Abstract: Parallel coding of digital pictures is described. A digital picture is divided into two or more vertical sections. Two or more corresponding Stage 1 encoder units can perform a first stage of entropy coding on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of the vertical sections can be performed in parallel such that each Stage 1 encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section and returns a partially coded Stage 1 output to a Stage 2 encoder unit. Each partially coded Stage 1 output includes a representation of data for a corresponding vertical section that has been compressed by a compression factor greater than 1. The Stage 2 encoder unit can generate a final coded bitstream from the partially encoded Stage 1 output as a Stage 2 output.

Abstract: Mode searching and early termination of a video picture may include determining the cost value of a simple intra-mode prediction of the video picture; determining the cost value of an inter-mode prediction of the video picture; determining a threshold value based on a given quantization parameter (QP); comparing the cost value of the simple intra-mode prediction to the sum of the cost value of the inter-mode prediction and the threshold value; and performing a mode-prediction of the video picture in accordance with the result obtained. Fast compression of variable length symbols may include receiving a variable length symbol with one or more tokens; combining the one or more tokens in the variable length symbol to form a token combination; and determining a bit representation of the token combination in correspondence to a probability threshold associated with the token combination.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for parallel digital picture encoding are disclosed. A digital picture is partitioned into two or more vertical sections. An encoder unit is selected to serve as a master and one or more encoder units are selected to serve as slaves. The total number of encoder units used equals the number of vertical sections. A mode search is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. Entropy coding is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of each vertical section is performed in parallel such that each encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section. De-blocking is performed on the two or more vertical sections in parallel on a row-by-row basis.

Abstract: Digitally encoded pictures may be decoded by padding all un-decoded pixels within a currently decoding picture with temporary pixel values to produce a padded picture and performing motion compensation using the padded picture as a reference picture.

Abstract: Digital pictures may be encoded by padding all un-processed pixels within a currently processing picture with temporary pixel values; searching the picture for a matching section for use as a reference in pixel reconstruction of a section of the picture independent of whether the picture is intra-coded or inter-coded; and using the matching section to perform pixel prediction on the section to generate one or more predicted pixels for the section.

Abstract: Streaming data may be decoded by dividing a process for decoding the streaming data into two or more tasks based on data dependencies between the two or more tasks. The two or more tasks may be executed in parallel on three or more processors in a way that balances a processing load of executing the two or more tasks among the three or more processors.

Abstract: In methods for encoding and decoding digital pictures certain prediction parameters may be omitted from the output on the encoder side or the input on the decoder side. An encoder can identify prediction parameter values that can be omitted by determining whether a decoder emulator can reproduce the prediction parameter values from other information, such as predicted pixel and prediction error values of one or more previously decoded sections from the same or a different picture.

Abstract: Parallel coding of digital pictures is described. A digital picture is divided into two or more vertical sections. Two or more corresponding Stage 1 encoder units can perform a first stage of entropy coding on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of the vertical sections can be performed in parallel such that each Stage 1 encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section and returns a partially coded Stage 1 output to a Stage 2 encoder unit. Each partially coded Stage 1 output includes a representation of data for a corresponding vertical section that has been compressed by a compression factor greater than 1. The Stage 2 encoder unit can generate a final coded bitstream from the partially encoded Stage 1 output as a Stage 2 output.

Abstract: Prediction of and recovery from display buffer underflow are described. A first time delay for displaying a first group of one or more frames of a video picture stream located in an output frame buffer is calculated. A second time delay for displaying a second group of one or more frames in the picture stream is calculated. The second group directly follows the first group in the output buffer and is currently decoded by a decoder, but not yet deposited into the output frame buffer. A third time delay for decoding a third group of one or more frames in the picture stream is calculated. The third group directly follows the second group and is not yet decoded by the decoder. The decoder switches to or remains in a fast decoding mode if the sum of the first and second time delays is less than the third time delay.

Abstract: Apparatus and Method for parallel digital picture encoding are disclosed. A digital picture is partitioned into two or more vertical sections. An encoder unit is selected to serve as a master and one or more encoder units are selected to serve as slaves. The total number of encoder units used equals the number of vertical sections. A mode search is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. Entropy coding is performed on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of each vertical section is performed in parallel such that each encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section. De-blocking is performed on the two or more vertical sections in parallel on a row-by-row basis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of decoding coded video bitstreams is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first processor and a second processor configured to operate in parallel. The main processor receives the coded video bitstream, parses it, and calls the second processor to decode the coded video bitstream to retrieve macroblock data. If an error occurs during decoding, the second processor signals the first processor, which can instruct the second processor to perform an error recovery routine. The first processor the performs dequantization and inverse DCT to recover digital pixel data from the macroblocks so that an image formed from the digital pixel data can be later displayed on a monitor.

Abstract: Digitally encoded pictures may be decoded by padding all un-decoded pixels within a currently decoding picture with temporary pixel values to produce a padded picture and performing motion compensation using the padded picture as a reference picture.

Abstract: Digital pictures may be encoded by padding all un-processed pixels within a currently processing picture with temporary pixel values; searching the picture for a matching section for use as a reference in pixel reconstruction of a section of the picture independent of whether the picture is intra-coded or inter-coded; and using the matching section to perform pixel prediction on the section to generate one or more predicted pixels for the section.

Abstract: A video decoder and a method for using the same are provided. Selected frames of a video stream are trimmed during the decoding of the video stream. The video stream is received. The video stream includes, I, P, and B frames. Only predetermined portions of each B frame of the video stream are decoded.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for decoding streaming data containing one or more coded pictures in which each picture contains a plurality of slices and each slice containing a plurality of macroblocks are disclosed. A first decoding subtask is performed on all macroblocks in the coded picture or a section thereof. After performing the first decoding subtask on all macroblocks in the coded picture or a section thereof, a second decoding subtask is performed on all the macroblocks in the coded picture or section thereof. One or more of the first and second tasks includes examining a slice or macroblock within the coded picture to determine if there are any errors, and if an error is present, handling the error.

Abstract: A system and method for processing an overrun in the encoding of an input bitstream are described. In one embodiment, an overrun in the encoding of an input bitstream is determined and the severity of the overrun is determined. Finally, a current frame is encoded using a catch-up mode to process the overrun.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding an input MPEG video stream are provided that includes a core processor with a very long instruction word (VLIW) processor and a co-processor that includes a variable length decoder (VLD) for decoding the MPEG video stream. The input MPEG video stream is organized into macroblocks, wherein each macroblock includes a header for a macroblock that is not decoded, and encoded data for a macroblock whose header is previously decoded by VLD. Thereafter, VLD decodes the encoded video data of a first macroblock whose header has been decoded, and decodes the header of a second (current) macroblock. VLIW then performs motion compensation on a current macroblock based upon reference data of a previously decoded macroblock. VLIW also adds a fake slice start code and fake macroblock data at the end of each picture into the input MPEG video data stream; and utilizes the fake slice start code and fake macroblock data to skip to a next slice.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of decoding coded video bitstreams is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first processor and a second processor configured to operate in parallel. The main processor receives the coded video bitstream, parses it, and calls the second processor to decode the coded video bitstream to retrieve macroblock data. If an error occurs during decoding, the second processor signals the first processor, which can instruct the second processor to perform an error recovery routine. The first processor the performs dequantization and inverse DCT to recover digital pixel data from the macroblocks so that an image formed from the digital pixel data can be later displayed on a monitor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding an input MPEG video stream are provided that includes a core processor with a very large instruction word (VLIW) processor and a co-processor that includes a variable length decoder (VLD) for decoding the MPEG video stream. The input MPEG video stream is organized into macroblocks, wherein each macroblock includes a header for a macroblock that is not decoded, and encoded data for a macroblock whose header is previously decoded by VLD. Thereafter, VLD decodes the encoded video data of a first macroblock whose header has been decoded, and decodes the header of a second (current) macroblock. VLIW then performs motion compensation on a current macroblock based upon reference data of a previously decoded macroblock. VLIW also adds a fake slice start code and fake macroblock data at the end of each picture into the input MPEG video data stream; and utilizes the fake slice start code and fake macroblock data to skip to a next picture.

Abstract: A method and system for decoding and reconstructing an incoming MPEG video data stream for producing decoded MPEG video data is provided. The method and system utilizes a first memory storage device with at least two memory buffers associated with a co-processor, and a second memory device with a plurality of memory buffers associated with a core-processor. Also provided is a first data transfer unit coupled to the first memory storage device and the second memory device. The first data transfer unit in response to a first signal from the core processor selects one of the first memory storage device buffer (B0) as a source and a buffer in the second memory storage device as a destination buffer (MB_B0′). The data transfer unit is adapted to read content from B0 and write the content of B0 to MB_B0′.