Abstract: Disclosed is a 3D video motion estimating apparatus and method. The 3D video motion estimating apparatus may enable a motion vector of a color image and a motion vector of a depth image refer to each other, thereby increasing a compression rate.

Abstract: Methods and systems for video retargeting and view selection using motion saliency are described. Salient features in multiple videos may be extracted. Each video may be retargeted by modifying the video to preserve the salient features. A crop path may be estimated and applied to a video to retarget each video and generate a modified video preserving the salient features. An action score may be assigned to portions or frames of each modified video to represent motion content in the modified video. Selecting a view from one of the given modified videos may be formulated as an optimization subject to constraints. An objective function for the optimization may include maximizing the action score. This optimization may also be subject to constraints to take into consideration optimal transitioning from a view from a given video to another view from another given video, for example.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (10) in a streaming client (1) for handling video streaming data. The method (10) comprises: receiving (11), decoding (12) and buffering (13) video streaming data comprising frames of image data; displaying (14) the frames of image data on a display (40) of the streaming client (1); receiving (15) an input requesting a pause in the reception of video streaming data; selecting (16), among decoded frames of image data, an optimal frame of image data; continuing (17) displaying frames of image data available in a buffer (45) of the streaming client 1 until the selected optimal frame of image data is encountered; and displaying (18) the selected optimal frame of image data as a still picture on the display (40) of the streaming client (1). The invention also encompasses a streaming client (1), computer program (51) and computer program products (50).

Abstract: An identification server correlates the web browsing behavior of individuals with their use of social media systems. Based on these behaviors, web identifiers (referred to as identities or IDs) may be matched to social media identifiers; these matches being determined, stored, and output as a confidences that the web identity of the user corresponds to a social media identity. Each web identity may be associated with one or more social media identities. The identity correlations between web identities and social media identities may be used along with other alignments to provide information regarding the time-based media (e.g., advertisements) a user may have likely been exposed to, and to provide targeted advertisements.

Abstract: Methods for removing redundancies in a video stream based on efficient pre-transmission detection of static portions of the video stream. In one embodiment supporting wireless transmission of a video stream having a series of video frames, a mathematical operation (such as a hash function, summing operation or CRC) is performed on (1) a (reconstructed) data block(s) of a video frame in order to generate a first check value and (2) a co-located data block(s) of a second, sequential video frame in order to generate a second check value. The first and second check values are compared to detect static video content in the video stream. When static video content in a video stream is detected, the static nature of the content is indicated in the compressed bit stream and the amount of wirelessly transmitted data corresponding to the static portions of the video stream may be reduced.

Abstract: A method for detecting at least one object in an image including a pixel array, by means of an image processing device, including searching out the silhouette of the object in the image only if pixels of the image are at the minimum or maximum level.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus obtains location information of each image feature in a captured image based on image coordinates of the image feature in the captured image. The image processing apparatus selects location information usable to calculate a position and an orientation of the imaging apparatus among the obtained location information. The image processing apparatus obtains the position and the orientation of the imaging apparatus based on the selected location information and an image feature corresponding to the selected location information among the image features included in the captured image.

Abstract: A video reception device includes: a video input unit that receives a video including content items switches of which occur as time elapses; a recognition cycle determination unit that determines a cycle for repeating the image recognition for the video; a video extraction unit that repeatedly extracts from the video a partial video which is a portion of the video, at the cycle; and a control unit that performs, every time the video extraction unit extracts the partial video, a control to output the partial video to the image recognition device to obtain a result of the image recognition for the partial video from the image recognition device, in which when determining a possibility that content switchover has been or will be found in the video, and determining that there is the possibility, the recognition cycle determination unit shortens the cycle, the content switchover being switchover of content items.

Abstract: An image display controller capable of providing excellent visibility of a face display frame and a human display frame associated with an object. The image display controller detects an object in an image, and identifies a face area of the object distinguishably from a human body area exclusive of the face area. Further, the image display controller generates a face display frame for enclosing the face area and a human body display frame for enclosing the human body area. Then, the image display controller displays the face display frame and the human body display frame on a screen together with the image.

Abstract: Both tilt information included in an image and positional information are acquired in order to calculate a relative tilt angle between at least two images. Whether the tilt information can be used to estimate the tilt angle (whether the tilt information is fake information) is determined from a distribution characteristic in the image of the acquired positional information. The tilt angle is estimated from the tilt information determined to be able to be used. A tilt included in the acquired image is corrected using the estimation result, and the image having the correct orientation can be produced.

Abstract: A method of encoding a digital video sequence is provided that includes computing a motion vector (MV) histogram and a motion threshold for a first frame of the digital video sequence, and using the MV histogram and the motion threshold for one selected from a group consisting of adaptive fcode determination and adaptive coding structure determination.

Abstract: Both tilt information included in an image and positional information are acquired in order to calculate a relative tilt angle between at least two images. Whether the tilt information can be used to estimate the tilt angle (whether the tilt information is fake information) is determined from a distribution characteristic in the image of the acquired positional information. The tilt angle is estimated from the tilt information determined to be able to be used. A tilt included in the acquired image is corrected using the estimation result, and the image having the correct orientation can be produced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of evaluating whether an image under test is similar to a reference image, the method comprising performing a test on pairs of blocks in turn, each pair of blocks comprising a block of the image under test and a corresponding block of the reference image, the test comprising calculating a difference measure indicative of the difference between the blocks and comparing the difference measure to a threshold, wherein the test is passed if the difference measure betters the threshold, and the image under test and the reference image are deemed to be similar if the test is passed by all of the pairs of blocks.

Abstract: Gradation transform considering a scene transitional direction is executed for a video signal. The statistic of the luminance distribution of the input video signal is detected. The transitional direction of brightness of a scene of the input video signal is detected. A transform characteristic in transforming the gradation characteristic of the input video signal is set based on the detection results of the statistic and transitional direction.

Abstract: A color space converter converts data points from one color space to another color space using a lookup table. Color space converters may be used in any device that involves image processing, such as displays and printers. An interface receives an input value in a first color space. A controller access a lookup table stored in memory to determine an upper bound and a lower bound of a subset of the color space. An output value is interpolated between the upper bound and the lower bound using interpolation values. The interpolation values of the last subset in any dimension of the color space are modified by a scale factor to approximate ideal values.

Abstract: A moving image acquiring part acquires a moving image. A still image accumulating part stores still images. An image processing part calculates gains obtained by previously storing based on the costs of extraction of still images from a moving image, and extracts some still images with higher gains from among the still images composing the moving image and stores into the still image accumulating part. A request processing part retrieves a still image requested by a request source from the still image accumulating part and transmits to the request source and, when the still image requested by the request source is not stored in the still image accumulating part, extracts the still image requested by the request source from the moving image acquired by the moving image acquiring part and transmits to the request source.

Abstract: Detecting the start of a credit roll within video program may allow for the automatic extension of video recordings among other functions. The start of the credit roll may be detected by determining the number of text blocks within a sequence of frames and identifying a point in the sequence of frames where a difference between the number of text blocks in frames occurring before the point and the number of text blocks in frames occurring after the point is greatest and exceeds a specified threshold. Text blocks may be identified within each frame by partitioning the frame into one or more segments and recording the segments having a pixel of a sufficiently high contrast. Contiguous segments may be merged or combined into single blocks, which may then be filtered to remove noise and false positives. Additional content may be inserted into the credit roll frames.

Abstract: A method for representing a video sequence including a time sequence of input video frames, the input video frames including some common scene content that is common to all of the input video frames and some dynamic scene content that changes between at least some of the input video frames. Affine transform are determined to align the common scene content in the input video frames. A common video frame including the common scene content is determined by forming a sparse combination of a first basis functions. A dynamic video frame is determined for each input video frame by forming a sparse combination of a second basis functions, wherein the dynamic video frames can be combined with the respective affine transforms and the common video frame to provide reconstructed video frames.

Abstract: A method for determining a scene boundary location dividing a first scene and a second scene in an input video sequence. The scene boundary location is determined responsive to a merit function value, which is a function of the candidate scene boundary location. The merit function value for a particular candidate scene boundary location is determined by representing the dynamic scene content for the input video frames before and after candidate scene boundary using sparse combinations of a set of basis functions, wherein the sparse combinations of the basis functions are determined by finding a sparse vector of weighting coefficients for each of the basis functions. The weighting coefficients determined for each of the input video frames are combined to determine the merit function value. The candidate scene boundary providing the smallest merit function value is designated to be the scene boundary location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the quality of a video is provided. The method comprises: generating a frame loss pattern of the video by indicating whether each frame in the video is lost or successfully transmitted; and evaluating the quality of the video as a function of the generated t came loss pattern.

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 image processing method includes: a frame selection step for selecting a base frame and a reference frame; an image displacement amount calculation step for calculating an image displacement amount between the reference frame and the base frame; a weighting coefficient generation step for generating a weighting coefficient using at least one of an encoding type of the reference frame and the motion information of the encoded moving image data; and an image quality improvement step for improving an image quality of the base frame using the image displacement amount calculated in the image displacement amount calculation step and the weighting coefficient generated in the weighting coefficient generation step.

Abstract: Presently described are systems and methods for identifying a black/non-black attribute of a current frame. One example embodiment takes the form of a method including the steps of (i) receiving the current frame, (ii) defining a region of the current frame, the region having a plurality of lumas, (iii) calculating a non-black luma percentage of the region based on the lumas, (iv) calculating a white luma percentage of the region based on the lumas, (v) calculating an average luma of the region based on the lumas, and (vi) identifying the current frame as having a black attribute responsive to three conditions being satisfied: the average luma being less than a max-black luma threshold, the non-black luma percentage being less than a non-black luma percentage threshold, and the white luma percentage being less than a white luma percentage threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for display-mode-dependent adjustment of image code values.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable media for detecting scene changes in a video that includes providing by one or more computing devices a plurality of passes through the video where a plurality of detected scenes from a first pass in a conventional method are identified and a second pass through the detected scenes are provided by the computing device. A plurality of scene boundary differences corresponding to the detected scenes, a fixed average, and a varying average are computed by the computing device. The scene boundary difference is compared with the fixed average and the varying average and if the scene boundary difference is less than the fixed average and the varying average, the detected scenes are combined else the detected scene being an abrupt scene change is determined. The steps of computing a varying average to combining the detected scenes are repeated by the computing device.

Abstract: Described is a system for scene change detection. The system receives an input image (current frame) from a video stream. The input image is color conditioned to generate a color conditioned image. A sliding window is used to segment the input image into a plurality boxes. Descriptors are extracted from each box of the color conditioned image. Thereafter, differences in the descriptors are identified between a current frame and past frames. The differences are attenuated to generate a descriptor attenuation factor ?i. Initial scores are generated for each box based on the descriptor attenuation factor ?i. The initial scores are filtered to generate a set of conspicuity scores for each box, the set of conspicuity scores being reflective of the conspicuity of each box in the image. Finally, the conspicuity scores are presented to the user or provided to other systems for further processing.

Abstract: Provided is a motion vector detecting apparatus capable of detecting a motion vector based on each of front and rear frames as a starting point while restraining an increase of a circuit scale. A starting pixel generation unit generates starting pixel data based on pixel data in a frame f0 or a frame f1. A search range pixel generation unit generates search range pixel data based on pixel data in the frame f1 or the frame f0. Switches alternately switch the frames f0 and f1 at every line. A motion vector selection unit generates alternately a motion vector based on the frame f0 as a starting point and a motion vector based on the frame f1 as a starting point. A correlation comparing unit selects one motion vector having higher correlation between the motion vectors.

Abstract: In an embodiment, there is provided a video processing component comprising a compensation engine configured to generate pixels of a first video frame from a second video frame based at least in part on specified pixel motion; and an access buffer configured to store pixel data corresponding to pixels of the second video frame for reference by the compensation engine, wherein the pixel data is stored by the access buffer at different vertical resolutions depending on vertical distances of the pixels corresponding to the pixel data from a target pixel that is indicated by the compensation engine.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for automatically analyzing multimedia data are disclosed. Embodiments receive multimedia data, detect portions having specified features, and output a corresponding subset of the multimedia data. Content features from downloaded or streaming movies or video clips are identified as a human probably would do, but in essentially real time. Embodiments then generate an index or menu based on individual consumer preferences. Consumers can peruse the index, or produce customized trailers, or edit and tag content with metadata as desired. The tool can categorize and cluster content by feature, to assemble a library of scenes or scene clusters according to user-selected criteria.

Abstract: An adder adds, to a luminance value indicated by the image signal of the nth frame, a correction value corresponding to a combination of a luminance value indicated by the image signal of the nth frame and one indicated by the image signal of the (n+1)th frame. The adder outputs an image signal having the luminance value after addition as the image signal of the nth frame.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for increasing the perceived brightness of an image. In some embodiments this increase compensates for a decrease in display light source illumination.

Abstract: An information processing device includes a change point detection unit which detects change points of a moving image, a transition detection unit which detects transition of a subject, a composition similarity degree information generation unit which generates composition similarity degree information, based on feature amounts of the compositions of the images configuring the moving image included between the change points, a voice similarity degree information generation unit which generates voice similarity degree information, based on a feature amount of the voice data associated with the moving image included between the change points, and a determination unit which determines whether or not the moving image included between the change points is a moving image corresponding to the specific scene, based on the detected transition, the generated composition similarity degree information and the generated voice similarity degree information.

Abstract: A deinterlacing apparatus includes a buffer to receive a plurality of consecutive fields of an interlaced video and a field combination module coupled to the buffer to deinterlace the interlaced video in accordance with cadence of the interlaced video. The deinterlacing apparatus also includes a cadence detection module to detect the cadence by (1) causing each of the fields to be combined with its preceding field into a frame and with its subsequent field into another frame to obtain a plurality of combined frames, (2) determining a comb factor of each of the combined frames to obtain a sequence of comb factors of the combined frames, and (3) determining if the sequence of comb factors of the combined frames follows a pre-determined repeating pattern. A cadence detection method is also described.

Abstract: An audio apparatus according to an embodiment includes an audio signal receiving unit, a music gap signal receiving unit, a playback unit, and a determining unit. The audio signal receiving unit receives an audio signal in which successive multiple music data are contained in a single block of data. The determining unit determines a boundary of the music data on the basis of the time at which the music gap signal that indicates the boundary of the music data by the music gap signal receiving unit and the duration of a silent period in the audio signal that is played back by the playback unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first layer summary data generation section; a second layer summary data generation section; a first search section; and a second search section.

Abstract: Various implementations address distortion and quality measurements. Certain implementations relate to distortions resulting in a freeze-with-skip and/or a freeze-without-skip. In one implementation, a pause term provides an indication of distortion associated with a pause arising from not displaying one or more consecutive pictures that are not to be displayed. A motion term provides an indication of distortion associated with a related change in motion. A combined indicator is based on an addition of the pause term and the motion term. In another particular implementation, a first indicator indicates distortion across one or more types of distortive effects that results from not displaying a first set of pictures. A second indicator indicates corresponding distortion with respect to a second set of pictures. The first indicator and the second indicator are combined in a non-linear manner.

Abstract: A method of determining a motion value for a missing pixel in an interlaced video field using an adaptive window. The method includes computing a first mean absolute difference (MAD) value for a pixel based on a 1×5 window, computing a second MAD value for the pixel using a 3×5 window, and selectively blending the first and second MAD values to form a resultant motion value.

Abstract: A method and system for accumulating stillness characteristics is presented. The method and system generates field stillness characteristics for a current pixel of a current field. The field stillness characteristic is accumulated with an accumulated stillness characteristic that corresponds to a pixel location of the current pixel. The accumulated stillness characteristic includes stillness information regarding previous pixels of previous fields in the same pixel location as the current pixel.

Abstract: Techniques are presented for analyzing audio-video segments, usually from multiple sources. A combined similarity measure is determined from text similarities and video similarities. The text and video similarities measure similarity between audio-video scenes for text and video, respectively. The combined similarity measure is then used to determine similar scenes in the audio-video segments. When the audio-video segments are from multiple audio-video sources, the similar scenes are common scenes in the audio-video segments. Similarities may be converted to or measured by distance. Distance matrices may be determined by using the similarity matrices. The text and video distance matrices are normalized before the combined similarity matrix is determined. Clustering is performed using distance values determined from the combined similarity matrix.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for extracting a more appropriate representative frame image from moving image data that includes a plurality of frames of image data arranged in a time series includes: an input unit configured to input moving image data; a detecting unit configured to detect a frame image, which includes an image similar to a prescribed image pattern; a tracking unit configured to detect a frame image, which includes an image similar to the image included in the detected frame image; a storage unit configured to store the successive frame images in association with time information; a splitting unit configured to split the moving image data into a plurality of time intervals with starting time and end time of each of one or more image sequences; and an extracting unit configured to extract a representative frame image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a video signature representative of a content of a video signal. A method and apparatus are further disclosed for providing an audio signature representative of a content of an audio signal. A method and apparatus for detecting lip sync are further disclosed and take advantage of the method and apparatus disclosed for providing a video signature and an audio signature.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for controlling operation of an electronic device, such as a TV. The system includes a first sensor located at or near the electronic device and a second sensor spaced apart from the first sensor, wherein the first and second sensors are configured to detect motion of a user within an operating zone associated with the electronic device. A processor is coupled to the electronic device and the first and second sensors, the processor being configured to input a signal from the first and second sensors. Memory is coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a sensing algorithm configured to process the input signal from the first and second sensors and determine the location of the user with respect to the operating zone. The processor is configured to send a control command to the electronic device based on an output of the sensing algorithm.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upscaling a digital image. A digital image to be upscaled is accessed, where the digital image comprises a plurality of pixel values. A first half pixel value is computed for a first point in the digital image based on a plurality of pixel values of the digital image surrounding the first point and an activity level. A second half pixel value is computed for a second point in the digital image, and an interpolated pixel of an upscaled version of the digital image is determined using a plurality of the pixel values, the first half pixel value, and the second half pixel value.

Abstract: Spatial or temporal interpolation may be performed upon source video content to create interpolated video content. A video signal including the interpolated video content and non-interpolated video content (e.g. the source video content) may be generated. At least one indicator for distinguishing the non-interpolated video content from the interpolated video content may also be generated. The video signal and indicator(s) may be passed from a video source device to a video sink device. The received indicator(s) may be used to distinguish the non-interpolated video content from the interpolated video content in the received video signal. The non-interpolated video content may be used to “redo” the interpolation or may be recorded to a storage medium.

Abstract: Data segmenting apparatus and method are provided. An apparatus for segmenting an input data sequence includes: a boundary searching device configured to search for one or more candidate boundaries in the data sequence, to obtain one or more candidate segmenting schemes formed by different combinations of these candidate boundaries; and an evaluating device configured to generate, for each candidate segmenting scheme, an evaluation value of each candidate boundary in the scheme by evaluating a segmenting loss caused by using the candidate boundary to segment the data sequence, and determine whether the candidate boundary is valid in the candidate segmenting scheme according to the evaluation value reflecting association relationship between a pair of adjacent data segments adjoining to the candidate boundary and association relationship between each of one or more pairs of non-adjacent data segments, each of which includes two non-adjacent data segments located at two sides of the candidate boundary.

Abstract: A control device controls a television. The control device includes a touch module. The control device displays a menu containing a number of soft keys on a screen. The soft keys are activated to control the television to carry out corresponding functions. All positions on the menu are associated with all positions on the touch module correspondingly. As a result, a user can select desired soft keys to carry out corresponding functions by viewing the menu on the television and touching the touch module, rather than viewing the touch module.

Abstract: A scene change detection device includes an inter-frame difference calculation unit configured to calculate, based on an image signal, an inter-frame difference value corresponding to an inter-frame pixel value difference, and a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a target frame is the first frame in a video scene that has changed, by referring to a first value and a comparative value, the first value being an inter-frame difference value between the target frame and a frame other than the target frame, the comparative value being derived from a second value that is an inter-frame difference value between frames other than the target frame.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a dynamic remote control system detecting a change in an on-screen context of content being presented by a presentation device and dynamically changing a function and/or an appearance of a button included in a persistent number pad arrangement on a remote control device associated with the presentation device in response to the change in the on-screen context. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

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.

Abstract: Video signatures are generated when a small change in video information between consecutive frames N?1 and N is followed by a large change in video information between consecutive frames N and N+1. Information from frames N and/or N+1 is used to form a video signature.