Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for interlayer prediction, and the method for interlayer prediction, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: deciding whether to apply an interlayer prediction to an enhancement layer; and performing a prediction on a current block of the enhancement layer based on reference information that is generalized and generated from a reference picture, which is decoded, of a reference layer, when the interlayer prediction is applied, wherein the reference layer information can be encoding information of a reference block, which corresponds to a current block of the enhancement layer, from the reference layer, and residual information.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for video encoding and decoding. An example method includes: analyzing one or more input images; obtaining a background image from the one or more input images; encoding the background image to obtain a background frame; decoding the background frame to obtain a reconstructed image of the background frame; obtaining a first image from the one or more input images; encoding at least partially the first image to obtain a refreshment frame based at least in part on a difference between the first image and the reconstructed image of the background frame; obtaining a second image from the one or more input images; encoding at least partially the second image to obtain a common frame; and generating a video bit stream based at least in part on the background frame, the refreshment frame and the common frame.

Abstract: A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.

Abstract: A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.

Abstract: A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for interlayer prediction, and the method for interlayer prediction, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: deciding whether to apply an interlayer prediction to an enhancement layer; and performing a prediction on a current block of the enhancement layer based on reference information that is generalized and generated from a reference picture, which is decoded, of a reference layer, when the interlayer prediction is applied, wherein the reference layer information can be encoding information of a reference block, which corresponds to a current block of the enhancement layer, from the reference layer, and residual information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an area extracting unit, a specific halftone dot area detecting unit, and an encoding unit. The area extracting unit extracts a halftone dot area from an image. The specific halftone dot area detecting unit detects a specific halftone dot area, the specific halftone dot area being the extracted halftone dot area that includes a character and of which a variation range in a distribution of luminance and hue is less than a predetermined range. The encoding unit encodes the specific halftone dot area in an encoding manner different from an encoding manner for the halftone dot area other than the specific halftone dot area, the encoding manner for the specific halftone dot area providing higher image quality after encoding than image quality provided by the encoding manner for the halftone dot area other than the specific halftone dot area.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for adding or extracting metadata for video streams. The system receives a video stream compressed according to a video encoding standard, and generates a packet for transmission across a packet-switched network. The system inserts at least one compressed segment of the video stream into a payload of the packet. The system also receives metadata that describes content within the video stream and is not compressed according to the standard, inserts the metadata into the packet without compressing the metadata according to the standard, and transmits the packet across the packet-switched network to a target device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding a multi-view image including a stereoscopic image are provided. The apparatus for encoding a multi-view image includes a base layer encoding unit that encodes a base layer image to generate a base layer bit stream, a view-based conversion unit that performs view-based conversion of the base layer image to generate a view-converted base layer image, a subtractor obtaining a residual between a enhancement layer image and the view-converted base layer image, and an enhancement layer encoding unit that encodes the obtained residual to generate an enhancement layer bit stream.

Abstract: A bit rate control apparatus applied in a video conference system is provided. The apparatus has a bit rate recording unit, configured to update a current bit rate; a bit rate reducing unit, configured to receive at least one event parameter and the current bit rate, and determine whether an event flag corresponding to the event parameters occurs; and a bit rate increasing unit, configured to increase the current bit rate periodically, wherein when the event flag occurs, the bit rate reducing unit reduces the current bit rate.

Abstract: A video transmission method is provided, which includes receiving state information from at least one mobile terminal that intends to perform a video stream service through a wireless network, determining a size of an image by selecting a specified spatial layer bit stream on the basis of the state information of the mobile terminal from a plurality of spatial layer bit streams generated at different bit rates during encoding of the bit stream, selecting a specified time and an SNR layer bit stream by increasing or decreasing time of the image and a layer position of the SNR layer bit stream on the basis of network parameters included in the state information of the mobile terminal, and transmitting the bit stream generated by extracting the specified layer bit stream of the selected layer to the mobile terminal.

Abstract: In one embodiment an apparatus for splicing an ad into a data stream includes an ad segmenter, an ad variant generator coupled to the ad segmenter, and an ad variant selector coupled to the ad variant generator. The ad segmenter designates end portions, including beginning and ending portions, of the ad and designates an intermediate portion between the end portions. The ad variant generator generates a plurality of variants of at least one end portion. Each variant corresponds to a unique bit-rate. The ad variant selector selects at least one variant for splicing into the data stream based on a buffer level of a data stream buffer.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus provides with a generator to generate a decoded image corresponding to an image obtained by decoding an encoded image obtained by encoding an original image by a first prediction scheme, a selector to select one of the original image and the decoded image as an input image according to a flicker of an image, and an encoder to encode the input image by a second prediction scheme to generate encoded data.

Abstract: A method of detecting existence of visually thin lines in images is described herein. The method includes profile generation, profile analysis and deciding the existence of thin lines. The profile generation includes generating a profile in each direction of the input image. Multiple projection lines are projected along the direction and all of the pixel values along the projection lines are added and averaged to obtain a profile. The profile analysis includes determining presence of thin lines in the input image and also noticing if the direction of the thin lines is similar to that of the projection lines. At the third step, according to the analysis made, existence of thin lines in the image is decided.

Abstract: In difference coding, each of a first to M-th channel signals is divided into frames and independent energy of every channel signal and difference energy of difference signals between all channel signals are calculated for each frame. In ascending order of energy, if a signal corresponding to an energy value is independent signal, it is determined that independent coding should be used for the signal. If the signal is a difference signal and the type of coding for one of channel signals has been determined, it is determined that the other should be difference-coded using the former channel signal as a reference signal. If the type of coding for neither of the channel signals has been determined, it is determined that one of them should be independently coded and the other should be difference-coded using the former channel signal as a reference signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for encoding a video signal stream. The method includes receiving a video signal stream, identifying a plurality of individual segments within the video signal stream and encoding, off-line, recurring ones of the individual segments that recur with at least a first frequency to produce encoded recurring segments. The video signal stream is also encoded in real-time to generate a real-time encoded video stream. Segments in the real-time encoded video stream are replaced with their corresponding encoded recurring segments to thereby produce an encoded video output stream that includes some segments encoded in real-time and other segments encoded off-line.

Abstract: A shape decoder obtains shape data by decoding bit-stream data representing a shape, and a texture decoder obtains texture information by decoding a texture bit stream. A shape manipulation unit alters the shape data based upon an operation performed by user. In response to the end of shape manipulation processing, a texture altering unit alters the corresponding texture data in dependence upon updating of the shape data applied by the shape manipulation unit. As a result, processing for manipulating, editing and displaying an image comprising shape data and texture data can be performed more efficiently.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for efficiently encoding data representing a video image, thereby reducing the amount of data that must be transferred to a decoder. The method includes transforming data sets utilizing a tensor product wavelet transform which is capable of transmitting remainders from one subband to another. Collections of subbands, in macro-block form, are weighted, detected, and ranked enabling prioritization of the transformed data. A motion compensation technique is performed on the subband data producing motion vectors and prediction errors which are positionally encoded into bit stream packets for transmittal to the decoder. Subband macro-blocks and subband blocks which are equal to zero are identified as such in the bit stream packets to further reduce the amount of data that must be transferred to the decoder.

Abstract: A scalable predictive coder in which the current frame of data is predicted at the enhancement-layer by processing and combining the reconstructed signal at: (i) the current base-layer (or lower layers) frame; and (ii) the previous enhancement-layer frame. The combining rule takes into account the compressed prediction error of the base-layer, and the parameters used for its compression.

Abstract: A method, system and program product are described for synchronizing content stored in different encoding formats, only one of which includes timecode support, the invention involving accessing content stored at a first format, the first content having timecodes superimposed on its frames, determining the superimposed timecodes of first and second representative frames of the first content, determining the frame numbers corresponding to the first and second representative frames, and using the determined timecodes and frame numbers to determine general correspondence information between frame numbers and timecodes of the first format.

Abstract: A method analyzes a high-level syntax and structure of a continuous compressed video according to a plurality of states. First, a set of hidden Markov models for each of the states is trained with a training video segmented into known states. Then, a set of domain specific features are extracted from a fixed-length sliding window of the continuous compressed video, and a set of maximum likelihoods is determined for each set of domain specific features using the sets of trained hidden Markov models. Finally, dynamic programming is applied to each set of maximum likelihoods to determine a specific state for each fixed-length sliding window of frames of the compressed video.

Abstract: A network interface device connectable to a network, the device being arranged to receive a digital video data stream of a first resolution and, substantially in real time, to launch data packets representing the digital video data stream onto the network, comprises:

Abstract: The present invention provides an image reproduction apparatus and method including a recording medium that stores a plurality of image files having a file structure that contains a first image and a second image that is a low-resolution version of the first image, a display unit that displays an image according to the plurality of image file stores on the recording medium, and an operating unit operated by a user for fast forwarding images displayed on the display unit. While the operating unit is in a predetermined operating state, the second images in the plurality of image files are continuously fast forwarded. When the operating unit is released from the predetermined operating state, the display unit displays a first, high-resolution image corresponding to a second, low-resolution image displayed a predetermined number of images before the second image displayed when the operating unit is released from that predetermined operating state.

Abstract: In the case where an output signal of an image pickup device is compressed and is transmitted through a transmission path with band limitation, when a conventional compression and expansion technique is directly applied, there is a lot of waste and a circuit scale becomes large, so that the cost of the system is raised. In an image processing system or a camera system of the invention in which an output signal of an image pickup device is compressed and is transmitted, the output signal of the image pickup device is made to pass through a luminance signal forming portion and a contour correcting signal forming portion, so that the signal is divided into a luminance signal and a contour correcting signal. These signals are separately compressed by compression processing portions, and multiplexed by a multiplexing portion, and then transmitted through a transmission path with band limitation such as a USB.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method transmitting images of an on-line publication wherein images with appropriate resolution are automatically selected and transmitted to the client according to a response of the client, thereby largely increasing the transmission speed without interfering the client's reading of the publication.

Abstract: A method extracts high-level features from a video including a sequence of frames. Low-level features are extracted from each frame of the video. Each frame of the video is labeled according to the extracted low-level features to generate sequences of labels. Each sequence of labels is associated with one of the extracted low-level feature. The sequences of labels are analyzed using learning machine learning techniques to extract high-level features of the video.

Abstract: A color-space conversion processor converts input digital image data into YUV color space, and a wavelet conversion processor performs wavelet conversion processing on the data. A face-area recognition processor extracts a face area in the image based on the obtained conversion coefficients. A quantization processor performs quantization processing on the input conversion coefficients while changing quantization coefficients used in the quantization processing in and out of the extracted face area. A variable-length coding processor encodes the quantized coefficients. A code synthesizing processor synthesizes the obtained respective color component code data with information indicating the face area extracted by the face-area recognition processor, and outputs the synthesized data as a code string.

Abstract: A scalable predictive coder in which the current frame of data is predicted at the enhancement-layer by processing and combining the reconstructed signal at: (i) the current base-layer (or lower layers) frame; and (ii) the previous enhancement-layer frame. The combining rule takes into account the compressed prediction error of the base-layer, and the parameters used for its compression.

Abstract: An encoding device (200) is comprised of a band dividing unit (201) that divides an input signal (207) into a low frequency signal (208) representing a signal in the lower frequency band and a high frequency signal (209) representing a signal in the higher frequency band, a lower frequency band encoding unit (202) that encodes the low frequency signal (208) and generates a low frequency code (213), a similarity judging unit (203) that judges similarity between the high frequency signal (209) and the low frequency signal (208) and generates switching information (210), “n” higher frequency band encoding units 205 that encode the high frequency signal (209) through respective encoding methods and generate a high frequency code (212), a switching unit (204) that selects one of the higher frequency band encoding units (205) and has the selected higher frequency band encoding unit (205) perform encoding, and a code multiplexing unit (206) that multiplexes the low frequency code (213), the high frequenc

Abstract: A column address is decoded by each column decoder, and an arrangement of pixels to be written to a memory cell array is rotated by a rotation circuit. The rotation result is written to the memory cell array in accordance with the decoding result of the column address. Then, the column address is decoded by each column decoder to a decoding result which is different from the decoding result of the column address at the time of writing. In accordance with the decoding result, pixels stored in the memory cell array are read. The arrangement of the read pixels is rotated by the rotation circuit and then outputted. Thus, rearrangement of pixels constituting an image can be carried out quickly while avoiding any increase in the size of the device.

Abstract: A first feature is extracted from first encoded data of a first image. A second feature is extracted from second encoded data of a second image. A first reconstructed image is obtained by decoding the first encoded data. A second reconstructed image is obtained by decoding the second encoded data. The first or second reconstructed image is corrected based on the first and second features. The first and second reconstructed images are synthesized.

Abstract: The invention provide methods and apparatus for effectively identifying the occlusion of objects, such as persons, having a high degree of freedom. In an example embodiment, after initialization, an image is input, and an image region is extracted from image data. The distance is employed that is obtained when the shape of a two-dimensional histogram in the color space is transformed into the feature space. A graph is formed by using, the regions between the frames. A confidence factor is provided and image features are provided as weights to the edges that connect the nodes. Processing is performed, and the confidence factor is examined. A connection judged less possible to be a path is removed. When there is only one available connection for the occlusion point, this connection is selected.

Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a method for operating a decoder. The method comprises receiving, on a first channel, an electronic program guide data stream comprising multiple video streams which have been encoded and multiplexed for transmission on the first channel, each video stream comprising a low resolution version of a high resolution video stream which is being simultaneously received on a separate channel; decoding the electronic program guide data stream into frames, each frame defining a mosaic-style image comprising image areas for images in the electronic program guide data stream corresponding to images from each of the multiple video streams; and displaying each of the frames on a display screen coupled to the decoder.

Abstract: A system identifies video data to be encoded as well as multiple display regions associated with a particular video display type. Each of the multiple display regions is associated with a different portion of an image associated with the video data. The video data is encoded such that the encoded video data includes information regarding the multiple display regions. Each of the multiple display regions has an associated display region identifier. Additionally, the system may identify an active region of the video data. The active region may be located anywhere within an image associated with the video data. The video data is encoded such that the encoded video data includes information regarding the active region.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing method and an image processing apparatus that improve quality of display images in different formats of a multi-format data broadcast image. The image processing method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: separating menu data, character data, still image data, and moving image data in a plurality of formats from a broadcast video signal; generating a layer image signal such that the image signal of data in each of the formats is superimposable on the data in the plurality of formats; and subjecting the superimposed layer image signal to adaptive image processing according to a preset parameter by means of an adaptive image processing unit. Therefore, by subjecting each layer to different image processing irrespective of the type and the format of the signal, it is possible to perform image processing adapted to each format.

Abstract: A high speed analog-to-digital converter utilizes a fine resolution ADC to digitize the low band component of an analog video signal to produce a fine resolution signal and a coarse resolution ADC to digitize the full spectrum of the analog signal and produce a coarse resolution signal. The coarse resolution signal is subtracted from the fine resolution signal to generate a summed signal containing a quantization error, which is filtered through a low pass digital filter to filter out the high band component and pass the quantization error. The filter output is summed with the coarse resolution signal to restore the fine resolution of the low band, producing a digital output signal that has a resolution suitable for high definition applications.

Abstract: An image signal reproduction device, provided in an electronic still camera, comprises a CPU, an image signal processing circuit, a memory card, in which a compressed image signal is recorded, and a display device having a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a resolution recognition unit. A clock pulse, outputted from the CPU, is received by the resolution recognition unit, so that a recognition pulse, corresponding to the inherent resolution of the LCD, is outputted from the resolution recognition unit to the image signal processing circuit. The compressed image signal is read from the memory card, and reproduced to some extent corresponding to the resolution of the LCD.