METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING SUPER-RESOLUTION OF QUANTIZED IMAGES AND VIDEO

• US 20140177706A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Fernandes, Felix C., Ma, Zhan, Faramarzi, Esmaeil, Asif, Muhammad Salman
• Application Number:
  US14/085,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20140177706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4053 based on super-resolution, i.e. the output image resolution being higher than the sensor resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4092 Image resolution transcoding, e.g. by using client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/463 by compressing encoding parameters before transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/59 involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution

Abstract

An image-encoding system that is configured to generate an output stream based on an input image is provided that includes an encoder and a metadata extractor. The encoder is configured to encode a low-resolution image to generate a quantized, low-resolution image. The low-resolution image is generated based on the input image. The metadata extractor is configured to extract super-resolution (SR) metadata from the input image. The output stream comprises the quantized, low-resolution image and the SR metadata. An image-decoding system is configured to receive the output stream. The image-decoding system includes a decoder and an SR processor. The decoder is configured to decode the quantized, low-resolution image to generate a decoded image. The super-resolution processor is configured to perform super-resolution on the decoded image based on the SR metadata to generate a super-resolved image.

Claims

1. An image-encoding system configured to generate an output stream based on an input image, comprising:

an encoder configured to encode a low-resolution image to generate a quantized, low-resolution image, wherein the low-resolution image is generated based on the input image; and

a metadata extractor configured to extract super-resolution (SR) metadata from the input image, wherein the output stream comprises the quantized, low-resolution image and the SR metadata.

2. The image-encoding system of claim 1, further comprising a pre-processing block configured to perform pre-processing on the input image to generate the low-resolution image.

3. The image-encoding system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pre-processing block configured to perform pre-processing on the input image to generate a processed image; and

a downsampler configured to downsample the processed image to generate the low-resolution image.

4. The image-encoding system of claim 1, further comprising a down converter configured to down convert the input image to generate the low-resolution image, and wherein the encoder is further configured to encode the SR metadata with the low-resolution image to generate the output stream.

5. A method for generating an output stream based on an input image, comprising:

encoding a low-resolution image to generate a quantized, low-resolution image, wherein the low-resolution image is generated based on the input image;

extracting super-resolution (SR) metadata from the input image; and

generating the output stream based on the quantized, low-resolution image and the SR metadata.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the SR metadata comprises motion information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the SR metadata comprises downsampling information.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the SR metadata comprises camera parameters.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the SR metadata comprises at least one of a blurring filter, a database of spatio-temporal patches, patch numbers, dictionary coefficients, statistical parameters, patch-translation vectors, edge-characterization parameters, best-matching segments, long-term reference frame numbers corresponding to frames including an object that has been occluded in adjacent frames, and displacement of salient feature points.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising encapsulating the metadata using one of network abstraction layer unit (NALU) and supplemental enhancement information (SEI).

11. An image-decoding system configured to receive an output stream comprising a quantized, low-resolution image and SR metadata, wherein the quantized, low-resolution image is generated based on an input image, and wherein the SR metadata is extracted from the input image, the image-decoding system comprising:

a decoder configured to decode the quantized, low-resolution image to generate a decoded image; and

a super-resolution processor configured to perform super-resolution on the decoded image based on the SR metadata to generate a super-resolved image.

12. The image-decoding system of claim 11, wherein the SR metadata comprises at least one of motion information, downsampling information, camera parameters, a blurring filter, a database of spatio-temporal patches, patch numbers, dictionary coefficients, statistical parameters, patch-translation vectors, edge-characterization parameters, best-matching segments, long-term reference frame numbers corresponding to frames including an object that has been occluded in adjacent frames, and displacement of salient feature points.

13. The image-decoding system of claim 11, wherein the SR metadata is encapsulated using one of NALU and SEI.

14. A method for providing super-resolution of quantized images, comprising:

receiving an output stream comprising a quantized, low-resolution image and SR metadata, wherein the quantized, low-resolution image is generated based on an input image, and wherein the SR metadata is extracted from the input image;

decoding the quantized, low-resolution image to generate a decoded image; and

performing super-resolution on the decoded image based on the SR metadata to generate a super-resolved image.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the SR metadata comprises motion information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the SR metadata comprises downsampling information.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the SR metadata comprises camera parameters.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the SR metadata comprises at least one of a blurring filter, a database of spatio-temporal patches, patch numbers, dictionary coefficients, statistical parameters, patch-translation vectors, edge-characterization parameters, best-matching segments, long-term reference frame numbers corresponding to frames including an object that has been occluded in adjacent frames, and displacement of salient feature points.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the SR metadata is encapsulated using one of NALU and SEI.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the super-resolved image comprises a higher resolution than the input image.