Video Coding Depth-Based Region Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video coding technologies lack a mechanism to dynamically distinguish and mask out unwanted elements within video content, compromising privacy and composition features.
Innovation Solution
The system estimates depths of different elements in video content, identifies regions based on these depths, and masks out non-interest regions before coding, allowing for selective coding and transmission of video content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all image data is captured and coded by the device, then complete video information is transmitted, but privacy is compromised and bandwidth is wasted on unwanted content
Solution Approach 1:
The video content is segmented into multiple regions based on depth information. The encoder identifies different depth layers within the video sequence and processes each region separately, applying masking to specific regions while preserving others. This segmentation allows selective transmission of only relevant video regions, reducing bandwidth usage while maintaining privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality levels and processing methods are applied to different regions of the video based on their depth and importance. Regions of interest maintain full quality while unwanted regions are masked or compressed. This local quality approach ensures that bandwidth is efficiently allocated to important content while reducing transmission of unwanted elements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If depth estimation and region identification processing is added to the encoding system, then selective masking capability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Depth estimation and region identification are performed as preliminary processing steps before the main encoding operation. By pre-identifying regions of interest and unwanted regions before encoding, the system avoids adding complexity during the core encoding process. The depth map generation and region classification are prepared in advance, allowing the encoder to simply follow the predetermined masking instructions.
Solution Approach 2:
A depth map serves as an intermediary data structure that bridges the raw video input and the final encoded output. The depth estimation algorithm generates this intermediate representation, which then guides the region identification and masking processes. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a clear separation between depth analysis and video encoding functions.
3Productivity
If regions are masked out before coding, then bandwidth efficiency improves, but processing time increases due to additional depth estimation steps
Solution Approach 1:
Depth estimation and region identification are performed periodically rather than continuously for every frame. The system can estimate depth at select intervals or reference frames, then reuse these depth maps for multiple subsequent frames. This periodic approach significantly reduces processing time while still achieving effective region-based masking and maintaining bandwidth efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Once depth information and region masks are generated for a reference frame, these data structures are copied and reused for similar subsequent frames. Instead of performing full depth estimation on every frame, the system copies the depth map and adjusts it minimally for temporal consistency. This copying strategy dramatically reduces processing time while preserving the bandwidth efficiency benefits of selective masking.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for coding video data estimate depths of different elements within video content and identify regions within the video content based on the estimated depths. One of the regions may be assigned as an area of interest. Thereafter, video content of a region that is not an area of interest may be masked out and the resultant video content obtained from the masking may be coded. The coded video content may be transmitted to a channel. These techniques permit a coding terminal to mask out captured video content prior to coding in order to support coding policies that account for privacy interests or video composition features during a video coding session.