Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of determining an alignment level between motion compensated reference patches for reducing motion vector refinement steps are provided. According to one method, obtaining, by a decoder, motion compensated interpolated samples based on sub-pixel accurate merge motion vectors from a bilinear motion compensated interpolation; computing, by the decoder, a sum of absolute differences (SAD) between two motion compensated reference patches using a subset of the motion compensated interpolated samples; determining, by the decoder, whether the SAD is less than a coding unit (CU) size-dependent threshold value; when the SAD is less than the CU size-dependent threshold value: skipping remaining decoder-side motion vector refinement (DMVR) process steps; and performing final motion compensation; and when the SAD is not less than the CU size-dependent threshold value: performing the remaining DMVR process steps; and performing the final motion compensation.

Abstract: Methods and system, including decoders and encoders, for interprediction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of determining an alignment level between motion compensated reference patches for reducing motion vector refinement steps are provided. According to one method, obtaining, by a decoder, motion compensated interpolated samples based on sub-pixel accurate merge motion vectors from a bilinear motion compensated interpolation; computing, by the decoder, a sum of absolute differences (SAD) between two motion compensated reference patches using a subset of the motion compensated interpolated samples; determining, by the decoder, whether the SAD is less than a coding unit (CU) size-dependent threshold value; when the SAD is less than the CU size-dependent threshold value: skipping remaining decoder-side motion vector refinement (DMVR) process steps; and performing final motion compensation; and when the SAD is not less than the CU size-dependent threshold value: performing the remaining DMVR process steps; and performing the final motion compensation.

Abstract: An image prediction method and apparatus includes obtaining predicted motion information of an image block; determining an initial predicted block of the image block according to the predicted motion information and a reference image of the image block; performing, according to the predicted motion information, L iterative searches in the reference image using an integer pixel step size to obtain an intermediate predicted block of the image block; performing a single search in the reference image using a fractional pixel step size to obtain M predicted blocks of the image block; determining a target predicted block of the image block according to the M predicted blocks and the intermediate predicted block; and obtaining a predicted value of a pixel value of the image block according to a pixel value of the target predicted block.

Abstract: A method for inter-prediction of a current image block in a current picture of a video is provided. The method includes determining whether a first temporal distance (such as TD0) is equal to a second temporal distance (such as TD1), wherein the first temporal distance is represented in terms of a difference between a picture order count value of the current picture and a picture order count value of a first reference image; and the second temporal distance is represented in terms of a difference between a picture order count value of a second reference image and the picture order count value of the current picture; and performing no motion vector refinement (DMVR) procedure when it is determined that the first temporal distance (TD0) is not equal to the second temporal distance (TD1). Thus the DMVR procedure is restricted to only the image block with equal-distance references.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of determining an alignment level between motion compensated reference patches for reducing motion vector refinement steps are provided. According to one method, obtaining, by a decoder, motion compensated interpolated samples based on sub-pixel accurate merge motion vectors from a bilinear motion compensated interpolation; computing, by the decoder, a sum of absolute differences (SAD) between two motion compensated reference patches using a subset of the motion compensated interpolated samples; determining, by the decoder, whether the SAD is less than a coding unit (CU) size-dependent threshold value; when the SAD is less than the CU size-dependent threshold value: skipping remaining decoder-side motion vector refinement (DMVR) process steps; and performing final motion compensation; and when the SAD is not less than the CU size-dependent threshold value: performing the remaining DMVR process steps; and performing the final motion compensation.

Abstract: Given that decoder side motion vector refinement/derivation is a normative aspect of a coding system, the encoder will also have to perform the same error surface technique in order to not have any drift between the encoder's reconstruction and the decoder's reconstruction. Hence, all aspects of all embodiments are applicable to both encoding and decoding systems. In template matching, the refinement movement occurs only in the reference starting from the sub-pixel accurate center that is derived based on the explicitly signaled merge index or implicitly through cost evaluations. In bilateral matching (with or without averaged template), the refinements start in the reference lists L0 and L1 starting from the respective sub-pixel accurate centers that are derived based on the explicitly signaled merge index or implicitly through cost evaluations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a loop filter apparatus for processing a reconstructed picture of a video stream into a filtered reconstructed picture that includes a plurality of samples. The loop filter apparatus includes processing circuitry configured to apply a first partition to the reconstructed picture or at least a portion thereof so as to partition the reconstructed picture into a plurality of sample blocks and to apply a respective noise suppression filter to the one or more sample blocks to obtain one or more filtered sample blocks. The one or more sample blocks are defined by an application map, the noise suppression filter depends on the application map, and the application map partitions the reconstructed picture into a plurality of regions The processing circuitry is further configured to generate the filtered reconstructed picture. Moreover, the invention relates to a corresponding loop filtering method.

Abstract: In one example, a segment of media content, a predefined maximum bitrate, and a predefined maximum quality measure may be received. K-NN having similar bitrate and quality data to the segment of media content may be determined using a trained k-nearest neighbor model. The K-NN are determined from a training set of media content segments. Further, at least one content adaptive encoding parameter for the segment of media content may be determined within the predefined maximum bitrate and the predefined maximum quality measure using the determined k-nearest neighbor. The at least one content adaptive encoding parameter is inputted to an encoder to encode the segment of media content.

Abstract: An image prediction method and apparatus includes obtaining predicted motion information of an image block; determining an initial predicted block of the image block according to the predicted motion information and a reference image of the image block; performing, according to the predicted motion information, L iterative searches in the reference image using an integer pixel step size to obtain an intermediate predicted block of the image block; performing a single search in the reference image using a fractional pixel step size to obtain M predicted blocks of the image block; determining a target predicted block of the image block according to the M predicted blocks and the intermediate predicted block; and obtaining a predicted value of a pixel value of the image block according to a pixel value of the target predicted block.

Abstract: A system includes an interface unit to receive a request, from a media client, to obtain a segment of media content at an ABR representation, and a transcoding unit. The transcoding unit includes a scalable decoder, hint stream decoder, and re-encoder. The scalable decoder receives and decodes a set of two or more layers of a scalable coded representation corresponding to the requested segment of media content at the requested ABR representation to provide a set of media frames and scalable stream information for the segment. The hint stream decoder receives and decodes a hint stream corresponding to the requested segment of media content at the requested ABR representation and the scalable stream information to provide transcoding hints for the segment. The re-encoder re-encodes the set of media frames using the transcoding hints to provide an encoded bit stream corresponding to the requested segment of media content.

Abstract: In one example, a segment of media content, a predefined maximum bitrate, and a predefined maximum quality measure may be received. K-NN having similar bitrate and quality data to the segment of media content may be determined using a trained k-nearest neighbor model. The K-NN are determined from a training set of media content segments. Further, at least one content adaptive encoding parameter for the segment of media content may be determined within the predefined maximum bitrate and the predefined maximum quality measure using the determined k-nearest neighbor. The at least one content adaptive encoding parameter is inputted to an encoder to encode the segment of media content.

Abstract: A system includes an interface unit to receive a request, from a media client, to obtain a segment of media content at an ABR representation, and a transcoding unit. The transcoding unit includes a scalable decoder, hint stream decoder, and re-encoder. The scalable decoder receives and decodes a set of two or more layers of a scalable coded representation corresponding to the requested segment of media content at the requested ABR representation to provide a set of media frames and scalable stream information for the segment. The hint stream decoder receives and decodes a hint stream corresponding to the requested segment of media content at the requested ABR representation and the scalable stream information to provide transcoding hints for the segment. The re-encoder re-encodes the set of media frames using the transcoding hints to provide an encoded bit stream corresponding to the requested segment of media content.

Abstract: In one example, a sequence of pictures may be transformed at a given spatial resolution to a plurality of output spatial resolutions and/or an additional spatial resolution that is lower than the plurality of output spatial resolutions. The sequence of pictures and a picture type may be received for each of the pictures at respective output spatial resolutions. Estimating a set of combinations of encoding parameters for coding tree blocks (CTBs) in each of the pictures at a lowest output spatial resolution or mapping combinations of encoding parameters for each CTB in each of the pictures at an immediate coarser spatial resolution to corresponding blocks at the respective output spatial resolution is performed. A set of combinations of encoding parameters may be determined for each CTB and best combinations of encoding parameters from the determined set of combinations may be identified for encoding the sequence of pictures.

Abstract: In one example, a sequence of pictures may be transformed at a given spatial resolution to a plurality of output spatial resolutions and/or an additional spatial resolution that is lower than the plurality of output spatial resolutions. The sequence of pictures and a picture type may be received for each of the pictures at respective output spatial resolutions. Estimating a set of combinations of encoding parameters for coding tree blocks (CTBs) in each of the pictures at a lowest output spatial resolution or mapping combinations of encoding parameters for each CTB in each of the pictures at an immediate coarser spatial resolution to corresponding blocks at the respective output spatial resolution is performed. A set of combinations of encoding parameters may be determined for each CTB and best combinations of encoding parameters from the determined set of combinations may be identified for encoding the sequence of pictures.

Abstract: A system and method for multi-bitrate and multi-spatial resolution media encoding are disclosed. In an embodiment for encoding a sequence of pictures at a given spatial resolution to an encoding format at a plurality of output bitrates, the sequence of pictures and a picture type for each of the pictures are received. Further, best combinations of encoding parameters for each coding tree block (CTB) in each of the pictures are identified from a determined set of combinations of encoding parameters supported by the encoding format for the associated picture type. Furthermore, the sequence of pictures are encoded using the best of the identified combinations of encoding parameters for each CTB in each of the pictures to create media bit streams at the plurality of output bitrates.

Abstract: A system and method for a low complexity and robust spatiotemporal combining for video enhancement is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes computing a standard deviation estimate between a video frame and a temporally neighboring frame of the video frame in a video sequence, computing an error value, for each sub-block of pixels within a block of pixels in a current video frame, between pixel values within the sub-block in the current video frame and corresponding motion compensated pixel values in a temporally neighboring video frame of the current video frame, computing a temporal weighting factor for each sub-block of pixels as a function of the error value and the standard deviation estimate, and combining the block of pixels in the current video frame and their corresponding motion compensated pixel values in the temporally neighboring video frame using the computed temporal weighting factor.

Abstract: A method for generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image from images of a scene obtained at one or more exposure values is disclosed. In this embodiment, one of the obtained images is selected as a reference image. Further, mapped images are obtained by mapping pixel intensity values to corresponding irradiance values in each image. Furthermore, a pixel intensity value dependent weighting factor is determined. Moreover, a set of images is identified from the mapped images for pixels in the reference image. Also, a set of corresponding mapped pixels is established for the mapped pixels in reference image in the set of images. Further, a similarity measure is computed for the mapped pixels of reference image and corresponding mapped pixels in the set of images. Furthermore, each mapped pixel of the reference image is combined with a subset of its established corresponding mapped pixels in the set of images.

Abstract: A platform for end point and digital content centric real-time shared experience for collaboration across endpoints is disclosed. In one embodiment, media centric collaboration terminals (MCCTs) are communicatively connected to one or more terminals selected from the group consisting of video communication terminals (VCTs), voice over Internet protocol (IP) communication terminals (VoCTs), remote servers, remote streaming clients and/or appliances, machines and gadgets (AMGs) via a communication network. Further, audio and/or video bridging of one or more audio and/or video streams originating from one of the MCCTs designated as a current host along with incoming audio and/or video streams from at least one of any remaining MCCTs designated as clients or the one or more terminals is enabled on the current host, via the communication network.

Abstract: A method for low complexity change detection in a sequence of images using configurable block sizes is disclosed. In one embodiment, a first change detection map is generated by performing change detection based on configurable block sizes between a current image and one of an estimated first background image and a previous image. The first change detection map classifies each block as changed or unchanged. The selection between the previous image and the estimated background image for use in change detection is done using a confidence estimate, which is updated both at the low level and at the end of a high-level change analysis. In another embodiment, an estimated second background image is used in addition to the estimate first background image to help quickly adapt when a stationary object starts moving or when a scene object becomes stationary.