Adaptive Intra Refresh Boundaries for Faster Video Decoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing intra refresh mechanism in video encoding is inflexible and inefficient, as it rigidly divides frames into forced intra and inter areas, leading to suboptimal bit rate distribution and potential decoding delays, especially in weak network environments.

Innovation Solution

An adaptive intra refresh mechanism that uses virtual boundary position information to dynamically divide frames into refreshed and unrefreshed areas, allowing for flexible area division based on content and improving decoding efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If equidistant vertical stripe division is used for forced intra areas, then the encoding structure is simple and regular, but the adaptability to picture contents is poor and picture quality is affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveencoding structure simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to picture contents

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static equidistant vertical stripe division into a dynamic adaptive division mechanism. The virtual boundary position is no longer fixed but is determined adaptively based on picture content characteristics, allowing the refresh area division to adjust dynamically to different picture scenarios, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining encoding efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of boundary position from fixed equidistant values to adaptive values determined by picture content. By introducing virtual boundary position information that can take different positions based on picture characteristics, the system achieves better adaptability to various picture contents while maintaining a relatively simple encoding structure through parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If loop filtering is restricted across virtual boundaries, then the decoding complexity is reduced, but the picture quality deteriorates due to artificial boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding complexityVSAvoidpicture quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the virtual boundary position information from the picture content and represents it explicitly through syntax elements. By separating the boundary position representation from the actual filtering operation, the system enables loop filtering to extend across virtual boundaries without significantly increasing decoding complexity, while improving picture quality by removing artificial boundary effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces virtual boundary position information as an intermediary that mediates between the encoding structure and the filtering operation. This intermediary allows the filtering process to adapt to the virtual boundary positions, enabling quality improvement through extended filtering while maintaining manageable decoding complexity through efficient position representation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the intra refresh mechanism is started based on current syntax, then the implementation is straightforward, but the process becomes redundant and flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation straightforwardnessVSAvoidapplication flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary determination of virtual boundary positions based on picture content characteristics before the actual encoding process. By pre-calculating and representing boundary positions through syntax elements, the system enables flexible adaptive refresh area division while maintaining straightforward implementation through standardized syntax processing and existing encoding frameworks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12615378B2Decoding and encoding based on adaptive intra-frame refreshing mechanism

Publication Date: 2026.04.28 HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

Decoding methods and encoding methods based on an adaptive intra refresh mechanism and related devices are provided. In one aspect, a decoding method includes: receiving a bit stream of a current frame; and determining whether the current frame supports an adaptive intra refresh technology. The determining comprises one of: if there is extension data in the bit stream of the current frame and the extension data carries an adaptive intra refresh video extension identifier (ID), obtaining virtual boundary position information carried in the extension data, and determining whether the current frame supports an adaptive intra refresh technology based on the virtual boundary position information; or if there is no adaptive intra refresh video extension ID in the extension data in the bit stream of the current frame, determining that the current frame does not support the adaptive intra refresh technology.