Abstract: The present invention relates to a video processing device for processing data corresponding to a sequence of pictures according to a predictive block-based encoding technique. Said device comprises a processing unit (20) including a reconstruction circuit (16) for reconstructing pictures from decoded data and an external memory (1) for storing reference pictures delivered by the reconstruction circuit. The processing unit further comprises a memory controller (11) for controlling data exchange between the processing unit and the external memory, a cache memory (17) for temporarily storing data corresponding to a prediction area, said data being read out from the external memory via the memory controller, and a motion compensation circuit (14) for delivering motion compensated data to the reconstruction circuit on the basis of the prediction area read out from the cache memory.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus includes a coding unit configured to set, when coding processing is performed on input image data, a first coding picture that is to be generated by intra-picture prediction coding within the first coding picture, skip reference beyond the first coding picture being inhibited, and set, when coding processing is performed on the input image data, a second coding picture that is to be generated by inter-picture prediction coding, and skip reference beyond the second coding picture being inhibited. The coding unit performs coding processing on the input image data such that at least one second coding picture is set proximate to the first coding picture.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, interpolated frame generating method of generating a new interpolated frame inserted between sequential frames, by using a plurality of input frame images, comprises first detecting of detecting at least one potential motion vector by block matching between the input frame images, using a first block of a fixed size, second detecting of detecting a motion vector by block matching between the input frame images, using a second block having a size variable within a range larger than that of the first block, and generating the interpolated frame by using the potential motion vector. The generating is generating the interpolated frame by using a potential motion vector closest to the motion vector detected by the second detecting among the potential motion vectors when a plurality of motion vectors are detected by the first detecting.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including an image detecting unit, an image interpolating unit and an image blending unit is provided. The image detecting unit detects a pixel difference value of an image frame and a previous image frame or a next image frame thereof and outputs a weight value according to the pixel difference value. The image interpolating unit interpolates a pixel value of the image frame in an intra-field interpolation method and an inter-field interpolation method. The image blending unit blends the pixel value interpolated in the intra-field interpolation method and the pixel value interpolated in the inter-field interpolation method to restore the image frame according to the weight value. An image processing method is also provided.

Abstract: According to the novel method, roto-translational and zooming parameters describing spurious motion effects are determined by exploiting any of the many block matching algorithms commonly used for motion estimation for calculating a motion vector for all or for a selected number of blocks of pixels of the current frame that is processed. Some of the so calculated motion vectors are not taken into account for estimating spurious motion effects. The roto-translational and zooming parameters describing what is considered to be spurious global motion between a current frame and the precedent frame of the sequence, are calculated by processing the selected motion vectors of blocks of pixels of the frame through a recursive procedure that includes computing error values and readjusting the roto-translational and zooming parameters based on the error values.

Abstract: A method is provided to automatically determine “exciting” segments from a video. The method includes calculating image features of each frame in the video, determining a difference for each pair of adjacent frames, calculating a sum of differences for each group of frames in the video, and selecting a number of the groups with high sums as exciting segments of the video. The differences between pairs of adjacent frames are used as a criterion for measuring a degree of “excitement” for determining the highlights in the video.

Abstract: In an image coding apparatus, a ROI setting unit sets a ROI region in an image. An entropy coding unit entropy-codes the image. A ROI information coding unit encodes information for specifying the ROI region. A codestream generator generates a codestream in a manner that the coded image and the coded information are explicitly included in the codestream. When a plurality of ROI regions are set in the image, the information may include a degree of priority.

Abstract: According to a picture coding method of the present invention, a coded picture identified by a picture number is stored, as a reference picture, into a storage unit; commands indicating correspondence between picture numbers and reference indices for designating reference pictures and coefficients used for generation of predictive images are generated; a reference picture being used when motion compensation is performed on a current block in a current picture to be coded is designated by a reference index; a predictive image is generated by performing linear prediction on a block being obtained by motion estimation within the designated reference picture, by use of a coefficient corresponding to the reference index; a coded image signal including a coded signal obtained by coding a prediction error being a difference between the current block in the current picture to be coded and the predictive image, the commands, the reference index and the coefficient is outputted.

Abstract: An image adjustment amount determination device comprises: processing target image determination means for receiving an input video signal which comprises a plurality of frame images and which is input from the outside, for dividing the input video signal into the plurality of frame images, and for determining a processing target image which is to be the target of image processing and one or more neighboring images which are located in the vicinity of the processing target image in the display order, on the basis of a predetermined criterion from the plurality of frame images; image characteristic extraction means for extracting a feature quantity relating to the neighboring images thus determined; and image adjustment amount determination means for determining at least one adjustment amount of the amplitude and bandwidth of a spatial frequency component relating to the processing target image thus determined, on the basis of the feature quantity that relates to the neighboring images thus extracted.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an image information encoding apparatus, used in receiving compressed image information through network media when processing of such compressed image information is performed on storage media. A picture sorting buffer delivers information of picture type of frame Picture_type to a picture type discrimination unit. The picture type discrimination unit transmits command to a motion prediction/compensation unit on the basis of that information. The motion prediction/compensation unit generates predictive picture by using filter coefficients having the number of taps lesser than that of P picture with respect to B picture for which operation quantity and the number of memory accesses are required to more degree as compared to P picture on the basis of that command.

Abstract: A system and method for encoding dynamic image information for an image generated by a computer application executing on a processor. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise determining a first set of information describing a reference image. A second set of information may be determined for describing an image, wherein the second set of information comprises information indicative of movement between the image and the reference image. For example, a set of primary movement directions may be determined based at least in part on the computer application generating the image. Such set of primary movement directions may be utilized for analyzing the image relative to the reference images. The difference between the image and the reference image may, for example, be analyzed using at least one of the set of primary movement directions. A movement direction may, for example, be utilized to describe the image.

Abstract: A method for transcoding from an H.264 format to an MPEG-2 format is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) decoding an input video stream in the H.264 format to generate a picture having a plurality of macroblock pairs that used an H.264 macroblock adaptive field/frame coding; (B) determining a mode indicator for each of the macroblock pairs; and (C) coding the macroblock pairs into an output video stream in the MPEG-2 format using one of (i) an MPEG-2 field mode coding and (ii) an MPEG-2 frame mode coding as determined from the mode indicators.

Abstract: Video upscaling may be performed by effectively combining several different image processing techniques. The video is processed using temporal based motion estimation and subsequently filtered using a spatial filter. The spatially filtered image is sharpened and noise is suppressed. Also, the images in the video are upscaled.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a shot splitting unit that splits a moving image into a plurality of shots each including a plurality of sequential frames; a shot detecting unit that detects, among the shots, a second shot similar to a first shot that is to be encoded; a first shot-generating unit that generates a third shot by correcting a time length of the second shot; a second shot-generating unit that generates a fourth shot by performing motion compensation using at least one of the first shot and the third shot; and an encoding unit that encodes a difference between the first shot and the fourth shot.

Abstract: A method for coding an RGB color space signal is disclosed. In accordance with the method, a base plane is encoded using an independent mode, and an enhanced plane is encoded by referring to the base plane without converting the RGB color space signal into YCbCr color space signal to reduce a redundancy between RGB planes and improve a compression ratio of an image.

Abstract: An intra prediction apparatus includes: a candidate narrowing-down unit which narrows down, from a plurality of intra prediction directions, an intra prediction direction candidate which is applied to a block of multiple pixels that constitutes a video in accordance with a characteristic of the video; and an intra prediction execution unit which executes intra prediction in the intra prediction direction narrowed down by said candidate narrowing-down unit. Through this, computational load can be lightened while contributing to improvement in picture quality and encoding efficiency.

Abstract: For decoding a scalable video stream, in which the images may be decoded by groups of several images, each group being constituted by at least three levels of image temporal hierarchy, the images of the lowest level having the lowest time frequency and the images of each following level having a time frequency at least twice that of the images of the preceding level, a temporal hierarchy level being formed by at least one predetermined time interval, a time interval separating two images in that temporal hierarchy level: during the decoding of at least one temporal hierarchy level, at least one item of information is obtained representing a parameter relative to the content of the video stream over at least one time interval, and an order in the decoding of the images of each group of images is defined as a function of said information obtained.

Abstract: Systems and methods for editing of a computer-generated animation across a plurality of keyframe pairs are provided. Embodiments enable time editing across a plurality of non-roving keyframe pairs. Such non-roving keyframes have fixed references relative to an animation's reference timeline. An author may specify a point on an animation's reference timeline at which each non-roving keyframe is placed. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, an animation across a plurality of non-roving keyframes is treated as an editable unit. Thus, an author may modify the timing for all or a select portion of such editable unit (which may span a plurality of the non-roving keyframes). For instance, an author may expand or reduce the time span for a plurality of non-roving keyframes, and the timing of the plurality of non-roving keyframes automatically adjusts to maintain their timing proportionality relative to each other in the resulting modified time span.

Abstract: A series of decoded images is generated from a series of original images encoded by a first encoding technique following movement-compensated, predictive encoding, where a starting image of a group of successive original images that are to be encoded is defined by a second encoding technique following movement-compensated, temporally filtered partial band encoding based on a determined encoding property of a decoded image of the group of images that are to be encoded, the decoded image is used for generating an output image having a low resolution level, before the images are encoded. At least one output image is generated on each level of resolution from the successive original images of the group of from at least one decoded image during image encoding. The decoded images are provided only with a reduced quality while the reconstituted images are of great quality.

Abstract: Multiple images of a scene are acquired over a contemporaneous period of time. Most of the multiple images are lower resolution images acquired with a lower resolution than the other of the multiple images. A corrected set of images is formed at least by correcting for motion present between at least some of the lower resolution images. In addition, a synthesized image is formed at least by merging (a) at least a portion of at least one of the images in the corrected set of images, and (b) at least a portion of at least one of the other of the multiple images. The synthesized image is stored in a processor-accessible memory system. The synthesized image exhibits improved image quality including reduced motion blur, a higher signal-to-noise ratio, and higher resolution over conventional techniques.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for global motion estimation for video stabilization. The method enables selecting a video frame from a video stream. The method further enables downscaling the video frames by factor close to 2 in a two dimensional range, dividing the downscaled video frame into a plurality of macroblocks, performing motion estimation for the macroblocks to generate a set of local motion vectors. Further, the method enables selecting macroblocks representing global motion vectors from the set of local motion vectors, computing a single global motion vector for the selected macroblocks and determining occurrence of at least one of: scene change, illumination change or crossing object and modifying the single global vector to compensate for errors induced due to occurrence of at least one of: scene change, illumination change or crossing object.

Abstract: A motion image decoding apparatus for generating a prediction signal in blocks is provided with a low-resolution block decoder for generating a low-resolution block with a smaller number of pixels than that of a prediction block by decoding encoded data. The motion image decoding apparatus is further provided with an enhanced block generator for enhancing a low-resolution block generated by a decoded low-resolution block to a block with the same number of pixels as that of the prediction block using a decoded image. Furthermore, the motion image decoding apparatus is provided with a block divider for generating plural small blocks by dividing an enhanced block based on a predetermined division rule and a small block predictor for generating a predicted small block of a small block using a decoded image and the plural small blocks.

Abstract: Image residue encoding and decoding methods and apparatuses are provided. In this method, a residue of a color component image is predicted from another color component image using a correlation between residues of the color component images, wherein the residues correspond to differences between input images and prediction images of the respective color component images constituting a single image, so that the encoding efficiency is improved.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for generating a motion compensation image. The image processing apparatus includes: a pixel-relative-position calculation section calculating a relative position between a pixel position of a pixel constituting the motion compensation image and a pixel position of a reference pixel of a reference image to be used for calculating a pixel value of the pixel on the basis of motion vector information; a relative-position quantization section performing quantization processing of relative-position information calculated by the pixel-relative-position calculation section and generating quantized-relative-position information; and a motion-compensation-image generation section generating a motion compensation image by calculating a pixel value of a constituent pixel of the motion compensation image on the basis of the quantized-relative-position information and a pixel value of the reference pixel.

Abstract: A method for segregating a figure region from a background region in image sequences from dynamic visual scenes, comprising the steps of: (a) acquiring an image; (b) determining local motion estimations and confidences for each position of the image; (c) modifying a level-set function by moving and distorting the level-set function with the local motion estimations and smearing it based on the local motion confidences, to generate a predicted level set function that is geometrically in correspondence with the image and diffused at positions where the confidence of the motion estimation is low; (d) obtaining input features of the image by using a series of cues; (e) calculating a mask segregating the figure region from the background region of the image using the modified level-set function and the obtained input features; (f) extracting the figure region from the image; and repeating steps (a)-(f) until a termination criterion is satisfied.

Abstract: A system and method for rendering images, and performing operations such as windowing and leveling, when the parameters of a client appliance are known and rendering images when the parameters of a client appliance are unknown. The invention also considers the rendering from the client appliance perspective and the server appliance perspective.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and associated methodology for video motion detection combines a series of images of a video sequence into an image volume having vertices of X, Y and t. The image volume is sliced in either the (X,t) or (Y,t) planes, filtered with a spatio-temporal filter and thresholded to reduce the amount of information. Then a search algorithm searches along search lines in a subset of the video sequence to locate motion. Motion can be detected by identifying lines that are not parallel to any of the vertices. Stationary subjects and lighting changes appear as lines parallel to one of the vertices. Thus, true motion can be distinguished from lighting changes.

Abstract: Raster segment commands are generated by a delta encoder and are encoded for raster segments detected to have moved in the current frame with respect to a location of the raster segment in a previous frame. Raster segment motion commands are stored in a queue and, when written, copy a raster segment into the current frame from a previous payload or cache. When written from the queue to a payload, raster segment motion commands are applied to a copy of the current frame maintained at the server using a copy of the previous payload sent. When copying a raster segment from a raster segment cache, a raster segment cache command retrieves identified raster segment data from the raster segment cache and copies the raster segment into a particular location in the current frame at the client. The raster segment commands are sent to a client via a payload to copy a raster segment from a previous payload into the current frame at the client or from a raster segment cache to the current frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image encoding method in which a series of decoded images are generated from a series of original images with the aid of a first encoding process. Furthermore, a series of second images are generated from an image group of the series of original images with the aid of an INTER encoding mode of the second encoding process, at least one decoded image being used as a reference image. The reference image represents an original image area is to be encoded. A image decoding method decodes second images generated by the image encoding method.

Abstract: A system and method for rendering images, and performing operations such as windowing and leveling, when the parameters of a client appliance are known and rendering images when the parameters of a client appliance are unknown. The invention also considers the rendering from the client appliance perspective and the server appliance perspective.

Abstract: A method for driving a display is provided. According to the driving method, a display panel is divided into a plurality of bright regions and a plurality of dark regions, wherein the dark regions and the bright regions are alternately arranged so that the bright regions within the display panel are not adjacent to each other. Next, a full-color frame is divided into four sub-frames, wherein the sub-frames are matched with the four color-orders one by one. In this way, the display randomly displays the sub-frames in a frame period.

Abstract: Provided is an image capturing apparatus (100) that can improve coding efficiency, and record a still image with a wide dynamic range and smooth moving images. The apparatus includes: an image capturing unit (110) capturing images by exposure for a first exposure time and a second exposure time longer than the first exposure time to generate a short-time exposure image and a long-time exposure image; a short-time exposure image storage unit (120) storing the short-time exposure image; a long-time exposure image storage unit (130) storing the long-time exposure image; a motion blur adding unit (140) generating a predicted image of the long-time exposure image by adding motion blur to the short-time exposure image; a subtracting unit (150) calculating a difference between the long-time exposure image and the predicted image to generate a difference image; and a coding unit (170) coding the short-time exposure image and the difference image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device which is able to reconstruct a high-resolution (HR) picture from low-resolution (LR) pictures, by modifying instability in the pictures due to movement of hands in capturing the images, and also by preventing increase of a circuit size and processing amounts required for motion estimation between the pictures. In the image processing device, a motion estimation unit reads the LR pictures from a memory, and estimates respective motion vectors between the pictures. A stabilization parameter calculation unit calculates a stabilized global motion parameter based on the motion vector. A motion vector compensation unit stabilizes the motion vectors calculated by the motion estimation unit, using the stabilized global motion parameter. A picture integration unit combines (integrates) a target picture and reference pictures with sub-pixel precision, using the stabilized motion vectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of improving the compression efficiency of a motion vector by efficiently predicting a motion vector in an enhancement layer from a motion vector in a base layer in a video coding method using a multi-layer are provided.

Abstract: A video decoder, a video decoding method, a video encoder and a video encoding method are disclosed. A video decoder for decoding a video bitstream for an image block includes a motion vector resolution reducer and a motion compensator. The motion vector resolution reducer is for receiving decoded high resolution motion vectors included in the video bitstream and for reducing an accuracy of the high resolution motion vectors to correspond to a low resolution. The motion compensator, in signal communication with the motion vector resolution reducer, is for forming a motion compensated high resolution prediction using the reduced accuracy motion vectors. The video encoder for encoding scalable video comprises a motion compensator for forming a motion compensated full resolution prediction and combining combining the motion compensated full resolution prediction from an image block to form a prediction residual.

Abstract: Provided are an image encoding method and apparatus and an image decoding method and apparatus that are capable of canceling a correlation remaining in a residual image by predicting the residual image by using residual pixel values of restored neighboring pixels of a current block and then encoding only the difference between the residual image and a predicted image of the residual image, where the residual image is obtained using an inter color compensation algorithm that predicts one of a plurality of color component images constituting an image by using one of the remnants of the color component images.

Abstract: Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation.

Abstract: Video encoding methods and video encoders that provide improved performance while reducing power consumption. In one aspect, a video encoding method comprises the steps of outputting a parameter for a slice of a current frame, wherein the slice comprises a plurality of macroblocks, and the parameter comprises an address of a first macroblock of the slice, an address of a search area on a previous frame, a search area corresponding to a current macroblock, and a number of macroblocks comprising the slice; processing the slice by consecutively encoding and decoding each macroblock of the slice in response to the parameter; and outputting an interrupt signal for the current frame, when encoding and decoding for each macroblock of the all slices is consecutively performed so that encoding for the current frame is completed.

Abstract: In uniform superposition of two predictions toward a weighted superposition, such as in coding B frames, weighting is based on reliability of a reference picture used for determination of the prediction. Since there is a relationship between the reliability and the respective quantization parameter, coupling to the quantization parameter that is also known in the receiver also can be effected advantageously.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of stabilizing the images of a scene, acquired by means of an observation device of an imaging system, comprising the step of digital processing of a stream of successive images. It comprises a step of acquiring gyrometric measurements by means of at least one gyrometric sensor secured to the observation device, of using these gyrometric measurements to determine so-called approximate shifts undergone between successive images, and the image processing step comprising a sub-step of using the approximate shifts and the image stream acquired to determine so-called fine shifts undergone between successive images.

Abstract: A digital image processing system and method for removing motion effects from images of a video sequence, and generating corresponding motion compensated images.

Abstract: A technique for performing motion estimation using an adaptive motion search range includes calculating motion vectors for blocks of pixels in a target image, using the calculated motion vectors to generate a search range associated with a target block of pixels in the target image, and using the generated search range to estimate motion of the target block of pixels.

Abstract: A color image and video encoding and/or decoding apparatus, method, and medium using inter-color-component prediction in accordance with an encoding mode are provided.

Abstract: Common key frames are provided to a client during initialization to provide more efficient remoting of user interface graphical information. By storing the common key frames at the client, the common key frames may be loaded quicker and more efficiently at the client without having to resend graphical information for each common key frame each time a common key frame is used to provide a new frame. Differences between a selected common key frame and the new frame are encoded as delta commands. A payload containing a common key frame command, which identifies a common key frame at the client, and delta commands which encode differences between the selected common key frame and new frame is sent to the client. The client receives the payload, sets a cached common key frame as the current frame, applies the delta commands to the selected common key frame, and renders the new frame.

Abstract: A 3D graphics rendering pipeline is used to carry out data comparisons for motion estimation in video data encoding. Video data for the pixel block of the video frame currently being encoded is loaded into the output buffers of the rendering pipeline. The video data for the comparison pixel blocks from the reference video frame is stored as texture map values in the texture cache of the rendering pipeline. Once the sets of pixel data for comparison have been stored, the rendering pipeline is controlled to render a primitive having fragment positions and texture coordinates corresponding to the data values that it is desired to compare. As each fragment is rendered, the stored and rendered fragment data is compared by fragment compare unit and the determined differences in the data values are accumulated in an error term register.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus which processes time-series images picked up by an imaging device in time series, a motion-vector calculating unit calculates a motion vector between plural images constituting the time-series images with respect to plural pixel regions set in the image. A newly-appearing-rate estimating unit estimates a newly-appearing rate which is a rate of a region newly appears in an image between plural images based on the motion vector. A display-time determination coefficient calculating unit calculates a display time of an image according to the newly-appearing rate.

Abstract: A technique for detecting changes in a scene perceived by a staring sensor is disclosed. The technique includes acquiring a reference image frame and a current image frame of a scene with the staring sensor. A raw difference frame is generated based upon differences between the reference image frame and the current image frame. Pixel error estimates are generated for each pixel in the raw difference frame based at least in part upon spatial error estimates related to spatial intensity gradients in the scene. The pixel error estimates are used to mitigate effects of camera jitter in the scene between the current image frame and the reference image frame.

Abstract: A motion-vector detector determines the centroid of pixels on a reference frame that is identified with position information set in a database and associated with a feature address corresponding to a feature of a target pixel. The motion-vector detector detects, as a motion vector of the target pixel, a vector that has a starting point at a pixel on the reference frame which corresponds to the target pixel on a current frame and has an end point at the determined centroid. The present invention can be applied to an apparatus for generating a motion vector and allows prompt detection of a motion vector.

Abstract: An image encoding and decoding method includes dividing an input image into a plurality of sub-planes by sub-sampling the input image, selecting one of the divided sub-planes and performing interprediction-encoding on the selected sub-plane, and performing interprediction-encoding on the remaining sub-planes based on motion vectors selected in interprediction-encoding of the selected sub-plane.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for encoding and decoding using transformation bases of a yet higher efficiency. In a method for encoding an object signal in compliance with a transformation rule, a signal correlating to the object signal is obtained, and a transformation base that forms the transformation rule is derived based on a characteristic of the obtained reference signal. The object signal is transformed and encoded in compliance with the transformation rule based on the derived transformation base. Accordingly, the object signal is transformed in compliance with the transformation rule based on the transformation base derived from the characteristic of the reference signal. Since the reference signal is correlated to the object signal, the transformation base derived from the characteristic matches the feature of the object signal.