Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for merging compressed access units according to compression rates and/or positions of the respective compressed access units. The method can include receiving a sequence of compressed access units corresponding to a sequence of raw access units partitioned from an image or a video frame and corresponding to a sequence of memory spaces in a frame buffer, determining a merged access unit including at least two consecutive compressed access units based on compression rates and/or positions of the sequence of compressed access units. The merged access unit is to be stored in the frame buffer with a reduced gap between the at least two consecutive compressed access units compared with storing the at least two consecutive compressed access units in corresponding memory spaces in the sequence of memory spaces.

Abstract: A palette decoding apparatus includes a palette color storage device which stores palette colors, a color index storage device which stores color indices of pixels, and a palette value processing circuit which generates a palette value for each pixel by reading data from the color index storage device and the palette color storage device. A frame is divided into first coding units, and each first coding unit is sub-divided into one or more second coding units. Before a palette value of a last pixel in a first coding unit is generated by the palette value processing circuit, a palette value of a non-last pixel in the first coding unit is generated by the palette value processing circuit and used by a reconstruction circuit of the video decoder.

Abstract: A video encoder has a processing circuit and a universal binary entropy (UBE) syntax encoder. The processing circuit processes pixel data of a video frame to generate encoding-related data, wherein the encoding-related data comprise at least quantized transform coefficients. The UBE syntax encoder processes a plurality of syntax elements to generate UBE syntax data. The encoding-related data are represented by the syntax elements. The processing circuit operates according to a video coding standard. The video coding standard supports arithmetic encoding. The UBE syntax data contain no arithmetic-encoded syntax data.

Abstract: A video processing apparatus includes an external storage device, a hardware entropy engine, and a software execution engine. The hardware entropy engine performs entropy processing of a current picture, and further outputs count information to the external storage device during the entropy processing of the current picture. When loaded and executed by the software execution engine, a software program instructs the software execution engine to convert the count information into count table contents, and generate a count table in the external storage device according to at least the count table contents. The count table is referenced to apply a backward adaptation to a probability table that is selectively used by the hardware entropy engine to perform entropy processing of a next picture.

Abstract: A method for storing data of an image frame into a frame buffer includes at least the following steps: dividing the image frame into a plurality of access units, each having at least one encoding unit, wherein each encoding unit is a unit for data compression; and performing the data compression upon each encoding unit of the image frame, and generating an output bitstream to the frame buffer based on a data compression result of the encoding unit. A processing result of each access unit includes each output bitstream of the at least one encoding unit included in the access unit; a plurality of processing results of the access units are stored in a plurality of storage spaces allocated in the frame buffer, respectively; and a size of each of the storage spaces is equal to a size of a corresponding access unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loop filter processing of reconstructed video data for a video coding system are disclosed. The system receives reconstructed video data for an image unit. The loop filter processing is applied to reconstructed pixels above a deblocking boundary of the current CTU. In order to reduce line buffer requirement and/or to reduce loop filter switching for image units, the sample adaptive offset (SAO) parameter boundary and spatial-loop-filter restricted boundary for the luma and chroma components are determined by global consideration. In one embodiment, the SAO parameter boundary and the spatial-loop-filter restricted boundary are aligned for the luma and chroma components respectively. In another embodiment, the SAO parameter boundary and the spatial-loop-filter restricted boundary for the luma and chroma components are all aligned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video encoding or decoding used by an AVS2 (Second Generation of Audio Video Coding Standard) video encoder or decoder respectively are disclosed. According to this method, first motion vectors associated with spatial neighboring blocks of a current block are determined. For each spatial neighboring block, a value of 1 is assigned to a first BlockDistance associated with the spatial neighboring block if a corresponding first reference picture is a G picture or GB picture. Motion vector predictor candidates are derived from the first motion vectors by scaling each first motion vector according to a corresponding first BlockDistance and a current BlockDistance. A final motion vector predictor is determined among the motion vector predictor candidates.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes: a substrate and a gate element over the substrate. The gate element includes: a gate dielectric layer over the substrate; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer; and a waveguide passing through the gate electrode from a top surface of the gate electrode to a bottom surface of the gate electrode. A manufacturing method of the same is also disclosed.

Abstract: A decoding apparatus is used for decoding region of interest (ROI) regions in an image, and includes a storage device, a pre-processing circuit, a decoding circuit, and an information fetching circuit. The pre-processing circuit performs a syntax pre-parsing operation upon a bitstream to obtain necessary information of the ROI regions, and stores the necessary information into the storage device. The decoding circuit performs a decoding operation upon the bitstream to decode the ROI regions, wherein the decoding operation includes syntax parsing of the bitstream. The information fetching circuit reads and analyzes the necessary information, and delivers at least a portion of the necessary information to the decoding circuit. A processing time of obtaining necessary information of one ROI region at the pre-processing circuit overlaps a processing time of decoding another ROI region at the decoding circuit.

Abstract: A memory protection device is used for protecting a memory. The memory protection device includes a filtering unit and an encoding unit. The filtering unit searches an input data and outputs an encoding selection signal based on a bit component pattern of the input data. The encoding unit selects one or more encoding implementations among a plurality of encoding implementations based on the encoding selection signal from the filtering unit, to encode the input data.

Abstract: A residual up-sampling apparatus has a residual up-sampling buffer and a shared residual up-sampling circuit. The residual up-sampling buffer stores an intermediate residual up-sampling result. The shared residual up-sampling circuit employs a same processing kernel to perform a first-direction residual up-sampling operation and a second-direction residual up-sampling operation. The first-direction residual up-sampling operation processes an inverse transform output of an inverse transform circuit to generate the intermediate residual up-sampling result to the residual up-sampling buffer. The second-direction residual up-sampling operation performs transpose access upon the residual up-sampling buffer to retrieve the intermediate residual up-sampling result, and processes the intermediate residual up-sampling result to generate a final residual up-sampling result.

Abstract: An apparatus is capable of achieving high-throughput entropy decoding, and includes an arithmetic decoding processing circuitry and a variable-length decoder (VLD). The arithmetic decoding processing circuitry receives a video bitstream through a bitstream input, applies arithmetic decoding to at least a portion of the video bitstream to derive one or more arithmetic-decoded binary strings containing no arithmetic encoded binary string, and stores the arithmetic-decoded binary strings in the storage device. The variable-length decoder is coupled to the arithmetic decoding processing circuitry, the storage device and a VLD output. The variable-length decoder receives at least a portion of arithmetic-decoded bitstream when arithmetic-decoded bitstreams stored in the storage device are complete for a selected image unit, decodes at least a portion of arithmetic-decoded bitstream into one or more decoded syntax elements, and provides the decoded syntax elements through the VLD output.

Abstract: A residual processing circuit has a single-path pipeline and a single-path controller. The single-path pipeline has an inverse scan (IS) circuit, an inverse quantization (IQ) circuit and an inverse transform (IT) circuit arranged to process a current non-zero residual data block in a pipeline manner. The current non-zero residual data block is at least a portion of a transform unit. The single-path controller controls pipelined processing of the current non-zero residual data block at the single-path pipeline. The single-path controller instructs the IS circuit to start IS processing of a next non-zero residual data block before the IT circuit finishes a first half of IT processing of the current non-zero residual data block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video encoding to generate a partitioned bitstream without buffering transform coefficient and/or prediction data for subsequent coding units are disclosed. An encoder incorporating an embodiment according to the present invention receives first video parameters associated with a current coding unit, wherein no first video parameters associated with subsequent coding units are buffered. The encoder then encodes the first video parameters to generate a current first compressed data corresponding to the current coding unit. A first memory address in the first logic unit is determined and the encoder provides the current first compressed data at the first memory address in the first logic unit.

Abstract: A video transmitting system includes a source buffer, a video encoder, a bitstream buffer, and a transmitting circuit. The source buffer receives pixel data of pixels of a video frame. The video encoder retrieve pixel data of a portion of the pixels of the video frame from the source buffer, and starts encoding the pixel data of the portion of the pixels before pixel data of a last pixel of the video frame is received by the source buffer. The bitstream buffer receives a network abstraction layer (NAL) stream from the video encoder, wherein the NAL stream is generated by encoding the pixel data of the portion of the pixels. The transmitting circuit retrieves the NAL stream from the bitstream buffer, and starts outputting the NAL stream before the pixel data of the last pixel of the video frame is encoded by the video encoder.

Abstract: A video decoding method is used for decoding a multi-plane video bitstream. The multi-plane video bitstream includes a first video subset bitstream corresponding to a fundamental plane (FP) and at least one second video subset bitstream corresponding to at least one augmented plane (AP). The video decoding method includes decoding the first video subset bitstream, decoding the at least one second video subset bitstream, and performing resampling of one decoded FP frame to generate one resampled frame. Decoding the first video subset bitstream includes performing decoding of a first FP frame to generate a first decoded FP frame. Decoding the at least one second video subset bitstream includes performing decoding of a first AP frame to generate a first decoded AP frame. A processing time of performing decoding of the first FP frame overlaps a processing time of performing resampling of said one decoded FP frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for multi-standard bin decoding in a video decoder for decoding two video coded in two different video coding standards is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first bin decoder to decode one or more first bin strings, a second bin decoder to decode one or more second bin strings, a standard change control module coupled to the first bin decoder and the second bin decoder and a system controller coupled to the standard change control module, the first bin decoder and the second bin decoder. The standard change control module or the system controller selects either a next slice or picture to be decoded by the first bin decoder or the second bin decoder based on one or more control parameters including the decoding time information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of scalable video coding using Inter prediction mode for a video coding system are disclosed, where video data being coded comprise BP (Basic Resolution Pass) pictures and UP (Upgrade Resolution Pass) pictures. In one embodiment according to the present invention, the method comprises receiving information associated with input data corresponding to a target block in a target UP picture. When the target block is Inter coded according to a current MV (motion vector) and uses a collocated BP picture as one reference picture, one or more BP MVs (motion vectors) of the collocated BP picture are scaled to generate one or more RCP (resolution change processing) MVs. The current MV of the target block is encoded or decoded using an UP MV predictor derived based on one or more temporal MVPs including said one or more RCP MVs.

Abstract: Method and system of video decoding incorporating frame compression to reduce frame buffer size are disclosed. The method adjusts parameters of the frame compression according to decoder system information or syntax element in the video bitstream. The decoder system information may be selected from a group consisting of system status, system parameter and a combination of system status and system parameter. The decoder system information may include system bandwidth, frame buffer size, frame buffer status, system power consumption, and system processing load. The syntax element comprises reference frame indicator, initial picture QP (quantization parameter), picture type, and picture size. The adaptive frame compression may be applied to adjust compression ratio. Furthermore, the adaptive frame compression may be applied to a decoder for a scalable video coding system or a multi-layer video coding system.

Abstract: A buffer write method for a buffer, including a plurality of M-bit storage units, has following steps: obtaining pixel data of a plurality of first N-bit pixels of a picture; calculating a corresponding start address of the buffer for the pixel data of the first N-bit pixels; and storing the first N-bit pixels of the picture according to the calculated start address of the buffer in the M-bit storage units by a buffer controller. The storing step includes fully storing at least one of the first N-bit pixels in one of the M-bit storage units storage units, wherein M and N are positive integers, and M is not divisible by N.