Abstract: Various embodiments include techniques for encoding media frames using a multistage search without the processing overhead of pyramidal motion estimation techniques. The first stage of the multistage search generates many motion vectors, where each motion vector is based on a small range full pixel search of a pixel group in the media frame. The video encoder selects a full pixel best motion (FBM) vector for all pixel groups from the motion vectors generated during the first stage. The second and subsequent phases of the multistage search is based on the FBM vector from the prior stage as a starting point, where the search range for each subsequent phase is larger than the search range of the prior stage. The multistage search can be performed over a fixed number of stages. Alternatively, the multistage search can be terminated when the cost value for the current stage is below a threshold value.

Abstract: Various embodiments include techniques for encoding media frames when changing resolution of a video stream being encoded, such as when encoding a video stream for a bandwidth limited communications channel. Video encoding includes a motion estimation stage that estimates the pixel data for a current media frame based on pixel data from a reference media frame, such as the previous media frame. Video encoding further includes a reconstruction stage that generates a proxy of the decoded media frame that a video decoder would generate from the encoded media frame. With the disclosed techniques, a video encoder performs reference media frame scaling for the reconstruction stage but does not perform reference media frame scaling for the motion estimation stage. Instead, the video encoder scales the resolution of the reference media frame resolution to the resolution of the current media frame and performs motion estimation directly on the scaled reference media frame.

Abstract: Various embodiments include techniques for performing hardware-assisted weighted prediction encoding with software-generated weight prediction parameters for a media frame. The disclosed weighted prediction encoding techniques take advantage of temporal interframe correlation between adjacent media frames in a video stream. In certain examples, a media frame, or portions thereof, can exhibit a rapid luminance change, such as during a fade in from black effect, a fade out to black effect, a video depicting an explosion or blast, and/or the like. This rapid luminance change reduces interframe correlation, even in cases where the interframe correlation would be higher if not for the luminance change. The disclosed techniques remove this luminance change before encoding, resulting in higher temporal correlation between adjacent frames. The higher temporal correlation can result in reduced bit rate and improved visual quality of the resulting output video stream.

Abstract: Various embodiments include techniques for parallel encoding of multiple rows of a media frame. The disclosed video encoder includes multiple controllers, where each controller encodes components, or blocks, included in a different row of a media frame. Each of the controllers encodes the respective blocks of the different rows by sending commands and data to different encoding resources that each perform different encoding functions. The controllers have concurrent and independent access to the encoding resources. As a result, the controllers can access any encoding resource to perform encoding functions without regard to what other encoding resources are performing encoding functions for other controllers. As a result, utilization of encoding resources is increased, and encoding performance is improved, relative to conventional techniques.

Abstract: Various embodiments include techniques for performing hardware-assisted motion estimation when encoding blocks of a media frame. A video encoder generates motion vector hints for multiple phases of motion estimation at increasingly finer resolutions until the final motion estimation phase at the full resolution of the media frame. The video encoder divides the media frame into a grid of grid blocks, where the grid blocks are smaller than the standard encoding block size of the media frame. At each phase, the video encoder generates one motion vector hint for each grid block at the selected resolution for that phase. For each motion vector hint, the video encoder generates forward prediction hint data based on a reference media frame previous to the current media frame. Further, for each motion vector hint, the video encoder generates backward prediction hint data based on a reference media frame that follows the current media frame.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a control device, a control method and a storage medium. The control device comprises: one or more bus units, respectively connected to a bus in the control device; and a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, the first and second gateways are respectively connected to the bus and adapted to couple to the controller, wherein the first gateway is configured to perform information exchange between the controller and one or more bus units, and the second gateway is configured to at least partially perform information exchange in response to a fault associated with the first gateway, replacing the first gateway. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second gateway can replace the first gateway to perform information exchange between the controller and the bus unit in the event of a fault of the first gateway.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a control device, a control method and a storage medium. The control device comprises: one or more bus units, respectively connected to a bus in the control device; and a first gateway and a second gateway connected to each other, the first and second gateways are respectively connected to the bus and adapted to couple to the controller, wherein the first gateway is configured to perform information exchange between the controller and one or more bus units, and the second gateway is configured to at least partially perform information exchange in response to a fault associated with the first gateway, replacing the first gateway. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second gateway can replace the first gateway to perform information exchange between the controller and the bus unit in the event of a fault of the first gateway.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for efficient real-time codec encoding of video files. In one embodiment, the techniques include obtaining a first plurality of motion vectors of a first resolution, generating a second plurality of motion vectors of a second resolution, and calculating a first cost of the motion vector using a first cost function of a first size. The techniques include selecting a subset of motion vectors of the second plurality of motion vectors, calculating a second cost using a second cost function of a second size, and generating a plurality of combined motion vectors based on the subset of motion vectors. The techniques include calculating a third cost using the second cost function of the second size, selecting a final motion vector, and generating, based on the selected final motion vector, a block of predicted pixels that approximates a block of source pixels of an image frame.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for efficient real-time codec encoding of video files. In one embodiment, the techniques include obtaining a first plurality of motion vectors of a first resolution, generating a second plurality of motion vectors of a second resolution, and calculating a first cost of the motion vector using a first cost function of a first size. The techniques include selecting a subset of motion vectors of the second plurality of motion vectors, calculating a second cost using a second cost function of a second size, and generating a plurality of combined motion vectors based on the subset of motion vectors. The techniques include calculating a third cost using the second cost function of the second size, selecting a final motion vector, and generating, based on the selected final motion vector, a block of predicted pixels that approximates a block of source pixels of an image frame.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a video encoder, a video encoding system and a video encoding method. The video encoder comprises a logic control module and an encoding module. Wherein, the logic control module is configured to receive a control command sent from an external controller for encoding a specified portion of each frame of image, and send the control command to the encoding module; and the encoding module is configured to receive the control command from the logic control module, and encode the specified portion of each frame of image according to the control command, so as to cooperate with a plurality of other video encoders to complete encoding each frame of image.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a video encoder, a video encoding system and a video encoding method. The video encoder comprises a logic control module and an encoding module. Wherein, the logic control module is configured to receive a control command sent from an external controller for encoding a specified portion of each frame of image, and send the control command to the encoding module; and the encoding module is configured to receive the control command from the logic control module, and encode the specified portion of each frame of image according to the control command, so as to cooperate with a plurality of other video encoders to complete encoding each frame of image.