Parallel Video Decoder for Half Frame Inter Prediction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current video signal processing methods lack efficiency in coding and inter prediction, particularly in handling half frames and in-loop filtering, which affects decoding time and compatibility with existing codecs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that process a video signal by parallel-processing half frames using multiple video decoders, performing inter prediction and in-loop filtering on half frame units, allowing for reduced decoding time and improved error reduction through inter prediction and compatibility with existing codecs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single video decoder sequentially performs inter prediction and in-loop filtering on entire frames, then the processing can be completed with simple hardware, but the decoding time is long and coding efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single frame into multiple half frames (top half and bottom half) that can be processed independently in parallel. Each video decoder processes one half frame at a time, allowing simultaneous operation of multiple decoders without interfering with each other. This segmentation enables the system to process video data faster while maintaining manageable hardware complexity through modular decoder design.
2Loss of time
If multiple video decoders process half frames in parallel, then decoding time is reduced and coding efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into half frames that can be processed in parallel by multiple video decoders. This allows simultaneous decoding of different portions of the video data, significantly reducing the total decoding time. The segmentation approach enables linear scaling of processing speed with the number of decoders added to the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the processing architecture by allowing video decoders to operate at different stages of the decoding process simultaneously. One decoder can be performing inter prediction while another performs in-loop filtering on previously decoded half frames, creating a pipelined processing architecture that reduces overall decoding time.
3Reliability
If inter prediction is performed on half frames with reference relations, then prediction accuracy is improved and errors are reduced, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The inter prediction process is segmented and distributed across multiple video decoders. Each decoder handles inter prediction for its assigned half frame independently, using reference frames that have been decoded by other decoders. This distribution allows parallel execution of inter prediction operations, maintaining high prediction accuracy while improving overall processing throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary decoding of reference half frames before inter prediction is applied to current half frames. By having multiple decoders work in parallel on different half frames, the system prepares reference data in advance, enabling efficient inter prediction operations without creating bottlenecks in the overall processing pipeline.
4Manufacturing precision
If in-loop filtering is performed on reconstructed half frames, then video quality is improved, but decoding time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The in-loop filtering operation is segmented and performed on half frames independently by different video decoders. After inter prediction is completed on a half frame, the corresponding video decoder applies in-loop filtering to that specific half frame. This segmentation allows filtering operations to proceed in parallel across different frames, improving video quality without proportionally increasing total decoding time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by implementing pipelined processing where video decoders continuously perform inter prediction on current half frames while simultaneously performing in-loop filtering on previously decoded half frames. This overlapping of operations ensures that filtering is performed without creating idle time or bottlenecks in the decoding pipeline.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for processing a video signal, according to the present invention, a first video decoder can extract motion information for inter prediction on a current half frame from a bitstream, a second video decoder can perform the inter prediction on the current half frame by using the extracted motion information, and the first video decoder can restore the inter-predicted current half frame. Accordingly, the coding time of a video sequence can be reduced.