1. A moving picture coding apparatus which codes a current picture, on a predetermined block-to-block basis, out of a set of input pictures, said moving picture coding apparatus comprising:
an eliminating unit configured to eliminate a predetermined picture from the set of input pictures;
an overall motion vector estimating unit configured to (i) estimate a motion vector for the entirety of a picture between pictures included in the set of input pictures after the elimination and (ii) set the estimated motion vector as an overall motion vector;
a correction motion vector calculating unit configured to calculate a correction motion vector representing a motion vector for the entirety of the current picture, the correction motion vector being calculated based on the estimated overall motion vector and a ratio between (i) a first time interval representing a time interval between the pictures used for estimating the overall motion vector and (ii) a second time interval representing a time interval between the current picture and a reference picture corresponding to the current picture;
a search range determining unit configured to determine a search range, to be searched, in which a motion vector of the current block is to be estimated, the search range being determined based on the calculated correction motion vector and a predetermined coding condition; and
a coding unit configured to estimate the a motion vector of the current block by searching the determined search range, and to code the current block with use of the estimated motion vector of the current block.
2. The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a picture reducing unit configured to generate reduced input pictures by reducing the pictures in the set of input pictures after the elimination,
wherein said overall motion vector estimating unit estimates the motion vector for the entirety of the picture between the pictures included the set of input pictures after the elimination using the generated reduced input pictures.
3. The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined coding condition represents reference picture information indicating a picture type and a picture to be referred to, when coding the current picture.
4. The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said eliminating unit is configured to perform the elimination based on an elimination control amount representing an elimination amount of the elimination, and
wherein said correction motion vector calculating unit is configured to calculate the correction motion vector based on the elimination control amount.
5. The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the elimination control amount indicates the elimination amount is to be reduced in the case where either a magnitude of the overall motion vector or a magnitude of the correction motion vector is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
6. The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the elimination control amount indicates the elimination amount is to be increased in the case where either the magnitude of the overall motion vector or the magnitude of the correction motion vector is smaller than the predetermined threshold value.
7. A moving picture coding method for coding a current picture, on a predetermined block-to-block basis, out of a set of input pictures, said moving picture coding method comprising:
eliminating a predetermined picture from the set of input pictures;
estimating a motion vector for the entirety of a picture between pictures included in the set of input pictures after said eliminating, and setting the estimated motion vector as an overall motion vector;
calculating a correction motion vector representing a motion vector for the entirety of the current picture, the correction motion vector being calculated based on the estimated overall motion vector and a ratio between (i) a first time interval representing a time interval between the pictures used for estimating the overall motion vector and (ii) a second time interval representing a time interval between the current picture and a reference picture corresponding to the current picture;
determining a search range, to be searched, in which a motion vector for the current block is to be estimated, the search range being determined based on the calculated correction motion vector and a predetermined coding condition; and
estimating the motion vector of the current block by searching the determined search range, and coding the current block with use of the estimated motion vector of the current block.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon a computer program recorded for coding a current picture, on a predetermined block-to-block basis, out of a set of input pictures, wherein, when executed, said computer program causes a computer to execute a method comprising:
eliminating a predetermined picture from the set of input pictures;
estimating a motion vector for the entirety of a picture between pictures included in the set of input pictures after said eliminating, and setting the estimated motion vector as an overall motion vector;
calculating a correction motion vector representing a motion vector for the entirety of the current picture, the correction motion vector being calculated based on the estimated overall motion vector and a ratio between (i) a first time interval representing a time interval between the pictures used for estimating the overall motion vector and (ii) a second time interval representing a time interval between the current picture and a reference picture corresponding to the current picture;
determining a search range, to be searched, in which a motion vector for the current block is to be estimated, the search range being determined based on the calculated correction motion vector and a predetermined coding condition; and
estimating the motion vector of the current block by searching the determined search range, and coding the current block with use of the estimated motion vector of the current block.
9. An integrated circuit for coding a current picture, on a predetermined block-to-block basis, out of a set of input pictures, said integrated circuit comprising:
an eliminating unit configured to eliminate a predetermined picture from the set of input pictures;
an overall motion vector estimating unit configured to (i) estimate a motion vector for the entirety of a picture between pictures included in the set of input pictures after the elimination and (ii) set the estimated motion vector as an overall motion vector;
a correction motion vector calculating unit configured to calculate a correction motion vector representing a motion vector for the entirety of the current picture, the correction motion vector being calculated based on the estimated overall motion vector and a ratio between (i) a first time interval representing a time interval between the pictures used for estimating the overall motion vector and (ii) a second time interval representing a time interval between the current picture and a reference picture corresponding to the current picture;
a search range determining unit configured to determine a search range, to be searched, in which a motion vector of the current block is to be estimated, the search range being determined based on the calculated correction motion vector and a predetermined coding condition; and
a coding unit configured to estimate the motion vector of the current block by searching the determined search range, and to code the current block with use of the estimated motion vector of the current block.
10. The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said search range determining unit determines the search range by shifting a reference position of the search range based on the calculated correction motion vector and the predetermined coding condition.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A communication system for hygiene compliance monitoring comprising:
a plurality of hygiene dispensers for dispensing hygiene product, each dispenser having a transmitter for transmitting data indicating the status of the dispenser to a central monitoring station.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the status includes at least one of the quantity of product left, dispenser needs refilling, type of product being dispensed, operative status, need for maintenance or need for repair.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein each dispenser has a switch for activation by a user to indicate that the product remaining in the dispenser needs refilling.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein each dispenser has at least one sensor for detecting the product remaining in the dispenser.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits data on a periodic basis.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits data when the product remaining in the dispenser needs refilling.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits data indicating the identity of the dispenser.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits data indicating when the data is being transmitted.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the central monitoring station stores the data received and calculates a projected time for refilling the dispenser before hygiene product is depleted.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the data wirelessly.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the central monitoring station transmits an alert signal after receiving data from the dispenser indicating that a refill is needed.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the alert signal is at least one of an email message, SMS text message or phone message.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the central monitoring station transmits a polling signal to each dispenser to poll the status of dispenser, and wherein the dispenser transmits the data in response to receipt of the polling signal.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the polling signal is transmitted periodically.
15. A method for monitoring hygiene dispensing product in a hygiene compliance monitoring system, comprising:
monitoring the status of a plurality of hygiene dispensers; and
transmitting data indicating the status of the hygiene dispensers to a central station.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the status of product includes at least one of the quantity of product left, dispenser needs refilling, type of product being dispensed, operative status, need for maintenance or need for repair.
17. The method of claim 15, including the step of activating a switch to indicate that the product in the dispenser needs refilling.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of monitoring and transmitting are performed on a periodic basis.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring includes the step of detecting when the product in the dispenser needs refilling.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of transmitting includes transmitting data indicating the identity of the dispenser.
21. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of transmitting includes transmitting data indicating when the data is being transmitted.
22. The method of claim 15, further including storing the data transmitted at a central station.
23. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the data wirelessly.
24. The method of claim 15, further including the step of transmitting an alert signal by the central station in response to data indicating that a product refill is needed.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the alert signal is at least one of an email message, SMS text message or phone message.
26. The method of claim 15, including the step of the central station transmitting a polling signal to the dispensers, in response to which the transmitting of data step occurs.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the transmitting of the polling signal is performed on a periodic basis.