Image Frame Encoding with Offset Slice Boundaries
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-resolution image data from monitoring cameras exceeds the encoding capacity of a single encoder chip, requiring cumbersome data copying and synchronization between multiple encoders for motion vector search, which hinders efficient encoding at acceptable frame rates.
Innovation Solution
A method where image frames are divided into portions that are encoded by separate encoders, with a dynamic slice or tile boundary adjustment between frames, allowing one encoder to operate independently by offsetting the boundary based on the search window size, reducing the need for data copying and relaxing synchronization requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-resolution image data is encoded using a single encoder, then encoding capacity is sufficient, but encoding speed and frame rate become unacceptable
Solution Approach 1:
The image frame is divided into multiple independent portions (tiles or slices) that can be encoded in parallel by separate encoder instances. This segmentation enables parallel processing, significantly increasing encoding throughput and frame rate while maintaining the ability to handle high-resolution data
2Productivity
If multiple encoders are used to increase encoding capacity, then frame rate improves, but data copying and synchronization complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each encoder is assigned a specific portion of the image frame with well-defined boundaries. The encoders operate independently on their local regions without requiring access to or copying of data from other encoders' regions. This local independence eliminates the need for complex inter-encoder data copying and synchronization mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The motion vector search process is extracted and performed independently within each encoder's assigned portion using only the reference data available in that portion. By removing the requirement for global reference frame access, the patent eliminates the data copying bottleneck between encoders
3Measurement precision
If the entire reference frame is copied between encoders for motion vector search, then motion accuracy improves, but computational burden and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of copying or accessing the entire reference frame, each encoder performs motion vector search using only the necessary portion of reference data corresponding to its assigned image portion. This partial action approach maintains sufficient motion accuracy for local regions while dramatically reducing computational burden and processing time
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for encoding a plurality of image frames uses two separate encoders, where each image frame is divided into two portions to each be encoded by one of the two encoders, where a boundary between the two portions is offset between the image frames according to a size of a search window of one of the encoders. Consequently, copying of pixel data for the purpose of motion search is only required in one direction between a first and a second encoder.