Abstract: A content delivery gateway receives a video sequence transmitted over an Internet Protocol network and the video sequence is destined to multiple digital display devices. The content delivery gateway transcodes the video sequence into one of multiple video formats, e.g., high efficiency video coding (HEVC) format to advanced video coding (AVC) format, HEVC OR AVC to MPEG-2 format. The content delivery gateway generates an IP-based user interface including video overly that allows existing quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) based set-top boxes and digital TV adapters to receive features associated with IP video technology. The content delivery gateway further adds content protection by transcripting the video sequence. By deploying IP to QAM bridges, the content delivery gateway serves increasingly large numbers of IP-based digital display devices including tablets and smartphones while continuing to support existing QAM-based display devices.

Abstract: A two-stage context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) parser is provided to efficiently transcode an input video bitstream that is partitioned into tiles into a non-tiled based video bitstream. A picture of the input video bitstream is partitioned into one or more tiles, each of which has multiple coding tree units (CTUs) according to the HEVC standard. The two-stage CABAC parser parses the input video bitstream in tile scan order in the first stage and generates a list of identified CTUs, whose CABAC state data are saved for the second stage parsing. In the second stage parsing, the two-stage parser parses the same input video bitstream in raster scan order using the saved CABAC state data of the identified CTUs.

Abstract: A disclosed system, method and computer readable storage medium is provided to receive an input video comprising a plurality of video frames, each of which has a plurality of input pixels. Each input pixel is of n-bit depth (e.g., 8-bit depth). The method optionally increases the bitdepth of each input pixel by a predetermined factor (e.g., 4-bit factor). The method further compresses and reconstructs each pixels of the input video. The method further compresses and reconstructs each pixel of intermediate frame buffers stored in a decoder frame buffer. The method calculates an adaptive offset for each block (e.g., of size of 4×4) of reconstructed pixel values of the intermediate frame buffers. Furthermore, the method can compute two-sub-block offset values and uses them to compute an optimized adaptive offset to be applied to each pixel within the corresponding sub-block.

Abstract: A method and/or system of scaling images by providing a horizontal macroblock scaler with pixels of the images in units of macroblocks and a vertical macroblock scaler where the pixels of the output image are in units of macroblocks. For the horizontal macroblock scaler macroblocks decoded or vertically scaled are read into the horizontal scaler to generate horizontally scaled macroblocks of pixels. The horizontal scaler need not access data stored in a memory, which reduces the memory bandwidth need for scaling the image. For the vertical macroblock scaler macroblocks decoded or horizontally scaled are read into the vertical scaler from memory to generate vertical scaled macroblocks of pixel. The output of the vertical scaler can be sent directly to an encoder without going through memory first, which reduces the memory bandwidth need for scaling the image.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for the lossless compression of video data in a synchronous pipelined environment. One or more syntax elements of video data are binarized into one or more ordered bins. A first context model associated with a first bin and a second context model associated with a second bin are received. The first bin is encoded based on the first context model and the second bin is encoded based on the second context model, both bins being encoded within the same clock cycle. One or more encoded bits are outputted based on encoding the first and second bin. In one embodiment, the first bin is encoded in a first pipeline and the second bin is encoded in a second pipeline. In this embodiment, two bins may be encoded every clock cycle, one per pipeline. Further, in one embodiment, multiple context models are received and one context model is selected by each pipeline for encoding. After encoding, one or more context models may be updated and stored.

Abstract: A system (and a method) are disclosed for a video processing system cascading multiple transcoders. The system includes a first transcoder, a second transcoder and an optional third transcoder. The first transcoder is a pre-processing transcoder configured to preprocess an input video stream into a first bitstream in a first video format. The second transcoder is a primary transcoder configured to transcode the first bitstream into a second bitstream in a second video format. The third transcoder comprises a post-processing transcoder configured to further transcode the second bitstream into a third bitstream in a third video format. Pre-processing and post-processing the input video stream by the cascaded transcoders allows the system to more efficiently and quickly transcode the input video stream. Pre-processing and post-processing the input video further improves processing efficiency and speed and also increases throughout of coding processing.

Abstract: A system and method includes adjusting bit rate based on measured quality in a video conversion module. The video conversion module may be, for example, an encoder or a transcoder. In one embodiment, the video conversion module receives an input stream in a first format and converts the input stream to an output stream in a second format. The video conversion module is coupled to a bit rate controller that controls the bit rate of the output stream. A bit rate controller compares the output quality of the output stream to a target quality, and adjusts the output bit rate responsive to the comparison having a difference greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A motion adaptive deinterlacer (MADI) receives two pairs of interlaced fields from a current frame and a reference frame of an input video. The MADI deinterlacer filters noise of the received interlaced fields and detects edges of the received interlaced fields. From the detected edges, the MADI deinterlacer spatially interpolates an output pixel using directional filtering. The MADI deinterlacer also detects motion of the output pixel and calculates temporal constraints of the output pixel based on same parity field difference and/or opposite parity field difference. Based on the temporal interpolation and spatial interpolation of the output pixel, the MADI deinterlacer blends the temporal and spatial interpolation of the output pixel to generate an output pixel in progressive format.

Abstract: Systems and methods for layering multiple graphics planes on top of a compressed video signal are disclosed herein. A processed video stream is received from a video processing path, wherein the processed video stream comprises a stream of video macroblocks. A composite graphics plane is received from a graphics processing path, wherein the composite graphics plane comprises a set of graphics macroblocks. The composite graphics plane comprises a plurality of layered graphics planes. The composite graphics plane is layered on top of the processed video stream to generate an output video stream. Layering comprises blending a video macroblock from the stream of video macroblocks with a graphics macroblock from the set of graphics macroblocks. By layering one macroblock at time, graphics overlay can occur in real time or faster than real time as the compressed input stream is received.

Abstract: A system (and a method) are disclosed for reducing intra frame beating effect at frame level and macroblock (MB) level within a video processing system. The frame-level system includes a pre-encoding unit, a reconstruction unit, an intra-beat frame evaluation unit, an intra-beat frame selection unit and an entropy encoding unit. The pre-encoding unit identifies an intra-beat frame of current group of pictures (GOP) and its corresponding intra-beat reference frame, and predicts the intra-beat frame by its intra-beat reference frame. The intra-beat frame evaluation unit calculates an intra-beat frame score. The intra-beat frame selection unit selects an intra-beat frame for re-encoding. The macroblock-level system includes corresponding processing units as frame-level system, but configured to efficiently process MBs. The macroblock-level system allows each MB of an intra-beat frame to be selectively pre-filtered using its intra-beat reference frame.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing media streams for transport over a network based on network conditions. An integrated circuit comprises a media processing unit coupled to receive feedback from a network processing unit. The media processing unit converts a media stream from a compressed input stream to a compressed output stream such that the compressed output stream has characteristics that are best suited for the network conditions. Network conditions can include, for example, characteristics of the network (e.g., latency or bandwidth) or characteristics of the remote playback devices (e.g., playback resolution). Changes in the network conditions can result in a change in the conversion process.

Abstract: Transcoder chip having a buffer for temporarily storing decoded macroblocks and compressed domain parameters. A video decoding module of the transcoding chip decodes and stores the decoded macroblocks in the buffer in a first sequence. The video encoding module then reads the data from the buffer in a second sequence different from the first sequence to encode the macroblocks in a different format. The buffer can also be used for deblocking the macroblocks and for filtering motion vectors. By using the buffer, data traffic between the transcoding chip and external memory is reduced, increasing the speed for transcoding a video sequence from one format to another.

Abstract: An integrated circuit receives a compressed input stream having a first compression format. A media processing module converts the compressed input stream to an intermediary compression format for processing without fully decompressing the compressed input stream. After processing, a compressed output stream having a second compression format is generated from the intermediary compression format. Processing is dynamically adjusted responsive to changing network conditions. Optionally, the integrated circuit can receive live, raw video, partially encode it into the intermediary compression format, process it with the media process module as well as take the intermediary compression format, decode and output the live, raw video.

Abstract: A method and/or system of transmitting media items using aggregating bandwidths of disparate communication channels between a media source and a media player. By using the combined bandwidth of more than one communication channel, a media item that requires a bandwidth larger than a single communication channel can be transmitted. The media source also converts the media item depending on the available bandwidth of the communication channels. By dynamically changing the formats of the media item, more robust and reliable communication between the media source and the media player can be achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating predictors performs motion estimation of a target macroblock in a target field against data segments in reference fields. The same motion estimation engine is used to perform various image processing operations to efficiently use resources of the apparatus. Different reference fields are used depending on modes of operation. In a deinterlacing mode, deinterlacing is performed using directional interpolation, recursive motion compensated deinterlacing, and motion adaptive deinterlacing.

Abstract: A system (and a method) are disclosed for a video processing system with enhanced entropy coding performance. The system includes an entropy decoder configured to divide decoding of an input video stream into arithmetic decoding and syntax decoding. The entropy decoder includes an arithmetic decoding module, a syntax decoding module, a memory management module and a memory buffer connecting the two decoding modules. The arithmetic decoding module is configured to decode the input video stream into multiple bins of decoded input video stream and the syntax decoding module is configured to decode the bins of arithmetically decoded input videos stream into one or more syntax elements. The memory management module uses the memory buffer to accelerate the coding performances of arithmetic decoding and syntax decoding. The system also includes a corresponding entropy encoder configured to encode a video stream with improved coding performance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating predictors performs motion estimation of a target macroblock in a target field against data segments in reference fields. The same motion estimation engine is used to perform various image processing operations to efficiently use resources of the apparatus. Different reference fields are used depending on modes of operation. In a deinterlacing mode, deinterlacing is performed using directional interpolation, recursive motion compensated deinterlacing, and motion adaptive deinterlacing.

Abstract: A system (and a method) are disclosed for intelligently fetch one or multiple reference blocks from memory for each block to be motion compensated or motion estimated within a video processing system. The system includes a reference block configuration evaluation unit and a motion compensation memory fetching unit. The reference block configuration evaluation unit analyzes the reference block configuration of the block being motion compensated with a plurality of reference block configurations of its neighboring blocks. In response to a reference block configuration evaluation result, the reference block configuration evaluation unit decides the configuration of reference blocks to be fetched from a memory. The motion vector memory fetching unit fetches the number of reference blocks for motion compensation accordingly.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a streamlined transcoder architecture. A transcoder system includes an encoder and a decoder. The encoder compares a decoded frame and a encoder reference frame to produce an output stream. The decoder produces the decoded frame including decoder reference frame and the encoder reference frame. The decoded frame is produced from an input stream, and the encoder reference frame is produced from the output stream of the encoder. In one embodiment, the encoder refines motion vectors, quantization, and macroblock type/mode from the input stream for reuse in the output stream. Furthermore, the decoded frames from the input stream can be modified in various ways including changing picture resolution and performing image enhancement on them before encoding.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing compressed video with layered graphics to at least one screen are described herein. An On Screen Display (OSD) system receives a command from a remote set top box coupled to a screen. The command instructs the OSD system to process the input video stream according to various processing functions including layering at least one graphics plane on top of the video stream. The OSD system processes the input video stream to generate an output video stream with the layered graphics planes and outputs, in a compressed format, the output video stream to the screen. The system advantageously provides a central OSD processing unit that can output video with layered graphics in a compressed format to multiple displays.