Thomson Licensing

Thomson Licensing S.a.

Interdigital Ce Patent Holdings

Thomas Licensing

Dirk Gandolph

Ralf Ostermann

Hartmut Peters

Jobst Hoerentrup

Carsten Herpel

Harald Schiller

Andrej Schewzow

Marco Winter

Jobst Hörentrup

Uwe Janssen

Axel Kochale

Jobst Horentrup

Wolfram Putzke-Roeming

Hui Li

Markus Schlosser

Jobst Hoerentrop

Joern Jachalsky

Jobst Höerentrup

Jörn Jachalsky

Uwe Jannsen

Jobst HÖRENTRUP

Hartmunt Peters

Optical storage media often contain data structures for a menu suitable for selection of a title, a chapter, a parameter or others. Such menus usually comprise a number of buttons to be displayed, with each button having a state. Possible states of buttons are 'unselected', 'selected' or &#x201c;activated&#x201d;. According to the invention, the representation of a menu button may vary, depending on its state. An image or an image sequence, e.g. cartoon, may be associated to a buttons state, providing user animation. Further, a sound or sound sequence, e.g. melody or click, may be associated to a buttons state, and may be played back when the button enters this state. A data structure is disclosed which allows storage of such menu data e.g. on a Blu-ray disc.

Method for representing animated menu buttons

A method and an apparatus for generating a superpixel cluster for an image or a sequence of images. A primary clustering unit generates a primary superpixel cluster using a fixed reference superpixel, whereas a secondary clustering unit generates two or more secondary superpixel clusters using a propagating reference superpixel. A combining unit then combines intersections between the primary superpixel cluster and the two or more secondary superpixel clusters to generate a final superpixel cluster.

Method and apparatus for generating superpixel clusters

Method and apparatus for generating superpixel clusters A method and an apparatus () for generating a superpixel cluster for an image are described. A clustering unit () generates () an initial superpixel cluster based on an initial cluster center. The clustering unit () further generates () one or more further superpixel clusters based on one or more further cluster centers. A determining unit () determines () the one or more further cluster centers from the initial superpixel cluster. A merger () then merges () the initial superpixel cluster and the one or more further superpixel clusters to obtain the superpixel cluster for the image.

A method and an apparatus for generating superpixels for a sequence of images are described. A segmenter segments an image of the sequence of images into a set of initial superpixels. A motion analyzer then determines static and non-static areas in the sequence of images. Based on an output of the motion analyzer the segmenter generates updated superpixels for non-static areas of the sequence of images, and maintains those superpixels of the set of initial superpixels belonging to static areas of the sequence of images.

Method and apparatus for generating superpixels

Embodiments of the invention include a subtitling format encompassing elements of enhanced syntax and semantic to provide improved animation capabilities. The disclosed elements improve subtitle performance without stressing the available subtitle bitrate. This will become essential for authoring content of high-end HDTV subtitles in pre-recorded format, which can be broadcast or stored on high capacity optical media, e.g. the Blue-ray Disc. Embodiments of the invention include abilities for improved authoring possibilities for the content production to animate subtitles. For subtitles that are separate from AV material, a method includes using one or more superimposed subtitle layers, and displaying only a selected part of the transferred subtitles at a time. Further, colors of a selected part of the displayed subtitles may be modified, e.g. highlighted.

Method and apparatus for composition of subtitles

A method for pixel mapping between an origin superpixel in a first image and a target superpixel in a second image and an apparatus configured to perform the method. The apparatus comprises a feature vector determining unit, which determines a feature vector of an origin pixel of the origin superpixel and which further determines feature vectors of target pixels of the target superpixel. A mapping pixel selector selects a mapping pixel for the origin pixel among the target pixels based on a comparison of the feature vectors.

Method and apparatus for tracking superpixels between related images

A method for generating an on-screen menu comprising menu buttons and other menu items, e.g. help text, is characterized in that one or more groups of menu buttons or menu items are defined, wherein a group comprises one or more menu buttons or menu items and has associated a defined area on the screen. A state is assigned to a button, the state being 'enabled' or 'disabled', wherein only an enabled button or item may be displayed, and wherein within a group not more than one button or item may be enabled. The state of a button can be changed by commands associated with other buttons.

Method for generating an on-screen menu

Consumer electronic devices, such as e.g. high-definition movie players for removable storage media such as optical discs, may provide possibilities for advanced interactivity for the user, implemented as software applications. A question arising generally with such software applications is what the life cycle of such an application is, and who may control it. The invention provides a method for executing software applications within a playback device for audio-video data, wherein data from a first removable storage medium are read for a software application to be executed within said playback device, and the data comprise an indication defining a termination condition for the application. Based on said termination code and depending on how the medium holding the application is ejected, the application is terminated or may survive.

Method and apparatus for executing software applications

Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus including a processor for retrieving subtitle layer data, wherein the subtitle layer data contains a graphic subtitle elements. The processor extracts from retrieved subtitle layer data, subtitle display region information for defining a subtitle display region, a cropping flag, and subtitle display region cropping information, for cropping the display region, the subtitle display region cropping information including a parameter for horizontal position of the cropped subtitle display region, a parameter for vertical position of the crossed subtitle display region, a parameter for width of the cropped subtitle display region, and a parameter for height of the cropped subtitle display region. The apparatus includes a renderer for enabling automatic cropping of parts of the subtitle elements to be displayed in the cropped subtitle display region, where the cropped parts of the subtitle elements to be displayed are defined by subtitle display region cropping information.

Several data streams contain video, audio and/or other data. Some of the data streams are pre-recorded in a multiplex on a storage medium while other data streams are located out of the data stream multiplex on the storage medium. The data streams are synchronized using a navigation file (List_of_PlayItems), which comprises descriptors (PlayItems, SubPlayItems) pointing to parts of said data streams, wherein said descriptors define the arrangement in time for said data streams by means of data sub stream paths.

Method and apparatus for synchronizing data streams containing audio, video and/or other data

Multimedia content of exchangeable storage media, such as optical discs, may be extended by bonus content that is downloaded via Internet connection and stored on a local storage device. An improved method for integration of different menu items relating to on-disc content and downloaded content provides flexibility and a simple, low cost solution. The method for integration of downloaded bonus content into a menu comprises defining one or more placeholders within a menu, determining a storage location or naming convention for bonus content, declaring for each placeholder an attribute providing a unique association to a specific type of bonus content, providing a button image, detecting presence of bonus content data, replacing the associated placeholder by the associated button image and enabling an associated action to be taken when said button is selected.

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Ronnenberg, Germany

Dirk Gandolph