U.S. Philips Corporation

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Jan Van Der Meer

Wiebe De Haan

Franciscus W Vreeswijk

Richard Cees Spiero

Armand V Wemelsfelder

Frits A Steenhof

Timothy I Trew

Petrus W Welles

Petrus A Nuijten

Marc Willem Theodorus Klein Middelink

Henk W Begas

Marc W T Klein Middelink

Kiran Varshneya-Rohra

The invention provides main data (MD) which includes embedded data (ED), the data being provided with a main data descriptor (MDD) for signaling a content included in the main data, wherein an embedded data descriptor (EDD) is formed for signaling content included in the embedded data and wherein the embedded data descriptor is provided outside the main data and the main data descriptor.

Embedded data signaling

Graphic images that overlay a transmitted video signal are provided in the form of bitmaps that allow any character or font size to be displayed. A color-look-up-table (CLUT) at a receiver is defined that maps 'm' inputs to a combination of color and luminance values for display. One or more map tables are provided that allow pixel colors to be encoded using fewer than 'm' bits, the map tables providing an &#x201c;m&#x201d; bit output for accessing the CLUT. The provider of the graphic images can also specify a required minimum number of CLUT colors for rendering the images; if this minimum is greater than &#x201c;m&#x201d;, the image is not rendered. The use of map tables provides compatibility between a variety of encoding techniques and a variety of rendering devices, without requiring different CLUTs to be transmitted for each different color encoding format.

Subtitling transmission system

A method of simultaneously transmitting a video signal and encoded data representing graphic images is disclosed. The invention is particularly applicable for transmitting multilingual subtitles with a video program. The graphic images are rectangular regions within the active video area. They are transmitted in the form of bitmaps. The invention not only allows any character font or size to be displayed, but also the definition of e.g. a program provider's logo. The encoded data includes a time stamp to specify the time at which a subtitle is to be displayed. Preferred embodiments of the invention include the transmission of color-look-up-table (CLUT) data and a compatibility code indicating a required minimum number of entries of said color-look-up-table. For receivers with a CLUT having more entries than necessary, a map table is a for mapping the pixel data width to the input witdh of the relevant CLUT. The method is applicable to Direct Video Broadcast systems wherein the video signal is MPEG2 encoded and the graphic images are accommodated in a private data stream of an MPEG2 Transport Stream.

Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding an audio and/or video signal, and a record carrier for use with such apparatus. One or more audio and/or full motion video signals, e.g., a video signal, and possibly computer data) are recorded on an interactive compact disc. The video signal is encoded into code blocks of variable lengths, each corresponding to a picture or picture pair. A decoder delay time parameter is associated with one or more of the code blocks, which parameter represents a length of time (i.e., a delay time) with which the corresponding picture of a code block is to be displayed after that code block has been received by a decoding apparatus.

Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding an audio and/or video

An optically readable disc like a compact disc contains a sequence of full-motion video scene digital video blocks, having differing lengths. Each video block contains the entire encoded picture information for at least one picture of the sequence. A header in each video block contains reference information referring to the location of a predetermined video block in the series of blocks, so that this information permits a playback device to recover from a slow-motion or freeze mode by reading from a desired location in the predetermined video block.

Full-motion video disc with reference information for slow-motion or

A compact disc-like display device is adapted to display a sequence of pictures which jointly represent a full-motion video scene, which picture sequence is digitized by means of some suitably chosen encoding algorithm. The digitized picture sequence comprises a series of video blocks. Since the disc continues to rotate at the normal speed when the picture sequence is displayed in slow motion, or in the case of a freeze, discontinuities in the display of the picture sequence are produced. To inhibit this, a header referring to a predetermined video block, preferably the next block, is associated with each video block so that the display device has information about that picture which is to be displayed next. The display device searches, reads and processes the associated video block on the disc.

Method of maintaining display continuity from a CD with slow-motion or

A system for transmitting a series of images of a full motion video scene in a digital format whereby the series of images is divided into a number of sub-series which, when interleaved, represent the original series. A ranking order of increasing magnitude is allocated to consecutive sub-series. Each image of a sub-series is converted into an image data block, while images from one or more sub-series having a lower order of precedence are considered for this conversion. A packet header indicating the ranking order of the sub-series with which the corresponding image is associated is added to each image data block. A display apparatus is adapted to select those image data blocks which have predetermined packet headers and to subject the image data blocks thus selected to a decoding process. The number of different packet headers which is selected determines the temporal resolution of the scene to be displayed.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and/or storing a series of

Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding an audio and/or video signal, and a record carrier for use with such apparatus. One or more audio and/or full motion video signals, e.g., a video signal (and possibly computer data), are recorded on an interactive compact disc. The video signal prior to being recorded is encoded into code blocks of variable lengths, each corresponding to a picture or picture pair. A decoder delay time parameter associated with one or more of the code blocks, which parameter represents a length of time (i.e., a delay time) with which the corresponding picture of a code block is to be displayed after that code block has been received by a decoding apparatus is determined and included in the video signal prior to being recorded.

Record carrier containing an audio and/or video signal which has been

Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an audio and/or video

A transmitting section of the system according to the invention has transmitting section signal paths for at least three classes of motion, each with a preprocessing circuit (143, 145 and 147) which are provided with means for individually sampling. These sampling means sample in accordance with separate sampling patterns so that each preprocessing circuit (143, 145 or 147) supplies a video signal which is suitable for a display with an optimum distribution of temporal and/or spatial resolution for the associated class of motion. Dependent on the class of motion determined, one of the preprocessing circuits (143, 145 or 147) is coupled to a channel (170). The video signal to be supplied to the channel (170) is therefore a video signal suitable for a display with an optimum distribution of temporal and/or spatial resolution for the given class of motion (FIG. 1A). A high-definition receiving section of the system according to the invention also has at least three receiving section signal paths comprising a postprocessing circuit (43, 45 and 47) which decodes a received video signl in accordance with a method associated with the relevant postprocessing circuit (43, 45 or 47). The correct postprocessing circuit (43, 45 or 47) is selected in accordance with the class of motion, so that in the receiving section of the system according to the invention a display with an increasing spatial resolution can be achieved in the case of a decreasing motion (FIG. 1B).

Method and apparatus for temporally and spatially processing a video

Motion detection is based on picture signal value comparisons between picture elements (P) in consecutive, interlaced television pictures (n-2, n-1), (n, n+1), (n+2, N+3), motion or no motion, respectively, being determined in dependence on the fact whether comparison results exceed or do not exceed a threshold value. Changes in picture information between movie pictures (MP1, MP2, MP3) can negatively influence the telecine television motion detection if they make use of a preceding and a subsequent television picture. To prevent this, an instantaneous picture element (P1) in a first field (n) of a television picture (n, n+1) is compared with a number (P4, P5, P6, P7) of surrounding picture elements in a second field (n+1) and an instantaneous picture element (P11) in the second field N+1) is compared with a number (P14, P15, P16, P17) of surrounding picture elements in the first field (n).

Method of and arrangement for motion detection in an interlaced

A motion estimation for a picture element (pixel) (P1) of a television picture (TP) is performed at pixel level by comparison of the picture signal value of the present pixel (P1) with that of a corresponding pixel (P1) in a previous and/or subsequent television picture and with that of a plurality of surrounding pixels (P2', P3', P4', P5') in the present picture. Dependent on whether a threshold value is exceeded, it is decided whether there is no motion or whether there is motion. In the comparison with the surrounding pixels, an OR function is present for the detection 'no motion'. It is assumed that a first and a second comparison result 'no motion' associated with the pixel-pixel comparison and with the pixel-group comparison are stored for pixels (P) of the television picture (TP). Subsequently, the first and second comparison results in a sub-region (MA1) associated with the present pixel (P1) with a matrix of pixels (P1 . . . P64) are processed in accordance with a relation in which the quotient of the number of pixels (P) in the subregion (MA1) signifying 'no motion' and the total number of pixels (P1 . . . P64) in the sub-region (MA1) is larger than an associated first and second threshold number, respectively, which is a part of the total number. At this sub-region level a decision is made about the extent of motion at the present pixel (P1), dependent on the combinations of the first and second threshold numbers being exceeded or not exceeded.

Method of and device for estimating the extent of motion in a picture

When a record carrier (14) is inscribed for an n.sup.th time (n&gt;1), in which record carrier the information is recorded in first blocks (FB) in tracks (T.sub.1, T.sub.2, . . . ) which adjoin each other and which are inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the record carrier, each track containing at least one first block (FB.sub.1) of information and at least one second block (SB.sub.1) of tracking signals (f), only the first blocks of new information are written over the first blocks recorded previously in the tracks and the second blocks of tracking signals are not erased from the record carrier. These second blocks are employed for the purpose of tracking when the record carrier is inscribed for the n.sup.th time. In this way it is achieved that the new information is recorded exactly in the original tracks, so that perfect inserts can be made.

Apparatus for recording information in a magnetic record carrier with

In a television signal memory write circuit which is synchronized by horizontal and vertical synchronizing signal patterns obtained from the television signal to be entered, the mutual positions of these patterns being measured with the aid of a measuring circuit; and depending on this measurement, the vertical synchronizing signal pattern is delayed by a variable delay circuit such that in practice the patterns are prevented from coinciding, thereby preventing a change in the position of a predetermined line number in the television signal memory circuit. This renders the circuit less sensitive to interference.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Jan Van Der Meer