Layered Video Coding with High-Resolution Interlayer Prediction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spatial-resolution scalable video coding methods face inefficiencies when applied to layered coding due to low correlation between base-layer and enhancement-layer signals, particularly in image enlargement processes, resulting in suboptimal coding efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A video-signal layered coding and decoding system that includes spatial down-scaling, high-resolution estimation, and inter-spatial resolution prediction to enhance coding efficiency by using a spatial down-scaler, encoders, and decoders to produce and reconstruct high-resolution signals with reduced errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the base-layer decoded signal is directly interpolated to produce interlayer predictive signals, then the coding process is simple, but the correlation between enhancement-layer and base-layer signals is low, resulting in poor coding efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoding process simplicityVSAvoidcoding efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing high-resolution estimation on the base-layer decoded signal before using it for interlayer prediction. The high-resolution estimation procedure reconstructs fine details and high-frequency components in advance, creating a better-quality predictive signal that improves correlation with the enhancement-layer signal without complicating the overall coding process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the resolution parameter of the base-layer decoded signal from low to high through the high-resolution estimation procedure. This parameter transformation allows the predictive signal to match the enhancement-layer signal's resolution characteristics, thereby improving correlation and coding efficiency while maintaining process simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If image enlargement methods based on Laplacian pyramid are applied to layered coding, then high-frequency component estimation is improved, but the low correlation between coarse base-layer signals and enhancement-layer signals reduces coding efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh-frequency component estimation accuracyVSAvoidcoding efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the resolution parameter of the base-layer decoded signal from low to high through the high-resolution estimation procedure. This parameter transformation allows the predictive signal to match the enhancement-layer signal's resolution characteristics, thereby improving correlation and coding efficiency while maintaining process simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses feedback by comparing the high-resolution estimated signal with the original enhancement-layer signal to refine the estimation process. This feedback mechanism ensures that the reconstructed high-frequency components accurately represent the actual signal characteristics, improving both estimation precision and coding efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If coarse quantization is applied to base-layer signals, then the base-layer signal quality is reduced, but the correlation with enhancement-layer video signal decreases, leading to lower coding efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebase-layer signal data volumeVSAvoidcoding efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing high-resolution estimation on the base-layer decoded signal before using it for interlayer prediction. The high-resolution estimation procedure reconstructs fine details and high-frequency components in advance, creating a better-quality predictive signal that improves correlation with the enhancement-layer signal without complicating the overall coding process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8149914B2Video-signal layered coding and decoding methods, apparatuses, and programs

Publication Date: 2012.04.03 JVC KENWOOD CORP

AI summary

A video signal is encoded at a plurality of coding layers exhibiting different spatial resolutions. An input video signal is spatially scaled down into a resolution-lowered video signal that exhibits a resolution lower than the video signal. The resolution-lowered video signal is encoded with a decoding procedure to obtain first coded data and a decoded signal. The decoded signal is spatially scaled up through a high-resolution procedure with reference to the input video signal so that the decoded signal has a smaller error with respect to the input video signal, to obtain a high-resolution scaled-up video signal. The input video signal is encoded through inter-spatial resolution prediction using the high-resolution scaled-up video signal as a predictive signal, to obtain second coded data that exhibits a resolution higher than the resolution-lowered video signal.