A motion compensated interpolator for digital television images comprises a three-dimensional variable separable finite impulse response interpolation filter operating in the horizontal, vertical and temporal domains.

A coding device in which N digital signals (time-sequential sampled data), obtained by sampling and quantizing analog video signals, are brought together in one group (N being an integer greater than two) and coded. Among these N sampled data, at least one of them serving as a reference is coded with a number of quantization bits n, which is so great that errors due to the quantization can be neglected, and for the other sampled data the difference between the reference sampled data and each of the others is compressed and coded with a number of bits, which is smaller than n. In this way, even if a coding error is produced; effects thereof are restricted within the gorup where it is produced they are not exerted on the other groups, and thus error propagation does not occur.

An image processing device and method for detecting moving objects against complex moving backgrounds, and a rangefinder based thereon are disclosed. The device and method are applicable to rapid and selective evaluation of complex visual fields, without the need for extensive numerical processing. The disclosed image processing method comprises the steps of obtaining sequential video frame data; storing video data in memory for a consecutive series of video frames obtained over a predetermined time interval in the past at a predetermined sampling rate; obtaining a standard image by averaging the video data stored in memory for the predetermined time interval so as to obtain video data representing a composite image for the predetermined time interval; and subtracting the video data for the standard image from video data for a current video frame.

In an encoding device including a frame memory for memorizing an input moving picture signal as a memorized moving picture signal frame by frame and an encoding unit for encoding the memorized moving picture signal by using an encoding parameter, a control unit controls the parameter in compliance with a ratio which a moving picture area has relative to a frame picture represented by each frame of the input moving picture signal. The parameter should be fine and coarse when the ratio is small and great, respectively. As usual, a buffer memory of the encoding unit produces an amount signal indicative of an extent to which the buffer memory is full. Preferably, the control unit suspends encoding operation during a succeeding one of two successive frames when the amount signal indicates that the buffer memory became full in a preceding one of the two successive frames. The control unit makes the frame memory keep a frame of the memorized moving picture signal while suspending the encoding operation. If desired, the control unit controls the parameter additionally in compliance with a bit rate at which the encoding unit produces an encoded picture signal.

An image information transmission apparatus of this invention encodes and transmits image information. An image information signal of one frame consisting of a plurality of pixel data is divided into a plurality of blocks each consisting of a predetermined number of pixel data. At least two reference value data associated with a dynamic range of levels of the pixel data constituting each of the divided blocks, and distribution state data associated with a distribution state thereof are formed. Each pixel data constituting the block is encoded on the basis of the formed reference value data and the formed distribution state data to obtain encoded data. A transmission data series is formed and transmitted using the formed reference value data, the formed distribution state data, and the encoded data as transmission units. Therefore, the image information signal can be highly effectively transmitted with minimum image quality degradation caused by encoding.