Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Entropic Communications, Inc.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

U.S. Philips Corporation

Onno Eerenberg

Arie Geert Cornelis Koppelaar

Ewout Brandsma

Albert M A Rijckaert

Eric Gijsbers

Wilhelmus Jacobus Van Gestel

Ludovicus Marinus Gerardus Maria Tolhuizen

Abraham Karel Riemens

Ronald W Saeijs

Timo Van Roermund

Wilhelmus H A Br&uuml;ls

Thijs Thomas Withaar

Fre J Jorritsma

Armand Stuivenwold

The invention relates to manipulation of sub-pictures () in a picture such as a mosaic screen (). An apparatus comprises a sub-picture generator () connected to a mosaic screen generator (), which generates the mosaic screen () from the sub-pictures. The mosaic screen () is by a video compressor () divided into uncompressed picture blocks such that each block only comprise video data from one sub-picture. The picture blocks are compressed using a block compression scheme such as MPEG-2. The apparatus further comprises a video manipulation processor (), which manipulates the sub-pictures by manipulating the association between control data in the video signal and the compressed picture blocks. The video data of the compressed picture blocks are not affected whereby de-compression and new compression is avoided.

Manipulating sub-pictures of a compressed video signal

A technique for frame rate conversion that utilizes motion estimation and motion compensated temporal interpolation includes obtaining a first image and a second image, where the first and second images correspond to different instances in time, compressing the second image using multiple motion vectors that result from motion estimation between the first image and the second image to generate a compressed image, and generating an interpolated image using the compressed image.

System and method for frame rate conversion that utilizes motion estimation and motion compensated temporal interpolation employing embedded video compression

In transmission systems using digital video broadcasting standards for handheld terminals data is transmitted in bursts. Due to the restricted computing time, buffering of one or more bursts is necessary. The invention provides a memory optimalization for consecutive burst support. Thereby, a cyclic or non-cyclic memory model for a memory unit () of the device () for receiving bursts is provided.

Device with MPE-FEC frame memory

An apparatus (), system () and method (-) are provided for improving the de-encapsulation of sections from Multi Protocol Encapsulation (MPE) () and Multi Protocol Encapsulation-Forward Error Correction (MPE-FEC) () Sections in a DVB-H transport stream. DVB-H is a standard for broadcasting services to hand-helds. Its difference from DVB-T, C, and S that is relevant for this invention is the presence of an additional layer of Forward Error Correction (FEC). Instead of restoring only correctly received sections () () the present invention also restores fragments of sections () () by using both Transport Stream packet headers () and section headers (). As a result, entire sections (-) may not be erased (which can amount to up to 4080 bytes) whenever one or more fragments are received incorrectly, but only the incorrectly received fragments (which can be each up to 184 bytes) are erased. This leads to a more efficient use of the additional layer of Forward Error Correction (FEC) information.

IP datagram de-encapsulation

A trick play information stream is generated from a normal play information stream, so that they can be recorded together as a composite information stream on the record carrier, such that upon reproduction in a trick play reproduction mode, an information signal of sufficient quality, e.g., as regards visibility, can be obtained. GOPs are generated, each GOP including an I-frame retrieved from the original normal play information stream, and one or more so-called 'empty P frames'. Another aspect is the requirement of generating GOPs for the trick play information stream that have a constant bitcost per GOP. Again, another aspect lies in the retrieval of the I-frame for the trick play information stream from the normal play information. More specifically, an I-frame is generated by retrieving, from an I-frame included in the normal play information, the DC coefficient of the I-frame and a number of AC coefficients from that I frame, and generating the I-frame for the trick play information stream therefrom. More specifically, the number of AC coefficients for an I-frame of the trick play information signal depends on the difference between the DC coefficients of two subsequent I-frames in the normal play information from which the I-frame to be generated and the just previously generated I-frame for the trick play information signal have been derived.

Trick play signal generation for a digital video recorder using retrieved intra-encoded pictures and generated inter-encoded pictures

A recording apparatus for recording a first information signal, having packets of information and a trick play signal having packets of information, includes a time stamp generator for generating time stamps for the packets. The first digital information signal is meant for a reproduction at a record carrier speed which equals the recording speed, and the second digital signal is meant for a reproduction at a speed n times the recording speed. The time stamp generator includes a first counter for generating subsequent cycles of subsequent first count values so as to supply time stamps for the packets of the first digital information signal, and a second counter for generating subsequent cycles of subsequent second count values so as to supply time stamps for the packets in the second digital information signal, the first counter supplying the first count values at a first rate, the second counter supplying the second count values at a second rate, which equals the first rate divided by n .

Recording of a trick play signal on a record carrier such that the bit-rate during reproduction of the trick play signals is the same as that for normal play

A recording apparatus, for recording an information signal in at least one track on a record carrier. The information signal comprises packets (P.sub.i) that may occur irregularly as a function of time in the serial datastream of the information signal. The apparatus comprises an input terminal for receiving the information signal, a channel encoding unit for channel encoding the information signal into a channel encoded information signal and a writing unit for writing the channel encoded information signal in said at least one track on the record carrier. The channel encoded information signal comprises frames of information. A frame of information may be recorded in a group of n subsequent tracks (Tr0 to Tr11), when the recording apparatus is a recording apparatus of the helical scan type, where n is an integer larger than 1. The apparatus further comprises a time stamp generator unit for generating time stamps (TS.sub.i) having a relation to the moment of occurrence of a packet comprised in the information signal received. Further, a combining unit is present for combining a packet and its corresponding time stamp so as to obtain a composite packet (P.sub.i '). The time stamp generator unit comprises a counter for generating subsequent cycles of subsequent count values, said cycles coinciding in time with the recording of subsequent frames in said at least one track on the record carrier. In response to the detection of the occurrence of a packet in said information signal, a time stamp for said packet is generated, which time stamp has a specified relationship to the count value of said counter means at said moment of occurrence of said packet.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Onno Eerenberg