic attenuator (410).

Abstract: An optical module includes a light-emitting device that outputs laser light, a temperature detection unit that is arranged in proximity to the light-emitting device and detects the temperature of the light-emitting device, a wavelength monitor unit that receives laser light outputted from the light-emitting device and having passed through an optical filter and monitors the wavelength of the laser light, and a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the wavelength of laser light outputted from the light-emitting device based on a signal outputted from the wavelength monitor unit. The temperature adjustment unit adjusts the wavelength of the laser light so as to fall within a wavelength range, in which the wavelength is adjustable by the wavelength monitor unit, based on a signal from the temperature detection unit, and then adjusts the wavelength of the laser light so as to be locked at a predetermined wavelength based on the signal from the wavelength monitor unit.

Abstract: A monitored laser system has a laser having a first mirror; an exit mirror, at least a portion of a laser cavity defined by the first mirror and the exit mirror; and an active region located in the laser cavity, the active region containing a material that is capable of stimulated emission at one or more wavelengths of laser light within a tuning range of the laser. A multiple reflectivity band reflector (MRBR) is coupled to at least a portion of laser light emitted from the laser and transmits filtered laser light. The MRBR has a plurality of layers of material arranged in parallel such that the reflector has a plurality of reflectivity peaks within the tuning range, each reflectivity peak separated from neighboring reflectivity peak by a reflectivity trough having a trough minimum, said reflectivity peaks characterized by a peak profile and said trough minima between said reflectivity peaks characterized by a trough profile.

Abstract: To improve a diode laser device comprising at least one laser diode, a power supply for the laser diode, a cooling device including a heat sink with the laser diode disposed thereon, and a coolant supply allowing a coolant to flow through the heat sink, so that simple monitoring of its operation is possible without interfering with use of the diode laser device, it is proposed that an operation monitoring device be provided, and that the operation monitoring device detect a quantity representing the electric current flowing through the laser diode and a quantity representing the temperature of the coolant exiting from the heat sink and determine from these an operational quantity representing operation of the diode laser device.

Abstract: A compact laser package with integrated temperature control is disclosed. In one embodiment, the compact laser package that includes a housing, a window through the housing, a laser emitter disposed in the housing, and an active temperature control device disposed in the housing. The laser emitter is disposed on the active temperature control device and aligned such that optical signals generated by the laser emitter can be emitted through the window without a waveguide. Additionally, the housing has an outline similar to that of a transistor-can. Temperature measuring device and laser power detection device may also be integrated within the laser package.

Abstract: A laser driver circuit includes a pair of transistors having base electrodes respectively coupled to a differential input signal. The respective collector electrodes are coupled to a first power supply rail and the respective emitter electrodes are coupled to a laser diode via respective impedances and to respective controllable current sources to provide an average modulation voltage at the more positive of the emitter electrodes. By having the transistors in an emitter follower configuration, rather than the usual collector open collector configuration, the problem of mismatch between the output impedance of the transistors and the input impedance of the laser diode is reduced.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser having a low beam divergence is disclosed. The laser includes at least one waveguide comprising an active layer generating an optical gain by injection of a current, a photonic band gap crystal having the refractive index modulation in the direction perpendicular to the propagation of the emitted light, and at least one defect. The active layer is preferably placed within the defect. The photonic band gap crystal and the defect are optimized such that the fundamental mode of laser radiation is localized at the defect and decays away from the defect, while the other optical modes are extended over the photonic band gap crystal. Localization of the fundamental mode at the defect results in the relative enhancement of the amplitude of the mode with respect to the other modes. Therefore, there is a larger confinement factor of the fundamental mode as compared to the confinement factor of the other modes. This enables efficient single-mode lasing from the laser having an extended waveguide.

Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser device of oxidized-Al current confinement structure has a resonant wavelength of a fundamental transverse mode, which is set shorter than or equal to a peak-gain wavelength of the laser device at a specified temperature. The surface emitting semiconductor laser device emits in a single-transverse mode.

Abstract: Disclosed are semiconductor laser devices which hardly have degradation when used to generate high power of 200 mW or greater over a long period of time. An exemplary semiconductor laser device comprising a semiconductor substrate, and a layer structure formed on the semiconductor substrate and having an active layer with a quantum well layer formed of a ternary system mixed crystal of a Ill-V compound semiconductor. The material of the quantum well layer is formed in an equilibrium phase which is thermodynamically stable at both the growth temperature and the operating temperature. The material preferably has a substantially homogeneous disordered microstructure. In a preferred embodiment, the material comprises GaAsSb. The quantum well layer exhibits improved thermodynamic stability, and the device can emit light in the 980 nm band at high power levels for longer periods of time without failure in comparison to conventional InGaAs 980 nm pumping lasers.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element, a lower cladding layer of a first conductive type, a GaAs first optical waveguide layer of the first conductive type or an undoped type, an InGaAsP or InGaAs compressive-strain active layer, a GaAs second optical waveguide layer of a second conductive type or an undoped type, and an upper cladding portion are formed on a GaAs substrate of the first conductive type. The active layer is not formed in at least one vicinity of at least one end facet, and the space in the at least one vicinity of the at least one end facet is filled with a third optical waveguide layer of the second conductive type or an undoped type, where the bandgaps of the first, second, and third second optical waveguide layers are greater than the bandgap of the active layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser with a semiconductor substrate, a laser layer arranged on the semiconductor substrate, a waveguide arranged parallel to the laser layer and a strip shaped grating structure is disclosed. The laser layer, the waveguide and the grating are arranged a configuration which results in weak coupling between the laser light and the grating structure, so that the laser light interacts with an increased number of grating elements. A process for the production of such a semiconductor laser is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor laser which is comprised of a cladding layer (103) of a fist conductivity type having a vertically uniform distribution of refractive index, an active layer (107) laid over the cladding layer of the first conductivity type, a cladding layer (108, 110) of a second conductivity type laid over the active layer, having a vertically uniform distribution of refractive index, and having ridges shaped therein, each ridge extending in parallel with a direction of laser oscillation, and a current blocking layer (113) provided on opposite flanks of each ridge. In the semiconductor laser, current of which flow is pinched by the current blocking layer is introduced into the active layer thorough the upper opening of the ridge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modular high repetition rate ultraviolet gas discharge laser light source for a production line machine. The system includes an enclosed and purged beam path with beam pointing control for delivery the laser beam to a desired location such as the entrance port of the production line machine. In preferred embodiments, the production line machine is a lithography machine and two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. This MOPA system is capable of output pulse energies approximately double the comparable single chamber laser system with greatly improved beam quality. A pulse stretcher more than doubles the output pulse length resulting in a reduction in pulse power (mJ/ns) as compared to prior art laser systems.

Abstract: An optically pumped semiconductor laser with the active region partitioned such that different wavelengths can be emitted simultaneously from each partitioned region. The material of the partitioning layers is selected to be transparent to the pump wavelength, an electronic barrier to carrier diffusion, and epitaxially compatible with subsequent layers of the laser structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser includes a resonant cavity with a cavity length, an active layer structure provided within the resonant cavity and configured to radiate light in an optical gain distribution having a peak wavelength, an embedding layer provided within the resonant cavity and having a refractive index, and a diffraction grating embedded within the embedding layer and having a bandgap wavelength and a refractive index, the diffraction grating configured to select an emission wavelength of the resonant cavity independently of the peak wavelength in the optical gain distribution of the active layer structure. The embedding layer and diffraction grating are configured to provide operational characteristics satisfying the relationship 0<&lgr;e−&lgr;g≦100 nm, where &lgr;e is the emission wavelength of the resonant cavity &lgr;g is the bandgap wavelength of the diffraction grating.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a calorimeter for converting a quite small amount of heat into an electrical signal, especially a radiation detector providing improved energy resolution and count rate, by using a superconducting transition edge. The calorimeter has an absorber for absorbing radiation and producing heat. This absorber is formed on a resistor whose resistance value is varied by the heat. The resistor is formed on a membrane that controls escape of the heat. The calorimeter is characterized in that it is further fitted with a heat dissipation device for letting active electrons produced in the calorimeter escape to the outside.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, a measuring cell and a system for measuring very small heat changes in a sample. The system comprises a measuring cell 16 for containing the sample during the measurement process, at least one electromagnetic radiation unit 14 for radiating one or several samples with modulated monochromatic or polychromatic radiation 46 inside said measuring cell 16. Said measuring cell 16 comprises at least one acoustic transducer 22 for generating a first output signal V(t) and at least one heat measuring device 24 for generating a second output signal T(t). Both signals are connectable to a combining unit 18 that generates an information signal by means of a reference signal f(t). Said information signal is connectable to a signal processing unit 20 for determining at least one relevant reaction parameter as a function of the measured heat change.

Abstract: An irreversible temperature indicating paint comprises 25 wt % to 50 wt % cobalt silicate, 0 wt % to 20 wt % alumino silicate, 0.5 wt % to 5 wt % toluidine red, 25 wt % to 40 wt % acrylic resin and 10 wt % to 20 wt % silicone resin excluding solvent. The solvent comprises a mixture of 80% 1-methoxy-2-propanol and 20% dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether. The irreversible temperature indicating paint has at least five colour changes in the temperature range 1050° C. to 1350° C. A particular irreversible temperature indicating paint comprises 33.8 wt % cobalt silicate, 16.9 wt % alumino silicate, 2 wt % toluidine red, 30.8 wt % acrylic resin and 16.5 wt % silicone resin excluding solvent. The irreversible temperature indicating paint is used to determine the temperatures to which various parts of turbine blades, turbine vanes or other components are subjected in operation of the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement for making it possible to pick up movable components for transporting purposes and/or to set them down in order to place them for example on a device which is to be produced. Therefore, a measuring arrangement may reliably measure the presence of the movable component at an opening of a tubular element. The measuring arrangement here measures, on the basis of a temperature measurement, the gas through flow through the tubular element, which, in turn, can be related directly to the presence or absence of a component at the opening.

Abstract: The invention provides a sampling vessel for thermal analysis of molten metal in which the time required for analysis can be shortened and the temperature change rate in eutectic can be reduced as compared with a conventional sampling vessel, so that the eutectic temperature can be obtained easily accurately for a short time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a probe cover of ear thermometer comprising a ring, a thin film, and a paper film. The thin film can be penetrated by infrared rays. The paper film is disposed on the surface of an open end of the thin film. The paper film and the open end of the thin film are fixed on the ring by means of hot-pressing to form a cover body, which extends upwards. The present invention has the advantages of simple structure and simplified manufacturing process, hence decreasing the manufacturing time and reducing the cost of material.

Abstract: There is provided a temperature control system for a humidity sensor, which is capable of eliminating impurities attached to a sensor element of the sensor efficiently and sufficiently while preventing the sensor element from being cracked due to heat generated by a heater in a state of condensation formed thereon, and suppressing attachment of impurities to the sensor element, thereby making it possible to preserve an excellent detection accuracy of the humidity sensor. The temperature control system controls the temperature of the sensor element of the humidity sensor arranged in an exhaust pipe for detecting humidity within the exhaust pipe. A heater heats the sensor element. The temperature of the sensor element is detected.

Abstract: The present invention achieves the benefits of the improved joint detector previously disclosed with significantly less computation by, first, moving the backward substitution computation outside the detector's decoding iteration loop and, second, by moving the input buffer inside the iteration loop. The backward substitution computation is performed initially as part of a joint detection equalization stage prior to entering the decode iteration loop. Then with each decode iteration, the present invention generates a correction signal that is subtracted from the present input signal to produce the next input signal. Each correction signal is generated from a series of differences between the decoded symbols of the current iteration and those in the previous iteration. Thus, the present invention achieves the same performance improvement over conventional joint detectors as the improved joint detector previously disclosed but with dramatically less computational requirements.

Abstract: Multiple Steiner codes are transmitted as bursts (s11, s12, . . . s33, 560, 524) from multiple base stations (182, 184, 186) having one or more transmit elements (174, 176, 178, 180), with successive bursts providing an extended training sequence for use in channel estimation at an addressed unit (172), such as a mobile handset. Accurate channel estimation is possible through the use of Wiener frequency domain MMSE deconvolution (518) combined with frequency domain spatial decoupling matrices, with quasi-orthogonal pseudo-noise sequences (502, 504, 520, 522) allocated to base stations and their antenna elements. The use of Steiner codes to supplement Wiener frequency domain MMSE deconvolution and frequency domain spatial decoupling results in the possibility of allocating only a single training sequence to each base station provided that the training sequence is of sufficient length to encompass all multiple time-translated channel impulse responses (H).

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for transmitting R-RICH (Reverse Rate Indicator Channel) in a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) mobile communication system. There is provided an encoding/decoding apparatus and method for generating optimal codewords for optimal (24,1) encoding to optimal (24,7) encoding, and supporting all of an optimal (24,1) encoder to an optimal (24,7) encoder.

Abstract: In general, the invention facilitates searching for energy peaks in spread spectrum wireless communication systems with greater precision. More particularly, various embodiments of the invention may involve reporting not only an energy peak and its associated offset, but also the energy levels corresponding to one or more offsets occurring before and after the offset at which the energy peak occurs. Interpolation or extrapolation techniques may be used to predict the actual location of an energy peak based on the apparent location of the peak and the energy levels observed at surrounding offsets.

Abstract: A method for estimating channel parameters of radio channels of a W-CDMA mobile radio system, for example in accordance with the UMTS standard includes transmitting sequences of known symbols between unknown data symbols by a base station. The channel estimation is carried out by a comparison of the received sequences with the known symbols, and the result of the comparison is integrated over a sequence of known symbols.

Abstract: A despreader 106 (107) provides despread processing to baseband signals based on timing from a searcher 105 to obtain a baseband signal of path 1 (path 2). A complex correlation section 115 (116) provides complex correlation processing to the baseband signals from the despreader 106(107) (baseband signals, which are not yet multiplied by an inverse characteristic of a channel estimation value from a channel estimating section 108). A path combining section 117 combines the signals subjected to complex correlation processing by the complex correlation sections 115 and 116. A phase estimating section 118 estimates a phase rotation amount caused by a frequency offset using the signal combined by the path combining section 117.

Abstract: In many telecommunication systems, message signals which include a predefined sample bit sequence (training sequence) are transmitted, to improve the signal processing in the receiver, particularly the equalization. For this purpose, on the basis of the sample bit sequence, the channel pulse response is estimated within an iterative method. Extending the sample bit sequence by those bits which result from the reconstruction of the transmitted signal is known. It is here proposed that the equalization stage is synchronized to the received signal, by using at least the second channel pulse response which is estimated using the extended sample bit sequence. For this purpose, the receiver includes suitable synchronization means. In this way, it is achieved that the equalization is precisely adapted to the temporal course of the channel pulse response, so that the equalization of the received signal can be significantly improved. In tests, improvements to the signal-to-noise ratio of about 0.5 dB were achieved.

Abstract: A signal received by a base station is fed to a set of filters matched to spreading codes allocated to pilot channels originating from radio terminals. The outputs from the matched filters are processed so as to estimate parameters comprising, for each channel, eigenvectors representing propagation paths associated with respective amplitudes of reception along these paths. The processing of the output signals from the matched filters comprises an estimation of parameters for a first channel received with a fairly high power by the base station, a correction of the output from the matched filter of a second channel having less energy, taking account of at least one of the eigenvectors of the first channel, and an estimation of parameters for this second channel on the basis of the modified output from said matched filter.

Abstract: A method for deriving coefficients for a time domain equalizer function (24) as implemented by a digital signal processor (35) in a DSL modem (20) is disclosed. A transmitting modem (10), such as at a central office, issues a pseudo-random training sequence that is received by the receiving modem (20). Correlation matrices are derived by the digital signal processor (35), from which sets of eigenvalues and eigenvectors are derived. A flatness constraint on the frequency response of the time domain equalizer is established, and included with a flatness scaling factor (&lgr;) into a minimization cost function. One or more values of the flatness scaling factor (&lgr;), preferably between minimum and maximum eigenvalues, are evaluated in the cost function, to derive the optimum filter for the time-domain equalizer. The flatness constraint ensures that the time-domain equalizer is not subject to near null conditions and large variations in its frequency response.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method of peak-to-average reduction of an oversampled signal for a digital communication system. Peak detection 504 and width measurement 504 are advantageously combined in which a peak portion or multiple peak portions of an input signal that exceeds a predetermined threshold is detected and a width of the peak portion is determined. The peak detection and width measurement are further combined with a novel variable width shape generation methodology 506 in which a variable width shaping response is applied 510 to the peak portion responsive to the peak portion width. Additionally, a novel receiver technique 1390 can be included to reduce or eliminate the upstream BER impact using downstream oversampled shaping.

Abstract: In the case of determination means (10) for determining the quality of a data signal (DS), which data signal (DS) consists of data blocks, wherein each data block is at least two-dimensional in structure and comprises at least two data zones, there are provided validity assessment means (7) for assessing whether data zones of at least one data block are valid or invalid and for generating and outputting validity information (QI) representing the assessment result and validity information processing means (9), which are designed to determine the quality of the data signal (DS) on the basis of the validity information (QI).

Abstract: An adaptive equalizer with a large data rate range is provided. The equalizer comprises an equalizer core, a slicer and an automatic gain control (AGC) loop. The equalizer core is coupled to an input signal from a transmission medium and applies a transfer function to the input signal to compensate for losses incurred in the transmission medium in order to generate a core output signal. The equalizer core is also coupled to a bandwidth control signal that controls a bandwidth of the transfer function. The slicer is coupled to the core output signal and converts the core output signal to a digital output signal having a fixed digital output swing that approximates a transmission swing of the input signal prior to transmission over the transmission medium. The AGC loop is coupled to the core output signal and the digital output signal and compares the core output signal with the digital output signal in order to generate the bandwidth control signal.

Abstract: A read channel apparatus is disclosed for reading data recorded on an optical storage system at a predetermined baud rate. The apparatus asynchronously samples an analog read signal generating from the optical storage system and subtracts an estimated DC offset from the asynchronous sample values to generate a sequence of asynchronous DC-removed sample values. The asynchronous DC-removed sample values are separately interpolated by two interpolators to generate a sequence of synchronous even-time sample values and a sequence of synchronous odd-time sample values respectively. The synchronous even-time and odd-time sample values are separately equalized by two equalizers in accordance with a target spectrum to generate a sequence of even-time equalized sample values and a sequence of odd-time equalized sample values respectively. A DC offset estimator generates the estimated DC offset from the even-time equalized sample values and the odd-time equalized sample values.

Abstract: A method of adjusting the weights of a blind equalizer. In the blind equalizer, an error signal e(n) is reset to zero as soon as the error signal e(n) reaches a predetermined value such as a maximum error signal value so that the weight vector W(n+1) is unaffected by the error signal e(n). Furthermore, the error signal e(n) is also reset to zero as soon as a second slicer output r2(n) changes from the original value due to an adjustment or transmission error and results in an inaccuracy of error signal e(n) so that the weight vector W(n+1) is unaffected by the error signal e(n).

Abstract: An adaptive equaliser comprises a variable filter, means for measuring a received signal and control means for adjusting the filter parameters, wherein the filter parameters are adjusted based on the width of the eye opening measured in the eye diagram of the received signal. The received signal is scanned at a variable voltage or current threshold to construct a digitised representation. This information is applied to establish the correct coefficients in an equalisation filter that compensates for the distortion of the channel. The filter may be arranged in the receiver, in the transmitter, or both in the transmitter and the receiver.

Abstract: A tone ordering circuit (100) that may be capable of performing tone ordering with a small bit table has been disclosed. Tone ordering circuit (100) may include a parallel-serial conversion circuit (10), a bit table (11), a pointer circuit (12), a carrier counter circuit (13), a comparator (14), and a serial-parallel conversion circuit (15). Tone ordering circuit (100) may receive baseband data and may provide tone ordering data having a bit width in accordance with a corresponding one of a plurality of carriers. Bit widths and carriers may be arranged in ascending order. Bit table (11) may store a point at which a bit width of tone ordering data may be changed. In this way, bit widths corresponding to all tone ordering numbers may not be stored in a bit table (11) and the density of a bit table (11) may be reduced.

Abstract: A system of distributing video and/or audio information employs digital signal processing to achieve high rates of data compression. The compressed and encoded audio and/or video information is sent over standard telephone, cable or satellite broadcast channels to a receiver specified by a subscriber of the service, preferably in less than real time, for later playback and optional recording on standard audio and/or video tape.

Abstract: A system of distributing video and/or audio information employs digital signal processing to achieve high rates of data compression. The compressed and encoded audio and/or video information is sent over standard telephone, cable or satellite broadcast channels to a receiver specified by a subscriber of the service, preferably in less than real time, for later playback and optional recording on standard audio and/or video tape.

Abstract: A coding control section 26 determines a quantization step size 24 and frame skip control information 25 based on a remainder of a buffer 20 and a maximum quantization step size 28 output from a quantization step size change width control section 29. The quantization step size change width control section 27 receives an average quantization step size 29 calculated by the coding control section 26, and determines the maximum quantization step size 28.

Abstract: This invention is designed to encode the image area information of a multilevel image within a target size without re-inputting the information. For this purpose, from the multilevel image data input from the input unit (101), an image area information generating unit (1701) generates, for each pixel, image area information constituted by an image area component indicating whether the pixel exists in a character•line drawing area or halftone area and an image area component indicating whether the pixel is chromatic or achromatic. A lossless encoding unit (1705) encodes this information on a block basis, and stores the resultant information in a third memory (1709). An encoding control unit (1713) monitors an amount of code. Upon determining that the amount of code exceeds a target amount, the encoding control unit causes the lossless encoding unit (1705) to perform encoding upon changing image area components, of subsequently input image area components, which coincide with a condition.

Abstract: Data (D) is compressed in dependence on a compression parameter (CPAR). An example of such data compression is coding a sequence of pictures in accordance with a standard defined by the Moving Pictures Experts Group. In the process of compressing the data (D), the following three steps are repetitively carried out. In a prediction step (PRD), it is predicted, on the basis of an initial value (VALint) of the compression parameter (CPAR), which amount of compressed data Xprd will have been obtained at a future instant of time (Tfut). In an adaptation step (ADP), the initial value (VALint) is adapted on the basis of a difference (&Dgr;X) between the predicted amount of data (Xprd) and a desired amount of data (Xdes), so as to obtain an adapted value (VALadp) of the compression parameter (CPAR). In an application step (APL), the adapted value (VALadp) of the compression parameter (CPAR) is applied until a subsequent prediction step (PRD) followed by a subsequent adaptation step (ADP) is carried out.

Abstract: This invention provides an image processing apparatus for executing padding processing at a high speed. For this purpose, the image processing apparatus of this invention is an image processing apparatus for processing image data on the basis of shape information, which includes a left propagation processing section (121) for propagating, of a plurality of pixel data which construct one-dimensional image data, pixel data specified by shape information to the left, a right propagation processing section (123) for propagating, of the plurality of pixel data which construct the one-dimensional image data, the pixel data specified by the shape information to the right, and a calculator group (131) for calculating the average between an output from the left propagation processing section (121) and an output from the right propagation processing section (123) to generate output pixel data.

Abstract: A video transcoding method and apparatus enables digital video to be transmitted over various network infrastructures by transcoding video data to fit available bandwidth. A transcoder extracts MPEG video data from the video stream wrapper and decomposes the MPEG layered data to the block level. The transcoder then processes the variable length coding (VLC) of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients without having to decode and re-code the video stream. Processing involves assigning an allowable error range to each DCT frequency in the video stream based on the available network bandwidth and/or the effect of the DCT code on perception of picture quality, and adapting video traffic dynamically by changing large length codes to small length codes based on the assigned allowable error range. The larger the allowable error ranges that are assigned to the DCT frequencies, the more video traffic may be trimmed off from the incoming video stream.

Abstract: A matching processor detects correspondence information between key frames. A judging unit detects motion vectors from the correspondence information to determine variation of a field of view between the key frames. When variation of the field of view is sufficiently large, added information is generated related to the variation of the field of view. A stream generator generates a coded data stream by incorporating the added information. An intermediate image generator (for example, at a decoding side) detects the added information and trims edges of a generated intermediate image to account for the variation in the field of view, so that an unnatural invalidated region is cut out.

Abstract: An image processing system including an image coding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus. The image coding apparatus includes an image input unit for acquiring key frames, a matching processor for generating correspondence information between the key frames, a sound input unit for acquiring sound data to be synchronized with the key frames and correspondence information, and a stream generator for generating a coded data stream which includes the sound data, the correspondence information, and the key frames. The image decoding apparatus includes a stream input unit for acquiring the added data stream, a stream separator for separating the key frames, correspondence information and sound data from the coded data stream; an intermediate frame generator for generating intermediate frames from the key frames and correspondence information, and an output controller for outputting the key frames and intermediate frames in synchronization with the sound data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing video motion estimation in video encoding, in which video signal consists of frames comprising blocks. In the method a combined comparison value is calculated between a current video block of a frame to be encoded and at least one other video block of another frame. Said current video block of the frame to be encoded comprises a set of first data values, and said at least one other video block of another frame comprises a set of second data values. Data value pairs are formed of data values from said set of first data values and equal number of corresponding data values from said set of second data values. Said combined comparison value is formed by defining comparison values, each of which is defined by using data values of one data value pair of said data value pairs. Further, at least one threshold value is defined, and it is determined whether the process for defining said combined comparison value can be terminated.

Abstract: A global motion vector coding scheme is used for coding or decoding an image. Global motion parameters are associated with a current image frame. Local motion vectors are derived from the global motion parameters for individual macroblocks in the current image frame. The local motion vectors are then used to identify reference blocks in a current reference frame. The reference blocks are then used to either encode or decode the macroblocks in the current image frame.

Abstract: In a videodataprocessor for a videodatatramittersystem, with a multiplexer and data processing means for multiplexing and further processing data from two interlaced videosources on field basis, the multiplexing of videodata from said videosources is performed on field basis at full refresh rate. Although this may be done by multiplexing based on selecting e.g. only the top fields or only the bottom fields of successive video frames, it is preferred to do this by multiplexing based on selecting alternating top- and bottom fields of successive video frames from the same videosource.