Scalable Video Encoding Selective Slice Group Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current scalable video coding standards, such as the H.264 standard, require encoding and transmitting all slice groups, including those outside regions of interest (ROIs), leading to unnecessary bit rate overhead and increased parsing burden, which limits the use of INTRA_BL mode due to constraints on decoding loops.
Innovation Solution
The method involves partitioning a picture into slice groups in both the base and enhancement layers, allowing for intentional omission of slice groups in the enhancement layer, with a syntax element indicating missing slice groups, enabling efficient encoding and decoding by reusing base layer information for un-encoded slice groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all slice groups are encoded in the enhancement layer, then complete video quality is maintained, but bit rate overhead increases and router burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits only the enhancement layer data for slice groups containing regions of interest (ROIs), while removing unnecessary enhancement layer data for non-ROI slice groups. The base layer data for all slice groups is retained to ensure complete video coverage. This selective extraction reduces bit rate overhead while maintaining video quality in important regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different encoding strategies to different spatial regions: enhancement layer data is transmitted for ROI slice groups to maintain high quality, while base layer data suffices for non-ROI slice groups. This local differentiation optimizes bit rate allocation based on regional importance, reducing overall overhead while preserving critical video quality.
2Quantity of substance
If INTRA_BL mode is used for all macroblocks in non-ROIs, then bit rate is reduced, but decoder complexity increases due to multi-loop decoding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for INTRA_BL mode by extracting and transmitting enhancement layer data for ROI slice groups in the standard way. This eliminates the requirement for complex multi-loop decoding while still achieving bit rate reduction through selective transmission of only necessary enhancement data.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using INTRA_BL mode to reduce bit rate (which increases decoder complexity), the patent inverts the approach by selectively transmitting enhancement layer data only where needed (in ROI regions). This achieves bit rate reduction through intelligent data selection rather than through complex decoding modes, thereby reducing decoder complexity.
3Reliability
If enhancement layer data is transmitted for all slice groups, then video quality is maintained, but router parsing burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits enhancement layer data only for slice groups containing regions of interest, removing unnecessary enhancement data for non-ROI slice groups. This selective extraction reduces the total amount of data requiring router parsing while maintaining video quality in important regions, thereby reducing router parsing burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by transmitting enhancement layer data only for the necessary portion (ROI slice groups) rather than for all slice groups. This partial transmission maintains video quality where needed while reducing overall data volume and router parsing burden for non-critical regions.
Data Source
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AI summary
An encoder, a decoder, corresponding encoding and decoding methods, video signal structure, and storage media are provided for scalable video encoding and decoding. A scalable video encoder includes an encoder (100) for encoding a picture to form a base layer bitstream and an enhancement layer bitstream. The base layer bitstream and the enhancement layer bitstream are formed by partitioning the picture into a plurality of image blocks, grouping the plurality of image blocks into one or more slice groups in the base layer bitstream and into two or more slice groups in the enhancement layer bitstream, encoding all of the one or more slice groups in the base layer bitstream and less than all of the two or more slice groups in the enhancement layer such that at least one slice group from among the two or more slice groups is intentionally un-encoded in the enhancement layer bitstream, encoding a syntax element in a header to indicate the at least one intentionally un-encoded slice group in the enhancement layer.