Selective De-blocking Filtering for Video Block Edges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Block-based video coding techniques result in visual distortions known as blocking artifacts, which reduce the perceptual quality of multimedia data, especially at low bit rates, due to the lack of correlation between blocks during prediction and residual signal coding processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that determine whether adjacent blocks are coded in a skip-mode and adjust de-blocking filtering accordingly, either disabling or enabling it based on this determination to reduce blocking artifacts without affecting the sharpness of the video data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If de-blocking filtering is applied to all block edges, then blocking artifacts are reduced, but processing complexity and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies de-blocking filtering selectively based on local block characteristics rather than uniformly across all blocks. By examining coding mode flags and block type information, the filter is applied only where blocking artifacts are likely to occur, reducing unnecessary processing in regions where blocks are already smooth or identical.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the filtering parameters (strength and application) based on the coding mode of adjacent blocks. When blocks are coded in skip-mode or have identical characteristics, the filtering parameter is adjusted to disable or reduce filtering, thereby reducing computational load while maintaining quality where needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If de-blocking filtering is applied to skip-mode blocks, then blocking artifacts are reduced, but sharpness of video data deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recognizes that skip-mode blocks have uniform characteristics and apply de-blocking filtering selectively based on this local property. By detecting skip-mode coding through examination of coding flags, the patent avoids applying filters that would blur already-uniform regions, thereby preserving sharpness where appropriate.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying filtering and then removing it where unnecessary, the patent inverts the approach by determining where filtering should be disabled upfront based on coding mode analysis. This prevents unnecessary filtering from being applied to skip-mode blocks in the first place, avoiding sharpness degradation.
3Productivity
If block-based coding is used for compression, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but visual quality deteriorates due to blocking artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful blocking artifacts into a beneficial quality improvement by applying targeted de-blocking filtering. Rather than trying to prevent blocking artifacts during compression, the patent accepts them as a trade-off for efficient compression and then selectively removes them during decoding, turning the compression efficiency benefit into an overall quality improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the filtering parameters based on the compression level and block characteristics. By analyzing the coding mode and block type, the patent adjusts the de-blocking filter strength to optimally reduce artifacts while maintaining the compression efficiency benefits of block-based coding.
Data Source
AI summary
Several methods and systems for reducing blocking artifacts are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes receiving a pair of adjacent blocks having an edge being positioned between the adjacent blocks. The pair of adjacent blocks is associated with one or more coding blocks. The one or more coding blocks comprise one or more coding information associated with the coding of the pair of adjacent blocks. The method also includes conducting a determination of whether the pair of adjacent blocks is coded in a skip-mode based on the one or more coding information. The edge is filtered based on the determination. Filtering the edge comprises disabling a de-blocking filtering of the edge based on a determination that the pair of adjacent blocks is coded in the skip-mode; and enabling the de-blocking filtering of the edge based on determination that the pair of adjacent blocks is not associated with the skip-mode.