3D Video Depth Transition Encoding via Width Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D video encoding methods face challenges in reducing transmission costs while maintaining smooth object transitions, as alpha maps require extensive data due to rapid spatial changes, leading to inefficient compression and increased transmission costs.
Innovation Solution
The method encodes video data signals by providing color information, depth maps, and transition information representing the width of transition regions, allowing for the determination of alpha values without needing exact alpha values for each pixel, using techniques like width maps, binary maps, or look-up tables to reduce data requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alpha maps are used to represent transition regions, then smooth object transitions are achieved, but transmission cost increases due to large data requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for transition representation by using trimaps to identify uncertain regions and depth transitions to locate boundaries, rather than transmitting complete alpha maps for all pixels. This selective extraction reduces data volume while preserving the necessary information for rendering smooth transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the representation parameter from per-pixel alpha values to region-based depth transition information. By representing transitions through depth values and spatial regions rather than individual alpha coefficients, the data requirement is significantly reduced while maintaining the ability to reconstruct smooth transitions during rendering.
2Measurement precision
If complete alpha maps are transmitted, then accurate blending is achieved, but compression efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image into three distinct regions using trimaps: foreground, background, and uncertain regions. By processing only the uncertain regions for transition information and using depth transitions to define boundaries, the method achieves accurate blending where needed while avoiding redundant processing in homogeneous regions, thereby improving compression efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by computing and transmitting transition information only for uncertain pixels in transition regions rather than for all pixels in the image. This selective approach maintains blending accuracy for pixels that require it while significantly reducing the overall data volume that needs to be compressed and transmitted.
3Measurement precision
If alpha values are estimated using multiple spatial samples, then transition accuracy is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by generating trimaps and identifying depth transitions before the actual rendering process. By pre-processing to locate uncertain regions and transition boundaries, the method simplifies subsequent processing steps and reduces the computational complexity of alpha estimation during real-time rendering, while maintaining high transition accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of encoding a video data signal (15) is provided, together with a method for decoding. The encoding comprises providing color information (51) for pixels in an image, providing a depth map with depth information (52) for the pixels, providing transition information (56, 57, 60, 70, 71) being representative of a width (63, 73) of a transition region (61, 72) in the image, the transition region (61, 72) comprising a depth transition (62) and blended pixels in which colors of a foreground object and a background object are blended, and generating (24) the video data signal (15) comprising encoded data representing the color information (51), the depth map (52) and the transition information (56, 57, 60, 70, 71). The decoding comprises using the transition information (56, 57, 60, 70, 71) for determining the width (63, 73) of the transition regions (61, 72) and for determining alpha values (53) for pixels inside the transition regions (61, 72). The determined alpha values (53) are used for determining the color of a blended pixel at the transition of a foreground object and a background object.