Source Color Volume Messaging for Efficient HDR Display Management

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video coding standards, such as ITU-T H.265 and SMPTE ST 2094, do not efficiently communicate source color volume information, leading to significant overhead and computational complexity in displaying high-dynamic range and wide color gamut content.

Innovation Solution

Communicate source color volume information using Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI) messaging, including minimum, maximum, and average luminance values, along with optional chromaticity coordinates for color primaries, to facilitate efficient display management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If detailed source color volume information is communicated using existing video coding standards (ITU-T H.265 Annexes D and E, SMPTE ST 2094), then color accuracy for HDR and WCG content is improved, but significant overhead and computational complexity are introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor accuracyVSAvoidoverhead and computational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential color volume information (min and max luminance values) from the complete color description, separating critical display management parameters from redundant data. This selective extraction reduces overhead while maintaining sufficient accuracy for HDR and WCG content rendering across diverse displays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by providing only the minimum necessary color volume information (two luminance values) rather than complete color characterization. This partial information is sufficient for effective display management and tone mapping, avoiding the excessive computational complexity of full color space transformations while maintaining acceptable rendering quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Manufacturing precision

If comprehensive color volume metadata is transmitted for every scene or frame, then rendering accuracy on diverse displays is improved, but data transmission overhead increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering accuracyVSAvoiddata transmission overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential color volume information (min and max luminance values) from the complete color description, separating critical display management parameters from redundant data. This selective extraction reduces overhead while maintaining sufficient accuracy for HDR and WCG content rendering across diverse displays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal color volume description that functions across multiple displays with different capabilities. The min and max luminance values provide a display-agnostic characterization that can be used by any display device for appropriate tone mapping and color rendering, eliminating the need for display-specific metadata variants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If complex color volume descriptions with multiple primary expressions and spatial regions are used, then color distribution accuracy is improved, but computational overhead to generate and process the data increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor distribution accuracyVSAvoidcomputational overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential color volume information (min and max luminance values) from the complete color description, separating critical display management parameters from redundant data. This selective extraction reduces overhead while maintaining sufficient accuracy for HDR and WCG content rendering across diverse displays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent simplifies the color volume description by changing from a complex multi-dimensional parameter set (multiple primaries, spatial regions, chromaticity coordinates) to a minimal two-parameter representation (min luminance, max luminance). This parameter reduction maintains sufficient accuracy for display management while dramatically reducing computational complexity for generation and processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12368899B2Source color volume information messaging

Publication Date: 2025.07.22 DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORP

AI summary

Methods are described to communicate source color volume information in a coded bitstream using SEI messaging. Such data include at least the minimum, maximum, and average luminance values in the source data plus optional data that may include the color volume x and y chromaticity coordinates for the input color primaries (e.g., red, green, and blue) of the source data, and the color x and y chromaticity coordinates for the color primaries corresponding to the minimum, average, and maximum luminance values in the source data. Messaging data signaling an active region in each picture may also be included.