Enhanced Semi-Decoupled Partitioning for Low-Latency Video Decoding

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video coding methods face challenges in balancing coding efficiency and hardware latency when handling chroma and luma blocks, particularly in large block sizes, where independent partitioning leads to high latency and shared partitioning compromises accuracy.

Innovation Solution

Implement semi decoupled partitioning (SDP) where luma and chroma blocks share the same partitioning below a threshold and independently partition beyond it, allowing parallel processing of larger blocks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If luma and chroma blocks use independent partitioning, then coding accuracy and flexibility are improved, but hardware latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoding accuracyVSAvoidhardware latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the partitioning process into two distinct phases: a first partitioning stage for luma blocks, and a second partitioning stage for chroma blocks. This segmentation allows the luma and chroma components to be processed independently in sequence, enabling parallel processing paths that reduce hardware latency while maintaining the coding accuracy benefits of independent partitioning decisions for each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic control mechanisms including flags (e.g., sdp_enabled_flag, chroma_qp_offset_list_cbcr_flag) that allow the encoder to adaptively switch between different partitioning modes (independent vs. shared) based on content characteristics. This dynamic approach optimizes the balance between coding accuracy and hardware latency by selecting the most appropriate partitioning strategy for each specific video block.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If luma and chroma blocks share the same partitioning, then hardware latency is reduced through parallel processing, but coding accuracy and flexibility are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidcoding accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the partitioning process into two distinct phases: a first partitioning stage for luma blocks, and a second partitioning stage for chroma blocks. This segmentation allows the luma and chroma components to be processed independently in sequence, enabling parallel processing paths that reduce hardware latency while maintaining the coding accuracy benefits of independent partitioning decisions for each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic control mechanisms including flags (e.g., sdp_enabled_flag, chroma_qp_offset_list_cbcr_flag) that allow the encoder to adaptively switch between different partitioning modes (independent vs. shared) based on content characteristics. This dynamic approach optimizes the balance between coding accuracy and hardware latency by selecting the most appropriate partitioning strategy for each specific video block.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If independent partitioning is used for luma and chroma, then coding flexibility is maximized, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoding flexibilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates the partitioning information for luma and chroma components into distinct data structures and signaling pathways. By taking out the chroma partitioning information as a separate entity (with its own flags and parameters) rather than bundling it with luma partitioning, the system reduces redundant signaling while maintaining the flexibility to independently control partitioning decisions for each color component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic control mechanisms including flags (e.g., sdp_enabled_flag, chroma_qp_offset_list_cbcr_flag) that allow the encoder to adaptively switch between different partitioning modes (independent vs. shared) based on content characteristics. This dynamic approach optimizes the balance between coding accuracy and hardware latency by selecting the most appropriate partitioning strategy for each specific video block.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250280121A1Systems and methods for enhanced semi decoupled partitioning

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 TENCENT AMERICA LLC

AI summary

An example video decoding method includes receiving a video bitstream comprising a plurality of blocks. The method includes, when the plurality of blocks includes a first block that satisfies a first block size: (i) before a first partitioning threshold, partitioning a luma component of the first block and a chroma component of the first block with a same partitioning; (ii) beyond the first partitioning threshold, independently partitioning the luma component and the chroma component; and (iii) when the chroma component is determined to share one or more partitioning properties with the luma component at the first partitioning threshold, partitioning, at the first partitioning threshold, the chroma component and the luma component using the one or more partitioning properties.