Predictor Prefetching in Video Encoding for Motion Search Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The bottleneck in video stream encoding is the time-consuming memory access required for motion vector searches, which stalls the video encoding hardware and affects overall performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing predictor prefetch circuitry to pre-fetch predictor candidates into caches, including both primary and supplemental candidates, to reduce memory access latency and keep the video encoding hardware busy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If predictor prefetch circuitry is implemented to pre-fetch predictor candidates into caches, then memory access latency is reduced and encoder performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements predictor prefetch circuitry that proactively fetches predictor candidate data from memory into caches before the motion search process actually needs it. This preliminary action eliminates idle waiting time in the encoding pipeline, as the data is already available when required, thus improving encoder performance without requiring fundamental architectural changes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate cache structures between the main memory and the motion search unit. These caches act as intermediaries that buffer predictor candidate data, allowing the motion search process to access data quickly without directly interfacing with slow main memory, thus reducing latency while maintaining a manageable system architecture
2Manufacturing precision
If the pixel search area is increased to improve quality, then encoding quality is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prefetches predictor candidate data into caches before the motion search process begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the search operates on larger pixel areas requiring more computational work, the data is already available in fast memory, preventing the processing time from increasing proportionally with the search area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the reference frame into multiple predictor candidate blocks that can be independently fetched and processed. This segmentation allows the motion search to efficiently handle larger search areas by working with pre-organized, manageable segments of data that are already loaded into caches, reducing the overhead of large-area searches
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to implement predictor prefetching in video encoding. The example apparatus includes processor circuitry to perform operations to instantiate a predictor list generator circuitry and a predictor prefetch circuitry. The example predictor list generator circuitry to obtain predictor candidates indicating memory locations storing reference blocks from a previous block and sort the predictor candidates in a priority order. The example predictor prefetch circuitry to send cache line requests to the memory corresponding to at least some the predictor candidates that satisfy a threshold priority value. The example predictor prefetch circuitry to send the cache line requests to the memory before a reference block winner of the previous block is determined.