Sony Corporation

Other

Markus H Veltman

Yasushi Fujinami

Kazunori Yasuda

Yoichiro Sako

Ikuo Tsukagoshi

Ryuichi Iwamura

Tatsuya Inokuchi

Shunsuke Furukawa

Makoto Kawamura

Klaus Zimmermann

Masahito Yamane

Noriaki Oishi

Michael Alan Kutner

A data processing apparatus able to start decoding at a timing earlier than the conventional timing and able to reduce the storage capacity required for a storing means for storing the encoded data until a decoding side decodes the input encoded data in comparison with the conventional storage capacity, which apparatus selects frame data from frame data f() having the last decoding order to frame data f() having the first decoding order for processing for calculating a delay time min_delay and calculates the delay time min_delay. It calculates the delay time min_delay indicating the delay time from when the decoding side starts to receive input of the frame data to when the data is decoded based on the specified size and the bit rate of the input of the frame data to the decoding side for each of the frame data for processing.

Data processing apparatus and method and encoding device

On a data recording medium which is divided into sectors and can be accessed on the sector unit basis, when encoded data is divided every predetermined length, a header is added, the data is packetized, a header is further added to the packet to thereby form the pack data, and the resultant data is recorded, if the stuffing is necessary, the stuffing data is inserted to the last of a data area of the packet. Thus, a length of pack header can be fixed. There is no need to provide a padding packet. A situation such that a PES header is encrypted is prevented and no problem occurs when encryption is performed.

Data record medium, data recording method and apparatus, and data transmitting method and apparatus

A flexible software-based decoding system with decoupled decoding timing and output timing. In one embodiment, a computer software implemented method of decoding a data stream comprising encoded video data is provided. In this embodiment, the software method comprises the step of maintaining a number of already decoded and ready-for-output frames in a frame buffer. The method also comprises the step of decoding a first encoded frame of the data stream to generate an additional decoded frame. The method further comprises the step of outputting a first of the decoded frames before decoding of the first encoded frame is completed if the decoding step requires more time than a predefined frame output time to complete. Moreover, in this embodiment, the method comprises the step of adding the first additional decoded frame to the frame buffer. In this embodiment, real-time output is maintained irrespective of whether completion of the decoding step requires more time than the predefined frame output time for particular frames. In one embodiment, the method further comprises the step of decoding a second encoded frame of the data stream substantially immediately upon completion of the decoding step to generate a second additional decoded frame, provided that the completion of the decoding step requires more time than the predefined frame output time, and also the step of adding the second additional decoded frame to the frame buffer.

Flexible software-based decoding system with decoupled decoding timing and output timing

Data transmission method and apparatus, data decoding apparatus, and

An apparatus and method for preparing a variable-rate coded signal, generated by compressing a digital input signal using a variable compression ratio and including a signal portion of a predetermined type, for recording on a recording medium. In the apparatus, a circuit generates a flag signal indicating the signal portion of the a predetermined type in the variable-rate coded signal. A signal-type marker generating circuit generates a signal-type marker in response to the flag signal. Finally, a circuit multiplexes the signal-type marker with the variable-rate coded signal to produce a multiplexed signal for recording on the recording medium. The signal-type marker is located adjacent to the signal portion of the predetermined type to indicate the signal portion of the predetermined type in the multiplexed signal. Where the multiplexed signal is divided into packs of plural packets, the signal marker is included in an entry pack located immediately preceding a packet that includes the signal portion of the predetermined type. Where the multiplexed signal is divided into sectors and each sector includes a sector header, the signal marker is included as subcode in the sector header of a sector that includes the signal portion of a predetermined type.

Apparatus and method for processing a variable-rate coded signal for

A data demultiplexer for separating multiplex data including at least coded video data, coded audio data, timing data indicative of a video decoding start time, timing data indicative of an audio decoding start time, and timing data indicative of a system clock reference time. The demultiplexer comprises a circuit for separating the multiplex data into the component data, and comparators for comparing input data with the reference timing data. When the timing data indicative of a video decoding start time is inputted and detected, the video data is written in a video code buffer at the maximum transfer rate. During such time period, the reference timing data indicative of the current time is monitored, and the operation of decoding the video data is started when the reference timing data has become equal to the video timing data. A similar operation is performed with regard to the audio data as well, so that the video and audio data can be inputted fast to consequently enhance the responsivity at the start of reproduction.

Data demultiplexer

A multiplexed data stream is formed by encoding a first input signal at a variable bit rate to form a first encoded data signal which is temporarily stored in a first storage device, encoding a second input signal at a constant bit rate to form a second encoded data signal which is temporarily stored in a second storage device, and using a multiplexing circuit to multiplex the first and second encoded data signals respectively stored in the first and second storage devices to form the desired multiplexed data stream. Transfer of the first encoded data signal from the first storage device to the multiplexing circuit is controlled on the basis of a quantity of the first encoded data signal that is present in the first storage device. When none of the first encoded data signal is present in the first storage device, transfer of the first encoded data signal to the multiplexing circuit is temporarily halted. A switching device is switched at fixed time intervals, on the basis of a quantity of the second encoded data signal that is present in the second storage device, between a first switch position at which the multiplexing circuit is connected to the first storage device and a second switch position at which the multiplexing circuit is connected to the second storage device.

Apparatus and method for multiplexing encoded data signals and recording

A method and apparatus for reproducing pictures from a recording medium in search mode wherein each picture is recorded in the recording medium in the form of a coded signal. The coded signal is coded in either an intra-picture coding mode or an inter-picture coding mode. The coded signal of a picture coded in the intra-picture coding mode is an I-picture; the coded signal of a picture coded in the inter-picture coding mode with only forward prediction is a P-picture; and the coded signal of a picture coded in the inter-picture coding mode with bidirectional prediction is a B-picture. The pictures are reproduced from a read position on the recording medium. To provide an increased number of pictures in search mode, the read position is changed to a first read position, and an I-picture is immediately reproduced from the recording medium at the first read position. Then, at least one B-picture or one P-picture is immediately reproduced from the recording medium following the I-picture. Finally, the I-picture and the at least one B-picture or P-picture is decoded to provide an output signal for display.

Apparatus and method for providing plural pictures while searching a

A method of generating a bit stream by multiplexing non-compressed auxiliary information with an information stream. The information stream is obtained by compressing fixed-size units of an information signal with a varying compression ratio to provide varying-sized units of the information stream. The auxiliary information is for use in subsequently processing the information stream. Units of the auxiliary information correspond to the units of the information signal. In the method, the information stream is divided in time into information stream portions. The non-compressed auxiliary information is also divided in time into auxiliary information portions. The information stream portions and the auxiliary information portions are interleaved to provide the bit stream. Finally, the information stream dividing, auxiliary information dividing, and interleaving steps are controlled by emulating decoding of the bit stream by a hypothetical system target decoder. The hypothetical system target decoder includes a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the bit stream, a serial arrangement of an information stream buffer and an information stream decoder, and a serial arrangement of an auxiliary information buffer and an auxiliary information processor. Each serial arrangement is connected to the demultiplexer. The information stream dividing, auxiliary information dividing, and interleaving steps are controlled such that the information stream buffer and the auxiliary information buffer neither overflow nor underflow.

Rational input buffer arrangements for auxiliary information in video

A compressed video signal and a compressed audio signal decoding apparatus which including a local access unit counter intended for digital AV applications where access unit headers (e.g. frame headers, audio unit headers or other kind of data unit headers) may be lost or generated by storage media or transmission errors. In order to prevent a resulting AV sync error a value called 'access unit count' is included in each elementary stream. With this value each decoder can detect lost or false access unit headers, and correct the AV synchronization. In order to support editing, an extra bit can be added to indicate discontinuity in the access unit count.

Synchronization of audio/video information

An interframe motion predicting method for prediction of the motion in a bidirectionally predictive-coded frame from an intra-coded frame and a predictive-coded frame, predicts the motion in another bidirectionally predictive-coded frame from the preceding bidirectionally predictive-coded frame and the predictive-coded frame. A picture signal coding apparatus executes orthogonal transformation of a picture signal, then quantizes the transformed data, and codes the data thus quantized. The apparatus includes a local decoder for the quantized data; first and second memories for storing the decoded picture data of an intra-coded or bidirectionally predictive-coded frame, and a predictive-coded frame respectively; a predictive picture generator for generating a predictive picture of a second bidirectionally predictive-coded frame; and a difference calculator for calculating the difference between the predictive picture and the original picture signal corresponding thereto. A picture signal decoding apparatus includes inverse multiplexer for separating the coded data into interframe predictive error data and vector coded data; a decoder for generating decoded picture data on the basis of such error data; first and second memories for storing the decoded picture data of the intra-coded frame and the predictive-coded frame respectively; a predictive picture generator for generating a predicted picture of a second bidirectionally predictive-coded frame; and a frame switching selector for selectively rearranging the decoded picture data in the order of reproduction.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Markus H Veltman