DUAL-MODE COMPRESSION OF IMAGES AND VIDEOS FOR RELIABLE REAL-TIME TRANSMISSION

• US 20100309984A1
• Filed: 06/02/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yagasaki, Yoichi, Liu, Wei, Gharavi-Alkhansari, Mohammad, Tabatabai, Ali
• Granted Patent: US 8,964,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.24
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/185 Overhead end-pivot rocking arms
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/267 with means for varying the timing or the lift of the valves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals

Abstract

Dual-mode compression of images/videos for reliable real-time transmission includes a scalable block-based video compression. The method provides graceful quality degradations in case of channel bandwidth changes. Prediction for encoding is avoided, and the process is less complex with less memory requirements. The method involves processing each block independently with the advantage that errors are not able to propagate beyond current block boundaries. Two different encoding modes are used, natural image coding for acquired images and graphics coding for computer generated images. The proper encoding mode is chosen by comparing performance of the two modes for a particular block to be encoded. An embedded bitstream is generated by the encoder in accordance to the available channel bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method of compression programmed in a controller in a device comprising:

a. partitioning an image into one or more blocks;

b. determining if a block of the image is from a natural image or a computer generated image;

c. if the block is from a natural image, then a natural image coding is applied to the block, generating a coded bitstream; and

d. if the block is from a computer generated image, then a graphics coding is applied to the block generating the coded bitstream.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein natural image coding comprises:

a. applying a spectral transform to the block; and

b. coding resulting transform coefficients from the most significant bit-plane (MSB) to the least significant bit-plane (LSB) such that a resulting bitstream is embedded.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphics coding mode includes:

a. coding pixels in the block from the most significant bit-plane (MSB) to the least significant bit-plane (LSB); and

b. not performing a transform on the block.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying unequal error protection in different bit-planes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the mode is based on a performance of the two coding modes for the block being encoded.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the coded bitstream in a post-encoding buffer.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising extracting information from the post-encoding buffer for each block based on available channel bandwidth, transmitting mode information for the block, and discarding remaining bits.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising transmitting the extracted information and the mode information to a physical layer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is selected from the group consisting of a programmed computer readable medium and an application-specific circuit.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising bit sharing between blocks.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer workstation, a server, a mainframe computer, a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular/mobile telephone, a smart appliance, a gaming console, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a camera phone, an iPhone, an iPod®

, a video player, a DVD writer/player, a television and a home entertainment system.

12. A system for compression programmed in a controller in a device, the system comprising:

a. a mode decision module for determining if a block of an image is from a natural image or a computer generated image;

b. a natural image coding module for generating a coded bitstream by applying a natural image coding to the block if the block is from a natural image; and

c. a graphics coding module for generating the coded bitstream by applying a graphics coding to the block if the block is from a computer generated image.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a pre-encoding buffer for partitioning an image into one or more blocks.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein natural image coding comprises:

a. applying a spectral transform to the block; and

b. coding resulting transform coefficients from the most significant bit-plane (MSB) to the least significant bit-plane (LSB) such that the resulting bitstream is embedded.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the graphics coding mode includes:

a. coding pixels in the block from the most significant bit-plane (MSB) to the least significant bit-plane (LSB); and

b. not performing a transform on the block.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the mode decision module determines the mode based on a performance of the two coding modes for the block being encoded.

17. The system of claim 12 further comprising a post-encoding buffer for storing the coded bitstream.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a framing module for extracting information from the post-encoding buffer for each block based on available channel bandwidth, transmitting mode information for the block, and discarding remaining bits.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the framing module transmits the extracted information and the mode information to a physical layer.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the controller is selected from the group consisting of a programmed computer readable medium and an application-specific circuit.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer workstation, a server, a mainframe computer, a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular/mobile telephone, a smart appliance, a gaming console, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a camera phone, an iPhone, an iPod®

, a video player, a DVD writer/player, a television and a home entertainment system.

22. A camera device comprising:

a. a video acquisition component for acquiring a video;

b. a memory for storing an application, the application for;

i. partitioning an image into one or more blocks;

ii. determining if a block of the image is from a natural image or a computer generated image;

iii. if the block is from a natural image, then a natural image coding is applied to the block generating a coded bitstream; and

iv. if the block is from a computer generated image, then a graphics coding is applied to the block generating the coded bitstream; and

c. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application.

23. A network of devices comprising:

a. a network;

b. a server device for storing a high definition video and for transferring a compressed version of the high definition video over the network, wherein the compressed version of the high definition video is generated by;

i. partitioning each image of the video into one or more blocks;

ii. determining if a block of the image is from a natural image or a computer generated image;

iii. if the block is from a natural image, then a natural image coding is applied to the block generating a coded bitstream; and

iv. if the block is from a computer generated image, then a graphics coding is applied to the block generating the coded bitstream; and

c. a player device for receiving the compressed version of the high definition video and for playing the compressed version of the high definition video.

24. The network of devices of claim 23 wherein the compressed version of the high definition video is decoded before being played.