Two-Portion Macroblock Intra-Prediction for Parallel Video Coding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intra-prediction methods require sequential processing of macroblocks due to the need for reconstructed pixels from adjacent blocks, limiting parallelization and efficiency in video coding.
Innovation Solution
The method divides macroblocks into two portions, with the first portion encoded independently without external references and the second portion predicted from the first, allowing parallel encoding and decoding of multiple macroblocks simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional intra-prediction uses pixels from left and upper neighbour blocks to predict a macroblock, then prediction accuracy is improved, but all Intra MBs in a slice must be serially decoded
Solution Approach 1:
The macroblock is divided into two portions: a first portion that can be encoded independently without external references, and a second portion that uses intra prediction from the first portion. This segmentation allows the first portion to be processed independently, enabling parallel processing of multiple macroblocks while maintaining prediction accuracy for the second portion.
2Measurement precision
If reconstructed pixels from the same slice but not belonging to the current MB are necessary for Intra prediction, then prediction quality is improved, but parallel encoding and decoding of multiple MBs is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the macroblock into independent and dependent portions, the patent eliminates the need for reconstructed pixels from other macroblocks. The first portion is encoded independently, and the second portion only references the first portion within the same macroblock, removing cross-macroblock dependencies and enabling parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the independent encoding capability from the macroblock by creating a first portion that does not require external references. This extracted independent portion can be processed separately from other macroblocks, while the second portion still benefits from intra-prediction using the reconstructed first portion.
3Reliability
If sequential processing is used to ensure reconstructed left and upper MB are available, then prediction reliability is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first portion of the macroblock is encoded in advance as an independent unit with all necessary information contained within itself. This preliminary encoding of the first portion enables subsequent portions and even other macroblocks to be processed in parallel, eliminating the need to wait for sequential completion of neighboring macroblocks.
Data Source
AI summary
Conventional intra-prediction uses pixels from left and upper neighbour blocks to predict a macroblock (MB). Thus, the MBs must be sequentially processed, since reconstructed left and upper MBs must be available for prediction. In an improved method for encoding Intra predicted MBs, a MB is encoded in two steps: first, a first portion of the MB is encoded independently, without references outside the MB. Pixels of the first portion can be Intra predicted using DC mode. Then, the first portion is reconstructed. The remaining pixels of the MB, being a second portion, are intra predicted from the reconstructed pixels of the first portion and then reconstructed. The first portion comprises at least one column or one row of pixels of the MB. The encoding is applied to at least two Intra predicted MBs per slice, or per picture if no slices are used.