HDR Enhancement Layer Mapping for Efficient Transcoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current HDR transcoding solutions cause exceptions and affect user experience due to direct re-encoding of HDR images or videos, leading to loss of information and abnormal visual effects.

Innovation Solution

An encoding method that processes HDR images by determining intermediate enhancement layer data based on a mapping relationship, involving base layer data and metadata, to improve encoding efficiency and reduce data amount.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If HDR image or video is directly transcoded using single-layer transcoding solution, then encoding process is simplified, but encoding quality deteriorates and exceptions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetranscoding process complexityVSAvoidtranscoding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the enhancement layer data into multiple sub-blocks and processes each sub-block separately through mapping relationships. This segmentation allows for more precise control of encoding parameters and reduces information loss during transcoding, thereby improving encoding quality while maintaining manageable process complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a multi-layer structure with base layer and enhancement layer, transforming the single-layer transcoding approach into a multi-dimensional encoding framework. This dimensional change enables separate processing of different data components, improving overall encoding reliability without excessive complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Manufacturing precision

If HDR pixel value is processed with upscaling/downscaling and enhancement, then image quality is improved, but data amount and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoiddata amount
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separately encodes enhancement layer data that contains the differences between base layer and full-resolution HDR data. By taking out only the necessary enhancement information and encoding it separately with appropriate mapping relationships, the patent reduces the overall data amount while maintaining image quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies mapping relationships that transform enhancement layer data into compressed representations. By changing the parameter representation of enhancement data through mathematical mappings, the patent reduces data volume while preserving the essential information needed for high-quality image reconstruction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If enhancement layer data is processed through mapping relationship, then encoding efficiency is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencoding efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments enhancement layer data into sub-blocks and applies mapping relationships to each segment. This segmentation strategy improves encoding efficiency by allowing parallel processing and optimized parameter selection for different regions, while the modular approach keeps processing complexity manageable through repeated use of standardized mapping operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4694121A1Encoding method, decoding method, and related device
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4694121A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4694121A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4694121A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

This application provides an encoding method, a decoding method, and a related device. The method includes: obtaining a first HDR image and first base layer data corresponding to the first HDR image; determining first intermediate enhancement layer data based on the first HDR image and the first base layer data; processing the first intermediate enhancement layer data based on a first mapping relationship, to obtain first enhancement layer data; and encoding the first base layer data, the first enhancement layer data, and first metadata, to obtain a bitstream. In the foregoing technical solution, the encoded first enhancement layer data is determined based on the first mapping relationship. The to-be-encoded data can be flexibly processed based on the first mapping relationship. This can improve encoding efficiency.