Adaptive Video Color Space, Sampling, and Bit Depth Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video encoding and decoding technologies lack flexibility in handling different types of video content within a single sequence, as they typically use fixed color spaces, sampling rates, and bit depths, which can lead to inefficiencies in coding efficiency.

Innovation Solution

Adaptive switching of color spaces, color sampling rates, and bit depths is implemented during encoding and decoding, allowing for dynamic adjustments between units within a video sequence, such as pictures, slices, or blocks, to optimize coding efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If fixed color spaces, sampling rates, and bit depths are used throughout a video sequence, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but coding efficiency deteriorates when handling diverse video content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoding efficiencyVSAvoidencoding complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic switching of color spaces, sampling rates, and bit depths during video encoding and decoding. The encoder and decoder can adaptively change these parameters between different units (pictures, slices, or blocks) within a video sequence based on content characteristics, transforming the system from static to dynamic operation to optimize coding efficiency for diverse video content

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes key encoding parameters (color space, sampling rate, bit depth) adaptively throughout the video sequence. Different parameter sets are selected based on content type (e.g., screen capture vs. natural video), allowing the system to optimize coding efficiency by matching parameters to content characteristics rather than using fixed values

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If adaptive switching of color spaces, sampling rates, and bit depths is implemented, then coding efficiency is improved for diverse video content, but device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoding efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the video sequence into distinct units (pictures, slices, or blocks) that can be independently encoded with different parameter sets. This segmentation allows adaptive switching without requiring complex global optimization, as each unit can be processed separately with its own optimized parameters, reducing overall processing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary classification of video content characteristics to determine appropriate parameter sets before encoding. By pre-identifying content types (e.g., screen capture, natural video) and selecting optimal parameters in advance, the system avoids complex real-time optimization during encoding, reducing processing overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250220228A1Adaptive switching of color spaces, color sampling rates and/or bit depths

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Innovations in adaptive encoding and decoding for units of a video sequence can improve coding efficiency. For example, some of the innovations relate to encoding/decoding that includes adaptive switching of color spaces between units within a video sequence. Other innovations relate encoding/decoding that includes adaptive switching of color sampling rates between units within a video sequence. Still other innovations relate encoding/decoding that includes adaptive switching of bit depths between units within a video sequence.