System and method for scalar quantization error reduction
Granted: August 19, 2014
Patent Number:
8811735
To reduce artifacts caused by quantization errors in image compression systems, an offset is added to quantized samples at low frequency sections of a macroblock. A decoder uses the offset after decoding to bring the decoded sample closer to the original pre-encoded and pre-quantized sample, thereby compensating for quantization errors.
System and method for fixed rate entropy coded scalar quantization
Granted: June 17, 2014
Patent Number:
8754792
A system and method combine an entropy coding algorithm like Huffman or arithmetic coding with a fixed length coding scheme and can improve the compression performance in a fixed rate compression scheme. The fixed length code assigns codes with a fixed length to symbols that have the highest probability of occurrence. Therefore, fixed length coding is used if all symbols in the sequence are from the set of symbols that have the highest probability values. Otherwise an entropy coding…
Relaying of multicast transmissions
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8750300
A method for multicast transmissions between a source node and a client node includes the source node generating a multicast stream identifier to uniquely identify the multicast stream, and the source node establishing a path between the source node and the client node for a specified the multicast stream, each node in the path using unicast routing tables in order to identify a next node on the path during path establishment, and the source node transmitting messages of the specified…
Bandwidth management in a powerline network
Granted: May 27, 2014
Patent Number:
8737420
There is provided a powerline network that includes a number of stations including a central coordinator for coordinating transmissions of each of the stations. Each of the stations is configurable to generate one or more tone maps for communicating with each of the other stations in the powerline network. Each tone map includes a set of tones to be used on a communication link between two of the stations. Each tone map further includes a unique set of modulation methods for each tone.…
Home network domain master
Granted: March 18, 2014
Patent Number:
8676982
A method of generating a transmission schedule for a network device of a home network includes ensuring that strongly interfering nodes of different domains do not transmit simultaneously while enabling other non interfering nodes of the different domains to transmit simultaneously. A domain master for a home network includes a receiver and a scheduler. The receiver receives at least one transmission from at least one node of its domain indicating at least one node of at least one…
Methods for efficient implementation of skip/direct modes in digital video compression algorithms
Granted: February 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8649436
The approach of the present invention is to take advantage of similarity in implementation between SKIP and DIRECT modes and one other inter-picture prediction modes, namely, the 16×16 partition mode. The SKIP/DIRECT modes are classified into two groups, one involving inter-picture prediction in one temporal direction in which prediction is chosen from either past or future recon pictures, and the other involving prediction in two temporal directions in which prediction is constructed…
MAC structure with packet-quasi-static blocks and ARQ
Granted: February 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8644341
A MAC layer protocol that converts packets into a data stream is presented. The protocol layer accepts packets (like Ethernet packets) and converts them into blocks. The packets may be segmented into multiple hocks and multiple packets or packet fragments may be contained in a block. The blocks contain information for reassembling the data. All blocks may be exactly the same size and format, with the same coding. This allows blocks to be precisely recovered even when some of the bits on…
Routing and topology management
Granted: February 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8644135
A method for routing communications on a network node in a communications network includes: updating a central domain master regarding changes detected in topology, receiving a routing plan from the central domain master, where the routing plan is calculated at least in accordance with the changes, and transmitting data as necessary in accordance with the routing plan. A method implementable on a central domain master for routing communications between network nodes in a communications…
Node repair in a mesh network
Granted: November 12, 2013
Patent Number:
8582431
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for sensing a change in a network topology using a discovery node in a mesh network; transmitting an explore frame, based at least in part on the sensed change, from the discovery node to a destination node using an intermediate node; receiving a response to the explore frame from the destination node; determining at least one functional network route from the discovery node to the destination node based at least…
Multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) communication system over in-premises wires
Granted: October 29, 2013
Patent Number:
8571124
A method of communicating across power lines, including communicating data between at least two in-premises network devices along more than one channel, each channel defined by a different two of a plurality of wires in a subscriber premises, a first channel forming a straight path channel and a second channel forming a cross-path channel, and using multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) processing and maximum ratio combining (MRC) processing of data received along the plurality of…
Pairing PLC devices
Granted: October 8, 2013
Patent Number:
8552844
A power line communication device includes a power line communication unit, a sensor to sense a physical connection to a second power line communication device other than via a powerline medium and a pairing unit to receive an indication of a physical connection between the power line communication device and the second power line communication device and to initiate a pairing process with the second power line communication device. A method of pairing communication devices which…
Methods and systems for monitoring quality of a video/audio playback device
Granted: July 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8484515
A computer-implemented method, executable software product, and system for performing a test of an audio/video playback device are described. The audio/video playback device includes at least one main processor, interfaces, and additional processors. The main processor(s) communicate with the additional processors through the interfaces. The method, software product, and system include monitoring at least part of the interfaces for communications between the main processor(s) and the…
Dual mode map messages in G.HN
Granted: December 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8335228
A method for a central coordinator of a network includes transmitting an active media access plan (MAP) using at least a regional mask and a bit allocation table (BAT) associated with the regional mask and transmitting a default MAP using only a permanent mask and a BAT associated with the permanent mask. The default MAP includes at least regional mask information.
Dynamically enabling a secondary channel in a mesh network
Granted: October 30, 2012
Patent Number:
8300652
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for using a node in a mesh network to perceive a plurality of channels within a mesh network; selecting a first channel from the plurality of channels within the mesh network with the node; remaining on the first channel with the node for a predefined duration; remaining on the first channel beyond the predefined duration in order to receive a message if a signal is detected during the predefine duration; and…
Method and apparatus for packet detection via cross-correlation in the presence of frequency offset
Granted: August 7, 2012
Patent Number:
8238492
An apparatus and method for packet detection using cross-correlation in the presence of frequency offset. The method comprises: segmenting a received signal; and cross-correlating each segment with an expected signal. The apparatus comprises a slicer that segments a received signal; and a cross correlator that cross-correlates each segment with an expected signal.
Using battery-powered nodes in a mesh network
Granted: July 17, 2012
Patent Number:
8223783
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for associating a first node in a mesh network with a communication type; activating the first node at a predefined interval to detect the presence of a message of the communication type in a transmission from a second node in the mesh network; continuing to activate the first node at the predefined interval if the transmission from the second node does not conform to the associated communication type of the…
Silent acknowledgement of routing in a mesh network
Granted: July 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8219705
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for sending a single cast frame from a first node to a second node in a mesh network; sending the single cast frame from the second node to a third node in a mesh network; using the first node to detect the single cast frame sent from the second node to the third node; and interpreting this detection within the first node as an acknowledgement of success in sending the single cast frame from the first node to the…
Static update controller enablement in a mesh network
Granted: June 5, 2012
Patent Number:
8194569
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for using a primary controller in a mesh network to instruct a static update controller to enable node information server functionality to form a static update controller information server. Capabilities are described for using the static update controller information server to enable other controllers in the mesh network to command other nodes in the mesh network on behalf of the static update controller…
System and method of geometrical predistortion of overlaying graphics sources
Granted: April 17, 2012
Patent Number:
8159615
A system and method of geometrical predistortion of a graphical source signal is provided in which the graphical source signal is merged with an input video signal for display on a display device. The input video signal is received at a hardware scaler device and a predistorted video signal is generated there from. A warping map is calculated using a programmed processor and a graphics source signal is then predistorted, in software, using the warping map to generate a warped graphical…
System and method for adaptive contrast enhancement of video signals
Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8154663
A method for contrast enhancement of a video signal comprises receiving a video signal frame, gathering statistics about the video signal frame, calculating the effective input dynamic range of the video signal frame, calculating the effective output dynamic range of the video signal frame, and constructing a transform to enhance the picture in the video signal frame by mapping the effective input dynamic range to the effective output dynamic range via the transform.
