Vanguard Software Solutions, Inc.

Vanguard Video LLC

Beamr Imaging Ltd.

Alexander Zheludkov

Alexey Martemyanov

Nikolay Terterov

Nickolay Terterov

Tamar Shoham

Dror Gill

Sharon Carmel

Amir Leibman

Ivan Minin

Michael Axenov

Pavel Titkov

Nick Terterov

Alexey Dolgoborodov

Vladimir Semenyuk

Eugene Neimark

Irena Terterov

There is provided a computerized method and system of optimized video encoding of an input video sequence corresponding to a plurality of input frames, the method comprising: obtaining an input frame; performing a first encoding of the input frame using a first encoding parameter determined in accordance with a target bit-rate, giving rise to a first encoded frame; performing a second encoding of the input frame using an iterative quality-driven encoding scheme initialized with an initial second encoding parameter, the initial second encoding parameter determined based on the first encoding parameter, the second encoding performed in an attempt to seek a second encoded frame having a lower bit-rate than the first encoded frame and meeting a quality criterion relative to the first encoded frame; and in case of the second encoded frame being found, providing the second encoded frame as an output frame corresponding to the input frame.

Method and system of video coding optimization

By one approach a control circuit receives video information to be encoded, uses a particular rounding control value when processing the video information, and detects when color banding occurs when processing the video information using the particular rounding control value and responsively reprocesses the video information using a different rounding control value. By another approach, the control circuit has a plurality of different intra prediction types, including a planar intra prediction type, available to use when encoding the video information and wherein the control circuit determines when the planar intra prediction type can be employed without testing use of all of the plurality of different intra prediction types. By yet another approach, the control circuit selects block coding parameters, at least in part, by comparing corresponding mode costs, detects a smooth area in the video information, and then modifies mode costs as a function of having detected the smooth area.

Video coding apparatus and method

Simplified selection of optimal intra prediction in block-based video coding based on texture gradient distribution and minimal activity direction. The minimal activity direction is defined by a vector (&#x3b1;(B, W), &#x3b2;(B, W)) indicating minimal variation of a discrete function P(x, y) inside a spatial aria of block B with weights W.

Optimal intra prediction in block-based video coding to calculate minimal activity direction based on texture gradient distribution

In video coding, selecting an optimal intra block size based on minimal activity directions and strengths. The method is directed to simplifying the procedure of choosing the best subdivision of a texture block into intra blocks.

Optimization of intra block size in video coding based on minimal activity directions and strengths

Selection of an optimal directional intra prediction mode for block-based video coding from a reduced number of intra predictions, including a plurality of angular intra predictions, a planar prediction mode, and DC prediction mode, by performing a logarithmic search inside a set of intra prediction directions.

Optimal intra prediction in block-based video coding

Method for multi-level motion estimation in block-based video coding. The method is targeted to HEVC specifications of video compression, however, may be used with other video coding standards.

Video compression for high efficiency video coding using a reduced resolution image

Encoding methods directed to making coding decisions and estimating coding parameters including searching for optimal angular prediction in intra-prediction mode; choosing the best intra block subdivision; and providing motion estimation for tree-structured inter coding. The methods are targeted to HEVC specifications of video compression, however, may be used with other video coding standards.

Optimal angular intra prediction for block-based video coding

A video codec having a modular structure for encoding/decoding a digitized sequence of video frames in a multi-core system is described. The video codec comprises a memory unit; a multithreading engine. and a plurality of control and task modules organized in a tree structure, each module corresponding to a coding operation. The modules communicate with each other by control messages and shared memory. The control modules control all coding logic and workflow, and lower level task modules perform tasks and provide calculations upon receiving messages from the control task modules. The multithreading engine maintains context of each task and assigns at least one core to each task for execution. The method of coding/decoding comprises an error resilient algorithm.

Real-time video coding/decoding

The video sequence encoding system with high compression efficiency is based on the H.264/AVC international video coding standard and is implementing proposed algorithms for: macroblock motion estimation; simplified rate-distortion optimization for transform size decision-making; acceleration of optimal macroblock type decision; modulation of quantization parameter with look-ahead refinement; and film-grain parameters calculation. The video encoding system comprises a motion estimation unit based on a measurement function for motion search of the matching texture block; a macroblock decision making unit; a pipeline processing module configured to accelerate complex transform; and a quantization parameter modulator configured to enhance the picture quality.

Video sequence encoding system and algorithms

A video codec having a modular structure for encoding/decoding a digitized sequence of video frames in a multi-core system is described. The video codec comprises a memory unit; a multithreading engine. and a plurality of control and task modules organized in a tree structure, each module corresponding to a coding operation. The modules communicate with each other by control messages and shared memory. The control modules control all coding logic and workflow, and lower level task modules perform tasks and provide calculations upon receiving messages from the control task modules. The multithreading engine maintains context of each task and assigns at least one core to each task for execution. The method of coding/decoding comprises denoising, core motion estimation, distributed motion estimation, weighted texture prediction and error resilient decoding.

A video codec for real-time encoding/decoding of digitized video data with high compression efficiency, comprising a frame encoder receiving input frame pixels; a codec setting unit for setting and storing coding setting parameters; a CPU load controller for controlling desired frame encoding time and CPU loading; a rate controller for controlling frame size; a coding statistics memory for storing frequency tables for arithmetic coding of bitstream parameters and a reference frame buffer for storing reference frames. The frame encoder comprises a motion estimation unit, a frame head coding unit, a coded frame reconstruction and storage unit and a macroblock encoding unit. The macroblock encoding unit provides calculation of texture prediction and prediction error, transforming texture prediction error and quantization of transform coefficient, calculation of motion vector prediction and prediction error and arithmetic context modeling for motion vectors, header parameters and transform coefficients. The codec also includes a deblocking unit for processing video data to eliminate blocking effect from restored data encoded at high distortion level, which may be a part of encoder or decoder, an internal resize unit, providing matching downscaling of a frame before encoding and upscaling of decoded frame according to the coding setting parameters, and a noise suppression unit.

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Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Alexander Zheludkov