Compressed Frame Buffer Retrieval for Real-Time Video Decoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Decoding processes in dedicated hardware circuits face bottlenecks due to slow memory access when frame buffers are located off-chip, particularly for high frame resolutions and rates, leading to potential delays and interruptions in real-time decoding.
Innovation Solution
Utilize a frame buffer to store data representative of spatial correlation in frames, compressing this data using lossless techniques, and retrieve it quickly from external memory during decoding, thereby reducing access times and maintaining real-time processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the frame buffer is located in external memory to reduce cost, then the decoder can be implemented on a dedicated hardware circuit, but the memory access speed becomes slow causing bottlenecks in real-time decoding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential spatial correlation information from frame data and stores it in the frame buffer, rather than storing complete frame data. This significantly reduces the memory access volume and time, resolving the contradiction between using external memory and maintaining real-time decoding speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the frame data into a different parameter representation (spatial correlation information) that is sufficient for decoding but occupies much less space. This parameter transformation enables fast access from external memory while maintaining decoding functionality.
2Measurement precision
If the frame buffer stores complete frame data, then decoding accuracy is maintained, but the memory access time increases causing delays in high-resolution and high-frame-rate video processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the spatial correlation information needed for accurate decoding, discarding redundant data. This extraction maintains decoding precision while reducing memory access time, directly resolving the contradiction between accuracy and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial information (only spatial correlation data) rather than complete frame data, which is sufficient for accurate decoding. This partial action approach maintains decoding quality while significantly reducing memory access requirements.
3Loss of time
If high-compression techniques are used on frame buffer data, then memory access time is reduced, but decoding artifacts may be introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation to spatial correlation information, which inherently compresses the data while preserving essential decoding information. This parameter transformation achieves compression without introducing artifacts, as the correlation information is mathematically derived to be sufficient for accurate reconstruction.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method of using a frame buffer during a decoding process. The method is performed on a dedicated hardware circuit. The method comprises using a frame buffer to store data representative of a first frame data. The data representative of a first frame data is used when decoding, subsequently, a second frame data. The frame buffer is stored in memory external to the dedicated hardware circuit. The data representative of a first frame data is a set of transformed elements indicative of an extent of spatial correlation in the first frame data. The method compresses the set of transformed elements using a lossless compression technique and sends the compressed set of transformed elements to the frame buffer for retrieval when decoding the second frame data.