Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd.

Yutaka Okunoki

Junichi Kimura

Tadashi Saitoh

Atsushi Kitahara

Takafumi Kikuchi

Hirotaka Hara

Masao Oshimi

Akio Hoshino

Toru Ichien

Kojiro Horita

A method for compressing and decompressing moving picture information wherein a key signal is correctly reproduced and coding is efficiently carried out, and a video signal processing system for implementing the method. At the time of coding a video signal, conversion is carried out for make large a distance between an ordinary digitized video signal and a key signal indicative of whether an image indicates background or foreground for data compression. At the time of decoding the coded video signal, the video signal and key signal of the decompressed image are separated based on a predetermined threshold and reverse conversion opposite to the coding mode is carried out. Since the coding is carried out with the ordinary video signal separated from the key signal, the video signal and the key signal can be separated by a suitable threshold from the compressed and then decompressed image and thus the video signal and key signal can be correctly reproduced.

Method for compressing and decompressing moving picture information and video signal processing system

An image output apparatus capable of realizing asynchronous data access by a host controller in response to an image data transfer request from the host controller, by adding a minimum amount of circuitry to the image output apparatus without using an external data buffer. The image output apparatus includes: a storage device for storing image data; a display circuit for sequentially reading the image data from the storage device and converting the image data into image data capable of being displayed; a timing controller for controlling the operation timing of the display circuit; and an output circuit for changing an operation mode of the timing controller in response to a data transfer request from the host controller and allowing the image data corresponding in amount to the data transfer request to be outputted asynchronously.

Image output apparatus and image decoder

A moving picture data compressing unit compresses picture data representing a moving picture in which a foreground moves in front of a predetermined background. A header adding unit adds a header to the compressed moving picture data obtained through the moving picture data compression unit, the header comprising a color code indicating the color of the predetermined background. A header removing unit removes the header from the compressed moving picture data and the header removing unit then extracts the color code indicating the color of the predetermined background from the header. A moving picture data expanding unit expands the compressed moving picture data, the header added to this data having been removed by the header removing unit. An identification data generating unit receives the moving picture data expanded by the moving picture data expanding means, compares the moving picture data with the color code extracted from the header removed from the moving picture data by the header removing unit, and generates identification data which indicates whether each pixel represented by the moving picture data is a pixel of the foreground or a pixel of the predetermined background.

Picture data processing system for processing picture data representing

In a moving picture decoding apparatus, an output section is provided with a circuit for making a logic sum of control signals for renewing a picture data output, as a control signal for determining a picture data to be next outputted in a selected mode. Thereby, according to a request, newly decoded picture data is discarded or an inputted picture data is discarded without being decoded, and picture data which is currently being outputted is outputted again. In response to a control signal for renewing the output, decoded picture data to be outputted subsequently is outputted and picture data which is currently being outputted is discarded.

Method of and apparatus for decoding moving picture and outputting

A train of coded input picture data carrying moving picture information includes at least one picture data which need to refer to another picture data and at least one coded picture data containing an error. Such a train of input picture data is decoded with the influence of the error minimized and outputted in predetermined order by using a method including the steps of (a) upon detection of an error in a first input picture data in the train of input picture data, skipping the first input picture data and succeeding input picture data without decoding them until a second input picture data which need to refer to no reference to another picture data for decoding appears, and outputting consecutively a third picture data inputted before the first input picture data and already decoded, (b) decoding the second input picture data and outputting the decoded picture data after the third decoded picture data outputted consecutively, and (c) skipping picture data succeeding said second input picture data without decoding them until a fourth input picture data which need to refer to no reference to another picture data for decoding or a fourth input picture data which need to refer to the second decoded picture data for decoding appears, and outputting consecutively a picture data obtained by decoding the second input picture data.

Method of and apparatus for decoding coded moving picture and outputting

Information processing system

A picture decoding apparatus has a memory for storing decoded picture data, three line buffers for temporarily storing picture data read from the memory, and a line buffer controller. Two of the three line buffers are selected sequentially and cyclically, and their operation modes are changed over to the writing mode, and decoded picture data read from the memory is stored sequentially in the two line buffers. The two line buffers are changed over from the writing mode to the reading mode sequentially and cyclically in the same order as that in which the two line buffers selected sequentially and cyclically were changed over to the writing mode, and data for one line is read sequentially from the two line buffers. While an earlier-selected one of the selected two line buffers is changed over to the reading mode and picture data for the former half of one line stored in the line buffer is read out therefrom, the remaining line buffer is changed over to the writing mode and picture data for the former half of a subsequent one line is stored therein. While a later-selected one of the two selected line buffers is changed over to the reading mode and picture data for the latter half of the said one line stored therein is read out therefrom, the earlier-selected line buffer is changed over to the writing mode and picture data for the latter half of the subsequent line is stored therein.

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Kawaguchi, Japan

Yutaka Okunoki