A method for delivering media content over a network includes transcoding the media content to generate multiple copies of the media content, each of the multiple copies having a different destination type or a different source type or both, storing the multiple copies in a cache, receiving requests for the media content, and selecting and delivering a copy of one of the multiple copies in response to each of the requests. A further method for providing media content transcoding services includes fetching media content, selecting one of multiple transcoders for transcoding from multiple source types to multiple destination types, wherein the one transcoder is selected based at least on the destination type, sending the media content to the selected transcoder, transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and transmitting the transcoded media content.

Distributed on-demand media transcoding system and method

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for encoding, storing, transmitting and decoding multimedia information in the form of scalable, streamed digital data. A base stream containing basic informational content and subsequent streams containing additive informational content are initially created from standard digital multimedia data by a transcoder. Client computers, each of which may have different configurations and capabilities are capable of accessing a stream server that contains the scalable streamed digital data. Each different client computer, therefore, may access different stream combinations according to a profile associated with each different client computer. Thus, the streams accessed from the server are tailored to match the profile of each client computer so that the best combination of streams can be provided to maximize the resolution of the 3D, audio and video components.

Method and apparatus that provides a scalable media delivery system

Provided are methods and systems for controlling the conversion of data inputs to a computer-based light system into lighting control signals. The methods and systems include facilities for controlling a nonlinear relationship between data inputs and lighting control signal ouputs. The nonlinear relationship may be programmed to account for varying responses of the viewer of a light source to different light source intensities.

Systems and methods for controlling illumination sources

An image sensor for capturing a color image is disclosed having a two-dimensional array having first and second groups of pixels wherein pixels from the first group of pixels have narrower spectral photoresponses than pixels from the second group of pixels and wherein the first group of pixels has individual pixels that have spectral photoresponses that correspond to a set of at least two colors, with the placement of the first and second groups of pixels defining a pattern that has a minimal repeating unit including at least six pixels with at least some rows or columns of the minimal repeating unit composed only of pixels from the second group of pixels, and including ways to combine similarly positioned pixels from at least two adjacent minimal repeating units.

Image sensor with improved light sensitivity

A method of and system for rendering a halftone image of a gray scale image by utilizing a pixel-by-pixel comparison of the gray scale image against a blue noise mask is disclosed in which the gray scale image is scanned on a pixel-by-pixel basis and compared on a pixel-by-pixel basis to an array of corresponding data points contained in a blue noise mask stored in a PROM or computer memory in order to produce the desired halftoned image. Both digital and optically implemented halftone methods are disclosed. Application specific modifications of the blue noise mask as well as its use for producing halftoned color images are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for halftone rendering of a gray scale image using a blue noise mask

Image processing method and apparatus for converting between data encoded in different formats includes structure and steps for converting motion image data into first digital coded motion image data having a first encoding format and capable of being transmitted to a medium. The first digital coded motion image data is then converted into second digital coded motion image data without decoding entirely the first digital coded motion image data. The second digital coded motion image data has a second encoding format different from the first encoding format. Preferably, the second digital coded motion image data has a digital data amount which is less than that of the first digital coded motion image data.

Image processing method and apparatus for converting between data coded in different formats

There is an image processing apparatus for digitally processing an image. This apparatus comprises: a binarization circuit to binarize image data by a predetermined threshold value; a processor to correct errors generated in binarization; a first detector to detect an edge direction of the image from the image data; and a second detector to detect an edge quantum of the image from the image data. The process corrects the error data in accordance with the edge direction detected by the first detector or the edge quantum detected by the second detector. The errors to be corrected by the processor are the errors between the output concentration data after the binarization and the image concentration data. The processor adds weight coefficients to the error data in a predetermined range stored in a memory and then adds the weighted error data to image data to be newly binarized. The sum of the weight coefficients which are used in the weighting process is set to "1". With this apparatus, a high quality apparatus can be reproduced with a high fidelity from an original including many edges.

Method and apparatus for image processing with fed-back error correction

An image processing apparatus such as a digital printer or digital facsimile apparatus for half tone processing input image data has: an input device to input image data indicative of a concentration of an image; a discriminating circuit to discriminate whether the input image data is smaller than a threshold value or not; a binarizing circuit to binarize the input image data into binary data of high and low levels; and a setting circuit to set the binary output of the image data to the low (0) level irrespective of the result of the binarization by the binarizing circuit when the input image data is determined to be smaller than the threshold value. The input device includes a reading circuit to read the original image and a generator to generate image data indicative of the original image concentration. When the pixel concentration to be processed by an error diffusion method is smaller than the threshold value, the error data generated for that pixel is set to 0, with the result that particles-like noises in the high contrast portion are eliminated and the encoding efficiency in highlight portions is improved. Thus, a high quality image of excellent resolution and gradations can be transmitted at a high speed.

Image processing method and apparatus with error diffusion capability

An image processing apparatus for digitizing an analog image by dispersing the digitizing error to the surrounding areas. The characteristics or edge of the analog image are identified, and the error dispersing area is varied according to the result of identification, thus enabling reproduction of the image with high quality regardless of the nature of the original image.

Image processing apparatus with binarization-error dispersal

There is provided an improvement on the error dispersion method for binary digitizing of an image, in which an area of plural pixels is digitzed, and the error into the digitizing is dispersed in a neighboring area of plural pixels. In the latter area the digitization is conducted according to the image data of plural pixels and the error data dispersed into this area.

Hidefumi Ohsawa

Papers

Image processing method and apparatus for converting between data coded in different formats

Method and apparatus for image processing with fed-back error correction

Image processing method and apparatus with error diffusion capability

Image processing apparatus with binarization-error dispersal

Image processing method and apparatus for error-dispersion digitization without moire or spurious stripe formation