Television – Two-way video and voice communication – User positioning
Patent
1995-03-29
1997-05-06
Kizou, Hassan
Television
Two-way video and voice communication
User positioning
348390, 364514R, H04N 726
Patent
active
056275811
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an encoding apparatus and an encoding method for efficiently compression-encoding video signals and speech signals.
BACKGROUND ART
Hitherto, various systems of efficiently compression-encoding video signals or speech signals to transmit encoded signals have been proposed. In these conventional compression encoding systems, with respect to respective signals of video signals and speech signals, compression encoding processing are carried out on the basis of respective masking effects so that signal degradation does not conspicuous.
Meanwhile, compression encoding systems as mentioned above are in conformity with respective sensitivity characteristics (masking characteristics) of the hearing sense and the visual sense of the human being. In all the systems, compression processing are independently carried out with reproduced picture and reproduced sound being individually considered to be evaluated.
For example, when only picture is evaluated in the state where sound is interrupted, since it is important to allow conspicuous degradation such as jerkiness or block distortion, etc. of picture to be as minimum as possible, compression encoding processing is carried out laying stress upon that point.
However, in entertainments such as video or video software, etc., pictures and sounds are simultaneously reproduced, and these reproduced pictures and sounds synthetically give stimulus to the human being. For this reason, in the case where, e.g., sound related to picture simultaneously exists, there are many instances where severe degradation of picture like jerkiness of picture mentioned above is practically masked and is not felt. Particularly, at the portion in which interest (attention) of the human being is mainly paid upon sound (the portion where stimulation level (activity) of sound is high), attention on picture is distracted, resulting in high possibility that severe degradation as described above of picture might not be felt in most cases.
Phenomenon as mentioned above similarly applies to sound. In the case where level (degree) of stimulation (activity) from picture is high, e.g., the case where, e.g., picture is moving, etc., there are many instances where sound is masked, so its degradation is not felt.
As described above, the sensitivity of the visual and auditory senses of the human being (masking characteristic) in the case where pictures and sounds respectively independently exist and that in the case where pictures and sounds exist in a manner relative to each other like cinema, etc. are greatly different. Accordingly, there was the possibility that in the case where pictures and sounds exist in a manner relative to each other like cinema, etc., if pictures and sounds are caused to respectively independently undergo compression processing as in the prior art, optimum compression encoding might not be carried out.
This invention has been made in view of actual circumstances as described above, and its object is to provide an encoding apparatus and an encoding method which can carry out more optimum compression encoding in connection with pictures (video signals) and sounds (speech signals).
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An encoding apparatus of this invention is directed to an encoding apparatus adapted for respectively compression-encoding a digital video signal and a digital speech signal related thereto, and includes first characteristic detecting means for detecting the characteristic of the digital video signal, second characteristic detecting means for detecting the characteristic of the digital speech signal, synthesizing means for synthesizing outputs of the first and second characteristic detecting means, and control means for controlling allocated information quantities of compression encoding of the digital video signal and the digital speech signal on the basis of an output of the synthesizing means.
Here, the first and second characteristic detecting means respectively detect activities of video signal and speech signal. The activity is d
REFERENCES:
patent: 4541008 (1985-09-01), Fishman et al.
patent: 4868653 (1989-09-01), Golin et al.
patent: 4907087 (1990-03-01), Schreiber et al.
patent: 5151941 (1992-09-01), Nishiguchi et al.
patent: 5231492 (1993-07-01), Dangi et al.
patent: 5309290 (1994-05-01), Sugiyama et al.
patent: 5455684 (1995-10-01), Fujinami et al.
patent: 5500672 (1996-03-01), Fujii
patent: 5550581 (1996-08-01), Zhou
Sato, Yoichi, "Multiplicating Characteristics of Multimedia Signal in High-Speed Burst Multiple Transmitting System", IEICE Thesis Journal, vol. J72-B-I, No. 11, Nov. 1989, pp. 1112-1119.
Frommer William S.
Kizou Hassan
Sinderbrand Alvin
Sony Corporation
LandOfFree
Encoding apparatus and encoding method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Encoding apparatus and encoding method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Encoding apparatus and encoding method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2135838