Video Encoding With Skip-Frame LCEVC Layering for High Frame Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased demand for encoding high-resolution and high-frame-rate video data exceeds the resources available in image processing chips, particularly in terms of power usage and available space, necessitating efficient encoding methods that adhere to these limitations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving encoding some frames in a base layer and others in a Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) layer, with strategic insertion of skip frames to optimize utilization of both encoders, allowing for efficient encoding without additional resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-resolution and high-frame-rate video data is encoded using traditional encoding methods, then encoding quality and frame rate are improved, but power consumption and chip area requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The video encoding process is segmented into two distinct layers: a base layer that encodes every second frame at high resolution, and an enhancement layer that encodes remaining frames at lower complexity. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high encoding throughput while distributing the computational load, thereby reducing peak power consumption requirements compared to encoding all frames at full resolution using a single encoder.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of encoding all frames using the full-capacity base encoder, the system applies partial encoding by using the LCEVC encoder for half of the frames (every other frame). This partial action approach reduces the overall processing load on the base encoder, allowing the system to maintain high frame rate encoding capability while consuming less power than would be required for complete base layer encoding of all frames.
2Productivity
If high-resolution and high-frame-rate video data is encoded using traditional encoding methods, then encoding quality and frame rate are improved, but chip area for encoder hardware increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encoding system is segmented into two functional parts: a base encoder handling every second frame, and an LCEVC encoder handling the remaining frames. This segmentation enables the use of smaller, less resource-intensive LCEVC encoder hardware for half of the encoding workload, thereby reducing the total chip area required compared to using only a full-capacity base encoder for all frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The LCEVC encoder creates a simplified copy or representation of the base layer encoding process, using less complex hardware architecture. By copying the encoding function at a reduced complexity level for half of the frames, the system achieves high encoding throughput while requiring less chip area than would be needed for a single full-capacity encoder handling all frames.
3Measurement precision
If every frame is encoded in the base layer, then encoding quality is maximized, but encoder utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame encoding sequence is segmented into base layer frames (every second frame) and enhancement layer frames (remaining frames). This segmentation allows the base encoder to focus on encoding only half of the frames, improving its utilization efficiency by reducing redundant processing, while the LCEVC encoder handles the other half. The overall system maintains high encoding quality through the complementary roles of both encoders.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the base encoder process all frames (excessive action), the system applies partial action by having it encode only every second frame. The LCEVC encoder then fills in the remaining frames. This partial approach improves base encoder utilization efficiency by eliminating redundant work, while still maintaining high encoding quality through the enhancement layer's complementary encoding of the remaining frames.
4Use of energy by moving object
If LCEVC encoder is used for all frames, then power consumption is reduced, but encoding quality and resolution enhancement are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The encoding system segments frames into two groups: those encoded by the base layer and those encoded by the LCEVC layer. This segmentation allows the high-quality base layer encoding to be applied to every second frame, ensuring high encoding quality is maintained for a significant portion of the video stream, while the energy-efficient LCEVC encoding handles the remaining frames, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the encoding parameters dynamically by switching between base layer encoding and LCEVC layer encoding for different frames. By alternating between these two encoding modes, the system optimizes the trade-off between encoding quality and power consumption, achieving high quality where needed while conserving energy for the majority of frames processed by the more efficient LCEVC encoder.
Data Source
AI summary
Encoding a sequence of frames in a video stream, comprises receiving the sequence of frames at a first frame rate, encoding every second frame in the received sequence in a first base layer employing intercoding and intracoding, inserting skip frames between the frames encoded in the first base layer, such that every second frame in the first base layer is intercoded with a reference to copy image content of a previous encoded frame in the first base layer, encoding remaining frames in the received sequence in a first Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) layer associated with the first base layer, employing residuals and references to corresponding skip frames in the first base layer, and embedding the first LCEVC layer in the first base layer to obtain a first sequence of encoded frames at the first frame rate.