Abstract: Encoding video data that includes a frame includes: generating a reconstructed frame from compressed data for the frame, partitioning at least some pixels of the reconstructed frame into a plurality of segments of one or more pixels, based at least in part on pattern information for individual pixels, and generating respective filter information for each of one or more of the plurality of segments. Encoded video data is generated that includes the compressed data for the frame and the generated filter information.

Abstract: A video decoder may adaptively disable, based on a syntax element, one or more filters used for intra-prediction. In addition, the video decoder may perform intra-prediction to generate prediction data for a current block of a current video slice. Furthermore, a video encoder may adaptively disable one or more filters used for intra-prediction. Furthermore, the video encoder may signal a syntax element that controls the one or more filters. In addition, the video encoder may perform intra prediction to generate prediction data for a current video block the video data.

Abstract: A method of determining an offset includes dividing a current image into a plurality of blocks, determining a category of pixels in each of the plurality of blocks based on values of neighboring pixels, determining an offset value for pixels belonging to the category, and adjusting the offset value based on characteristics of the category and a background pixel value of each of the pixels. The offset value is an average of differences between values of original images and restored images of pixels belonging to one category. The background pixel value is an average of values of pixels in a background pixel block to which the pixels belong among background pixel blocks divided to calculate a background pixel value.

Abstract: Provided is an intra prediction apparatus that adaptively filters reference pixels according to an intra prediction mode and a size of a prediction block, and generates the prediction block using reference pixels determined by the intra prediction mode. The reference pixels are adaptively filtered according to the size of the prediction block for intra prediction modes existing between a horizontal mode and an intra prediction mode having a direction of 45° with reference to the horizontal mode. When the reference pixels for a second directional intra prediction mode are filtered, the reference pixels for a first directional intra prediction mode, that is closer to the intra prediction mode having the direction of 45° with reference to the horizontal mode than the second directional intra prediction mode is, are also filtered. Accordingly, an image compression ratio can be improved.

Abstract: A method of generating a video sequence including setting a state of a deblocking control flag in a frame header of a frame to indicate that a deblocking parameter is presented for some but not all layers. A method of processing a received video sequence including determining a state of a deblocking control flag of a frame header and retrieving a deblocking parameter for some but not all layers. A scalable video system including a deblocking control circuit which sets a state of a deblocking control flag in a frame header to indicate that a deblocking parameter is presented for some but not all layers. A scalable video system including a deblocking control circuit which determines the state of a deblocking control flag in a frame header of a received video sequence and which retrieves a deblocking parameter for some but not all layers of the frame.

Abstract: Provided is an intra prediction apparatus that adaptively filters reference pixels according to an intra prediction mode and a size of a prediction block, and generates the prediction block according to the intra prediction mode. When the reference pixels for a second directional intra prediction mode are filtered, the reference pixels for a first directional intra prediction mode, that is closer to an intra prediction mode having a direction of 45° with reference to a horizontal mode than the second directional intra prediction mode is, are also filtered. The first and the second intra prediction modes exist between the horizontal mode and the intra prediction mode having the direction of 45° with reference to the horizontal mode. The number of intra prediction modes in which the filter is applied increases as the size of the prediction block increases.

Abstract: An image processing method of performing filtering on image blocks using a plurality of deblocking filters having different filter strengths includes: a first parameter calculating step of calculating a first parameter indicating a boundary strength; a second parameter calculating step of calculating a second parameter indicating a limit value for each of the deblocking filters, based on the first parameter and a quantization parameter; and a selecting step of selecting a deblocking filter to be used in the filtering from among the deblocking filters, using one or more threshold values which are determined based on the second parameter.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and a ringing artifact removing method thereof are provided. The image processing circuit includes a deRing detection unit and a deRing filtering unit. The deRing detection unit receives a plurality of display data of an input frame and calculates a regulating reference value corresponding to each display data according to the display data and the display data at adjacent display positions. The deRing filtering unit is coupled to the deRing detection unit. The deRing filtering unit receives the display data and regulates the display data according the regulating reference values respectively corresponding to the display data to output a plurality of regulated display data.

Abstract: A coding device and a decoding device are configured to include an estimated prediction mode deciding section (122a) including: a reference block selecting section (1223a) for selecting a reference block for use in estimating an intra-prediction mode for a subject block; an estimating number deciding section (1222a) for deciding an estimating number of estimated values to be estimated for the intra-prediction mode; and an estimated prediction mode deriving section (1221a) for estimating, based on a reference block, the estimating number of estimated values of the prediction mode.

Abstract: A method including: obtaining video information at a video decoder apparatus, the video information including largest coding units of video data and filtering information, each of the largest coding units having a common size; obtaining, at the video decoder apparatus, an adaptive loop filter on/off indicator for each of the largest coding units, wherein each of the largest coding units includes a respective adaptive loop filter on/off indicator; and performing, by the video decoder apparatus, adaptive loop filtering to the largest coding units if the respective adaptive on/off indicators are on.

Abstract: The present technique relates to image processing devices and methods for enabling more appropriate removals of block distortions. When the difference between the quantization parameter QPc of a current region C and the quantization parameter QPN of a neighboring region N is determined to be larger than a predetermined threshold value, a deblocking filter adjusts the deblocking filtering operation so that stronger filtering is performed on a boundary between the current region and the neighboring region. This disclosure can be applied to image processing devices, for example.

Abstract: An image processing method of performing filtering on image blocks using a plurality of deblocking filters having different filter strengths includes: a first parameter calculating step of calculating a first parameter indicating a boundary strength; a second parameter calculating step of calculating a second parameter indicating a limit value for each of the deblocking filters, based on the first parameter and a quantization parameter; and a selecting step of selecting a deblocking filter to be used in the filtering from among the deblocking filters, using one or more threshold values which are determined based on the second parameter.

Abstract: Described are techniques in video coding and/or decoding that allow for selectively breaking prediction and/or in loop filtering across segment boundaries between different segments of a video picture. A high layer syntax element, such as a parameter set or a slice header, may contain one or more indications signalling to an encoder and/or decoder whether an associated prediction or loop filtering tool may be applied across the segment boundary. In response to such one or more indications, the encoder and/or decoder may then control the prediction or loop filtering tool accordingly.

Abstract: Provided is an intra prediction decoding apparatus that restores quantized residual coefficients, intra prediction information and size information on a prediction unit from a received bit stream, restores an intra prediction mode of the current prediction unit on the basis of the intra prediction information and the size information on the current prediction unit, generates unavailable reference pixels of the prediction unit, and adaptively filters the reference pixels on the basis of the intra prediction mode. Also, the apparatus generates a prediction block by adaptively filtering reference pixels corresponding to the intra prediction mode. Then, the apparatus generates a restoration image using the prediction block and a restored residual block. Accordingly, a prediction block close to an original image can be restored, and an image compression ratio can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for encoding and decoding image information and to an apparatus using same, and the method for encoding the image information, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: generating a recovery block; applying a deblocking filter to the recovery block; applying a sample adaptive offset (SAO) to the recovery block to which the deblocking filter is applied; and transmitting the image information including information on the SAO which is applied, wherein in the step of transmitting, information for specifying bands that cover a scope of a pixel value, to which a band off set is applied, is transmitted when the band offset is applied during the step of applying the SAO.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image information encoding and decoding method and a device for same. One embodiment of an image information encoding method according to the present invention, as an image information encoding method according to another embodiment of the present invention, includes the steps of: generating a restore block; applying a deblocking filter on the restore block; applying a Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO) on the restore block having the deblocking filter applied thereon; and transmitting information on the SAO application. During the applying of the SAO, the SAO is applied to chroma pixels, and during the transmitting of the information, in addition to information on whether the SAO is applied on the chroma pixels, at least one of area information, division information on the SAO coverage area, SAO type information, and SAO offset information is transmitted.

Abstract: Filtering is applied at a video encoder, and filter information is encoded in the bitstream to enable a video decoder to identify the filtering that was applied at the video encoder. The video decoder receives encoded video data that includes the filter information, decodes the video data, and applies filtering based on the filtering information. In this way, the decoder applies the same filtering that was applied at the encoder. Video can be encoded utilizing multiple filters with Laplacian filter indexing for multiple inputs for coded units partitioned using a quadtree partitioning scheme.

Abstract: One particular implementation of the present invention may take the form of a method and system for encoding and/or transmitting high definition 3-D multimedia content. In one embodiment, the frames for each eye of a viewer may be transmitted in a frame sequential manner to a display device, with an occasional null frame included in the frame stream. The null frame may be ignored by the display device and not presented to the viewer. In another embodiment, a synchronization signal may be presented to the display device to instruct the display device on how to display the frame-sequenced frames such that the 3-D effect of the content may be achieved. The synchronization signal may be presented to the display device embedded within the frames of the content or embedded within the null frames. The synchronization signal may also be provided out of band, such as on a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable.

Abstract: A video coder associates a first boundary strength value with an edge in response to determining that a first video block or a second video block is associated with an intra-predicted coding unit (CU), where the edge occurs at a boundary between the first video block and the second video block. The video coder may associate a second or a third boundary strength value with the edge when neither the first video block nor the second video block is associated with an intra-predicted CU. The video coder may apply one or more deblocking filters to samples associated with the edge when the edge is associated with the first boundary strength value or the second boundary strength value. The third boundary strength value indicates that the deblocking filters are turned off for the samples associated with the edge.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for efficient adaptive filtering for video encoders and decoders. An apparatus includes a video encoder for encoding picture data for at least a portion of a picture using adaptive filtering. The video encoder includes an adaptive filter for performing the adaptive filtering. A final filter coefficient set used for the adaptive filtering is determined by iteratively estimating a plurality of filter coefficient sets and selecting a last estimated one of the plurality of filter coefficient sets as the final filter coefficient set when a last iteration corresponding to the last estimated one of the plurality of filter coefficient sets results in a quality improvement above a threshold value for the portion.

Abstract: A method of encoding a coding unit of a digital video sequence is provided that includes computing a brightness measure for each region in a plurality of regions in the coding unit, wherein the brightness measure indicates a relative brightness between the region in the coding unit and a corresponding region in a reference coding unit, determining a number of regions in the plurality of regions with significant brightness change by comparing each brightness measure to a region brightness change threshold, detecting whether there is global brightness change in the coding unit by comparing the number of regions to a global brightness threshold, and when global brightness change is detected, computing weighted prediction factors to be used for weighted prediction in encoding the coding unit.

Abstract: A method for coding a block of pixels is described. The coding method comprises: determining a prediction block for the pixel block from a motion vector; calculating a residue between the pixel block and the prediction block; and code the residue. The determination of the prediction block comprises the following steps: determining an intermediate prediction block of size strictly greater than the size of the pixel block; transforming the intermediate prediction block into a first block transformed with a first transform; and transforming the first transformed block into a second block transformed with a second transform of inverse the first transform whose basis functions are shifted by at least a part of each component of the motion vector, the prediction block being extracted from the second transformed block.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting motion are provided. The method includes: generating a time domain matrix including vectors corresponding to variation of pixel values as elements of the time domain matrix, of a video image including a plurality of frames; generating a motion matrix from which a low frequency area of the video image is removed by multiplying the time domain matrix by a low rank matrix; and generating a result image including a plurality of frames in which vectors, which are elements of the motion matrix, are included as variation of motion pixel values.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling constant bit rate for a coded video bitstream using implicitly derived quantization values during coding are presented. A decoder component and an encoder component independently track a first subset of quantization-related parameters in relation to coding video frames. The encoder component encodes a macroblock of a video frame using a quantization value based on the first subset of coding parameters and a second subset of coding parameters. The decoder component calculates the quantization value for the macroblock based on the first subset and second subset of quantization-related parameters, the second subset received in a header with the bitstream. The decoder component uses calculated quantization values to adjust quantization levels in relation to decoding macroblocks of a frame to facilitate maintaining constant bit rate control for the bitstream.

Abstract: A high speed filtering apparatus and a method for high precision restoration of a depth image are provided. The high speed filtering apparatus for high precision restoration of the depth image may include a block setting unit to set a first block including a target pixel, and to set a second block with respect to a central pixel distributed around the target pixel based on a size of the first block, a weight determining unit to determine a pixel weight with respect to each pixel in the second block, and to determine a block weight with respect to the second block by applying the pixel weight, and a processor to filter the target pixel based on the block weight, thereby accurately filtering the target pixel.

Abstract: A video decoder includes an entropy decoding device that includes a first processor that generates entropy decoded (EDC) data from an encoded video signal that includes a plurality of video layers. A general video decoding device includes a second processor that generates a decoded video signal from the EDC data, wherein the general video decoding device includes a neighbor management module, a decode motion compensation module, an inverse intra-prediction module, an inverse transform/quantization module, a deblocking filter module, and a resampling module.

Abstract: There are provided a method and an apparatus for reducing noise in a digital image capable of reducing noise while preventing damage to an edge of a digital image. The apparatus includes: a high pass filtering unit determining an edge region of an input image; a low pass filtering unit performing low pass filtering on a region of the input image determined not to be the edge region by the high pass filtering unit; and a sigma filtering unit performing sigma filtering on the region of the input image determined not to be the edge region by the high pass filtering unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises: a separation unit configured to separate image data into a luminance signal and a color difference signal; a decision unit configured to decide a reference pixel, which is referenced for a pixel of interest included in the image data; a luminance noise reduction unit configured to reduce luminance noise in the luminance signal of the image data; a weight calculation unit configured to calculate a weight of the reference pixel based on similarity of luminance included in the luminance signal having been subjected to noise reduction by the luminance noise reduction unit between a first area containing the pixel of interest and a second area containing the reference pixel; and a color noise reduction unit configured to reduce color noise in the color difference signal for the pixel of interest by using the weight of the reference pixel.

Abstract: A network apparatus in a collaboration system with a plurality of participants, the apparatus comprising: a processing structure; and a memory including computer program code, wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, with the processing structure, to cause the network apparatus to at least: present content on a display coupled to the processing structure; select a portion of the display for sharing, the portion having the shared content; simultaneously send said shared content to said display and to an encoder for encoding; automatically discover a network server configured to distribute the shared content with the plurality of participants; couple the apparatus to the network server and transmit the shared content to the network server for distribution to at least one of the plurality of participants, such that the shared content is encoded and decoded, and displayed in real-time.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques related to re-use of filter parameters, and particularly Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO) parameters, of a lower-layer bitstream or a coded enhancement layer bitstream for coding enhancement layer bitstream in a scalable video encoding.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an encoding device includes a processor and a memory. The processor applies a filter to first and second images included in moving image (video) data. The processor encodes the first and second images to which the filter has been applied and generates encoded data. The processor generates, on the basis of an encoding completion target time of the first image included in the moving image data, a target value of an encoding time spent for encoding the second image to be encoded after the first image. The processor controls the applying of the filter for the second image depending on the target value of the encoding time.

Abstract: A method for signaling sample adaptive offset (SAO) band offset syntax elements in a video encoder is provided that includes receiving a plurality of band offset syntax elements, entropy encoding an absolute value of a magnitude of each band offset syntax element in a compressed video bit stream, and entropy encoding a sign of each non-zero band offset syntax element in the compressed video bit stream following the absolute values of the magnitudes.

Abstract: Several systems, methods and integrated circuits capable of reducing blocking artifacts in video data are disclosed. In an embodiment, a system for reducing blocking artifacts in video data includes a processing module and a deblocking module. The deblocking module comprises a luma deblocking filter and a chroma deblocking filter configured to filter an edge between adjacent blocks associated with the video data, where a block of the adjacent blocks corresponds to one of a prediction block and a transform block. The processing module is communicatively associated with the deblocking module and is operable to configure at least one filter coefficient corresponding to the chroma deblocking filter based on one or more filter coefficients corresponding to the luma deblocking filter. The processing module is further configured to cause the chroma deblocking filter to filter the edge between the adjacent blocks based on the configured at least one filter coefficient.

Abstract: A video decoder includes an entropy decoding device that includes a first processor that generates entropy decoded (EDC) data from an encoded video signal. A general video decoding device includes a second processor that generates a decoded video signal from the EDC data, wherein the general video decoding device includes: a neighbor management module, a decode motion compensation module, an inverse intra-prediction module, an inverse transform/quantization module, and a deblocking filter module.

Abstract: A method for compressing a stream by means of a codec (C), provided for assigning to a compressed stream an encoding throughput (Q) measured in bits per second, using a pre-filter (X1) replacing in the header (T1) of the original stream, the restoration frequency (R) with a frequency equal to the product (R×K) of the restoration frequency (R) by a coefficient (K) and then for retransmitting the thereby filtered stream (FX1) to the codec; the post-filter (X2) replacing the restoration frequency (R) into the header (TX2) of a stream (FX2) resulting from the encoding of the pre-filtered stream (FX1) by the codec C.

Abstract: A method, system and device are provided for pre-filtering device for filtering a video signal prior to digitally encoding. The method includes receiving at least one input picture and at least one reconstructed picture from an encoding process and performing an in-loop temporal filtering process using at least one input picture and at least one reconstructed picture from an encoding process to output a pre-filtered video signal for use in an encoding process. The result is enabling an encoding process to produce an output with increased temporal correlation between adjacent pictures regardless of the coding type, since the artifacts introduced by the encoding process are also considered by the process.

Abstract: A filter unit of a video encoder or video decoder can determine a first metric for a group of pixels within a block of pixels based on a comparison of a subset of the pixels in the block to other pixels in the block; determine a filter based on the first metric; and generate a filtered image by applying the filter to the group of pixels. The subset of pixels can be selected to not include pixels on the boundary of the block of pixels.

Abstract: A filter unit of a video encoder or video decoder can determine a first metric for a group of pixels within a block of pixels, determine a second metric for the group of pixels, determine a filter based on the first metric and the second metric, and generate a filtered image by applying the filter to the group of pixels. The first metric and second metric can be an activity metric and a direction metric, respectively, or can be other metrics such as an edge metric, horizontal activity metric, vertical activity metric, or diagonal activity metric.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to video coding techniques that support normal single layer video coding, or scalable video coding with features such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) scalability and spatial scalability. A video coding device may implement these techniques in a video decoder that includes a motion compensation module and a filter. The motion compensation module decodes a prediction frame from a digital video signal, wherein the motion compensation module determines each block of the inter-coded frame from motion vectors encoded in the digital video signal. The filter adaptively filters one or more of the inter-coded blocks based on a signal either encoded or inferred from the digital video signal. In some instances, the video decoder may adaptively apply different filter functions, one in the horizontal and another in the vertical direction, based on the signal.

Abstract: A video information processing system including a processing circuit and a deblocking filter. The processing circuit provides video information including a chroma component and a luma component. The deblocking filter has an input receiving the video information and an output providing filtered video information, and is configured to selectively disable chroma deblock filtering while luma deblock filtering is enabled. The processing circuit may include a video encoder or a video decoder. The processing circuit may further include control logic providing a control signal to disable chroma deblock filtering within either or both the encoder and decoder. The video encoder may incorporate control information in the output bitstream to control deblock filtering in the downstream decoder to maintain consistency between the encoder and the decoder.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for adaptively reducing blocking artifacts in block-coded video are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes processing logic at least capable of deblock filtering at least a portion of a line of video data based, at least in part, on edge information and texture information to generate at least a portion of a line of deblocked video data, and an image data output device responsive to the processing logic.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing image signals stored in a memory using a direct memory access (DMA) in a system including a digital signal processor (DSP). The method includes receiving, by the DMA which is located within a hardware block, data from a memory which is located outside the hardware block, transmitting the received data to a programmable filter, which is located inside the hardware block, through a transmission path inside the hardware block, and filtering, by the programmable filter which stores filter information, the received data using the filter information.

Abstract: A method for signaling sample adaptive offset (SAO) band offset syntax elements in a video encoder is provided that includes receiving a plurality of band offset syntax elements, entropy encoding an absolute value of a magnitude of each band offset syntax element in a compressed video bit stream, and entropy encoding a sign of each non-zero band offset syntax element in the compressed video bit stream following the absolute values of the magnitudes.

Abstract: On the basis of quantization codes of each separate block and results of motion determination of each separate block, a noise amount calculating section (150) of a video processing device (100) selects at least one noise reduction process that is applied to the target frame from among a plurality of noise reduction processes having different characteristics from each other.

Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a moving image decoder for decoding a compression-coded moving image stream. The decoder includes: a deblocking filter configured to perform deblocking filter processing on each of frames to be decoded; a load detector configured to detect a magnitude of internal processing loads occurring inside a video player, including a processing load for decoding; a determination module configured to determine whether to bypass the deblocking filter processing, depending on the magnitude of the internal processing loads. The deblocking filter is configured to bypass the deblocking filter processing, if the magnitude of the internal processing loads is bigger than a threshold value and a processing subject block of the frame is decoded using inter-view prediction.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus of encoding a video by compensating for a pixel value and a method and apparatus of decoding a video by compensating for a pixel value. The method of encoding the video includes: encoding image data; decoding the encoded image data and generating a restored image by performing loop filtering on the decoded image data; determining a compensation value corresponding to errors between a predetermined group restored pixels in the restored image and corresponding original pixels, and a pixel group including a restored pixel to be compensated for by using the compensation value; and encoding the compensation value and transmitting the encoded compensation value and a bitstream of the encoded image data.

Abstract: A method of coding a moving picture is provided that reduces blocking artifacts. The method can include defining a plurality of defining pixels S0, S1, and S2, which are centered around a block boundary. If a default mode is selected then frequency information of the surroundings of the block boundary is obtained. A magnitude of a discontinuous component in a frequency domain belonging to the block boundary is adjusted based on a magnitude of a corresponding discontinuous component selected from a pixel contained entirely within a block adjacent the block boundary. The frequency domain adjustment is then applied to a spatial domain. Or, a DC offset mode can be selected to reduce blocking artifacts in smooth regions where there is little motion.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to techniques for picture-in-picture (PIP) processing for video telephony (VT). According to the disclosed techniques, a local video communication device transmits PIP information to a remote video communication device. Using the PIP information, the remote video communication device applies preferential encoding to non-PIP regions of video transmitted to the local video communication device.

Abstract: A motion vector predictor candidate generation unit derives a plurality of motion vector predictor candidates by prediction from first coded prediction blocks neighboring a prediction block subject to coding within the same picture as the prediction block subject to coding, or from a second coded prediction block located at the same position as or in the neighborhood of the prediction block subject to coding in a picture different from that of the prediction block subject to coding, and adds the derived motion vector predictor candidates in a motion vector predictor candidate. The motion vector predictor candidate generation unit determines, for the purpose of obtaining a predetermined number of motion vector predictor candidates, which of first coded prediction blocks provides the motion vector from which to derive the motion vector predictor candidate, organizing the blocks in the order of priority.