Abstract: In a method for encoding and an encoder for a 3D video signal, center view frames, a depth map for center view frames and an occlusion data frame are encoded. On the basis of the depth map for the center view frame a distinction is made between functional and non-functional data in an occlusion data frame. This allows a strong reduction in bits needed for the encoded occlusion data frame. In the decoder a combined data stream is made of functional data in the encoded occlusion data frames and the center view frames. Preferably the center view frames are used as reference frames in encoding the occlusion data frames.

Abstract: A method and system of hierarchical motion estimation include a reference frame and a current frame being downsampled, and the downsampled reference frame being stored. A coarse motion vector (MV) map is generated according to the downsampled reference frame and the downsampled current frame. Scan lines adjacent to a center scan line corresponding to a downsampled scan line in the downsampled reference frame are retrieved and then stored. A refined MV map is generated according to the coarse MV map, the current frame and the stored scan lines adjacent to the center scan line.

Abstract: In various embodiments, temporal filtering may be used to reduce noise over time in a series of video frames. A temporal filter may use previous filtered frames to reduce the noise in a current frame. For example, a temporal filter may filter noise in still parts of an image more strongly than in moving parts of the image. In some embodiments, a temporal filter requiring less processing power may include a method for detecting motion between a set of pixels and applying the temporal filter based on the detected motion. For example, if substantial motion is not detected, the temporal filter for the block of pixels may be stronger (i.e., reduce more noise) than the temporal filter applied to a block of pixels for which substantial motion has been detected.

Abstract: A video decoding method includes receiving video data and transforming the video data from a Huffman tree to at least one full tree and at least one one-side tree. One microcode corresponding to the video coding standard that has encoded the received video data is read where a format of the read microcode is determined. The method further includes reading video data from the transformed video data according to the consuming length of the read microcode if the format of the read microcode is a leaf, and decoding the read video data according to the decoding field of the read microcode to output a decoding result.

Abstract: An entropy decoding method includes retrieving video data corresponding to an microcode, operating an entropy decoding operation on the video data to acquire a result, and retrieving video data corresponding to a subsequent microcode according to a MPS synchronously. The method further includes determining if the MPS matches the result, and operating an entropy decoding operation according to the subsequent microcode on the video data corresponding to the subsequent microcode if the MPS matches the result.

Abstract: The present invention relates to technology of compressing large image data in order to effectively use a storage medium and efficiently use a communication medium in an image data compression technique field, and more particularly, to fast compression mode calculation in H.264. The present invention provides an H.264 compression mode estimation apparatus comprising: a macroblock image characteristic calculator calculating a macroblock image characteristic from macroblock image information; a macroblock mode estimator which comprises mode history tables and a table management unit managing these tables, in order to estimate a mode of a current macroblock from macroblock coordinates; and a mode estimation optimization judgment unit calculating RD-cost for the mode estimation and selecting an optimal mode in order to prevent the spread of errors of the estimated mode.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to lessen burden at the time of solving a conflict of overlapping processes in processes for a plurality of interruption factors. On completion of data transfer to an external memory, a data transfer completion interruption of high priority is generated. In the case where data transfer of predetermined number of packets is not completed in reception interruption, a timer interruption of low priority is generated. Before processing data in an external memory responding to the interruption, the number of transfer packets is obtained from a counter. After restart of reception, the counter stores the number of transfer restart packets. After obtaining the number of transfer packets from a counter responding to the occurrence of the timer interruption, a data transfer completion interruption is generated.

Abstract: A perceptual-based video coding method provides a perceptual-based rate-distortion (R-D) curve as a predictive R-D curve. The Lagrange multiplier for a current frame is then determined by deciding a slope, with sign reversed, of a tangent to the predictive R-D curve at a current point that is on the predictive R-D curve and closest to a previous R-D point of a previous encoded frame. The current frame is then encoded according to the determined Lagrange multiplier.

Abstract: A compression method and a compression system for display frames of QFHD (quad full high definition) resolution are provided and applied to the image encoding/decoding environment of the H.264/AVC image encoding standard of the QFHD resolution and the effective dictionary base compression and de-compression algorithm, the image data compression rate can be tremendously raised at the resolution of 1080 HD (High Definition) content and the average memory data rate is greatly decreased. Hence only a bus with a lower frequency as 57 MHz can be done for the real-time of the resolution of 1080 HD content.

Abstract: A data reading method for motion estimation in an embedded system is provided. The embedded system includes an external memory device and a video encoding device, wherein the external memory device stores a first frame, and the video encoding device has an internal memory. First, a second frame is divided into M×N sub frame sets, wherein each of the sub frame sets has O×P sub frames. Then, each of the sub frame sets is selected in a calculation sequence, and the selected sub frame set is stored into the internal memory. Next, a predicted search path of each sub frame in the selected sub frame set is calculated. Thereafter; a predicted reading range is determined, wherein the predicted reading range includes the predicted search paths of the sub frames. Finally, a comparison data is read from the first frame according to the predicted reading range.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a system and method for time optimized encoding. Time optimized encoding maximizes the usage of the multiple encode nodes or clusters by parallelizing time-intensive encoding with minimal or no sacrifice of encoding quality. Thereby, reducing the time required for accomplishing the time intensive encoding and increasing the efficient throughput of multiple encodes through the system.

Abstract: A data reading method for motion estimation in a video processing chipset is provided. The video processing chipset is coupled to an external memory device, wherein a first frame is stored in the external memory device. In the data reading method, a second frame is first divided into M×N sub frame sets, wherein each of the sub frame sets includes O×P sub frames. Then, each of the sub frame sets is selected in a calculation sequence, wherein the selected sub frame set is stored into an internal memory. Next, a predicted search path of each sub frame in the selected sub frame set is calculated. Thereafter, a predicted reading range is determined, wherein the predicted reading range includes the predicted search paths of the sub frames. Finally, a comparison data is read from the first frame according to the predicted reading range.

Abstract: A method for reducing memory utilization in a digital video codec. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a second reference picture by downsampling a first reference picture using a pattern, wherein the pattern (i) comprises a two-dimensional grid and (ii) is unachievable by performing a vertical downsampling and separately performing a horizontal downsampling, (B) generating a third reference picture by upsampling the second reference picture and (C) processing an image in a video signal using the third reference picture.

Abstract: A method is proposed for encoding/decoding an image having rectangular blocks of pixels. The image has a height of H blocks and a width of W blocks and is divided into vertical (or horizontal) bands of blocks having the height of H (or width of W) blocks. The method includes: obtaining N processors and M coprocessors, the M coprocessors distributed over S levels, N>1, S>0 and M>S; assigning the N processors Pi to N contiguous bands BPi having sizes of Ki blocks, 0?i?N?1 and ? i = 0 N - 1 ? ? K i = W ; for every level of coprocessors s, 0?s?S?1, assigning Ms coprocessors CPs,j to Ms contiguous bands having sizes of Qs,j blocks, with: ? j = 0 M s - 1 ? ? Q s , j = W ; managing sending of first, second and third start messages, and first and second verification messages to the processors and coprocessors, according to a predetermined set of rules.