IMAGE INFORMATION TRANSMISSION APPARATUS

• US 20090279613A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: SUZUMURA, Tatsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.250
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/176 the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/436 using parallelised computational arrangements
• 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 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/70 characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/91 Entropy coding, e.g. variable length coding [VLC] or arithmetic coding

Abstract

A stream transmitting section outputs encoded stream data. A division instructing section generates dividing point information that designates a dividing point of the encoded stream data. A parallel stream transmitting section divides stream data that is output by the stream transmitting section and side information necessary for decoding from halfway along the stream that is extracted based on the stream data into a predetermined number of parts at dividing points designated by the dividing point information, performs parallelization thereof, and transmits data obtained as a result thereof to a stream decoding section on a receiving side.

Claims

1. An image information transmission apparatus, comprising:

a stream transmitting section configured to output encoded stream data;

a division instructing section configured to generate dividing point information for designating a dividing point of the encoded stream data; and

a parallel stream transmitting section configured to divide encoded stream data that is output by the stream transmitting section and side information necessary for decoding from halfway along a stream that is extracted based on the encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts at dividing points that are designated by the dividing point information, perform parallelization thereof, and transmit data obtained as a result thereof to a stream decoding section on a receiving side.

2. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section comprises:

a stream dividing section configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts at dividing points that are designated by the dividing point information from the division instructing section and sequentially output data obtained as a result, and at the same time sequentially output side information that is divided into a predetermined number of parts that is the same as the number of divisions, that is extracted based on the encoded stream data;

a storage section configured to sequentially store encoded stream data and side information that is sequentially divided at the stream dividing section;

a parallel controller configured to perform control for causing encoded stream data and side information to be sequentially divided at the stream dividing section and sequentially stored at the storage section; and

an output section configured to parallelize and output a predetermined number of pieces of encoded stream data and side information that are stored in the storage section.

3. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the stream dividing section comprises:

a CABAC decoding section configured to decode input encoded stream data based on context information that is internal information;

a side information extracting section configured to extract context information and codIOffset/codIRange from the CABAC decoding section; and

an extraction controller configured to control an operation to divide the encoded stream data and an extraction operation of the side information extracting section based on the dividing point information and syntax information and consumed bit number information from the CABAC decoding section.

4. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section is configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts within a single slice unit based on the dividing point information.

5. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section is configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts within a single slice unit based on the dividing point information.

6. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section is configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts within a single slice unit based on the dividing point information.

7. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section is configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts that straddle a plurality of slices based on the dividing point information.

8. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section is configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts that straddle a plurality of slices based on the dividing point information.

9. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section is configured to divide input encoded stream data into a predetermined number of parts that straddle a plurality of slices based on the dividing point information.

10. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, by using syntax information that indicates a syntax element in addition to a macroblock address of a macroblock comprising a slice as the dividing point information, it is possible to designate a dividing point at a position that is halfway along a macroblock.

11. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, by using syntax information that indicates a syntax element in addition to a macroblock address of a macroblock comprising a slice as the dividing point information, it is possible to designate a dividing point at a position that is halfway along a macroblock.

12. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, by using syntax information that indicates a syntax element in addition to a macroblock address of a macroblock comprising a slice as the dividing point information, it is possible to designate a dividing point at a position that is halfway along a macroblock.

13. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, by using a slice number in addition to syntax information that indicates a syntax element and a macroblock address of a macroblock comprising a slice as the dividing point information, it is possible to designate a dividing point at a position that is halfway along a macroblock that straddles a plurality of slices.

14. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, by using a slice number in addition to syntax information that indicates a syntax element and a macroblock address of a macroblock comprising a slice as the dividing point information, it is possible to designate a dividing point at a position that is halfway along a macroblock that straddles a plurality of slices.

15. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, by using a slice number in addition to syntax information that indicates a syntax element and a macroblock address of a macroblock comprising a slice as the dividing point information, it is possible to designate a dividing point at a position that is halfway along a macroblock that straddles a plurality of slices.

16. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section comprises a compression section configured to compress the side information that is output from the stream dividing section.

17. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section comprises a compression section configured to compress the side information that is output from the stream dividing section.

18. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section comprises a compression section configured to compress the side information that is output from the stream dividing section.

19. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the parallel stream transmitting section comprises a compression section configured to compress the side information that is output from the stream dividing section.

20. The image information transmission apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the compression section comprises:

a memory configured to store side information of a preceding time;

a memory configured to hold side information that is input at a current time; and

a subtracter configured to obtain differential information between the side information that is input at a current time and the side information of a preceding time.