Including Motion Vector Patents (Class 348/402.1)
  • Patent number: 11375337
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to transmitter and/or receiver units (transceivers), such as in particular motor vehicle transceivers. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods and devices for detecting changes in the positions of transceivers relative to each other. For example, a system may include: a distance determining device to measure a current distance value corresponding to a respective distance of two of the transceivers relative to each other; and a comparator to compare the at least one current distance value and with a stored reference distance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Reisinger, Ulrich Emmerling
  • Patent number: 11102513
    Abstract: A method of partitioning a coding unit (CU) into one or more transform units (TUs) for encoding a video sequence using at least one processor includes determining a height of the CU; determining a width of the CU; determining a TU size of each of the one or more TUs based on the height of the CU and the width of the CU; determining one or more TU positions of the one or more TUs based on the height of the CU and the width of the CU; and partitioning the CU into the one or more TUs based on the determined size of the one or more TUs and the one or more positions of the one or more TUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TENCENT AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: Xin Zhao, Liang Zhao, Xiang Li, Shan Liu
  • Patent number: 10733714
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided. The method includes receiving a video with a first plurality of frames having a first resolution; generating a plurality of warped frames from the first plurality of frames based on a first type of motion compensation; generating a second plurality of frames having a second resolution, wherein the second resolution is of higher resolution than the first resolution, wherein each of the second plurality of frames having the second resolution is derived from a subset of the plurality of warped frames using a convolutional network; and generating a third plurality of frames having the second resolution based on a second type of motion compensation, wherein each of the third plurality of frames having the second resolution is derived from a fusing a subset of the second plurality of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Mostafa El-Khamy, Haoyu Ren, Jungwon Lee
  • Patent number: 10666982
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a video transmission system includes a coding apparatus for compressing a plurality of input images and a decoding apparatus for extending the compressed images. The coding apparatus includes a predictive coding unit that generates predictive error data based on a reference image and an input image, a data compression unit that compresses the predictive error data, an image storage unit that stores the compressed input image in a frame memory in the compressed state or compresses a local decoded image and stores the compressed local decoded image in the frame memory, and an image extension unit that extends an image stored in the frame memory. The decoding apparatus includes a data extension unit that extends the predictive error data, and a predictive decoding unit that acquires the completely decoded input image as the reference image and newly decoding the input image based on the acquired reference image and the predictive error data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Shuou Nomura
  • Patent number: 10477235
    Abstract: A video encoding apparatus and a video encoding method are provided. The video encoding apparatus includes an integer-pel motion estimation (IME) circuit, a temporal noise reduction (TNR) circuit, a fractional-pel motion estimation (FME) circuit and an encoding circuit. The IME circuit provides the first motion vector, the error value and the co-located error value of the current block in the current frame to the TNR circuit. By using the first motion vector, the error value and the co-located error value of the current block in the current frame, the TNR circuit performs the temporal filtering process on the current block in an original image data to produce a denoised image data to the FME circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ting Peng, Fan-Di Jou, Xin Huang
  • Patent number: 10462481
    Abstract: A video encoder with rate-constrained search ordering feature for reducing computational cost of motion estimation in video coding has been provided. The video encoder has a motion estimation module for determining vector encoding costs for respective motion vectors corresponding to candidate blocks in a video frame, and assigning an order for evaluating a rate-constrained cost of each candidate block based on the determined vector encoding costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ECOLE DE TECHNOLOGIE SUPERIEURE
    Inventors: Luc Normand Trudeau, Stephane Coulombe, Christian Desrosiers
  • Patent number: 10291932
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for low complexity quarter pel generation in motion search for video coding. The method can include storing full-pixel position information related to a plurality of rows of video information of a reference frame in a memory. The method can also include applying a vertical interpolation filter to the full-pixel position information for video information related to the reference frame to determine a first sub-pel position information. The method can also include applying a horizontal interpolation filter to the first sub-pel position information to determine a second sub-pel position information for the every other row of video data. The method can also include generating a syntax element indicating pixel motion of a current frame based on the first sub-pel position information. The method can also include encoding a block based on the generated syntax element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Wei-Jung Chien, Xianglin Wang, Xin Zhao
  • Patent number: 10187654
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a forward multiple-hypothesis encoding/decoding method of an image block. In this method, motion information of a current block including two forward reference frame indexes and two motion vectors are selectively encoded into a bit-stream based on a current encoding mode. The motion information which is not encoded into the bit-stream is derived at a decoder by a predefined rule. This method sufficiently utilizes correlation within motion information of an image block and correlation between the motion information of the current image block and that of an adjacent image block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jie Chen, Lu Yu, Yong Ling, Zhenjiang Shao, Xingguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 10171816
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motion compensation performed under an inter-frame prediction. A fractional sample interpolation is applied on retrieved samples to generate fractional samples. The fractional sample interpolation comprises a plurality of filtering operations, and all of filtered results from the filtering operations are truncated down to a predetermined bit depth independent of the bit depth of the samples stored in the reference picture memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventor: Frank Jan Bossen
  • Patent number: 9965296
    Abstract: A method is provided to measure a relative frame rate of a remote desktop on a first computer and accessed by a second computer. The method includes playing a video timestamp on the remote desktop at the first computer where the video timestamp includes unique timestamps, screen capturing the remote desktop at the first computer and the second computer, determining a first frame rate at the second computer based on the screen capturing the remote desktop at the second computer, determining a second frame rate at the first computer based on the screen capturing the remote desktop at the first computer, and determining the relative frame rate as a ratio between the first and the second frame rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Gong, Yanni Wu, Meng Chen, Yang Liu, Ning Ge
  • Patent number: 9860532
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motion compensation performed under an inter-frame prediction. A fractional sample interpolation is applied on retrieved samples to generate fractional samples. The fractional sample interpolation comprises a plurality of filtering operations, and all of filtered results from the filtering operations are truncated down to a predetermined bit depth independent of the bit depth of the samples stored in the reference picture memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventor: Frank Jan Bossen
  • Patent number: 9736477
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for performing video encoding mode decisions. A down-scaled frame is received that includes a macroblock corresponding to a first subset of macroblocks of a first area in a full-scale frame. A first average motion vector is calculated for the first subset of macroblocks, and a second average motion vector is calculated for a second subset of macroblocks of a second area surrounding the first subset of macroblocks. A comparison of a threshold to a distance measure between absolute values of the first and second average motion vectors is performed. A prediction mode for the macroblock in the down-scaled frame is determined based on the comparison to generate predicted blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC
    Inventor: Jiao Wang
  • Patent number: 9578345
    Abstract: A model-based compression codec applies higher-level modeling to produce better predictions than can be found through conventional block-based motion estimation and compensation. Computer-vision-based feature and object detection algorithms identify regions of interest throughout the video datacube. The detected features and objects are modeled with a compact set of parameters, and similar feature/object instances are associated across frames. Associated features/objects are formed into tracks and related to specific blocks of video data to be encoded. The tracking information is used to produce model-based predictions for those blocks of data, enabling more efficient navigation of the prediction search space than is typically achievable through conventional motion estimation methods. A hybrid framework enables modeling of data at multiple fidelities and selects the appropriate level of modeling for each portion of video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Euclid Discoveries, LLC
    Inventors: Darin DeForest, Charles P. Pace, Nigel Lee, Renato Pizzorni
  • Patent number: 9530222
    Abstract: Systems and methods may include receiving first and second motion data about first and second objects, respectively. The systems and methods may include applying an asymmetric correlation rule (ACR) to the first and second motion data. The ACR may define a baseline state of motion for the first object and a correlation relationship between the first and second objects. The systems and methods may include determining whether the first object is in the baseline state and, in response to determining that the first object is not in the baseline state, determining whether a first motion vector of the first object is sufficiently correlated with a second motion vector of the second object. The systems and methods may include, in response to determining both that the first object is not in the baseline state and that the first and second motion vectors are not sufficiently correlated, generating an anomalous behavior notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: CA, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Greenspan, Paul C. Lipton, John J. Harrison, Jr., Prashant Parikh, Serguei Mankovskii, Maria C. Velez-Rojas
  • Patent number: 9413951
    Abstract: A temporal filter may perform dynamic motion estimation and compensation for filtering an image frame. A row of pixels in an image frame received for processing at the temporal filter may be received. A motion estimate may be dynamically determined that registers a previously filtered reference image frame with respect to the row of pixels in the image frame. The reference image frame may be aligned according to the determined motion estimate, and pixels in the row of the image frame may be blended with corresponding pixels in the aligned reference image frame to generate a filtered version of the image frame. Motion statistics may be collected for subsequent processing based on the motion estimation and alignment for the row of pixels in the image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, D. Amnon Silverstein, Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 9330471
    Abstract: Methods and devices for camera aided motion direction and speed estimation are disclosed. The method of determining position characteristics of a mobile device comprises capturing a plurality of images that represent views from the mobile device, adjusting perspectives of the plurality of images based at least in part on an orientation of the mobile device, determining a misalignment angle with respect to a direction of motion of the mobile device using the plurality of images, and storing the misalignment angle and the direction of motion in a storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Subramaniam Venkatraman, Victor Kulik
  • Patent number: 9041814
    Abstract: An automatic tracking camera system includes: a rotating unit for panning and tilting an image pickup unit including a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus; a tracking object detector; a motion vector detector for detecting a motion vector of the object to be tracked; a capture position setting unit for setting a capture position of the object to be tracked in the picked up image; and a controller for controlling drive of the rotating unit. The controller controls the rotating unit in a capture mode to capture the object to be tracked at the capture position based on the motion vector detected by the motion vector detector after the tracking object detector has detected the object to be tracked in the picked up image, and a maintenance mode to continuously capture the object to be tracked at the capture position after the capture mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Takashima
  • Patent number: 8989269
    Abstract: A motion vector extraction method includes: deciding on a search start position in an original video and performing a spiral motion search; and determining whether or not to perform a search in a sub-sampling video, during P picture search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ig Kyun Kim, Kyoung Seon Shin, Nak Woong Eum, Hee-Bum Jung
  • Patent number: 8879635
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of using content information for encoding multimedia data are described. A method of processing multimedia data includes obtaining content information of multimedia data, and encoding the multimedia data so as to align a data boundary with a frame boundary in a time domain, wherein said encoding is based on the content information. In another aspect, a method of processing multimedia data includes obtaining a content classification of the multimedia data, and encoding blocks in the multimedia data as intra-coded blocks or inter-coded blocks based on the content classification to increase the error resilience of the encoded multimedia data. Apparatus that can process multimedia data described in these methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Vijayalakshmi Rajasundaram Raveendran, Gordon Kent Walker, Tao Tian, Phanikumar Kanakadurga Bhamidipati, Fang Shi, Peisong Chen, Sitaraman Ganapathy Subramania, Seyfullah Halit Oguz
  • Patent number: 8804825
    Abstract: A method for encoding pictures within a groups of pictures using prediction, where a first reference picture from a group of pictures and a second reference pictures from the subsequent group of pictures are used in predicting pictures in the group of pictures associated with the first reference picture. A plurality of anchor pictures in the group of pictures associated with the first reference picture may be predicted using both the first and second reference pictures to ensure a smooth transition between different groups of pictures within a video frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ashish Koul, Douglas Chin
  • Patent number: 8792053
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a normal interpolated image generation unit to generate an image that is interpolated between a plurality of original images reproduced along time series, the image being a normal interpolated image, based on each of the plurality of original images; a high-frequency area extraction unit to extract a high-frequency area having a spatial frequency higher than a predetermined value in each of the plurality of original images; a high-frequency area interpolated image generation unit to generate an image that is interpolated between the plurality of original images, the image being a high-frequency area interpolated image, based on a change in position of the high-frequency area along with an elapse of time on the time series and on each of the plurality of original images; and a combination unit to execute combining processing to combine the normal interpolated image and the high-frequency area interpolated image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeo Fujishiro, Yoshito Suzuki, Eiji Ozeki, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Takayoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8730333
    Abstract: An image stabilization system includes: a region vector detection unit configured to detect a motion vector of each of a plurality of regions in an image; a reliability determination unit configured to determine reliability of the motion vector of each of the regions; a region indicator configured to indicate, to the region vector detection unit, a new detection target region instead of a region whose motion vector is determined to have low reliability; an image vector computing unit configured to compute a motion vector of the entire image using a motion vector determined to have high reliability; and a stabilization unit configured to move an entire image to be output according to the motion vector of the entire image to compensate for sway of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Iwahashi
  • Patent number: 8711938
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to low complexity systems and methods for nonlinear diffusion filtering of a motion-vector field. Local weights in the nonlinear diffusion filter may be data-adaptive, and, according to one aspect of the present invention, may be determined such that spatial coherency may not be enforced at object boundaries although the object boundaries have not been explicitly detected. Thus, the methods and systems of the present invention may smooth a motion-vector field without smoothing the motion-vector field across an object boundary. According to a second aspect of the present invention, motion vectors with a low confidence value may be suppressed, while motion vectors with a high confidence value may be propagated. According to another aspect of the present invention, motion estimation methods and systems may incorporate the methods and systems of the nonlinear diffusion filtering according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Petrus J. L. Van Beek
  • Patent number: 8581981
    Abstract: An optical imaging system and associated methods for capturing images from an aircraft, such as a UAV. A camera unit on-board the aircraft is remotely controlled from an image control station. The image control station receives image data from the camera unit, and also delivers control signals for determining a viewing mode of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Kevin Alley, Roger Lopez, Richard Somers
  • Patent number: 8483277
    Abstract: A method for temporal decomposition and reconstruction of an input video signal is disclosed. The method uses a prediction process and an update process in the framework of motion compensated temporal filtering (MCTF), the motion information used for the update process being derived from the motion information used for the prediction process, and the method employing a block based video codec composed of an encoder and a decoder. In response to the update and prediction processes on a picture being based on N reference pictures where N is greater than one, the update process is split into N update processes using a single picture as a reference. Each one of the split update processes is executed each time a picture that is needed as a reference by the process is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc.
    Inventors: Diego Santa Cruz, Julien Reichel, Francesco Ziliani
  • Patent number: 8462170
    Abstract: The invention concerns image processing and, in particular, the processing of picture attribute fields for an image. A method of obtaining a new picture attribute field of an image is disclosed in which a picture attribute value at one position is allocated to a new position in the image in dependence upon the value of a parameter, such as luminance data, at the original position and at the new position and/or in dependence on the distance between the original position and the new position. The invention may be used to process picture attribute fields comprising: motion vectors; motion vector confidence; segment labels; depth labels; texture labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Snell Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Diggins, Michael James Knee
  • Patent number: 8447126
    Abstract: An image processing method is used for determining a motion vector of a covered/uncovered area within an interpolated picture when picture interpolation is performed. The interpolated picture includes a plurality of blocks, and the image processing method includes: generating a first motion vector and a second motion vector of a block within the interpolated picture; determining which one of the covered and uncovered areas the block is located in, and calculating a reference vector according to the first and second motion vectors; and determining a motion vector of the block according to the reference vector, wherein the reference vector is obtained from vector calculation of the first and second motion vectors using the principle of similar triangles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Yi Chen, Chia-Hao Chung
  • Patent number: 8437396
    Abstract: A motion compensation module, that can be used in a video encoder for encoding a video input signal, includes a motion search module that generates a motion search motion vector for each macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks by contemporaneously evaluating a top frame macroblock and bottom frame macroblock from a frame of the video input signal and a top field macroblock and a bottom field macroblock from corresponding fields of the video input signal. A motion refinement module, when enabled, generates a refined motion vector for each macroblock of the plurality of macroblocks, based on the motion search motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: ViXS Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Qiu, Xu Gang (Wilf) Zhao, Xinghai Li
  • Patent number: 8417059
    Abstract: A motion vector calculation unit calculates inter-frame movement amounts. A masked region specification unit separates the entire edge image of frame feature data into (i) an edge image showing relatively large movement amounts and (ii) an edge image showing relatively small movement amounts. The masked region specification unit then specifies the edge image showing relatively large movement amounts as a region to be masked. This way, a correction parameter is detected from a region other than the masked region. When the correction parameter is a slang angle, a slant correction unit performs slant correction on a frame picture obtained by an image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8401318
    Abstract: Generation of evaluation value information about a motion vector, extraction of candidates for the motion vector on the basis of the evaluation value information, and determination of the motion vector to be allocated from the candidates for the motion vector are performed. The possibility that a reference pixel a in a second frame is a candidate for a motion from a target point in a first frame is evaluated on the basis of pixel-value correlation information to generate an evaluation value table. A constant area is adaptively set around each of the target pixel and the reference pixel corresponding to each extracted candidate for the motion vector in accordance with the state of the continuity of a constant pixel value. The motion vector from the first frame to the second frame is allocated on the basis of the result of comparison between values calculated for the constant areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Tetsukawa, Tetsujiro Kondo, Kenji Takahashi, Kazushi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8355440
    Abstract: A motion compensation module, that can be used in a video encoder for encoding a video input signal, includes a motion search module that generates a motion search motion vector for each motion search macroblock of a plurality of motion search macroblocks in at least one of a horizontally compressed and vertically uncompressed field of the video input signal and a horizontally compressed and vertically uncompressed frame of the video input signal. A motion refinement module generates a refined motion vector for each motion refinement macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks of at least one of an uncompressed field of the video input signal and an uncompressed frame of the video input signal, based on the motion search motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: ViXS Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Qiu, Xu Gang (Wilf) Zhao, Xinghai Li
  • Patent number: 8340350
    Abstract: An information processing device for tracking the image of a tracking point within a moving image wherein contents, of multiple images which are continuous temporally, are discontinuous temporally, includes: a block-matching unit for performing block matching within the moving image, wherein a processed image and an image prior to the processed image are compared to determine the position of the tracking point within the processed image; an interpolation unit for performing interpolation processing wherein the position of the tracking point within an image not subjected to the block matching, which is an image before or after the processed image within the moving image, is determined as the position of the tracking point within the processed image; and a motion-vector calculating unit for obtaining the motion vector of the tracking point based on the position of the tracking point within the processed image determined by the block-matching unit or interpolation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Kenji Takahashi, Tomoyuki Otsuki, Kunio Kawaguchi, Koichi Fujishima
  • Patent number: 8254677
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a cut change based on a similarity between a first image and a second image, includes a unit for generating one of a luminance histogram and a color histogram of each of the first image and the second image, a unit for generating a spatial correlation image representing a correlation between spatial layouts of the first image and the second image, a unit for calculating a histogram similarity representing a similarity between the histogram of the first image and the histogram of the second image, a unit for calculating a spatial correlation image similarity representing a similarity between the spatial correlation image of the first image and the spatial correlation image of the second image, and a unit for determining whether a border between the first image and the second image is a cut change based on the histogram similarity and the spatial correlation image similarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mototsugu Abe, Masayuki Nishiguchi
  • Patent number: 8243821
    Abstract: A system (100) for encoding an input video frame (1005), for transmitting or storing the encoded video and for decoding the video is disclosed. The system (100) includes an encoder (1000) and a decoder (1200) interconnected through a storage or transmission medium (1100). The encoder (1000) includes a turbo encoder (1015) for forming parity bit data from the input frame (1005) into a first data source (1120), and a sampler (1020) for down-sampling the input frame (1202) to form a second data source (1110). The decoder (1200) receives data from the second data source (1110) to form an estimate for the frame (1005). The decoder (1200) also receivers the parity bit data from the first data source (1120), and corrects errors in the estimate by applying the parity bit data to the estimate. Each bit plane is corrected in turn. Bits in bit planes other than a bit plane presently being processed are also modified based in a selective manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Axel Lakus-Becker
  • Patent number: 8189664
    Abstract: A method for compressing and transmitting a sequence of video frames represented by arrays of digital pixel values includes the following steps: transmitting a representation of a first frame (I1) of the sequence; deriving a sorting permutation P1 of the first frame; using the sorting permutation of the first frame, P1, to approximately sort a second frame (I2) of the sequence, to obtain approximately sorted frame P1(I2); and compressing and transmitting the approximately sorted frame P1(I2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Atlantic University
    Inventors: Daniel Socek, Hari Kalva, Spyros Magliveras
  • Patent number: 8184705
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for filtering video data. First and second frames of the video data are stored. Motion adapted spatio-temporal filter (MASTF) pixel values of the second frame are calculated using pixel values of the first and second frames. The second frame is compared to the first frame to estimate motion vectors (MVs) for the second frame. Pixel MV error level indicators for the second frame are determined using the pixel values of the first and second frames and the MVs of pixels in the second frame. Motion compensated temporal filter (MCTF) pixel values of the second frame are calculated using the pixel values of the first and second frames and the MVs of pixels in the second frame. For each pixel in the second frame, a filtered pixel value is calculated using its MASTF and MCTF pixel values and its pixel MV error level indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: Peng Lin
  • Patent number: 8180195
    Abstract: A memory device for storing a plurality of macroblocks may include a plurality of memory banks. Each macroblock may include m*n pixel data, wherein m is a positive integer, and wherein n also is a positive integer. The plurality of memory banks is adapted to store the pixel data, and wherein each memory bank is sized to store rows of m pixel data. An image processing system may include: a memory adapted to store a plurality of macroblocks; and a video codec. The memory may include a plurality of memory banks. Each memory bank may be sized to store rows of m pixel data. The video codec may be adapted to encode pixel data read from the memory. The video codec also may be adapted to decode the pixel data read from the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Mi Lee, Jung-Sun Kang
  • Patent number: 8155195
    Abstract: Techniques and tools for switching distortion metrics during motion estimation are described. For example, a video encoder determines a distortion metric selection criterion for motion estimation. The criterion can be based on initial results of the motion estimation. To evaluate the criterion, the encoder can compare the criterion to a threshold that depends on a current quantization parameter. The encoder selects between multiple available distortion metrics, which can include a sample-domain distortion metric (e.g., SAD) and a transform-domain distortion metric (e.g., SAHD). The encoder uses the selected distortion metric in the motion estimation. Selectively switching between SAD and SAHD provides rate-distortion performance superior to using only SAD or only SAHD. Moreover, due to the lower complexity of SAD, the computational complexity of motion estimation with SAD-SAHD switching is typically less than motion estimation that always uses SAHD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Shankar Regunathan, Chih-Lung Lin, Thomas W. Holcomb
  • Patent number: 8144778
    Abstract: Systems and methods of motion compensated frame rate conversion are described herein. These systems and methods convert an input video sequence at a first frame rate to an output video sequence at a second frame rate through a novel motion estimation and motion vector processing stage that produces a motion field having a plurality of motion vectors that describe the movement of objects between input video frames from the perspective of an interpolated video frame. A subsequent motion compensated interpolation stage then constructs the interpolated video frame using an adaptively blended combination of a motion compensated prediction and a temporal average prediction of the pixel values from the input video frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sigma Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunwei Jia, Darryl Lee, Stanley Fok, Gheorghe Berbecel
  • Patent number: 8139885
    Abstract: An image stabilization method and an image stabilization device for processing a target image in a video stream are provided. A target accumulated global vector of the target image is first calculated. Then, a low-pass filtering procedure is performed on the target accumulated global vector to generate a final motion vector. Subsequently, the target image is adjusted based on the final motion vector. Thereby, the target image is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Po Hsu
  • Patent number: 7957466
    Abstract: A method of performing adaptive temporal prediction includes receiving a target image, wherein a position of an object in the target image is different from a position of the object in a reference image, using a boundary of the object to generate an irregular pattern of target image motion vectors, using the target image motion vectors to partition the target image into area of influence cells, wherein each area of influence cell contains a unique one of the target image motion vectors, and generating a prediction of the target image by applying an adaptive area of influence filter to the area of influence cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Paniconi, James J. Carrig, Zhourong Miao
  • Patent number: 7868914
    Abstract: A method for calculating a parameter from an image sequence includes selecting a first frame and a second frame in an image sequence. The image sequence has a frame speed. The image sequence or another image sequence is enhanced using a calculation that considers the frame speed and selected frames. The enhancement may be with text, graphics or both such as those that may present statistics corresponding to an event in the image sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: SportsMEDIA Technology Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Dengler, Erik J. Garci, Brian C. Cox, Kenneth T. Tolman, Hans Weber, Gerard J. Hall, Matthew Lane Rosen
  • Patent number: 7840080
    Abstract: An adaptable motion estimator architecture for low bit rate image communication 1) to be compatible with image characteristic and bit rate with a reduced hardware size and 2) to optimize performance of the motion estimator by selectively applying a search method suitable for a low bit rate image characteristic and an encoder performance. The motion estimator multiplexes a previous search window memory data from DRAM and a current macro block data for finding motion vectors to conform to each data processing elements (PE0-PE8) and comparatively detecting MAE (Mean Absolute Error) of each motion vector with a previous frame data and a current frame data to find a motion vector having a least MAE. The motion estimator may be applied to an image phone which requires high encoding efficiency due to small hardware and may be applied to all video encoders conforming to H.261/H.263 and MPEG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: C & S Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Su Lee
  • Patent number: 7782959
    Abstract: An image processing device comprising a process generation section and a plurality of series-connected operation processing units. Each of the series-connected operation processing units receives a process packet output from the process generation section and performs any processing according to an instruction contained in the process packet. The units are divided into three suites and route selection sections are respectively inserted to input side of each of the suites. If the unit which executes a process related to an input process packet is not included in the immediately following one of the suites, the respective route selection sections supply this corresponding input process packet not to the input side of that one of the suites but to the output side of that suite. The process packet moves as bypassing such a suite as not to have the unit that executes a process related to this process data, thereby reducing its processing time and its power dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7729558
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing an image signal etc. that are well applicable to removal of coding noise from, for example, an image signal. Based on five consecutive frames of an image signal Va, a memory portion 121 outputs as pixel data xi of predictive taps plural items of pixel data located in a space directional and time directional peripheries with respect to a target position in an image signal Vb. In the case, frames before and after a current frame are subjected to motion compensation by using a motion vector. A class classification portion 124 obtains a class code CL indicating a class to which pixel data of the target position in the image signal Vb belongs, by using the pixel data xi and motion vectors BWV(0), BWV(?1), FWV(0), and FWV(+1). A calculating circuit 126 obtains pixel data y of the target position in the image signal Vb based on an estimation equation by using the pixel data xi and coefficient data Wi that corresponds to the class code CL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Tsutomu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7720296
    Abstract: In a method to determine a selection vector that indicates a displacement of an image area from a first position in a first image to a second position in a second image, a set of prediction vectors and a set of test vectors are provided. Using selected test vectors, an image comparison is performed to supply an image comparison result for each selected test vector. The selected test vectors and at least one prediction vector are compared to provide at least one test vector comparison result for each selected test vector. The image comparison result and the at least one test vector comparison result are linked to provide at least one quality characteristic for each selected test vector. A ranking order is determined for these quality characteristics, where at least one test vector is selected as the displacement vector based on the ranking order determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Trident Microsystems (Far East) Ltd.
    Inventors: Marko Hahn, Christian Tuschen
  • Patent number: 7558428
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein are directed at accelerating video encoding using a graphics processing unit. In one aspect, a video encoding system uses both a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit (GPU) to perform video encoding. The system implements a technique that enables the GPU to perform motion estimation for video encoding. The technique allows the GPU to perform a motion estimation process in parallel with the video encoding process performed by the CPU. The performance of video encoding using such a system is greatly accelerated as compared to encoding using just the CPU. In another aspect, data related to motion estimation is arranged and provided to the GPU in a way that utilizes the capabilities of the GPU. Data about video frames may be collocated to enable multiple channels of the GPU to process tasks in parallel. The depth buffer of the GPU may be used to consolidate repeated calculations and searching tasks during the motion estimation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Guobin Shen, Shipeng Li, Guangping Gao
  • Publication number: 20090154566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a memory device and the like. The memory device comprises one or more memory block. The memory block has a memory cell array consists of multiple memory cells (210) arranged in a matrix form. A region of the multiple memory cells (210) includes multiple divisional domains (201a-201e) divided in the direction along word line (WL). Each of the word lines (WL) has multiple divisional selection lines (WLa-WLe) divided corresponding to the multiple divisional domains. The memory block has a switching mechanism (220) for switching the divisional word lines (Wt) that are to be simultaneously activated in each of the divisional domains. Multiple memory cells (210) associated with each of the divisional word lines store a horizontal or vertical array of pixel data. The inventive memory device enables simultaneous access to multiple items of pixel data constituting a pixel block having an arbitrary configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Yasunobu Node
  • Patent number: 7519230
    Abstract: A selector (502) for selecting a background motion vector for a pixel in an occlusion region of an image, from a set of motion vectors being computed for the image, comprises: computing means (510) for computing a model-based motion vector for the pixel on basis of a motion model being determined on basis of a part of (402-436) a motion vector field (400) of the image; comparing means (511) for comparing the model-based motion vector with each of the motion vectors of the set of motion vectors; and selecting means (512) for selecting a particular motion vector of the set of motion vectors on basis of the comparing and for assigning the particular motion vector as the background motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Rimmert B. Wittebrood, Gerard De Haan, Rogier Lodder
  • Patent number: RE46777
    Abstract: Method for coding a video signal using hybrid coding, comprising: reducing temporal redundancy by block based motion compensated prediction in order to establish a prediction error signal; performing quantization on samples of the prediction error signal or on coefficients resulting from a transformation of the prediction error signal into the frequency domain to obtain quantized values, representing quantized samples or quantized coefficients respectively; calculating a quantization efficiency for the quantized values; calculating a zero efficiency for a quantization, when the quantized values are set to zero; selecting the higher efficiency; and maintaining the quantized values or setting quantized values to zero, for further proceeding, depending on the selected efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: REALTIME ADAPTIVE STREAMING LLC
    Inventors: Matthias Narroschke, Hans-Georg Musmann