Abstract: A video encoder with quality estimation is shown. The video encoder has a video compressor, a video reconstructor, a quality estimator, and an encoder top controller. The video compressor receives the source data of a video to generate compressed data. The video reconstructor is coupled to the video compressor for generation of playback-level data that is buffered for inter prediction by the video compressor, wherein the video reconstructor generates intermediate data and, based on the intermediate data, the video reconstructor generates playback-level data. The quality estimator is coupled to the video reconstructor to receive the intermediate data. Quality estimation is performed based on the intermediate data rather than the playback-level data. Based on the quality estimation result, the encoder top controller adjusts at least one video compression factor in real time.

Abstract: A video encoding method includes: during a first period, performing an encoding process upon a first block group of a current frame to generate a first block group bitstream; and during a second period, transmitting a second block group bitstream derived from encoding a second block group of the current frame, wherein the second period overlaps the first period. The encoding process includes: during a first time segment of the first period, performing a first in-loop filtering process upon a first group of pixels; and during a second time segment of the first period, performing a second in-loop filtering process upon a second group of pixels, wherein the second time segment overlaps the first time segment, and a non-zero pixel distance exists between a first edge pixel of the first group of pixels and a second edge pixel of the second group of pixels in a filter direction.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus includes a content activity analyzer circuit and a video encoder circuit. The content activity analyzer circuit applies a content activity analysis process to consecutive frames, to generate content activity analysis results. The consecutive frames are derived from input frames of the video encoding apparatus. The content activity analysis process includes: deriving a first content activity analysis result according to a first frame and a second frame in the consecutive frames, wherein the first content activity analysis result includes a processed frame distinct from the second frame; and deriving a second content activity analysis result according to a third frame included in the consecutive frames and the processed frame. The video encoder circuit performs a video encoding process to generate a bitstream output of the video encoding apparatus, wherein information derived from the content activity analysis results is referenced by the video encoding process.

Abstract: A video encoding method includes: during a first period, performing an encoding process upon a first block group of a current frame to generate a first block group bitstream; and during a second period, transmitting a second block group bitstream derived from encoding a second block group of the current frame, wherein the second period overlaps the first period. The encoding process includes: during a first time segment of the first period, performing a first in-loop filtering process upon a first group of pixels; and during a second time segment of the first period, performing a second in-loop filtering process upon a second group of pixels, wherein the second time segment overlaps the first time segment, and a non-zero pixel distance exists between a first edge pixel of the first group of pixels and a second edge pixel of the second group of pixels in a filter direction.

Abstract: A method for repairing etching damage on a nitride-based epitaxial layer of an optoelectronic device and an optoelectronic device attributable thereto are provided. The method includes: providing a nitrogen-containing working liquid and a annealing apparatus having a reaction chamber; heating the reaction chamber to a predetermined temperature; atomizing the nitrogen-containing working liquid, and introducing the thus formed nitrogen-containing spray into the reaction chamber; and subjecting the optoelectronic device to an annealing treatment in the reaction chamber in the presence of the nitrogen-containing spray, so as to repair the etching damage on the nitride-based epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus includes a data buffer and a video encoding circuit. Encoding of a first frame includes: deriving reference pixels of a reference frame from reconstructed pixels of the first frame, respectively, and storing reference pixel data into the data buffer for inter prediction, wherein the reference pixel data include information of pixel values of the reference pixels. Encoding of a second frame includes performing prediction upon a coding unit in the second frame to determine a target predictor for the coding unit. The prediction performed upon the coding unit includes: determining the target predictor for the coding unit according to whether a search range on the reference frame for finding a predictor of the coding unit under an inter prediction mode includes at least one reference pixel of the reference frame that is not accessible to the video encoding circuit.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus includes a data buffer and a video encoding circuit. Encoding of a first frame includes: deriving reference pixels of a reference frame from reconstructed pixels of the first frame, respectively, and storing reference pixel data into the data buffer for inter prediction, wherein the reference pixel data include information of pixel values of the reference pixels. Encoding of a second frame includes performing prediction upon a coding unit in the second frame to determine a target predictor for the coding unit. The prediction performed upon the coding unit includes: determining the target predictor for the coding unit according to whether a search range on the reference frame for finding a predictor of the coding unit under an inter prediction mode includes at least one reference pixel of the reference frame that is not accessible to the video encoding circuit.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus includes a data buffer and a video encoding circuit. Encoding of a first frame includes: deriving reference pixels of a reference frame from reconstructed pixels of the first frame, respectively, and storing reference pixel data into the data buffer for inter prediction, wherein the reference pixel data include information of pixel values of the reference pixels. Encoding of a second frame includes performing prediction upon a coding unit in the second frame to determine a target predictor for the coding unit. The prediction performed upon the coding unit includes: checking if a search range on the reference frame for finding a predictor of the coding unit under an inter prediction mode includes at least one reference pixel of the reference frame that is not accessible to the video encoding circuit, and determining the target predictor for the coding unit according to a checking result.

Abstract: An encoding method is used for encoding an image. The image includes a plurality of blocks each having a plurality of pixels. The encoding method includes: encoding a plurality of data partitions of block data of a block in the image to generate a plurality of compressed bitstream segments, respectively; and combining the compressed bitstream segments to generate an output bitstream of the block. A bit group based interleaving process is involved in generating the output bitstream. According to the bit group based interleaving process, each of the compressed bitstream segments is divided into a plurality of bit groups each having at least one bit, and the output bitstream includes consecutive bit groups belonging to different compressed bitstream segments, respectively.

Abstract: A video compression system includes a video encoder and a bitstream processing circuit. The video encoder is hardware that performs hardware video encoding upon frames to generate a first bitstream. The first bitstream is output from an entropy encoding circuit of the video encoder. The bitstream processing circuit performs a bitstream post-processing operation upon the first bitstream to produce a second bitstream that is different from the first bitstream, and outputs the second bitstream as a compression output of the frames.

Abstract: A perception-based image processing apparatus includes an image analyzing circuit and an application circuit. The image analyzing circuit obtains training data, sets a perception model according to the training data, performs an object detection of at least one frame, and generates an object detection information signal based at least partly on a result of the object detection of said at least one frame. The application circuit operates in response to the object detection information signal.

Abstract: A block prediction search method includes at least following steps: utilizing a data buffer to store bit-depth reduced sample values of a plurality of samples in a first pixel line; detecting occurrence of an edge in the first pixel line according to restored sample values derived from stored sample values in the data buffer; and determining a block prediction vector for a pixel group in a second pixel line different from the first pixel line, wherein the block prediction vector is determined based at least partly on a last edge count value indicative of a number of samples in the first pixel line that have gone by since the edge occurs.

Abstract: A video encoder includes a video encoding circuit and a slice decision circuit. The video encoding circuit encodes a first slice in a frame according to a first coding unit boundary between an end of the first slice and a start of a second slice in the frame, and outputs a first bitstream of the first slice. The slice decision circuit predicts the first coding unit boundary before a bitstream of a last coding unit of the first slice is generated by the video encoding circuit, and informs the video encoding circuit of the first coding unit boundary. The video encoding circuit refers to the first coding unit boundary predicted by the slice decision circuit to ensure that a bitstream size of the first bitstream is constrained by a predetermined bitstream size threshold.

Abstract: An entropy encoder includes an entropy encoding circuit and a size determining circuit. The entropy encoding circuit receives symbols of a pixel group, and entropy encodes data derived from the symbols of the pixel group to generate a bitstream segment which is composed of a first bitstream portion and a second bitstream portion. The first bitstream portion contains encoded magnitude data of the symbols of the pixel group, and the second bitstream portion contains encoded sign data of at least a portion of the symbols of the pixel group. The size determining circuit determines a size of a bitstream portion, wherein the bitstream portion comprises at least one of the first bitstream portion and the second bitstream portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of image coding performed at an encoder or decoder using block prediction are disclosed. The block vector bit-count information associated with one or more block vectors (BVs) for the current block is determined, where the BVs are used to locate one or more block predictors for the current block. Prediction residuals corresponding to differences between the current block and the block predictors are determined. A first cost comprising the BV and residual bit-count information associated with encoding the prediction residuals using the first coding tool is determined. The second cost comprising the BV bit-count information and without the residual bit-count information is also determined. The derivation of the BV bit-count information and the prediction residuals for the current block are performed only once, and the BV bit-count information and the prediction residuals are used by the first coding tool and the second coding tool.

Abstract: A method for repairing etching damage on a nitride-based epitaxial layer of an optoelectronic device and an optoelectronic device attributable thereto are provided. The method includes: providing a nitrogen-containing working liquid and a annealing apparatus having a reaction chamber; heating the reaction chamber to a predetermined temperature; atomizing the nitrogen-containing working liquid, and introducing the thus formed nitrogen-containing spray into the reaction chamber; and subjecting the optoelectronic device to an annealing treatment in the reaction chamber in the presence of the nitrogen-containing spray, so as to repair the etching damage on the nitride-based epitaxial layer.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: combining a padding region with a picture, wherein any padding pixel included in the padding region is assigned with a predetermined pixel value; and encoding the picture having the padding region combined therewith. For example, the padding region is directly below a bottom edge of the picture. For another example, all of padding pixels included in the padding region have the same pixel value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of image coding including a no-residue prediction mode are disclosed. At the encoder side, current predictors for a current coding unit are determined according to a target prediction process associated with a target prediction mode. The current predictors are determined based on pixel data including reconstructed pixels in the current slice or the current image. The target prediction process is applied to the current coding unit using the current predictors to generate prediction residues. A distortion condition or a cost measure for the prediction residues is determined. If the distortion condition is satisfied or the cost measure favors coding without the prediction residues, the current coding unit is encoded into current compressed bits of the current coding unit without compressed data associated with the prediction residues. A corresponding decoding method and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of image coding using block prediction (BP) allowing multiple block sizes are disclosed. According to one method, first distortion for the current block coded using BP with a first block size is derived using at least partial second distortion for the current block coded using BP with a first block size. According to another method, a flag indicating whether the BP using variable block sizes is enabled. According to yet another method, when a current block is coded using BP by partitioning the current block into multiple partitions, predictors for two partitions in different reconstructed pixel line groups are derived from different reconstructed pixel line groups. According to still yet another method, for coding image data in a non-444 color sampling format using BP, the predictors for chrominance pixels in the current block are derived from the predictors for the luminance pixels of the current block.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus includes a data buffer and a video encoding circuit. Encoding of a first frame includes: deriving reference pixels of a reference frame from reconstructed pixels of the first frame, respectively, and storing reference pixel data into the data buffer for inter prediction, wherein the reference pixel data include information of pixel values of the reference pixels. Encoding of a second frame includes performing prediction upon a coding unit in the second frame to determine a target predictor for the coding unit. The prediction performed upon the coding unit includes: checking if a search range on the reference frame for finding a predictor of the coding unit under an inter prediction mode includes at least one reference pixel of the reference frame that is not accessible to the video encoding circuit, and determining the target predictor for the coding unit according to a checking result.