Method and apparatus for video encoding with hypothetical reference decoder compliant bit allocation

• US 20110216837A1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Vc Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Yang, Hua, Luo, Jiancong
• Granted Patent: US 8,724,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/152 by measuring the fullness of the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 the region being a picture, frame or field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/70 characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for encoding with hypothetical reference decoder compliant bit allocation. The apparatus includes an encoder (100) for encoding image data for a picture in a resultant bitstream by controlling a bit allocation during the encoding of the image data responsive to satisfying requirements for a subsequent decoding of the bitstream. The requirements relate to preventing at least one of an underflow condition and an overflow condition in a buffer during the subsequent decoding of the bitstream.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an encoder for encoding image data for a picture in a resultant bitstream by controlling a bit allocation during the encoding of the image data responsive to satisfying requirements for a subsequent decoding of the bitstream, the requirements relating to preventing at least one of an underflow condition and an overflow condition in a buffer during the subsequent decoding of the bitstream.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the requirements pertain to at least one of a particular video coding standard and a particular video coding recommendation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bit allocation is controlled by at least applying a bit constraint over a range of pictures contributing to the underflow condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the range of pictures starts at from a nearest picture prior to the underflow condition, the nearest picture having an arrival time at the buffer equal to an earliest arrival time at which a first bit for a buffering period to which the nearest picture belongs begin to enter the buffer.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the range of pictures ends at a last picture corresponding to a burst of consecutive occurrences of the underflow condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a total amount of a bit reduction resulting from the bit constraint is a bit equivalent of [t_af(n)−

_tr,n(n)], wherein t_af(n) denotes a final arrival time at which a last bit of the last picture enters the buffer, and t_r,n(n) denotes a nominal removal time to entirely remove the last picture from the buffer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bit reduction of each of the pictures within the range of pictures is proportional to a number of bits exceeding a bit average calculated over the range of pictures.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encoder encodes the resultant bitstream in compliance with the multi-video video coding extension of the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission Moving Picture Experts Group-4 Part 10 Advanced Video Coding Standard/International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Sector H.264 Recommendation.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the resultant bitstream is encoded in compliance with the BLU-RAY 3D Specification.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the picture corresponds to multi-view video content for at least two views, and a common value of a syntax element initial_cpb_removal_delay is used for all operation points of a buffering period to which the picture applies, the common value being equal to a minimum value of the syntax element initial_cpb_removal_delay of all the operation points of the buffering period.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the requirements pertain to at least one of a particular video coding standard and a particular video coding recommendation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the bit allocation is controlled by at least applying a bit constraint over a range of pictures contributing to the underflow condition.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the range of pictures starts at from a nearest picture prior to the underflow condition, the nearest picture having an arrival time at the buffer equal to an earliest arrival time at which a first bit for a buffering period to which the nearest picture belongs begin to enter the buffer.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the range of pictures ends at a last picture corresponding to a burst of consecutive occurrences of the underflow condition.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein a total amount of a bit reduction resulting from the bit constraint is a bit equivalent of [t_af(n)−

_tr,n(n)], wherein t_af(n) denotes a final arrival time at which a last bit of the last picture enters the buffer, and t_r,n(n) denotes a nominal removal time to entirely remove the last picture from the buffer.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the bit reduction of each of the pictures within the range of pictures is proportional to a number of bits exceeding a bit average calculated over the range of pictures.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the resultant bitstream is encoded in compliance with the multi-video video coding extension of the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission Moving Picture Experts Group-4 Part 10 Advanced Video Coding Standard/International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Sector H.264 Recommendation.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the resultant bitstream is encoded in compliance with the BLU-RAY 3D Specification.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the picture corresponds to multi-view video content for at least two views, and a common value of a syntax element initial_cpb_removal_delay is used for all operation points of a buffering period to which the picture applies, the common value being equal to a minimum value of the syntax element initial_cpb_removal_delay of all the operation points.

11. In a video encoder, a method, comprising:

encoding image data for a picture in a resultant bitstream by controlling a bit allocation during the encoding of the image data responsive to satisfying requirements for a subsequent decoding of the bitstream, the requirements relating to preventing at least one of an underflow condition and an overflow condition in a buffer during the subsequent decoding of the bitstream.