Methods and systems for image processing control based on adjacent block characteristics

• US 7,840,078 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Segall, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Duy M
• Application Number:
  US11/694,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20080031346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,333 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/233, 382/236, 382/238, 382245-247, 382/250, 382/251, 375/240.12, 375/240.14, 375/240.18, 375/240.23, 375/240.26
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention comprise systems and methods for managing and combining layers in a multi-layer bitstream of data encoded predictively and scalably by encoding data in one layer of the bitstream in with reference to data in at least one other layer of the bitstream.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an decoding device that decodes received data and having a processor operatively connected to a transmission medium for transmitting said data, said method comprising:

a) said decoding device identifying a first adjacent macroblock that is adjacent to a target macroblock;

b) said decoding device identifying a second adjacent macroblock that is adjacent to said target macroblock;

c) said decoding device determining a first macroblock indicator indicating whether said first adjacent macroblock is coded with reference to another layer;

d) said decoding device determining a second macroblock indicator indicating whether said second adjacent macroblock is coded with reference to another layer; and

e) said decoding device determining an entropy coding control value based on said first macroblock indicator and said second macroblock indicator, where said decoding device uses said entropy coding control decode said data received from said transmission medium.

2. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising using said entropy coding control value to encode an intra-prediction mode.

3. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising using said entropy coding control value to decode an intra-prediction mode.

4. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising using said entropy coding control value to encode said target macroblock.

5. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising using said entropy coding control value to decode said target macroblock.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said target macroblock is a chroma macroblock.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein a macroblock is determined to be coded with reference to another layer when said macroblock is of type IntraBL.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said entropy coding control value comprises a context.

9. A method as described in claim 8 wherein said context is based on cumulative macroblock information.

10. A method for controlling an device having a processor operatively connected to a transmission medium for transmitting data, and that receives said data and delivers it to said transmission medium, said method comprising:

a) said device identifying a first adjacent macroblock that is adjacent to a target macroblock;

b) said device identifying a second adjacent macroblock that is adjacent to said target macroblock;

c) said device determining whether said first adjacent macroblock is available;

d) said device determining whether said first adjacent macroblock is coded in inter prediction mode;

e) said device determining whether said first adjacent macroblock is encoded in the spatial domain;

f) said device determining whether said first adjacent macroblock is intra predicted with a DC prediction mode;

g) said device determining whether said first adjacent macroblock is coded with reference to another layer;

h) said device setting a first adjacent block flag to one when any of steps c) through g) are true;

i) said device determining whether said second adjacent macroblock is available;

j) said device determining whether said second adjacent macroblock is coded in inter prediction mode;

k) said device determining whether said second adjacent macroblock is encoded in the spatial domain;

l) said device determining whether said second adjacent macroblock is intra predicted with a DC prediction mode;

m) said device determining whether said second adjacent macroblock is coded with reference to another layer;

n) said device setting a second adjacent block flag value to one when any of steps i) through m) are true; and

o) said device adding said first adjacent block flag value and said second adjacent block flag value to produce an entropy coding control value, where said encoding device uses said entropy coding control value to deliver said data over said transmission medium.

11. A method as described in claim 10 further comprising using said entropy coding control value to encode said target macroblock.

12. A method as described in claim 10 further comprising using said entropy coding control value to decode said target macroblock.

13. A method as described in claim 10 wherein said target macroblock is a chroma macroblock.

14. A method as described in claim 10 wherein a macroblock is determined to be coded with reference to another layer when said macroblock is of type IntraBL.

15. A method as described in claim 10 wherein said entropy coding control value comprises a context.

16. A method as described in claim 15 wherein said context is based on cumulative macroblock information.

17. A processing device operatively connectable to a transmission medium that transmits data between a sender and a receiver, said processing device comprising:

a) an input that receives a first adjacent macroblock that is adjacent to a target macroblock and a second adjacent macroblock that is adjacent to said target macroblock; and

b) a processor that sets a target block estimated prediction mode to a predetermined mode when any of conditions i) through vi) are true;

i) said first adjacent macroblock is available;

ii) said first adjacent macroblock is coded in inter prediction mode;

iii) said first adjacent macroblock is coded with reference to another layer;

iv) said second adjacent macroblock is available;

v) said second adjacent macroblock is coded in inter prediction mode;

vi) said second adjacent macroblock is coded with reference to another layer.

18. A device as described in claim 17 wherein said predetermined mode is a DC prediction mode.

19. A device as described in claim 17 that determines an actual prediction mode for said target block based on target block content.

20. A method device as described in claim 19 that compares said estimated prediction mode with said actual prediction mode.

21. A device as described in claim 20 that instructs a decoder to use said estimated prediction mode to predict said target block when said actual prediction mode is the same as said estimated prediction mode.

22. A device as described in claim 20 that instructs a decoder to use said estimated prediction mode to predict said target block when said actual prediction mode is the same as said estimated prediction mode.

23. A method device as described in claim 20 that instructs a decoder to use said actual prediction mode to predict said target block when said actual prediction mode is not the same as said estimated prediction mode.

24. A device as described in claim 20 that instructs a decoder to use said actual prediction mode to predict said target block when said actual prediction mode is not the same as said estimated prediction mode.

25. A device as described in claim 17 wherein said target block estimated prediction mode is a luma prediction mode.