Abstract: For a given transmission bit rate, the efficiency of encoding the color components of a color video signal is increased by utilizing information obtained from the luminance component to optimize color component encoding. Specifically, several predictions of the present luminance sample are formed using various individual values or combinations of previous luminance information. Each prediction is evaluated, and the best prediction technique is used to predict the present color sample, based upon previous color component information. Decoding in a remote receiver is accomplished similarly, by utilizing the luminance signal as a source for color component prediction information.

Abstract: A system for encoding and decoding a color video signal wherein information obtained from the luminance component is used to reduce the amount of color information which must be sent from encoder to decoder. In the encoder, at least two different predictions are made of the present luminance sample, based upon individual or combined values of the previous luminance samples. Each prediction is evaluated against the true luminance value, to determine the best predictor pattern or strategy. If good correspondence exists between the true luminance value and the best prediction thereof, the same prediction strategy is used to predict the present color component value from previous color component values.