Scalable Video Encoding Inter-Layer Prediction Phase Alignment

Solution Overview

Problem

Current video compression technologies for mobile devices face challenges in efficiently allocating bandwidth and maintaining image quality, particularly when transcoding is required due to varying processing capabilities, leading to time delays and complex hardware needs.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves an inter-layer prediction method for scalable video coding, where the phase shift information between layers is accounted for during upsampling and downsampling, ensuring that the base and enhanced layers are in phase, thereby enhancing coding efficiency and maintaining image quality across different bitrates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If transcoding is performed to adapt video to different mobile device capabilities, then video compatibility and processing efficiency are improved, but time delay increases and hardware complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo compatibilityVSAvoidtime delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-encoding video into multiple layers (base layer and enhancement layers) with different quality levels during the initial encoding process. This allows the decoder to selectively decode only the necessary layers based on device capabilities and network conditions, eliminating the need for time-consuming transcoding operations later. The layered structure is prepared in advance, enabling fast adaptation to different playback scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the video signal into multiple independent layers (base layer and enhancement layers), each representing different quality levels. The base layer contains essential video information that can be decoded independently, while enhancement layers contain additional detail. This segmentation allows flexible combination of layers to match different device capabilities without requiring full transcoding, thus reducing time delay while maintaining compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If transcoding is performed to adapt video to different mobile device capabilities, then video compatibility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo compatibilityVSAvoidhardware complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the video signal into multiple independent layers (base layer and enhancement layers), each representing different quality levels. The base layer contains essential video information that can be decoded independently, while enhancement layers contain additional detail. This segmentation allows flexible combination of layers to match different device capabilities without requiring full transcoding, thus reducing time delay while maintaining compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-encoding video into multiple layers (base layer and enhancement layers) with different quality levels during the initial encoding process. This allows the decoder to selectively decode only the necessary layers based on device capabilities and network conditions, eliminating the need for time-consuming transcoding operations later. The layered structure is prepared in advance, enabling fast adaptation to different playback scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If auxiliary picture sequence is provided for low bitrates, then image quality at low bitrate is improved, but coding complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidcoding complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the video signal into multiple independent layers (base layer and enhancement layers), each representing different quality levels. The base layer contains essential video information that can be decoded independently, while enhancement layers contain additional detail. This segmentation allows flexible combination of layers to match different device capabilities without requiring full transcoding, thus reducing time delay while maintaining compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by varying the resolution and frame rate parameters between the base layer and enhancement layers. The base layer uses lower resolution and frame rate suitable for low-bitrate transmission, while enhancement layers provide higher quality. By changing these parameters systematically across layers, the patent achieves efficient bitrate adaptation without significantly increasing coding complexity, as the same encoding algorithms are used across layers with different parameter settings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7970057B2Method for scalably encoding and decoding video signal

Publication Date: 2011.06.28 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

In one embodiment, decoding of a video signal includes predicting at least a portion of a current image in a current layer based on at least an intra-coded portion of a base image in a base layer and shift information for samples in the predicted current image.