1. A decoding method for an audio video coding standard (AVS) system, for decoding encoded audiovideo data, decoding method comprising:
a) setting a stop-fetching flag to an enabled status or a disabled status according to at least one stop-fetching criterion;
b) in an offset fetching procedure, determining whether a valid offset value is smaller than a threshold and whether the stop-fetching flag is in the disabled status;
c) when a determination result of step (b) is affirmative, fetching a subsequent bit for the valid offset value, correspondingly increasing an offset shift value, and iterating step (b);
d) when the determination result of step (b) is negative, terminating the offset fetching procedure; and
e) after the offset fetching procedure is terminated, determining whether a decoding result is a least probable symbol (LPS) or a most probable symbol (MPS).
2. The decoding method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stop-fetching criterion comprises:
when a remaining shift value obtained by subtracting a range shift value from the offset shift value is smaller than an upper limit of the remaining shift value, setting the stop-fetching flag to the disabled status; and
when the remaining shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the remaining shift value, setting the stop-fetching flag to the enabled status.
3. The decoding method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stop-fetching criterion comprises: when an external bandwidth is higher than a bandwidth threshold, the stop-fetching flag is set to the disabled status; when the external bandwidth is lower than the bandwidth threshold, the stop-fetching flag is set to the enabled status, and the external bandwidth is associated with time need for the offset fetching procedure to obtain the subsequent bit from an external environment.
4. The decoding method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stop-fetching criterion comprises: when the offset shift value is smaller than an upper limit of the offset shift value, the stop-fetching flag is set to the disabled status; when the offset shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the offset shift value, the stop-fetching flag is set to the enabled status.
5. The decoding method according to claim 4, between steps (d) and (e), further comprising:
f1) determining whether the valid offset value is greater than the threshold;
f2) when a determination result of step (f1) is affirmative, setting a shift value upper limit flag to a first status; and
f3) when the determination result of step (f1) is negative, setting the shift value upper limit flag to a second status.
6. The decoding method according to claim 5, wherein step (e) comprises:
e1) determining whether a range shift value is greater than the offset shift value;
e2) determining whether the range shift value is equal to the offset shift value and whether the valid offset value is greater than or equal to a valid range value;
e3) determining whether the shift value upper limit flag is in the first status; and
e4) when a determination result of step (e1) or of step (e2) is affirmative, and a determination result of step (e3) is also affirmative, determining the decoding result as the LPS.
7. The decoding method according to claim 6, after step (e4), further comprising:
determining a LPS range value according to a determination flag;
updating the valid offset value according to the range shift value, the offset shift value, the valid range value and the valid offset value;
selectively renormalizing the LPS range value; and
setting both of the offset shift value and the range shift value to zero, and iterating step (b).
8. The decoding method according to claim 6, further comprising:
e5) when the determination result of step (e3) is negative, or the determination results of both of step (e1) and step (e2) are negative, determining the decoding result as the MPS.
9. The decoding method according to claim 8, further comprising:
setting a continue-fetching flag to an enabled status or a disabled status according to at least one continue-fetching criterion;
after step (e5), the decoding method further comprising:
e6) determining whether the shift value upper limit flag is in the second status and whether the continue-fetching flag is in the enabled status; and
e7) when a determination result of step (e6) is affirmative, updating the offset shift value to be equal to the a result of subtracting the range shift value from the offset shift value, updating the range shift value to zero, and iterating step (b).
10. The decoding method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises: when the range shift value is smaller than an upper limit of the offset shift vale, the continue-fetching flag is set to the enabled status; when the range shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag is set to the disabled status.
11. The decoding method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises: when the remaining shift value is smaller than the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag is in the enabled status; and
when the remaining shift value is greater than or equal to the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag is in the disabled status.
12. The decoding method according to claim 9, wherein the continue-fetching criterion comprises: when a subsequent data processing unit is in a busy status, the continue-fetching flag is in the enabled status; and
when the subsequent data processing unit is not in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag is in the disabled status.
13. The decoding method according to claim 9, wherein when the at least one continue-fetching criterion are plural, the continue-fetching flag is set to the enabled status given any one of the continue-fetching criteria is established.
14. The decoding method according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one stop-fetching criterion are plural, the stop-fetching flag is set to the enabled status given any one of the stop-fetching criteria is established.
15. The decoding method according to claim 1, wherein the offset fetching procedure is comprised in an initialization procedure of the offset shift value and the valid offset value.
16. A decoding apparatus for an audio video standard (AVS) system, configured to decode encoded audiovideo data, the decoding apparatus comprising:
a stop-fetching flag setting module, configured to set a stop-fetching flag to an enabled status or a disabled status according to at least one stop-fetching constraint;
a first determining module, configured to determine whether an valid offset value is smaller than a threshold in an offset fetching procedure;
a second determining module, configured to determine whether the stop-fetching flag is in the disabled status;
a fetching module, when determination results of both of the first determining module and the second determining module are affirmative, configured to fetch a subsequent bit for the offset effective value, to correspondingly increase an offset shift value, and to control the first determining module and the second determining module to perform respective determinations again; when the determination results of both of the first determining module and the second determining module are negative, configured to terminate the offset fetching procedure; and
a decoding module, configured to determine whether a decoding result is a least probable symbol (LPS) or a most probable symbol (MPS) after the offset fetching procedure is terminated.
17. The decoding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one stop-fetching criterion comprises whether a remaining shift value is smaller than an upper limit of a remaining shift value; the stop-fetching flag setting module generates the remaining shift value by subtracting a range shift value from the offset shift value; when the remaining shift value is smaller than the upper limit of the remaining shift value, the stop-fetching flag setting module sets the stop-fetching flag to the disabled status; when the remaining shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the remaining shift value, the stop-fetching flag setting module sets the stop-fetching flag to the enabled status.
18. The decoding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one stop-fetching criterion comprises whether an external bandwidth is higher than a bandwidth threshold; when the external bandwidth is higher than the threshold, the stop-fetching flag is set to the disabled status; when the external bandwidth is lower than the bandwidth threshold, the stop-fetching flag is set to the enabled status; the external bandwidth is associated with a wait time that the offset fetching procedure requires for obtaining the subsequent bit from an external environment.
19. The decoding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one stop-fetching criterion comprises:
when the offset shift value is smaller than an upper limit of the offset shift value, the stop-fetching flag setting module sets the stop-fetching flag to the disabled status; when the offset shift value is greater than or equal to the offset shift upper limit, the stop-fetching flag setting module sets the stop-fetching flag to the enabled status.
20. The decoding apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:
a shift value upper limit flag setting module, configured to set a shift value upper limit flag to a first status or a second status according to the determination result of the first determining module.
21. The decoding apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:
a third determining module, configured to determine whether a range shift value is greater than the offset shift value; and
a fourth determining module, configured to determine whether the range shift value is equal to the offset shift value and whether the valid offset value is greater than or equal to a valid range value;
wherein, when a determination result of the third determining module or of the fourth determining module is affirmative, and the shift value upper limit flag is in the first status, the decoding module determines that the decoding result is the LPS.
22. The decoding apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:
an LPS range value determining module, configured to determine an LPS range value according to a determination flag;
an valid offset value updating module, configured to update the valid offset value according to the range shift value, the offset shift value, the valid range value and the valid offset value;
a renormalizing module, configured to selectively renormalize the LPS range value; and
a resetting module, when the decoding module determines that the decoding result is the LPS, after the renormalizing module renormalizes the LPS range value, configured to reset both of the offset shift value and the range shift value to zero.
23. The decoding apparatus according to claim 21, wherein when the shift value upper limit flag is in the second status, or the determination results of both of the third determining module and the fourth determining module are negative, the decoding module determines that the decoding result is the MPS.
24. The decoding apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:
a continue-fetching flag setting module, configured to set a continue-fetching flag to an enabled status or a disabled status according to at least one continue-fetching criterion;
a fifth determining module, configured to determine whether the shift upper limit flag is in the second status and whether the continue-fetching flag is in the enabled status; and
a resetting module, when a determination result of the fifth determining module is affirmative, the resetting module configured to update the offset shift value to be equal to a result of subtracting the range shift value from the offset shift value, to update the range shift value to zero, and to control the first determining module and the second determining module to perform respective determination procedures.
25. The decoding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether the range shift value is smaller than the upper limit of the offset shift value; when the range shift value is smaller than the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the enabled status; when the range shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the disabled status.
26. The decoding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether a remaining shift value is smaller than a lower limit of the remaining shift value; the continue-fetching flag setting module generates the remaining shift value by subtracting the range shift value from the offset shift value; when the remaining shift value is smaller than the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the enabled status; when the remaining shift value is greater than or equal to the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the disabled status.
27. The decoding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether a subsequent data processing unit is in a busy status; when the subsequent data processing unit is in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the enabled status; when the subsequent data processing unit is not in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the disabled status.
28. The decoding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the offset fetching procedure is part of an initialization procedure of the offset shift value and the valid offset value.
29. A decoding method for an AVS system, for decoding encoded audiovideo data, the decoding method comprising:
a) in an offset fetching procedure, setting a shift value upper limit flag to a first status or a second status according to a corresponding relationship between an offset shift value and a threshold;
b) setting a continue-fetching flag to an enabled status or a disabled status according to at least one continue-fetching criterion;
c) determining whether a decoding result is an LPS or an MPS;
d) when it is determined that the decoding result is the MPS, determining whether the shift upper limit flag is in the second status and whether the continue-fetching flag is in the enabled status; and
e) when a determination result of step (d) is affirmative, updating the offset shift value to be equal to a result of subtracting a range shift value from the offset shift value, setting the range shift value to zero, and iterating the offset fetching procedure.
30. The decoding method according to claim 29, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether the range shift value is smaller than an upper limit of the offset shift value; when the range shift value is smaller than the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag is set to the enabled status; when the range shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag is set to the disabled status.
31. The decoding method according to claim 29, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether a remaining shift value generated by subtracting the range shift value from the offset shift value is smaller than a lower limit of the remaining shift value; when the remaining shift value is smaller than the lower limit of the remaining shift, the continue-fetching flag is set to the enabled status; when the remaining shift value is greater than or equal to the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag is set to the disabled status.
32. The decoding method according to claim 29, wherein the continue-fetching criterion comprises whether a subsequent data processing unit is in a busy status; when the subsequent data processing unit is in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag is set to the enabled status; when the subsequent data processing unit is not in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag is set to the disabled status.
33. A decoding apparatus for an AVS system, configured to decode encoded audiovideo data, the decoding apparatus comprising:
a shift upper value limit flag setting module, in an offset fetching procedure, the shift value upper limit flag setting module configured to set a shift value upper limit flag to a first status or a second status according to a corresponding relationship between an offset shift value and a threshold;
a continue-fetching flag setting module, configured to set a continue-fetching flag to an enabled status or a disabled status according to at least one continue-fetching criterion;
an offset fetching module, configured to perform the offset fetching procedure;
a determining module, when it is determined that a decoding result is a most probable symbol (MPS), the determining module configured determine whether the shift value upper limit flag is in the second status and whether the continue-fetching flag is in the enabled status;
a resetting module, when a determination result of the determining result is affirmative, the resetting module configured to update the offset shift value to be equal to a result of subtracting the range shift value from the offset shift value, to reset the range shift value to zero, and to control the determining module to perform the offset fetching procedure; and
a decoding module, configured to determine whether the decoding result is a most probable symbol (LPS) or the MPS after the offset fetching procedure is terminated.
34. The decoding apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the at least one continue-fetching comprises whether the range shift value is smaller than an upper limit of the offset shift value; when the range shift value is smaller than the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the enabled status; when the range shift value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the offset shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the disabled status.
35. The decoding apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether a remaining shift value is smaller than a lower limit of the remaining shift value; the continue-fetching flag setting module generates the remaining shift value by subtracting the range shift value from the offset shift value; when the remaining shift value is smaller than the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the enabled status; when the remaining shift value is greater than or equal to the lower limit of the remaining shift value, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the disabled status.
36. The decoding apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the at least one continue-fetching criterion comprises whether a subsequent data processing unit is in a busy status; when the subsequent data processing unit is in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the enabled status; when the subsequent data processing unit is not in the busy status, the continue-fetching flag setting module sets the continue-fetching flag to the disabled status.
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 method for providing information bearing on how a subscriber should communicate with a user comprising:
a) receiving state information bearing on availability of the user from a plurality of devices;
b) determining communication capabilities of the user;
c) evaluating the state information and the communication capabilities to create presence information identifying a preferred method for the subscriber to communicate with the user and identifying a prioritized list of methods for the subscriber to communicate with the user, the prioritized list including the preferred method for the subscriber to communicate with the user;
d) sending the presence information to a presence application associated with the subscriber;
e) evaluating the state information and the communication capabilities with a plurality of presence rules to create the presence information for each of a plurality of categories associated with a plurality of subscribers; and
f) sending the presence information to a plurality of presence applications, which are associated with the plurality of categories,
wherein different views of presence for the user are created and delivered to the presence applications based on the associated categories.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication capabilities of the user are determined by accessing a database identifying methods of communicating with one or more communication devices of the user.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication capabilities of the user are determined by receiving information identifying at least one method of communicating with the user from at least one communication device associated with the user.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication capabilities of the user are determined by receiving information identifying at least one method of communicating with the user from the user via at least one communication device associated with the user.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a) receiving a profile from the user; and
b) generating the plurality of presence rules for each of the plurality of categories based on the profile, wherein the presence rules define how to evaluate the state information and the communication capabilities to create the presence information for each of the plurality of categories.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the state information stems from an interaction with the plurality of devices by the user during traditional use of the device without regard to generating the state information.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a) receiving a request from the presence application to receive the presence information for the user; and
b) authorizing delivery of the presence information to the presence application.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
a) determining initial presence information based on initial state information for the plurality of devices and initial communication capabilities of the user; and
b) delivering the initial presence information for the user to the presence application upon authorizing delivery of the presence information.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering the plurality of devices or systems associated therewith to facilitate reception of the state information and information bearing on communication capabilities of the user.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the state information for at least one of the plurality of devices includes location information associated with the at least one of the devices.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of devices is associated with a plurality of disparate networks.
12. A system for providing information bearing on how a subscriber should communicate with a user comprising:
a) a packet-switched network; and
b) a control system operatively associated with the packet-switched network and adapted to:
i) receive state information bearing on availability of the user from a plurality of devices;
ii) determine communication capabilities of the user;
iii) evaluate the state information and the communication capabilities to create presence information identifying a preferred method for the subscriber to communicate with the user and identifying a prioritized list of methods for the subscriber to communicate with the user, the prioritized list including the preferred method for the subscriber to communicate with the user;
iv) send the presence information to a presence application associated with the subscriber;
v) evaluate the state information and the communication capabilities with a plurality of presence rules to create the presence information for each of a plurality of categories associated with a plurality of subscribers; and
vi) send the presence information to a plurality of presence applications, which are associated with the plurality of categories,
wherein different views of presence for the user are created and delivered to the presence applications based on the associated categories.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication capabilities of the user are determined by accessing a database identifying methods of communicating with one or more communication devices of the user.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication capabilities of the user are determined by receiving information identifying at least one method of communicating with the user from at least one communication device associated with the user.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication capabilities of the user are determined by receiving information identifying at least one method of communicating with the user from the user via at least one communication device associated with the user.
16. The system of claim 12 wherein the control system is further adapted to:
a) receive a profile from the user; and
b) generate the presence rules for each of the plurality of categories based on the profile, wherein the plurality of presence rules define how to evaluate the state information and the communication capabilities to create the presence information for each of the plurality of categories.
17. The system of claim 12 wherein the state information sterns from an interaction with the plurality of devices by the user during traditional use of the device without regard to generating the state information.
18. The system of claim 12 wherein the control system is further adapted to:
a) receive a request from the presence application to receive the presence information for the user; and
b) authorize delivery of the presence information to the presence application.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the control system is further adapted to:
a) determine initial presence information based on initial state information for the plurality of devices and initial communication capabilities of the user; and
b) deliver the initial presence information for the user to the presence application upon authorizing delivery of the presence information.
20. The system of claim 12 further comprising registering the plurality of devices or systems associated therewith to facilitate reception of the state information and information bearing on communication capabilities of the user.
21. The system of claim 12 wherein the state information for at least one of the plurality of devices includes location information associated with the at least one of the devices.
22. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of devices is associated with a plurality of disparate networks.
23. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for instructing a computer to:
a) receive state information bearing on availability of the user from a plurality of devices;
b) determine communication capabilities of the user;
c) evaluate the state information and the communication capabilities to create presence information identifying a preferred method for a subscriber to communicate with the user and identifying a prioritized list of methods for the subscriber to communicate with the user, the prioritized list including the preferred method for the subscriber to communicate with the user;
d) send the presence information to a presence application associated with the subscriber;
e) evaluate the state information and the communication capabilities with a plurality of presence rules to create the presence information for each of a plurality of categories associated with a plurality of subscribers; and
f) send the presence information to a plurality of presence applications, which are associated with the plurality of categories,
wherein different views of presence for the user are created and delivered to the presence applications based on the associated categories.