Abstract: One video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for performing sample adaptive offset (SAO) filtering. Another video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target coding parameter associated with sample adaptive offset (SAO) filtering.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and method that enable suppression of an increase in the amount of coding of a scaling list.

Abstract: An intra prediction unit that performs intra-frame prediction includes a luminance reference pixel acquisition unit and a chrominance reference pixel acquisition unit. When the coding unit is set to a smallest CU block, the luminance reference pixel acquisition unit subsamples reference pixels arranged at integer pixel locates neighboring a luminance block that corresponds to a chrominance prediction target block, and acquires the pixel values of the reference pixels after the subsampling. Furthermore, when the coding unit is set to a smallest CU block, the chrominance reference pixel acquisition unit subsamples reference pixels arranged at integer pixel locates neighboring the chrominance prediction target block, and acquires the pixel values of the reference pixels after the subsampling. Such an arrangement is capable of reducing the number of reference pixels used to reduce the redundancy between the color components.

Abstract: A decoding method includes: entropy-decoding received information; performing inter prediction on a current block based on the entropy-decoded information; and restoring images by using the prediction results, wherein, in the inter prediction step, a skip mode or merge mode is applied to the current block and movement information of the current block may be determined based on the movement information of a neighboring block of the current block.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying document content using Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is provided. A media server provides meta information corresponding to the document content to a control point if a user request for displaying the document content is received, the control point provides the meta information of the document content to a media renderer that can display the requested document content together with an operation performance command for displaying the requested document content, and the media renderer receives the document content from the media server and renders the document content in accordance with the operation performance command to display the document content on a screen.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an image sensor configured to capture a sequence of images including at least one low dynamic range (LDR) image and at least one high dynamic range (HDR) image. The imaging system also includes readout circuitry. The readout circuitry is coupled to read out image data captured by the image sensor. A processor is coupled to the readout circuitry to receive image data corresponding to the at least one LDR image and image data corresponding to the at least one HDR image. The processor is configured to combine high frequency image data extracted from image data corresponding to the at least one LDR image with low frequency image data extracted from image data corresponding to the at least one HDR image to form a composite image.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit according to an embodiment includes a compressor, a compression distortion detector, and an image-quality adjusting-parameter generator. The compressor generates a compressed image of an original image output from a host apparatus based on an image-quality adjusting parameter. The compression distortion detector detects a compression distortion of the compressed image. The image-quality adjusting-parameter generator updates the image-quality adjusting parameter based on the compression distortion.

Abstract: A video processing apparatus includes a control unit, a storage device, a video decoder and a video processor. The control unit is arranged for generating a color depth control signal. The video decoder is coupled to the storage device and the control unit, and arranged for referring to the color depth control signal to enable a target video decoding mode selected from a plurality of supported video decoding modes respectively corresponding to different output color depths, and decoding an encoded video bitstream under the target video decoding mode to generate decoded video pictures (sequence) to the storage device. The video processor is coupled to at least the storage device, and arranged for processing picture data derived from the data buffered in the storage device to generate output video pictures (sequence) to a display apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of acquiring neighboring disparity vectors for multi-texture and multi-depth video. The method belongs to the area of 3D-HEVC video coding technology. The method includes changing the standard associated with a disparity vector that is first searched as a final disparity vector. By deleting location which is minimum searched in candidate space and time location of the coding unit next to current coding unit to divide candidate space and time location of the coding unit into groups, the method takes searched disparity vector that is combined based on the proportion of adoption rate as final disparity vector. The method improves coding quality and at the same time maintaining origin fast algorithm efficiency. The embodiments of the present disclosure improve coding quality at least 0.05% and at the same time maintain origin fast algorithm efficiency while the decoding time is decreased to 97.1%.

Abstract: Entropy coding techniques for display stream compression (DSC) are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of entropy coding video data includes partitioning a block of the video data into a plurality of groups of samples based at least in part on a coding mode of the block. The method further includes entropy coding the block via performing a group-wise skip on at least one of the groups in response to all of the samples in the at least one group being equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method for decoding an image according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving and decoding MPM index information for indicating an MPM candidate which is to be used as an intra prediction mode of a current block; generating an MPM candidate list containing a plurality of MPM candidates for the current block; determining the MPM candidate indicated by the decoded MPM index information as the intra prediction mode of the current block, among the plurality of the MPM candidates which constitute the MPM candidate list; and generating a prediction block corresponding to the current block by performing intra prediction for the current block based on the determined intra prediction mode.

Abstract: A vein authentication device converts pixel values of an image, which captures an authentication site including veins, into frequency components. Moreover, the vein authentication device performs filtering of the frequency components, which are obtained by conversion of the pixel values, using a filter stored in a filter storing unit for reducing frequency components, from among low-frequency components having a lower spatial frequency than the spatial frequency of the veins and high-frequency components having a higher spatial frequency than the spatial frequency of the veins, corresponding to surface reflection of an illumination used for the authentication site. Furthermore, the vein authentication device converts the frequency components, which are subjected to filtering, back into an image. Moreover, the vein authentication device extracts vein data representing a vascular pattern of veins from the image obtained by reverse conversion.

Abstract: An image decoding method of decoding, on a block-by-block basis, image data included in a coded stream includes: deriving candidates for an intra prediction mode to be used for intra prediction for a decoding target block, the number of the candidates constantly being a plural number; obtaining, from the coded stream, an index for identifying one of the derived candidates for the intra prediction mode; and determining, based on the obtained index, one of the derived candidates for the intra prediction mode as the intra prediction mode to be used for intra prediction for the decoding target block.

Abstract: An apparatus including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to transform an image block into a plurality of transform coefficients. The second circuit may be configured in each of a plurality of modes to (i) quantize the transform coefficients to calculate a plurality of quantized coefficients, (ii) translate a number of non-zero values of the quantized coefficients to a rate value, where the translation is a non-linear translation, (iii) calculate a distortion value (a) based on the transform coefficients and (b) independent of a plurality of inverse quantized coefficients corresponding to the quantized coefficients, and (iv) calculate a score of a current mode of the plurality of modes to encode the image block based on the rate value and the distortion value.

Abstract: A method for intra prediction comprises determining a first MPM candidate corresponding to a left-side candidate block on the basis of a position of the left-side candidate block adjacent to a left side of a current block; determining a second MPM candidate corresponding to an upper-end candidate block on the basis of a position of the upper-end candidate block adjacent to an upper end of the current block; generating an MPM candidate list including a plurality of MPM candidates, on the basis of the first MPM candidate and the second MPM candidate; and determining one MPM candidate of the plurality of the MPM candidates that constitute the MPM candidate list as an intra prediction mode of the current block, and performing intra prediction for the current block on the basis of the determined intra prediction mode to generate a prediction block corresponding to the current block.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method enabling noise removal to be performed according to images and bit rates. A low-pass filter setting unit 93 sets, from filter coefficients stored in a built-in filter coefficient memory 94, a filter coefficient corresponding to intra prediction mode information and a quantization parameter. A neighboring image setting unit 81 uses the filter coefficient set by the low-pass filter setting unit 93 to subject neighboring pixel values of a current block from frame memory 72 to filtering processing. A prediction image generating unit 82 performs intra prediction using the neighboring pixel values subjected to filtering processing, from the neighboring image setting unit 81, and generates a prediction image. The present invention can be applied to an image encoding device which encodes with the H.264/AVC format, for example.

Abstract: A printing management device includes: a customer property DB configured to accumulate history data for each customer; a printer property DB configured to record printer property data for each of multiple printers; target image quality index decision means configured to decide a target image quality index by the use of the history data of the customer property DB; and printout condition decision means configured to decide/output output conditions with reference to the printer property DB according to order information and the target image quality index.

Abstract: Methods and systems for exploiting color for object recognition. A color gradient for each pixel in a gradient image of an object can be calculated. The gradient image can be binarized to produce an image having white walls around characters and other structures. A connected component analysis operation can be performed with respect to black regions in the image to determine bounding boxes for characters and other pictorial elements in the image and thereafter identify character candidates from the image utilizing character metrics. Non-character colors can then be eliminated from the image utilizing an outlier rejection.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus includes a block dividing unit configured to divide an input image into a plurality of blocks, a prediction unit configured to perform prediction based on coded pixels to generate prediction errors, a transformation unit configured to perform orthogonal transform to the prediction errors to generate transform coefficients, a quantization matrix generation unit configured to generate quantization matrices that are used to quantize the transform coefficients, a quantization matrix coding unit configured to calculate difference values by scanning the quantization matrices and to code the difference values, a quantization unit configured to generate quantization coefficients by quantizing the generated transform coefficients using the quantization matrices, and a coefficient coding unit configured to code the quantization coefficients, wherein the quantization matrix coding unit is configured to scan coefficients of the quantization matrices in a unidirectional manner to calculate the di

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for intra predicting an image, which generate a prediction value via linear interpolation in horizontal and vertical directions of a current prediction unit. The method includes: generating first and second virtual pixels by using at least one adjacent pixel located upper right and lower left to a current prediction unit; obtaining a first prediction value of a current pixel via linear interpolation using an adjacent left pixel located on the same line as the first virtual pixel and the current pixel; obtaining a second prediction value of the current pixel via linear interpolation using an adjacent upper pixel located on the same column as the second virtual pixel and the current pixel; and obtaining a prediction value of the current pixel by using the first and second prediction values.

Abstract: An image processing device and method that enable suppression of a reduction in coding efficiency. The image processing device encodes an image to generate encoded data, and set, as syntax of the generated encoded data, syntax whose semantics is set so that a default quantization matrix having the same size as a block size that is a unit of processing in which quantization is performed is referred to when in a copy mode in which a quantization matrix is copied, quantization matrix reference data identifying a reference destination of the quantization matrix matches quantization matrix identification data identifying the quantization matrix. The device and method can be applied to an image processing device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for decoding a bitstream for a video signal. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method comprising determining a motion vector candidate set of a current block; obtaining motion vector indication information of the current block from the bitstream; determining a motion vector indicated by the obtained motion vector indication information from the motion vector candidate set of the current block as a predicted motion vector of the current block; and performing motion compensation on the current block based on the predicted motion vector, and an apparatus therefor.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for intra predicting an image, which generate a prediction value via linear interpolation in horizontal and vertical directions of a current prediction unit. The method includes: generating first and second virtual pixels by using at least one adjacent pixel located upper right and lower left to a current prediction unit; obtaining a first prediction value of a current pixel via linear interpolation using an adjacent left pixel located on the same line as the first virtual pixel and the current pixel; obtaining a second prediction value of the current pixel via linear interpolation using an adjacent upper pixel located on the same column as the second virtual pixel and the current pixel; and obtaining a prediction value of the current pixel by using the first and second prediction values.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ensuring that images are compressed in a format that may be decompressed at a speed that is acceptable to a particular user and/or viewing environment are disclosed herein.

Abstract: A noise detection device of a display module, including: a storage module, a processing module and an encoding module; the storage module is used to store parallel video data, the processing module is used to transmit the stored parallel video data to the encoding module, the encoding module is used to convert the stored parallel video data into serial video data through encoding and to transmit the converted serial video data to a timing controller of a display module; the processing module is used to receive mini-LVDS data generated by the timing controller based on the converted serial data, and to convert the mini-LVDS data into the parallel video data; the processing module is used to compare the stored parallel video data with the converted parallel video data, and to determine whether the display module is qualified for noise control according to the comparison result.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus encodes intra-prediction mode information of the current block by excluding information on overlapping or unnecessary intra-prediction modes from a candidate mode group and/or based on whether predicted values of intra-prediction modes of at least a preset number of subblocks are matched with actual intra-prediction modes.

Abstract: In a content management system, a still image generation unit generates at least one piece of still image data based on moving image data. A still image selection unit causes a user to select one piece of still image data from among the generated at least one piece of still image data. A management marker registration unit registers the selected still image data or information based on the selected still image data as a management marker in association with the moving image data. An access key issuing unit issues an access key for accessing the moving image data. And a management image generation unit generates management image data including the still image data and the access key.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method enabling noise removal to be performed according to images and bit rates. A low-pass filter setting unit 93 sets, from filter coefficients stored in a built-in filter coefficient memory 94, a filter coefficient corresponding to intra prediction mode information and a quantization parameter. A neighboring image setting unit 81 uses the filter coefficient set by the low-pass filter setting unit 93 to subject neighboring pixel values of a current block from frame memory 72 to filtering processing. A prediction image generating unit 82 performs intra prediction using the neighboring pixel values subjected to filtering processing, from the neighboring image setting unit 81, and generates a prediction image. The present invention can be applied to an image encoding device which encodes with the H.264/AVC format, for example.

Abstract: An organic light emitting display and a method for driving the organic light emitting display. The organic light emitting display includes a display unit, a data accumulator, and a data compensator. The display unit is configured to be driven by image data. The data accumulator is configured to compress and accumulate first data corresponding to a first portion of the image data for driving a first region of the display unit, identify a second region of the display unit from the first region by analyzing the accumulated first data, and compress and accumulate second data corresponding to a second portion of the image data for driving the second region with a compression ratio based on a size of the second region. The data compensator is configured to compensate the image data based on the accumulated first and second data.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and method that enable suppression of an increase in the amount of coding of a scaling list.

Abstract: Systems and processes that incorporate teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, identifying temporal actions initiated by equipment of users during presentation of a media program to the equipment of users. A timeline is modified that corresponds to a linear progression of the media program, wherein the modified timeline includes symbols indicative of the temporal actions. The modified timeline is provided to the equipment of the users. The modified timeline is presented at displays of the equipment of the plurality of users, together with the media program. The symbols are situated in relation to the presentation of the media program, wherein the symbols can be selected by input cursors at the displays of the equipment of the users. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: In an example, an apparatus for decoding video data includes a video decoder that is configured to determine a number of transform coefficients associated with a block of video data, and to determine whether the number of transform coefficients exceeds a predetermined threshold. The video decoder is also configured to identify a scan order when the number of transform coefficients exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein the scan order indicates an order in which the transform coefficients have been serialized from a two-dimensional array to a one-dimensional array, and to apply the scan order to inverse scan the number of transform coefficients associated with a block of video data.

Abstract: A technique for encoding and decoding data pertaining to multiple video views is presented. A method embodiment of the encoding technique comprises the steps of providing first picture stream belonging to a first view and performing a first encoding operation to encode a picture of the first picture stream. The first encoding operation is based on a single-view video codec and provides encoder state information relevant for the encoding of another picture of the first picture stream. Also provided is a second picture stream belonging to a second video view. A second encoding operation is performed to encode a picture of the second picture stream based on the single-view video codec, wherein the second encoding operation is based on the encoder state information provided by the first encoding operation. On the basis of the encoded picture of the first picture stream and encoded picture of the second picture stream, dedicated video streams are generated.

Abstract: A method of coding at least one image comprising the steps of splitting the image into a plurality of blocks, of grouping said blocks into a predetermined number of subsets of blocks, of coding each of said subsets of blocks in parallel, the blocks of a subset considered being coded according to a predetermined sequential order of traversal. The coding step comprises, for a current block of a subset considered, the sub-step of predictive coding of said current block with respect to at least one previously coded and decoded block, and the sub-step of entropy coding of said current block on the basis of at least one probability of appearance of a symbol.

Abstract: A method of estimating a quantization table for an image block, which is compressed in image processing, includes performing a first quantization using a table dictionary that includes a number of candidate quantization tables for the compressed image block; performing edge-related filtering on the compressed image block and performing a second quantization using the table dictionary for the filtered compressed image block; and estimating a quantization table for the compressed image block based on energy costs of the first-quantized image block and the second-quantized image block.

Abstract: Techniques and structures are disclosed in which one or more distortion categories are identified for an image or video, and a quality of the image or video is determined based on the one or more distortion categories. The image or video may be of a natural scene, and may be of unknown provenance. Identifying a distortion category and/or determining a quality may be performed without any corresponding reference (e.g., undistorted) image or video. Identifying a distortion category may be performed using a distortion classifier. Quality may be determined with respect to a plurality of human opinion scores that correspond to a particular distortion category to which an image or video of unknown provenance is identified as belonging. Various statistical methods may be used in performing said identifying and said determining, including use of generalized Gaussian distribution density models and natural scene statistics.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for efficiently coding video data during circumstances of network congestion, or instances when a decoder is unable to handle incoming video at the intended frame rate. A video coder may code frames of a video sequence according to motion estimation prediction in which each frame of the video sequence is constrained to be coded as one of an I-frame or a P-frame. The video coder may determine for each coded P-frame, a distance from the respective P-frame and a most-recently coded reference frame, and if the distance matches a predetermined threshold distance, the respective P-frame may be marked as a reference frame. The coded video data of the I-frame(s), the reference P-frames and the non-reference P-frames may be transmitted in a channel.

Abstract: An image encoding apparatus includes an encoding unit which encodes an input image of a block, a calculating unit which calculates a plurality of evaluation values for the block, an identifying unit which generates identification information by comparing a plurality of evaluation values calculated by the calculating unit with a plurality of threshold values, and a controller which controls a quantization parameter on the basis of the identification information identified by the identifying unit.

Abstract: A bistable display system includes a plurality of pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. Each pixel has a bistable material between first and second transparent and conductive substrates. A bistable display method includes driving the plurality of pixels having at least one target pixel and at least one non-target pixel and applying a voltage difference across at least one target column and at least one target row to switch the at least one target pixel between transparent and opaque states.

Abstract: A data compression system and method for achieving enhanced compression performance in a plurality of encoder-decoder pairs communicatively coupled in a concatenated chain is disclosed. The plurality of encoder-decoder pairs receive input data and transform the input data into compressed output data. The data compression system includes at least one quality estimator communicatively coupled to the concatenated chain to determine a plurality of quality metrics corresponding to an output from each of the plurality of encoder-decoder pairs. Further, the data compression system also includes a processing subsystem configured to optimize the operation of each of the plurality of encoder-decoder pairs based upon the plurality of quality metrics to achieve a desired level of optimization for the concatenated chain.

Abstract: A method of rate-distortion computations for video compression is disclosed. The method may include steps (A) to (C). Step (A) may generate a plurality of transform coefficients from a residual block of the video using a circuit. Step (B) may generate a block distortion value (i) based on the transform coefficients and (ii) independent of a plurality of inverse transform samples produced from the residual block. Step (C) may generate a rate-distortion value from the block distortion value.

Abstract: A system, medium, and method compressing and/or restoring images. Such a data compression method may include selecting a mode from among a plurality of modes for compressing current data, according to predetermined criteria, and calculating a difference between the current data and reference data, according to the selected mode, and compressing the current data, or truncating a part of the current data and compressing the current data. Accordingly, it is possible to significantly lower the complexity of an image encoder/decoder system and exactly meet a picture-based CBR required by LCD DCC devices/systems.

Abstract: A method for decoding an image according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving and decoding MPM index information for indicating an MPM candidate which is to be used as an intra prediction mode of a current block; generating an MPM candidate list containing a plurality of MPM candidates for the current block; determining the MPM candidate indicated by the decoded MPM index information as the intra prediction mode of the current block, among the plurality of the MPM candidates which constitute the MPM candidate list; and generating a prediction block corresponding to the current block by performing intra prediction for the current block based on the determined intra prediction mode.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a patch library creator for creating a first patch library from an original version of the picture and a second patch library from a reconstructed version of the picture. Each of the libraries includes a plurality of high resolution replacement patches for replacing one or more pruned blocks during a recovery of a pruned version of the picture. A pruner generates the pruned version from the first patch library, and decides whether to respectively replace original blocks with pruned blocks responsive to a comparison between a first rate-distortion estimate and a second rate-distortion estimate. The estimates are based on both a distortion component and a bitrate component. A metadata generator generates metadata from the second patch library. The metadata is for recovering the pruned version. An encoder encodes the pruned version and the metadata.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are described including applying nonlinear scaling to a current image frame and a reference image frame to generate at least a corresponding current image layer and a corresponding reference image layer. Hierarchical motion estimation may then be performed using the nonlinearly scaled image layers. Further, source block size may be adaptively determined in a downsampled image layer and hierarchical motion estimation may be performed using the adaptively sized source blocks.

Abstract: Lossless video data compression is performed in real time at the data rate of incoming real time video data in a process employing a minimum number of computational steps for each video pixel. Each pixel 8-bit byte is converted to a difference byte representing the difference between the pixel and its immediate predecessor in a serialized stream of the pixel bytes. This reduces the dynamic range of the data. Any carry bits generated in the subtraction process of two's complement arithmetic are discarded. This reduces the data by a factor of two. Finally, the 8-bit difference pixel bytes thus produced are subject to a maximum entropy encoding process. Such a maximum entropy encoding process may be referred to as a minimum length encoding process.

Abstract: Search is performed on Intra 16 to obtain a prediction mode leading to a minimum cost, and the minimum cost in Intra 16 and a corresponding prediction mode are stored. Search is performed on Intra 8 to obtain a prediction mode leading to a minimum cost, and then a relationship of magnitude between the stored minimum cost in Intra 16 and the minimum cost in Intra 8 is judged. After that, the minimum cost in Intra 8 and a corresponding prediction mode are stored, and search is performed on Intra 4 to obtain a prediction mode leading to a minimum cost. A relationship of magnitude between cost_intra and the minimum cost in Intra 4 is judged, and Intra 4 is determined as an optimum prediction mode in a case where Intra 4 is smaller.

Abstract: There is provided a system and a method for ordering rays in rendered graphics for coherent shading. The method comprises recording, using the processor, intersection points for each of a plurality of directional queries in the memory, wherein each of the plurality of directional queries has one intersection point, organizing, using the processor, the intersection points in the memory into a plurality of elements, and grouping, using the processor, the intersection points in the memory by shading context. The method may further comprise shading the intersection points, wherein the shading is performed on a plurality of elements substantially concurrently. The shading context may include a volume of intersection points. In another implementation, the shading context may be one of texture ID, material ID, and element ID. Additionally, the texture ID may correspond to a mesh face ID.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for performing sample adaptive offset signaling and coding in a video coding process. Techniques of the disclosure include both a merge-based and prediction-based signaling process for sample adaptive offset information (i.e., offset values and offset type). The techniques includes determining offset information for a current partition, comparing the offset information of the current partition with offset information of one or more neighbor partitions, coding a merge instruction in the case that the offset information of one of the one or more neighbor partitions is the same as the offset information of the current partition, and coding one of a plurality of prediction instructions in the case that the offset information of the one or more neighbor partitions is not the same as the offset information of the current partition.

Abstract: A video processing device includes a video processing unit that decodes a video input signal into a decoded video signal in accordance with a video compression protocol, based on uncompressed video frame data. A data object compression/decompression module generates compressed video frame data by compressing a plurality of video data objects into a plurality of compressed video data objects, storing the plurality of compressed video data objects in a compressed frame buffer. The data object compression/decompression module retrieves a selected portion of video frame data from the compressed video frame buffer by identifying selected ones of plurality of compressed video data objects that correspond to the selected portion of video frame data, retrieving the selected ones of the plurality of compressed video data objects and generating the uncompressed video frame data by decompressing the selected ones of the plurality of compressed video data objects.