Method and apparatus for storing decoded video information

• US 6,002,438 A
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Hocevar, Dale E., Chiang, Yetung Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/953,011
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 348/384, 348/390, 348/402, 348/415, 348/416, 348/424, 348/716
• US Class Current: 375/240.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/004 Predictors, e.g. intraframe, interframe coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/423 characterised by memory arrangements H04N19/433 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/428 Recompression, e.g. by spatial or temporal decimation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding

Abstract

A decoded video signal which was encoded in accordance with a standard, such as MPEG-2, is encoded "on the fly" using a lossless linear predicted coding technique and stored in a compressed form in a RAM. A separate encoding technique is provided for B pictures and for I or P pictures. The compressed B pictures are decompressed for display. The compressed I or P pictures are decompressed for display or for use in decoding other P or B pictures.

Claims

1. In a method of decoding a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard which requires storing at least a portion of a B picture for later display, a method of storing video information comprising:

dynamically compressing video information for at least a portion of said B picture; and

storing said dynamically compressed video information in a memory.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamic compression step comprises:

utilizing the decoded macroblock by macroblock picture data to generate data representative of a physical slice of said picture; and

encoding said physical slice data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method.

3. In a method of decoding a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard which requires storing at least a portion of an I or P picture for later decoding, a method of storing video information comprising:

dynamically compressing video information for at least a portion of said I or P picture by encoding picture data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method on a local area by local area basis to generate encoded picture data,

storing said dynamically compressed video information in a memory by storing said encoded picture data linearly in said memory; and

generating and storing a pointer table of the beginning address of each local area.

4. Apparatus for storing decoded video information of a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard which requires storing at least a portion of a B picture for later display comprising:

a video signal processor for dynamically compressing video information for at least a portion of a reference picture; and

a memory for storing said dynamically compressed video information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said video signal processor comprises:

decoder means utilizing the decoded macroblock by macroblock picture data to generate data representative of a physical slice of said picture; and

encoder means for encoding said physical slice data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method.

6. Apparatus for storing decoded video information of a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard which requires storing at least a portion of an I or a P picture for later decoding comprising:

a video signal processor for dynamically compressing video information for at least a portion of a reference picture, said video signal processor comprising encoding means for encoding picture data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method on a local area by local area basis to generate encoded picture data;

a memory for storing said dynamically compressed video information, said memory having said encoded picture data linearly stored; and

means for generating and storing in said memory a pointer table of the beginning address of each local area.

7. In a method of decoding a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard, a method of storing B picture information comprising the steps of:

utilizing the decoded macroblock by macroblock picture data to generate data representative of a physical slice of said picture;

encoding said physical slice data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method to generate encoded picture data; and

storing said encoded picture data linearly in a memory.

8. Apparatus for storing decoded video information for a B picture of a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard comprising:

a video signal processor utilizing the decoded macroblock by macroblock picture data to generate data representative of a physical slice of said picture;

an encoder encoding said physical slice data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method; and

a memory storing said encoded picture data in a linear manner.

9. In a method of decoding a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard, a method of storing I of P picture information comprising the steps of:

encoding picture data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method on a block by block basis to generate encoded picture data;

storing said encoded picture data linearly in a memory; and

generating and storing a pointer table of the beginning of data for each individual block.

10. Apparatus for storing decoded video information for an I or P picture of a video signal encoded in accordance with an MPEG standard;

an encoder encoding picture data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method on a block by block basis to generate encoded picture data;

A memory storing said encoded picture data in a linear manner; and

a processor generating and storing a pointer table of the beginning of data for each individual block.

11. In a method of decoding a video signal encoded in accordance with a standard, a method of storing a picture for later display comprising the steps of:

utilizing the decoded macroblock by macroblock picture data to generate data representative of a physical slice of said picture;

encoding said physical slice data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method to generate encoded picture data; and

storing said encoded picture data linearly in a memory.

12. Apparatus for storing decoded video information for a picture of a video signal encoded in accordance with a standard for later display comprising:

a video signal processor utilizing the decoded macroblock by macroblock picture data to generate data representative of a physical slice of said picture;

an encoder encoding said physical slice data utilizing a lossless predictive coding method; and

a memory storing said encoded picture data in a linear manner.