1426 results about "Quality level" patented technology

CBR control strategies provide constant or relatively constant bitrate output with variable quality. The control strategies include various techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or independently. For example, an audio encoder uses a trellis in two-pass or delayed-decision CBR encoding. The trellis nodes are states derived by quantizing buffer fullness values. The transitions between nodes of a previous stage and nodes of a current stage depend on encoding a current chunk of audio at different quality levels. When pruning the trellis, the encoder uses a cost function that considers smoothness in quality as well as quality in absolute terms. The encoder may store compressed data at different quality levels, then output the compressed data after simplification of the trellis to a suitable point. If the two-pass or delayed-decision CBR encoding fails, the encoder uses one-pass CBR encoding for the sequence or part of the sequence.

A receiver receives an electromagnetic signal via an antenna mounted on an antenna mast. A signal evaluator determines or measures a signal quality level associated with the received electromagnetic signal. The signal quality compares the determined signal quality level to a threshold minimum signal quality level. A current elevational position of the antenna mast is detected or tracked. The antenna mast is raised to a greater height than the current elevational position if the compared signal quality level is less than the threshold minimum signal quality level and if the current elevational position is less than a maximum height of the antenna mast.

Files are divided into parts and at least some of the parts are transmitted to a client using a communication channel. At least some of the transmitted parts are cached locally. This allows subsequent streaming playback of the file while using less bandwidth by transmitting the part of the file that hasn't been cached, and combining the cached parts with the transmitted parts. In some embodiments, files may be represented at a low quality level by a first data set, and at higher quality levels with additional data sets. Data sets are cached locally, so that during subsequent streaming playback of the file, the quality level of the playback may be improved by sending additional data sets using bandwidth that would otherwise be dedicated to transmitting the cached data sets.

A method for transmitting a stream of multi-media content from provider server to a user device includes transmitting multi-media content from the provider server to the user device via a communication network and outputting the multi-media content from the user device to a user via an output on the user device such that the multi-media content is delivered from the provider server to the user in real-time. A degree of attention that the user directs to the output of the user device is continuously determined during the transmission and a parameter adjusting module at the provider server adjusts a parameter of the multi-media content in response to the degree of attention.

A method for selectively adjusting the resolution levels or the quality levels of digital images stored in a memory of a digital camera having a predetermined memory space includes capturing a first image and storing the captured first image at a specific resolution level or quality level. The resolution level or quality level of the stored first image is adjusted based on the available memory space in the digital camera memory so that a subsequent captured image can be stored. A subsequent image is then captured, and the captured subsequent image is stored with the adjusted first image.

From an electric pole outside to a cordless handset inside a building / facility, a communication line is established via an electric power line. At this point, it is judged whether or not electric power line communication is possible, and if electric power line communication is possible, the communication line between the cordless handset and a base unit is switched to an electric power line communication system, and a communication line is formed via an optical fiber cable from the electric power line. By measuring the communication quality levels of all lines of the wireless and electric power lines, the communication line having the highest communication quality level may be selected.

A system for managing the operation of a plurality of radio modules integrated within the same wireless communication device. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a control strategy may be employed to regulate the quality level of a signal delivered by a codec in order to balance the performance realized in the reproduction certain signals with overall communication stability in the wireless communication device. The regulation of signal quality level may be affected by reducing the bit rate of a codec, changing the codec to select another codec with a lower bit rate, or by performing bitrate scaling with the codec signal.

Embodiments include implementing a remote display system (either wired or wireless) using a standard, non-custom codec. In this system, the decoder side can be fully implemented using an existing standard from a decode / display point of view and using a single stream type. The encoder side includes a pre-processing component that analyzes screen images comprising the video data to determine an amount of difference between consecutive frames of the screen images, divides each screen image into a plurality of regions, including no change regions, high quality regions, and low quality regions. The pre-processor characterizes each region as requiring a minimum quality level, encodes the low quality regions for compression in accordance with the H.264 encoding standard; and encodes the high quality regions using the lossless compression scheme of the H.264 standard. A no change region is encoded using a version of the H.264 encoding standard that adaptively and dynamically selects between lossless and lossy compression in a manner that optimizes efficiency of the compression operation.

The invention provides quality assured network services in a multi-domain network and comprises a network service management device for managing device clusters incorporated within the operations management network of each provider network and receiving service orders, and a multi-domain service broker for providing a broker function for achieving agreement between a plurality of providers, and the multi-domain service broker further comprises a device for collecting domain information and information relating to the services each provider is able to provide from the network service management devices, and a device which on receipt of a network service request from a customer, extracts the network service management device of the domain which is able to satisfy the required quality level, and then issues instructions for the setting of the required information within the extracted network service management device.

The present invention provides a method of processing data in digital broadcasting system. The method includes receiving a broadcast signal including mobile broadcast service data and main broadcast service data, wherein the mobile broadcast service data configures a data group, wherein the data group is divided into a plurality of regions, wherein N number of known data sequences are inserted in some regions among the plurality of regions, and wherein a transmission parameter is inserted between a first known data sequence and a second known data sequence, among the N number of known data sequences, detecting the transmission parameter from the mobile broadcast service data, symbol-decoding the received broadcast signal included in the mobile broadcast service data in block units, based upon the detected transmission parameter, extracting a video data from the mobile broadcast service data, parsing the extracted video data by a NAL unit, obtaining NAL unit type information from parsed NAL header, obtaining extension information of a NAL header, when data of a current NAL unit indicates scalable video coded data according to the NAL unit type information, and decoding the video data using the extension information of the NAL header, wherein the extension information of the NAL header includes at least one of temporal level information, quality level information, information indicating whether inter-layer prediction is used, and dependency information of the NAL unit.

Multi-mode video event indexing includes determining a quality of object distinctiveness with respect to images from a video stream input. A high-quality analytic mode is selected from multiple modes and applied to video input images via a hardware device to determine object activity within the video input images if the determined level of detected quality of object distinctiveness meets a threshold level of quality, else a low-quality analytic mode is selected and applied to the video input images via a hardware device to determine object activity within the video input images, wherein the low-quality analytic mode is different from the high-quality analytic mode.

Disclosed are systems and methods for reducing video communication bandwidth requirements of a video surveillance network camera system that includes network communication paths between network video cameras producing video streams of scenes observed by the network video cameras and content-aware computer networking devices analyzing by video analytics video visual content of the video streams to provide managed video representing, at specified quality levels, samples of the scenes observed. Distribution of the managed video consumes substantially less network bandwidth than would be consumed by delivery through network communication paths a video stream at the specified quality level in the absence of analysis by the video analytics.

The advanced intelligent network (AIN) to determine routing of voice calls alternatively between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and a data packet network, such as the Internet, in accordance with the quality of service existing in the data packet network at the times of call origination. The user's acceptable level of service may be predefined with a threshold quality level stored in the user's Call Processing Record (CPR) in the AIN Integrated Services Control Point (ISCP). On a per call basis, the caller linked to a first public switched network may indicate a preference to route through the Internet. This indication is recognized by the AIN system, in response to which the quality of service currently present on the Internet for completion of the call is measured. If the result exceeds the stored threshold, the call is setup and routed through the Internet to the switched network link to the destination party. If the quality of service on the Internet is not satisfactory, the call is alternatively routed through the PSTN, which may include an Interexchange Carrier link. The AIN system automatically controls the alternative routing of such calls.

Digital imaging system and method in which user operation of a digital zoom selection switch to increase digital zoom of a portion of an evaluation image is interrupted for at least an interval of time as a warning to the user that the digital zoom selection has reached a digital zoom ratio that corresponds to a predetermined minimum image resolution quality level in an image of a given size to be rendered from the portion of the evaluation image. The user can then resume increasing digital zoom selection only by opening and re-closing the zoom selection switch. A graphical indicator is used to show changes in zoom settings and the appearance of the indicator is changed when one or more predetermined digital zoom settings are reached to reinforce the visual warning to the user.

The present invention concerns an adaptive streaming method, at a client device, for receiving content split into chunks corresponding to a content duration, the chunks being encoded at a server into at least a first and a second formats, the first format corresponding to a better content rendering quality level than the second format, a chunk being received during a chunk reception period. According to the invention, the method comprises the steps of measuring the available bandwidth between the client and the server for the next chunk reception period, requesting the server to send a chunk encoded at a format so that the chunk can be received during the next chunk reception period, and if some bandwidth is available for the next chunk reception period, requesting the server to send a part of a chunk encoded at a second format, the chunk having been received encoded at the first format.

A system and method for providing quality-of-service based network resource allocation and utilization in a dynamic network environment. For example, a wireless communication network may comprise a first system and a second system. The first system may provide a current service to a user at a current quality level. The first system and second system may establish a wireless communication link. At least one of the first and second systems may determine whether utilizing one or more resources of the second system will provide the current service to the user at a higher level of quality than the current quality level. One or more resources of the second system may be allocated for providing the current service to a user at a higher quality level. The allocated resources may be utilized to provide the current service to the user at a higher quality level than the current quality level.

A system (300, 500) for scrambling digital samples (115, 200, 250, 260, 270) of multimedia data, including audio and video data samples, such that the content of the samples is degraded but still recognizable, or otherwise provided at a desired quality level. The samples may be in any conceivable compressed or uncompressed digital format, including Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) samples, samples in floating point representation, samples in companding schemes (e.g., μ-law and A-law), and other compressed bit streams. The quality level may be associated with a particular signal to noise ratio, or quality level that is determined by objective and / or subjective tests, for example. A number of LSBs can be scrambled in successive samples in successive frames (FRAME A, FRAME B, FRAME C). Moreover, the parameters for scrambling may change from frame to frame. Furthermore, all or part of the scrambling key (310) can be embedded (340) in the scrambled data and recovered at a decoder (400, 600) to be used in descrambling. After descrambling, the scramble key is no longer recoverable because the scramble key itself is scrambled by the descrambler.

A method of supporting multiple quality of service (QoS) levels for data being transmitted between two networking devices, such as customer equipment (CE), that use Ethernet and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). The method supports multiple QoS services in a network where a first CE is connected to a first edge device (interworking unit) using the Ethernet protocol and a second CE is connected to a second edge device using the ATM protocol. The edge devices may be directly connected together or they may be connected through a network backbone using any generally accepted network protocol. The first CE may be connected to the first edge device using a single Ethernet port, multiple Ethernet ports, a single virtual local area network (VLAN), or multiple VLAN's. The second CE is connected to an edge device using a single virtual circuit connection (VCC), a single virtual path connection (VPC), or multiple VCC's. The method ensures QoS for data transmitted between the first and the second CE via the Ethernet protocol to the ATM protocol and vice versa.

An apparatus and methods are disclosed for purifying fluid, such as potable water, to quality levels suitable for medical application, particularly to applications involving injection of the fluid into a human body. The apparatus comprises a portable purification pack constructed for a single use. The pack houses depth filtration, activated carbon, mixed bed ion exchange resins and terminal filtration stages in series. The terminal filter comprises a fine (microfiltration or ultrafiltration), permeable membrane, treated with an endotoxin-binding chemistry. In contrast with semi-permeable osmotic membranes, the permeable membrane produces high flow rates at relatively low pressures, while still safely purifying fluid to injection quality.

The invention includes a method and apparatus for controlling video streams. A method includes monitoring for an event associated with one of a plurality of video camera controllers providing a plurality of video streams where each of the video streams has a first quality level, and, in response to detecting an event associated with one of the plurality of video camera controllers, propagating a control message toward the one of the video camera controllers for which the event is detected, where a control message adapted for requesting the one of the video camera controllers to switch from providing the video stream using the first quality level to providing the video stream using a second quality level. The first quality level may be a low level of quality and the second quality level may be a high level of quality.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for acquiring an image for iris recognition using a distance of a facial feature, the apparatus comprising: a buffer for photographing one or more facial images of a subject being photographed so as to acquire an image for iris recognition and storing the photographed facial images; a facial feature distance calculating unit for calculating a distance of a facial feature from the facial images stored in the buffer; an actual distance estimating unit for estimating an actual distance between the subject being photographed and a camera from the distance of the face feature calculated by the facial feature distance calculating unit, and confirming, from of the estimated distance, that the subject being photographed exists in an iris photographing space; and an iris image acquiring unit for acquiring an eye image from the facial images of the subject being photographed that has been confirmed as existing in the iris photographing space by the actual distance estimating unit, and measuring the quality of the acquired eye image so as to acquire an image for iris recognition, which satisfies a reference level of quality.

A deinterlacing system which converts an interlaced video stream into a progressive video stream is disclosed. The deinterlacing system includes a field assembly responsive to a last field, a next field, a current field and progressive source phase and operative to develop a progressive output frame, a source detection module responsive to last, next and current fields and operative to develop a progressive source phase and a progressive source detected and an intra-frame deinterlacer responsive to the progressive output frame and the progressive source detected and operative to develop a progressive frame output.

The invention includes a method and apparatus for providing programs to a client device. The method includes providing a first video program stream over a first channel where the first video program stream conveys a first video program having a first quality level, and providing a plurality of second video program streams over a second channel where each of the second video program streams conveys a second video program having a second quality level below the first quality level. The first video program stream and second video program streams are adapted for use by the client device in locally switching from presenting the first video program at the first quality level to presenting a selected one of the second video programs at the second quality level.

A method of providing multimedia services in consideration of the capability of a terminal, a method of receiving the multimedia services, and a terminal for receiving the multimedia services. The method of providing multimedia services includes receiving information regarding capability of a terminal, and processing data according to the received information and providing the processed data to the terminal. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the server or proxy server with information regarding resources available for a lightweight application terminal, allowing it to provide data at a level of quality best suited to the capabilities of the terminal.

Methods and arrangements for replacing segments or portions of a media file that was received via adaptive streaming or other transfer mechanism, to obtain a media file for local storage and further playback as if it came from a download. This maximizes the experience of both instant viewing and delayed viewing, and additionally provides a capability to extend the viewing experience to in-home streaming and copying to other devices. Accordingly, there is provided herein a capability to take advantage of adaptive streaming to provide a highly reliable mechanism for consumers to view media in real-time transmission, and also to obtain a resultant, locally stored media file of high quality. There is further provided herein a capability to obtain complete copies of media at different quality levels. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention facilitate adaptive streaming and copying within the home environment.

A system and method for delivering and charging for data services over a netword system. A hardware device called "network access controller" (NAC) can be configured by a management system with information regarding data services available on a per-user, per-customer, or per-service basis. The access controller is able to read all data packets coming into the network and figure out whether they indicate the start of any premium service session like video on demand or whether they are from a premium user who needs special treatment. The access controller is able to process incoming data packets without leading to any degradation in performance or throughput. Once it detects the start of a specific type of data service session, then the access controller signals to the management system that this data service flow has started and supplies additional information extracted from the incoming data packet. Using this information and additional information on the capacity of the transport network and server resources, the number of service sessions already active and availability of credit, such as billing authorization information from a billing system, the management system can determine whether to allow the start of this service or not. The management system communicates this decision to the access controller and alters the Access Control Lists (ACLs) in traffic shapers appropriately. If the data service request is admitted into the network, then additional bandwidth is opened in The traffic shapers so that the end user receives the appropriate quality level for the service. If the service request is denied access, then the end user will not be able to gain access to the premium service.

The invention provides an image quality evaluating method based on a support vector machine. The method comprises the following steps: first, a preprocessed image sample is selected and extracted according to characteristic value, a processed sample set is respectively divided into a training set and a testing set; secondly, the training set is used for training the support vector machine, the number of the support vector machine is ensured according to a certain level which is required by a system, thus ensuring each support vector machine to be trained, wherein, an input sample is the characteristic value of the image and an output sample is the level of the image quality; thirdly, the trained support vector machine is used for adjusting and optimizing correlation parameters with the testing set and determining the parameter of the decision function of the optimal hyperplane of the support vector machine model; and finally, the support vector machine model which is trained and optimized is used for evaluating the quality level of the image sample. The invention has the advantages of little required sample, fast arithmetic speed, high precision, good performance, strong popularization, etc.

The invention discloses an automatic judging method, device and system for the service life of a filter screen. According to the automatic judging method, device and system, a wind speed sensor is used for detecting the wind speed change, the fouling and blockage situations of the filter screen are judged according to the attenuation rate of the wind speed, because an air conditioner fan has a fixed wind speed under each of different wind gears, the wind speed would be gradually reduced along with the dirtying and blockage of the filter screen, after the wind speed is reduced to a certain degree, different degrees of warnings are given to the user. Compared with the prior art, the automatic judging method, device and system for the service life of the filter screen solve the dependency on air quality level, do not need air quality detection cost and do not need the user to set manually according to the local air quality level, and therefore, the problem of imprecision due to judging according to the air quality level is solved, and moreover, the user does not need to manually set the air quality level and manually clear the accumulated time; the automatic judging method, device and system for the service life of the filter screen are more intelligent and more friendly to human and very convenient for the user.

A system and method of the present invention cross-fade a first transmitted audio stream to a second transmitted audio stream, wherein both first and second audio streams represent the same original audio signal, but at different quality levels. A client computer receives timestamped packets of compressed encoded audio data from the first audio stream, decodes that data and resamples it to a highest sampling rate supported by playback equipment such as a sound card. A server computer responds to a change in available bandwidth, by transmitting timestamped packets of the second audio stream which correspond to a playback time earlier than that of the final transmitted packet of the first audio stream. The client computer buffers in a first buffer the decoded resampled samples from the final packets of the first audio stream, which represent a playback time period t1. The client computer then buffers in a second buffer decoded resampled samples from the initial packets of the second audio stream representing a playback time period t2. A cross-fade overlap window is defined by a time period t3 over which t1 and t2 overlap. A cross-fader cross-fades sample pairs drawn from both buffers, each pair corresponding to a playback time in the cross-fade overlap window. A cross-fade table holds a predetermined number of values decreasing from 1 to 0, which values approximate a cross-fade curve. The cross-fader applies a weight value to each sample pair, the weight value calculated by applying linear interpolation across adjacent values in the cross-fade table, by multiplying a sample from the first audio stream by the weight value, and by multiplying a time-corresponding sample from the second audio stream by one minus the weight value. The resulting contributions from both samples are combined and sent to audio reproduction equipment.