Image Coding Offset Adjustment for Degradation Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image coding methods fail to adequately reduce coding degradation beyond blocking artifacts, limiting subjective image quality.
Innovation Solution
An image coding method that applies offset, specifically edge offset and band offset, to pixel signals during coding, with adjustable offset values based on predetermined conditions, to improve image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional image coding methods (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC) are used with deblocking filter, then blocking artifacts are reduced, but subjective image quality is not sufficiently increased
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple regions (edge regions and band regions) based on gradient characteristics. Edge offset is applied to edge regions identified by gradient direction, while band offset is applied to band regions identified by gradient magnitude. This segmentation allows different offset processing to be applied to different image regions, effectively reducing both blocking artifacts and coding degradation while maintaining image quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If offset is applied to all pixel signals, then coding degradation is reduced, but calculation complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Offset is not applied uniformly to all pixels but selectively to specific regions based on their characteristics. Edge offset is applied only to pixels identified as edge regions through gradient direction analysis, and band offset is applied only to pixels identified as band regions through gradient magnitude analysis. This localized approach reduces calculation complexity while maintaining effectiveness in reducing coding degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying offset to all pixels (excessive action), the method applies offset only to pixels that benefit from it based on gradient characteristics (partial action). This selective application reduces unnecessary calculations and processing time while still achieving effective reduction of coding degradation in the regions that require it.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple types of offset (edge offset and band offset) are applied, then image quality is improved, but processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The processing is segmented into two distinct paths: edge offset processing for edge regions and band offset processing for band regions. By segmenting the image based on gradient characteristics and applying appropriate offset types to each segment, the method achieves comprehensive degradation reduction without requiring all pixels to undergo both processing types, thus optimizing processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
An image coding method includes: obtaining a pixel signal of a current region to be processed; calculating offset information including at least one of a location from which the offset information for the current region is obtained, a total number of blocks which share the offset information, a pattern of partitioning the current region, a pixel classification method for classifying pixels into categories, a category index number of band offset, or an offset value; applying offset to the current region using the offset information, the offset being applied with adjustment to the offset value when a predetermined condition is satisfied; coding the offset information; outputting an offset-applied signal generated by the applying of offset; and controlling the applying of offset.