Processing Video Data At A Target Rate

• US 20090238277A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Meehan, Joseph Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,055,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.160
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/60 Memory management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/102 characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/105 Selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g. adaptive choice of position and number of pixels used for prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/156 Availability of hardware or computational resources, e.g. encoding based on power-saving criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/426 using memory downsizing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/44 Decoders specially adapted therefor, e.g. video decoders which are asymmetric with respect to the encoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/51 Motion estimation or motion compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/523 with sub-pixel accuracy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/57 Motion estimation characterised by a search window with variable size or shape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding

Abstract

A system comprising a processor and a compression module coupled to the processor. The compression module is adapted to perform motion estimation on video data using an algorithm, the motion estimation performed at a rate. If the processor determines a difference between the rate and a target rate, the processor adjusts a precision level of the algorithm such that the difference is decreased.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a compression module coupled to the processor, said compression module adapted to perform motion estimation on video data using an algorithm, said motion estimation performed at a rate;

wherein, if the processor determines a difference between said rate and a target rate, the processor adjusts a precision level of the algorithm such that said difference is decreased.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a mobile communication device, and wherein the video data is obtained from a video recording device of the mobile communication device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor compares a number of video frames in a system buffer to a processor clock speed to determine said rate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts said precision level of the algorithm at predetermined intervals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor decreases a pixel search resolution used by the algorithm to search frames.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor decreases a search area setting used by the algorithm to search frames.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts said precision level of the algorithm such that said rate falls within a predetermined range of rates.

8. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a processor;

a video recording device coupled to the processor and adapted to capture video data; and

a video encoder coupled to the processor, said encoder adapted to encode and to store the video data in a storage;

wherein, if the processor detects a difference between a quantity of video data in the storage and a target quantity of video data, the processor changes an algorithm used to encode the video data such that said difference is decreased.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor further determines a quantify of time remaining until the storage overflows, and wherein the processor changes said algorithm after said quantity of time has elapsed.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor further determines a quantity of time remaining until the storage occupation level drops below a predetermined threshold, and wherein the processor changes said algorithm after said quantity of time has elapsed.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor changes the algorithm used to a separate algorithm having a precision level different than that of a preceding algorithm.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor aborts the algorithm.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor changes the algorithm at predetermined intervals.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor changes the algorithm if the processor detects said difference for a predetermined length of time.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor decreases a pixel search resolution used by the algorithm to search frames.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the processor decreases a search area setting used by the algorithm to search frames.

17. A method, comprising:

performing motion estimation on video data using an algorithm;

transferring the video data to a storage;

determining a rate at which the storage processes the video data; and

if a difference between said rate and a predetermined rate is present, adjusting said algorithm such that the difference is lessened.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting said algorithm comprises adjusting a pixel search resolution used by the algorithm to search frames.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting said algorithm comprises adjusting a search area used by the algorithm to search frames.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the rate at which the storage processes the video data comprises determining a rate at which the storage processes video frames.