Video encoding and decoding methods and apparatuses

• US 20070009039A1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ryu, Kwang-yuel
• Application Number:
  US11/481,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20070009039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.160
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/112 according to a given display mode, e.g. for interlaced or progressive display mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/114 Adapting the group of pictures [GOP] structure, e.g. number of B-frames between two anchor frames H04N19/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/139 Analysis of motion vectors, e.g. their magnitude, direction, variance or reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/159 Prediction type, e.g. intra-frame, inter-frame or bidirectional frame prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/36 Scalability techniques involving formatting the layers as a function of picture distortion after decoding, e.g. signal-to-noise [SNR] scalability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/37 with arrangements for assigning different transmission priorities to video input data or to video coded data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence

Abstract

Video encoding and decoding methods and apparatuses are provided which are effective for error correction and error concealment in an error-prone environment. The video encoding method includes determining an encoding operation to encode raw video among a frame encoding operation, a top/bottom field encoding operation, and a left/right field encoding operation based on at least one characteristic of the raw video; and generating a bit stream by adaptively performing the encoding operation that is determined to encode the raw video. Further, video may be divided into frame pictures, top/bottom field pictures and left/right field pictures, and encoded accordingly. Therefore, a compression rate can be increased, and error correction and concealment can be effectively performed on a lost field by using a normally received field.

Claims

1. A video encoding method comprising:

determining an encoding operation to encode raw video among a frame encoding operation, a top/bottom field encoding operation, and a left/right field encoding operation based on at least one characteristic of the raw video; and

generating a bit stream by adaptively performing the encoding operation which is determined to encode the raw video.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the determining the encoding operation, the frame encoding operation is determined as the encoding operation to encode the raw video when a number of motion vectors of the raw video is below a first threshold value, the top/bottom field encoding operation is determined as the encoding operation when a number of vertical motion vectors of the raw video is above a second threshold value, and the left/right field encoding operation is determined as the encoding operation when a number of horizontal motion vectors of the raw video is above a third threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the left/right field encoding operation comprises:

dividing an image frame of the raw video to be encoded into rows;

collecting even and odd rows of the image frame which is divided separately; and

encoding the even rows of the divided image frame which are collected and the odd rows of the divided image frame which are collected into a left field bit stream and a right field bit stream, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the top/bottom field encoding operation, the raw video is encoded such that a top field predictive picture does not refer to a bottom field picture, and a bottom field predictive picture does not refer to a top field picture.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the left/right field encoding operation, the raw video is encoded such that a left field predictive picture does not refer to a right field picture, and a right field predictive picture does not refer to a left field picture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein two bit streams are generated when the left/right field encoding operation or the top/bottom encoding operation is performed and the two bits streams which are generated are transmitted independently.

7. A video encoding method comprising:

encoding a raw video in a base layer and generating a base-layer-bit stream;

determining an encoding operation to encode the raw video among a frame enhancement-layer encoding operation, a top/bottom field enhancement-layer encoding operation, and a left/right field enhancement-layer encoding operation based on at least one characteristic of the raw video; and

generating an enhancement-layer bit stream by adaptively performing the enhancement-layer encoding operation which is determined to encode the raw video.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating the base-layer bit stream comprises:

down-sampling the raw video; and

performing discrete-cosine-transforming (DCT), quantization, and variable-length-coding (VLC) on the raw video which is down-sampled.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating the enhancement-layer bit stream comprises:

performing down-sampling, discrete-cosine-transforming (DCT), and quantization on the raw video;

performing inverse quantization, inverse DCT (IDCT), and up-sampling on the video which is quantized;

subtracting the video which is up-sampled from the raw video; and

performing DCT, quantization, and variable-length-coding (VLC) on a residual image obtained from the subtraction of the video which is up-sampled from the raw video.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the base-layer bit stream and the enhancement-layer bit stream independently.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a first field picture and a second field picture, which are generated in the enhancement layer encoding operation, and a picture in the base layer which has an identical picture type as the first field picture and the second field picture are placed at different temporal positions, respectively, and pictures of the base layer include intra and predictive pictures.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the top/bottom field encoding operation, the raw video is encoded such that a top field predictive picture does not refer to a bottom field picture, and a bottom field predictive picture does not refer to a top field picture.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the left/right field encoding operation, the raw video is encoded such that a left field predictive picture does not refer to a right field picture, and a right field predictive picture does not refer to a left field picture.

14. A video decoding method comprising:

determining an encoding operation of encoding a bit stream which is received; and

generating a decoded video by adaptively performing one of a frame decoding operation, a top/bottom field decoding operation, and a left/right field decoding operation based on the encoding operation which is determined.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, in the determining the encoding operation, information added to the bit stream which is received is interpreted to determine which decoding operation is performed.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising, when one of two fields is lost due to an error in a bit stream which is encoded by a field encoding operation, correcting the error by using the other of the two fields.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising, when one of the two fields is lost due to an error in the bit stream encoded by a field encoding operation, concealing the error by using the other of the two fields.

18. A video decoding method comprising:

decoding a base-layer bit stream and generating a base-layer video;

determining an encoding operation of encoding an enhancement-layer bit stream which is received separately from the base-layer bit stream; and

generating an enhancement-layer video by adaptively performing one of a frame enhancement-layer decoding operation, a top/bottom field enhancement-layer decoding operation, and a left/right field enhancement-layer decoding operation on the enhancement-layer bit stream which is received according to the encoding operation which is determined.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, the decoding of the base-layer bit stream comprises performing variable-length-decoding (VLD), inverse quantization, inverse discrete-cosine-transforming (IDCT), and clipping on the base-layer bit stream.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, if the enhancement-layer bit stream was encoded using a left/right field enhancement-layer encoding operation, the generation of the enhancement-layer video further comprises:

performing variable-length-decoding (VLD), inverse quantization, and inverse discrete-cosine-transforming (IDCT) respectively on an enhancement-layer bit stream of a left field and an enhancement-layer bit stream of a right field, wherein the enhancement-layer bit stream of the left field and the enhancement-layer bit stream of the right field are received separately;

combining the enhancement-layer bit streams of the left and right fields which are IDCT transformed; and

combining a video which is obtained by combining the enhancement-layer bit stream of the left field and the enhancement-layer bit stream of the right field with a video which is obtained by up-sampling the base-layer video which is generated.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising, when one of two fields is lost due to an error in a bit stream which is encoded by a field enhancement-layer encoding operation, concealing the error by using the other of the two fields.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying the enhancement-layer video, wherein the base-layer video is displayed without the enhancement-layer video when the enhancement-layer bit stream cannot be decoded due to loss or damage of the enhancement-layer bit stream.

23. A video encoding apparatus comprising:

an encoding operation determiner which determines an encoding operation to encode raw video among a frame encoding operation, a top/bottom field encoding operation, and a left/right field encoding operation based on at least one characteristic of the raw video; and

an encoder which generates a bit stream by adaptively performing the encoding operation which is determined to encode the raw video.

24. The encoding apparatus of claim 23, wherein the encoding operation determiner determines that the frame encoding operation is determined as the encoding operation to encode the raw video when a number of motion vectors of the raw video is below a first threshold value, the top/bottom field encoding operation is determined as the encoding operation to be used to encode the raw video when a number of vertical motion vectors of the raw video is above a second threshold value, and the left/right field encoding operation is determined as the encoding operation to be used to encode the raw video when a number of horizontal motion vectors of the raw video is above a third threshold value.

25. The encoding apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a frame encoder which encodes the raw video by performing the frame encoding operation;

a top/bottom field encoder which encodes the raw video by performing the top/bottom field encoding operation; and

a left/right field encoder which encodes the raw video by performing the left/right field encoding operation.

26. The encoding apparatus of claim 25, wherein the left/right field encoder divides an image frame of the raw video to be encoded into rows, collects even and odd rows of the image frame which is divided separately, encodes the even rows of the divided image frame which are collected and the odd rows of the divided image frame which are collected, and generates a left field bit stream and a right field bit stream, respectively from the even rows and odd rows which are encoded.

27. The encoding apparatus of claim 23, wherein in the top/bottom field encoding operation, the raw video is encoded such that a top field predictive picture does not refer to a bottom field picture, and a bottom field predictive picture does not refer to a top field picture

28. The encoding apparatus of claim 23, wherein, in the left/right field encoding operation, the raw video is encoded such that a left field predictive picture does not refer to a right field picture, and a right field predictive picture does not refer to a left field picture.

29. The encoding apparatus of claim 23, wherein two bit streams are generated when the left/right field encoding operation or the top/bottom encoding operation is performed and the two bits streams which are generated are transmitted independently.

30. A video encoding apparatus comprising:

a base-layer encoder which encodes a raw video in a base layer and generates a base-layer bit stream;

an encoding operation determiner which determines an encoding operation to encode the raw video among a frame enhancement-layer encoding operation, a top/bottom field enhancement-layer encoding operation, and a left/right field enhancement-layer encoding operation based on at least one characteristic of the raw video; and

an enhancement-layer encoder which generates an enhancement-layer bit stream by adaptively performing the enhancement-layer encoding operation which is determined to encode the raw video.

31. The encoding apparatus of claim 30, wherein the enhancement-layer encoder comprises:

a frame enhancement-layer encoder which encodes the raw video by performing the frame enhancement-layer encoding operation;

a top/bottom field enhancement-layer encoder which encodes the raw video by performing the top/bottom field enhancement-layer encoding operation; and

a left/right field enhancement-layer encoder which encodes the raw video by performing the left/right field enhancement-layer encoding operation.

32. The encoding apparatus of claim 30, wherein the base-layer bit stream and the enhancement-layer bit stream are transmitted independently.

33. The encoding apparatus of claim 30, wherein a first field picture and a second field picture, which are generated in the enhancement layer encoding operation, and a picture in the base layer which has an identical picture type as the first field picture and the second field picture are placed at different temporal positions, respectively, and pictures of the base layer include intra and predictive pictures.

34. The encoding apparatus of claim 32, wherein the top/bottom field encoder encodes the raw video such that a top field predictive picture does not refer to a bottom field picture, and a bottom field predictive picture does not refer to a top field picture.

35. The encoding apparatus of claim 32, wherein the left/right field encoder encodes the raw video such that a left field predictive picture does not refer to a right field picture, and a right field predictive picture does not refer to a left field picture.

36. A video decoding apparatus comprising:

an encoding method determiner which determines an encoding operation of encoding a bit stream which is received; and

a decoder which generates a decoded video by adaptively performing one of a frame decoding operation, a top/bottom field decoding operation, and a left/right field decoding operation according to the encoding operation which is determined.

37. The decoding apparatus of claim 36, wherein the encoding operation determiner interprets information added to the bitstream which is received to determine which decoding operation is performed.

38. The decoding apparatus of claim 36, further comprising:

a frame decoder which decodes the bit stream by performing the frame decoding operation;

a top/bottom field decoder which decodes the bit stream by performing the top/bottom field decoding operation; and

a left/right field decoder which decodes the bit stream by performing the left/right field decoding operation.

39. The decoding apparatus of claim 36, wherein, when one of two fields is lost due to an error in a bit stream which is encoded by a field encoding operation, the error is corrected by using the other of the two fields.

40. The decoding apparatus of claim 36, wherein, when one of the two fields is lost due to an error in the bit stream encoded by a field encoding operation, the error is concealed by using the other of the two fields.

41. A video decoding apparatus comprising:

a base-layer decoder which decodes a base-layer bit stream and generates a base-layer video;

an encoding method determiner which determines an encoding operation to encode an enhancement-layer bit stream which is received separately from the base-layer bit stream; and

an enhancement-layer decoder which generates an enhancement-layer video by adaptively performing one of a frame enhancement-layer decoding operation, a top/bottom field enhancement-layer decoding operation, and a left/right field enhancement-layer decoding operation on the enhancement-layer bit stream according to the decoding operation that is determined.

42. The decoding apparatus of claim 41, wherein, the base-layer decoder performs variable length decoding (VLD), inverse quantization, inverse discrete-cosine-transforming (IDCT), and clipping on the base-layer bit stream and generates the base-layer video.

43. The decoding apparatus of claim 41, wherein the enhancement-layer decoder comprises:

a frame enhancement-layer decoder which decodes the enhancement bit stream by performing the frame enhancement-layer decoding operation;

a top/bottom field enhancement-layer decoder which decodes the enhancement-layer bit stream by performing the top/bottom field enhancement-layer decoding operation; and

a left/right field enhancement-layer decoder which decodes the enhancement-layer bit stream using the left/right field enhancement-layer decoding operation.

44. The decoding apparatus of claim 41, wherein, if the enhancement-layer bit stream was encoded using a left/right field enhancement-layer encoding method, the enhancement-layer decoder performs variable length decoding (VLD), inverse quantization, and inverse discrete-cosine-transforming (IDCT) on an enhancement-layer bit stream of a left field and an enhancement-layer bit stream of a right field, wherein the enhancement-layer bit stream of the left field and the enhancement-layer bit stream of the right field are received separately, combines the enhancement-layer bit streams of the left and right fields that are IDCT transformed, and combines a video which is obtained after combining the enhancement-layer bit stream of the left field and the enhancement-layer bit stream of the right field with a video which is obtained after up-sampling the base-layer video which is generated.

45. The decoding apparatus of claim 41, wherein, when one of two fields is lost due to an error in a bit stream which is encoded by a field enhancement-layer encoding operation, the error is concealed by using the other of the two fields.

46. The decoding apparatus of claim 41, wherein the enhancement-layer video is displayed, and the base-layer video is displayed without the enhancement layer video when the enhancement-layer bit stream cannot be decoded due to loss or damage of the enhancement-layer bit stream.

47. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for executing a video encoding method, the video encoding method comprising:

determining an encoding operation to encode raw video among a frame encoding operation, a top/bottom field encoding operation, and a left/right field encoding operation based on at least one characteristic of the raw video; and

generating a bit stream by adaptively performing the encoding operation which is determined to encode the raw video.

48. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for executing a video decoding method, a video decoding method comprising:

determining an encoding operation of encoding a bit stream which is received; and

generating a decoded video by adaptively performing one of a frame decoding operation, a top/bottom field decoding operation, and a left/right field decoding operation based on the encoding operation which is determined.