Adaptive Video Reference Frame Compression with Control Elements

• US 20140355665A1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: WEGENER, ALBERT W.
• Application Number:
  US13/907,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20140355665A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.02
• 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 19/12 Selection from among a plurality of transforms or standards, e.g. selection between discrete cosine transform [DCT] and sub-band transform or selection between H.263 and H.264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/127 Prioritisation of hardware or computational resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/156 Availability of hardware or computational resources, e.g. encoding based on power-saving criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/428 Recompression, e.g. by spatial or temporal decimation

Abstract

An access encoder reduces power consumption during video playback and recording by reducing the bandwidth between a processor and a memory. A graphical user interface allows user selection, or software control, over the tradeoff between battery life and video quality. Battery life can be increased (decreased) by activating the access encoder. The access encoder may be implemented in a microprocessor, graphics processor, digital signal processor, FPGA, ASIC, or SoC. The access encoder'"'"'s encoding/decoding can reduce memory and storage bottlenecks, processor access time, and processor and memory power consumption. A user interface allows users to adjust the tradeoff between decoded video quality and battery life for a mobile device. This abstract does not limit the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

Claims

1. A video system comprising:

a. an on/off selector;

b. a video application selector; and

c. a compression control module which controls reference frame compression in an access encoder, wherein;

i. as a compression ratio increases power consumption of the device decreases; and

,

ii. as the compression ratio decreases, power consumption of the device increases.

2. The video system of claim 1, further comprising:

a. A decompression control module which controls reference frame decompression in an access decoder.

3. The video system of claim 1, wherein the compression control module controls compression by setting an attenuator parameter to an attenuator module located in the access encoder.

4. The video system of claim 2, wherein the compression control module controls decompression by sending the attenuation parameter to a gain module located in the access decoder.

5. The video system of claim 1, wherein the on/off selector further comprises:

a. a video playback selector; and

,

b. a video record selector.

6. The video system of claim 1, wherein the video application selector further comprises:

a. a video playback applications selector; and

,

b. a video record application selector.

7. The video system of claim 3, wherein the video play applications selector further comprises:

a. a plurality of application selectors.

8. The video system of claim 3, wherein the video record applications selector further comprises:

a. a plurality of application selectors.

9. The video system of claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile, battery-powered device.

10. The video system of claim 1, wherein the compression control module is comprised of a slider, knob, or fader.

11. The video system of claim 1, wherein reference frame compression is performed in an access encoder during motion estimation.

12. The video system of claim 1, wherein reference frame compression is performed in an access encoder during motion compensation.

13. The video system of claim 1, wherein reference frame compression includes a lossless mode, a fixed-rate mode, and a fixed-quality mode.

14. The video system of claim 11, wherein the compression control module ensures that the reference frame compression is the same for each macroblock in a reference frame.

15. The video system of claim 11, wherein the compression control module selects from lossless, fixed-rate, or fixed-quality modes for each macroblock of a reference frame.

16. The video system of claim 1, wherein control and selections elements are implemented as a control application having a graphical user interface that a user accesses to control the tradeoff between device battery life and device video quality.

17. An application processor comprising:

a. an on/off selector;

b. a video application selector; and

c. a compression control module which controls reference frame compression in an access encoder, wherein;

i. as a compression ratio increases power consumption of the device decreases; and

,

ii. as the compression ratio decreases, power consumption of the device increases.

18. The application processor of claim 17, further comprising:

a. A decompression control module which controls reference frame decompression in an access decoder.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of adjusting the compression control module input further comprises controlling decompression in an access decoder.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps of activating, selecting, and adjusting comprise manipulating a switch.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of adjusting a compression control module comprises manipulating a slider, knob, or fader.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps of activating, selecting, and adjusting comprise providing inputs to a graphical user interface controlled by a control application.

19. A method for controlling compression in a video system, comprising the steps of:

a. activating a video application selector;

b. selecting a video application; and

,

c. adjusting a compression control module input which controls compression in an access encoder.