Video Sequence Pruning via Skip Frame Substitution

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing demand for video storage capacity due to higher video complexity and resolution poses a challenge, as existing pruning methods, such as transcoding, are costly and inefficient in reducing storage space without compromising video quality.

Innovation Solution

A method for pruning prediction-coded video sequences by replacing initial intra frames with skip frames in low-motion scenes, maintaining frame configuration and numbering continuity, thereby reducing storage space without the need for transcoding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If transcoding is performed to reduce storage capacity, then storage space is reduced, but processing capacity and time are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidprocessing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The video sequence is divided into GOPs (Groups of Pictures), and the pruning operation is applied selectively to specific GOPs based on motion analysis. Only GOPs following low-motion scenes are candidates for pruning, segmenting the processing target to reduce overall processing requirements while maintaining video quality in high-motion segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different pruning strategies are applied to different parts of the video sequence based on local motion characteristics. The initial intra frame is replaced with a skip frame only in GOPs following low-motion scenes, while high-motion scenes retain their original structure. This local differentiation reduces processing overhead in suitable regions without compromising quality in regions where it matters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If transcoding is performed to reduce storage capacity, then storage space is reduced, but time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Motion analysis is performed in advance during the encoding phase to identify low-motion scenes and mark them for potential pruning. This preliminary classification allows the pruning operation to proceed efficiently by focusing only on pre-identified candidate GOPs, reducing the time required for the actual pruning process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pruning operation extracts and removes only the initial intra frame from specific GOPs, replacing it with a skip frame. This selective extraction approach minimizes processing time compared to full transcoding, as it operates on a small subset of frames rather than the entire video sequence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If initial intra frames are removed to reduce storage space, then storage space is reduced, but video quality may deteriorate due to artifacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidvideo quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pruning operation is applied locally only to GOPs following low-motion scenes, where artifact introduction is less perceptible. High-motion scenes retain their original intra frames, ensuring video quality is maintained where it matters most. This selective application balances storage reduction with quality preservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

A skip frame is introduced as an intermediary element to replace the removed intra frame. The skip frame maintains the necessary frame structure and timing information while containing less data than a full intra frame, thus reducing storage space while minimizing quality degradation compared to complete frame removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If more intra frames are kept to maintain video quality, then video quality is maintained, but storage space increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidstorage space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The frame type parameter is changed from intra frame to skip frame in specific GOPs, altering the data structure to reduce storage requirements. This parameter change maintains sufficient video quality for low-motion scenes while significantly reducing the storage space consumed by redundant frame data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Redundant intra frame data is discarded in low-motion scenes where it provides minimal additional quality benefit, and the necessary information is recovered through the skip frame mechanism which preserves timing and structure information. This selective discarding reduces storage space while maintaining acceptable video quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP4383705A1A method and device for pruning a video sequence
Publication Date: 2024.06.12 AXIS
  • EP4383705A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4383705A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4383705A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present application discloses a method of pruning a prediction-coded video sequence and a corresponding pruning device. The pruning method comprises: obtaining (S301) one or more global motion values for the video sequence, wherein each global motion value represents an amount of motion in a scene depicted by a set of successive image frames in the video sequence; for a set of successive image frames having a global motion value being below a global motion threshold, identifying (S302) an immediately following group of pictures, GOP; obtaining (S305) a skip frame having the same frame configuration as the image frames of the identified GOP; replacing (S306) the initial intra frame of the identified GOP with the obtained skip frame; and configuring (S307) the skip frame and the remaining image frames of the identified GOP to form a continuation of a frame numbering of an immediately preceding GOP.