Abstract: Real-time pre-encoding dithering techniques mitigate or eliminate banding and other graphical artifacts in video frames prior to such video frames being encoded for transmission to and display by one or more client devices. For each of one or more input video frames, one or more random seeds and a frame identifier are received, and a dithering process is initiated for each of one or more pixels of the input video frame. The dithering process includes generating a YUV noise vector based on the random seeds and on the frame identifier, computing a YUV representation of the input pixel based on RGB color information for the input pixel, and generating a dithered output pixel by adding the generated YUV noise vector to the YUV representation of the input pixel.

Abstract: Pre-encoding noise parameterization techniques mitigate or eliminate banding and other graphical artifacts in video frames for decoding and presentation by a client device. For one or more input video frames, a quantization parameter associated with the input video frames is identified. Noise synthesis parameters are determined based on the identified quantization parameter, and the input video frames are encoded for transmission. The encoded video frames are transmitted to the client device along with the determined noise synthesis parameters, for use by the client device in generating synthetic noise to add to resulting video frames decoded by the client device.

Abstract: A two-pass encoding operation is implemented to encode one or more gaming frames into a game stream. The two-pass encoding operation includes a first encoding pass performed on a current frame. As a result of the first encoding pass, an estimated complexity for the current frame is determined. The resulting estimated complexity is then modulated according to a quality difference between reference frames used during the first pass encoding and a subsequent second pass encoding. Based on the modulated complexity, a quantization parameter is determined for the current frame that is then used to perform a second pass encoding on the current frame, resulting in an encoded frame. This encoded frame is then transmitted as part of a stream to a client system.

Abstract: A cloud-based gaming server renders a set of game frames at a first frame rate for a current client gaming session. An encoder of the server then determines whether the first frame rate is lower than a second frame rate associated with the encoder. In response to the first frame rate being lower, the encoder is configured to generate skip frames, with each skip frame indicating that a game frame of the set of game frames is to be repeated. The encoder also encodes the set of game frames to produce a set of encoded game frames and inserts one or more skip frames between two or more encoded game frames of the set of encoded game frames to produce a game stream. The server then packetizes the game stream and transmits the packetized game stream to a client system associated with the current client system.

Abstract: Techniques for encoding game content for real-time cloud-gaming, and more specifically to using an adaptive statistical model in a moving window of previous frames up to a current frame to adaptively compute a lower-bound of a quantization parameter (QP) that corresponds to a chosen peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) target. The result of this PSNR-guided encoding is significantly reducing the size of encoded frames (i.e., undershooting a target bit rate when there are no subjective quality losses on those frames using their PSNR as the guidance). These reductions mitigate bandwidth issues and improve the overall user experience because less bits transferred results in faster network transmission and decoding, as well as less platform overhead.

Abstract: A two-pass encoding operation is implemented to encode one or more gaming frames into a game stream. The two-pass encoding operation includes a first encoding pass performed on a current frame. As a result of the first encoding pass, an estimated complexity for the current frame is determined. The resulting estimated complexity is then modulated according to a quality difference between reference frames used during the first pass encoding and a subsequent second pass encoding. Based on the modulated complexity, a quantization parameter is determined for the current frame that is then used to perform a second pass encoding on the current frame, resulting in an encoded frame. This encoded frame is then transmitted as part of a stream to a client system.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for temporal scalable video coding. By including a temporal_switching_point_flag and/or a temporal_nesting_flag into a normative part of the scalable bitstream, reference picture management in decoder can be simplified, and media-aware network elements and decoder can easily identify those pictures from which onward a higher temporal layer can be added.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for temporal scalable video coding. By including a temporal_switching_point_flag and/or a temporal_nesting_flag into a normative part of the scalable bitstream, reference picture management in decoder can be simplified, and media-aware network elements and decoder can easily identify those pictures from which onward a higher temporal layer can be added.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for temporal scalable video coding. By including a temporal_switching_point_flag and/or a temporal_nesting_flag into a normative part of the scalable bitstream, reference picture management in decoder can be simplified, and media-aware network elements and decoder can easily identify those pictures from which onward a higher temporal layer can be added.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for creating, coding, decoding, and using, rotation information related to one or more coded pictures in non-normative parts of a coded video bitstream.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for creating, coding, decoding, and using, rotation information related to one or more coded pictures in non-normative parts of a coded video bitstream.

Abstract: Techniques to determine a level id in a layered bitstream are disclosed, such that the same level id can be used for all layers of a scalable bitstream. Also disclosed are techniques to signal level ids for sub bitstreams that can be indicative of lower computational requirements than the level id used for the layered bitstream.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for creating, coding, decoding, and using, rotation information related to one or more coded pictures in non-normative parts of a coded video bitstream.

Abstract: Scalable video codecs are provided for use in videoconferencing systems and applications hosted on heterogeneous endpoints/receivers and network environments. The scalable video codecs provide a coded representation of a source video signal at multiple temporal, quality, and spatial resolutions.

Abstract: Scalable video codecs are provided for use in videoconferencing systems and applications hosted on heterogeneous endpoints/receivers and network environments. The scalable video codecs provide a coded representation of a source video signal at multiple temporal, quality, and spatial resolutions.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter describes a new pattern description that can be part of an SEI message or a parameter set, and can be used to describe a temporal picture coding structure and associated bitrates and frame rates. The knowledge of the coding structure can benefit transraters, bitstream extractors, and digital video recorders. Decoders can utilize the coding structure information for example, to decode pictures in parallel, using multiple threads/cores.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for encoding and decoding layered video where the non-temporal enhancement layers and their respective temporal enhancement layers, comply with a scalable video coding standard or technology, and the base layer and its respective temporal enhancement layers does not comply with the same scalable video coding standard or technology. A Video Parameter Set that comprises information about the relationship of layers includes a syntax element indicative of the derivation mechanism for a temporal layer associated with a NAL unit coded in a first coding technology, for example HEVC. For one value of the syntax element, the derivation mechanism is to set the temporal layer of the base layer NAL unit to the value coded in the header of the encapsulating NAL unit, which can be an HEVC NAL unit. For another value, the derivation mechanism is to imply the value of temporal base layer for the first NAL unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for error resilient transmission, rate control, and random access in video communication systems that use sealable video coding are provided. Error resilience is obtained by using information from low resolution layers to conceal or compensate loss of high resolution layer information. The same mechanism is used for rate control by selectively eliminating high resolution layer information from transmitted signals, which elimination can be compensated at the receiver using information from low resolution layers. Further, random access or switching between low and high resolutions is also achieved by using information from low resolution layers to compensate for high resolution spatial layer packets that may have not been received prior to the switching time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for error resilient transmission, rate control, and random access in video communication systems that use scalable video coding are provided. Error resilience is obtained by using information from low resolution layers to conceal or compensate loss of high resolution layer information. The same mechanism is used for rate control by selectively eliminating high resolution layer information from transmitted signals, which elimination can be compensated at the receiver using information from low resolution layers. Further, random access or switching between low and high resolutions is also achieved by using information from low resolution layers to compensate for high resolution spatial layer packets that may have not been received prior to the switching time.

Abstract: Techniques for video decoding include cross-layer prediction from a base layer to an SNR or spatial enhancement layer of spatial intra prediction mode information. In one example embodiment, the Most Probable Mode (MPM) for intra prediction of an enhancement layer block is predicted from the spatially corresponding base layer block.