自适应分区DCT/DWT低码率视频编码算法

为了降低低码率视频编码算法的块效应与环效应，提出了一种基于自适应分区余弦变换／子波变换和重叠运动补偿的视频编码算法，首先给了一种空－是相关自适应运动估计算法，有效降低运算复杂性，然后通过过层游动窗块区域形成算法检测现帧间预测误差场的高能量区域，对大区域进行了子波变换和量化，对零散区域进行余弦变换和量化，根据人类视觉系统（ＨＶＳ）的空－频和时－频特性，给出基于ＨＶＳ的量化模型，以期在信噪比约束下获得     

Estimation of depth fields suitable for video compression based on3-D structure and motion of objects

Intensity prediction along motion trajectories removes temporal redundancy considerably in video compression algorithms. In three-dimensional (3-D) object-based video coding, both 3-D motion and depth values are required for temporal prediction. The required 3-D motion parameters for each object are found by the correspondence-based E-matrix method. The estimation of the correspondences-two-dimensional (2-D) motion field-between the frames and segmentation of the scene into objects are achieved simultaneously by minimizing a Gibbs energy. The depth field is estimated by jointly minimizing a defined distortion and bit-rate criterion using the 3-D motion parameters. The resulting depth field is efficient in the rate-distortion sense. Bit-rate values corresponding to the lossless encoding of the resultant depth fields are obtained using predictive coding; prediction errors are encoded by a Lempel-Ziv algorithm. The results are satisfactory for real-life video scenes.     

An effective mesh-based motion compensation technique for video coding

The block-matching algorithm is the most popular motion compensation technique in video coding. However, it cannot provide acceptable quality at very low bit rate. In this paper, a new mesh-based motion compensation method is proposed to attack the problem. First, a regular non-uniform mesh, which has regular structure with variable patch size, is presented. The patch size is varied according to motion activity of a video sequence. Next, a weighted interpolation block matching is developed to improve the estimate accuracy of displacements of grid points. It utilizes the motion correlation between a grid point and its associated patches. Finally, based on the new mesh and motion estimation scheme, an efficient motion compensation algorithm is developed. When compared to the conventional motion compensation techniques, the proposed method improves performance significantly with lower computational complexity and overhead information bits.     

Automatic scalable face model design for 2D model-based video coding

Scalable low bit-rate video coding is vital for the transmission of video signals over wireless channels. A scalable model-based video coding scheme is proposed in this paper to achieve this. This paper mainly addresses automatic scalable face model design. Firstly, a robust and adaptive face segmentation method is proposed, which is based on piecewise skin-colour distributions. 43 million skin pixels from 900 images are used to train the skin-colour model, which can identify skin-colour pixels reliably under different lighting conditions. Next, reliable algorithms are proposed for detecting the eyes, mouth and chin that are used to verify the face candidatures. Then, based on the detected facial features and human face muscular distributions, a heuristic scalable face model is designed to represent the rigid and non-rigid motion of head and facial features. A novel motion estimation algorithm is proposed to estimate the object model motion hierarchically. Experimental results are provided to illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithms for facial feature detection and the accuracy of the designed scalable face model for representing face motion.     

Adaptive DT Mesh Points Tracking--A Novel Sequential Image Inter-frame Predictive Scheme

In this paper, a novel triangle-based video coding scheme for very low bit-rate transmission is presented.In the scheme,regular triangular meshes as used in reference[1,2]are replaced by adaptive DT mesh generated by a split-merge approach,and then a new method based on the umbrella matching algorithm(UMA)is developed to refine the coarse motion vectors of DT‘s vertices derived from a BMA.Computer simulations are carried out to evaluate the coding efficiency at 16kbit/s.The results show that the quality of the decoded images is improved greatly compared to BMA or other triangle-based methods.     

Optimal bit allocation for coding of video signals over ATMnetworks

We consider optimal encoding of video sequences for ATM networks. Two cases are investigated. In one, the video units are coded independently (e.g., motion JPEG), while in the other, the coding quality of a later picture may depend on that of an earlier picture (e.g., H.26x and MPEGx). The aggregate distortion-rate relationship for the latter case exhibits a tree structure, and its solution commands a higher degree of complexity than the former. For independent coding, we develop an algorithm which employs multiple Lagrange multipliers to find the constrained bit allocation. This algorithm is optimal up to a convex-hull approximation of the distortion-rate relations in the case of CBR (constant bit-rate) transmission. It is suboptimal in the case of VBR (variable bit-rate) transmission by the use of a suboptimal transmission rate control mechanism for simplicity. For dependent coding, the Lagrange-multiplier approach becomes rather unwieldy, and a constrained tree search method is used. The solution is optimal for both CBR and VBR transmission if the full constrained tree is searched. Simulation results are presented which confirm the superiority in coding quality of the encoding algorithms. We also compare the coded video quality and other characteristics of VBR and CBR transmission     

基于块截断编码和运动补偿的纯软件视频编解码算法

本文报告了一种新的纯软件视频编解码算法.利用改进的块截断编码和基于一步预测运动估计的运动补偿技术,该算法能够在现有的普通PC机上实时实现全彩色视频电话图像序列的编解码,比特率小于100 Kbps.与已有的其他同类算法相比,本文的算法在保持实时性的前提下,比特率大大下降,图像质量明显提高.     

Automatic face location detection for model-assisted rate control in H.261-compatible coding of video

We present a novel and practical way to integrate techniques from computer vision to low bit-rate coding systems for video teleconferencing applications. Our focus is to locate and track the faces and selected facial features of persons in typical head-and-shoulders video sequences, and to exploit the location information in a ‘classical’ video coding/decoding system. The motivation is to enable the system to encode selectively various image areas and to produce perceptually pleasing coded images where faces are sharper. We refer to this approach—a mix of classical waveform coding and model—based coding-as model-assisted coding. We propose two totally automatic algorithms which, respectively, perform the detection of a head outline, and identify an ‘eyes-nose-mouth’ region, both from downsampled binary thresholded edge images. The algorithms operate accurately and robustly, even in cases of significant head rotation or partial occlusion by moving objects. We show how the information about face and facial feature location can be advantageously exploited by low bit-rate waveform-based video coders. In particular, we describe a method of object-selective quantizer control in a standard coding system based on motion-compensated discrete cosine transform—CCITT's recommendation H.261. The approach is based on two novel algorithms, namely buffer rate modulation and buffer size modulation. By forcing the rate control algorithm to transfer a fraction of the total available bit-rate from the coding of the non-facial to that of the facial area, the coder produces images with better-rendered facial features, i.e. coding artefacts in the facial area are less pronounced and eye contact is preserved. The improvement was found to be perceptually significant on video sequences coded at the ISDN rate of 64 kbps, with 48 kbps for the input (color) video signal in QCIF format.     

Improved Compression Performance of H.264/MPEG4-AVC for Digital Video Using DVDP

Digital video sequences in uncompressed form require huge storage and high transmission bandwidth for multimedia communication. The increasing number of Video over Wireless (VoW) services is creating greater thrust for higher coding efficiency for digital video signals. Efficient coding and transmission control techniques are required to meet the needs of Quality of Service (QoS). H.264/MPEG4-advanced video coding (AVC) video enCOder/DECoder (CODEC) is the latest coding and compression standard from the International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication (ITU-T). This standard is currently dominating the field by offering a flexible architecture and compression gain for video coding. Due to its high compression efficiency with low compression delay, it is used in many real time VoW transmission applications. Modern wireless networks provide many different means to adapt QoS like low end-to-end delay, efficient bandwidth-utilization and lower bit-rate. This paper presents a design of integrated CODEC scheme with relatively lower bit-rate and improved edge peak signal-to-noise ratio (EPSNR). Several important factors of video sequence are analyzed for achieving lower bit-rate. A new scheme is proposed at Application (APP) layer for video compression, called as Enhanced Intra Prediction (EnIP). This algorithm uses picture structure without B-pictures for real time VoW application. The proposed algorithm is implemented on TMS320DM6437; a multimedia processor, using Digital Video Development Platform (DVDP). The superior performance of the proposed EnIP algorithm is validated by experimental results. It shows that the implementation of EnIP using digital multimedia processor lowers the bit-rate and improves EPSNR significantly.     

Optimization of quadtree segmentation and hybrid two-dimensionaland three-dimensional motion estimation in a rate-distortion framework

A rate-distortion framework is used to define a very low bit-rate coding scheme based on quadtree segmentation and optimized selection of motion estimators. This technique achieves maximum reconstructed image quality under the constraint of a target bit rate for the coding of the vector field and segmentation information. First, a complete scheme is proposed for hybrid two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) motion estimation and compensation. The quadtree object segmentation is optimized for hybrid motion estimation in the rate-distortion sense. This scheme adapts to the depth of the quadtree and the technique used for motion estimation for each leaf of the tree. A more sophisticated technique, adapted to the requirements of a very low bit-rate coder, is also proposed which also considers the transmission of the prediction error corresponding to the particular choice of the motion estimator. Based on these coding schemes, two versions of a very low bit-rate image sequence coder are developed. Experimental results illustrating the performance of the proposed techniques in very low bit-rate image sequence coding application areas are presented and evaluated     

Wavelet-based very low bit-rate video coding using image warpingand overlapped block motion compensation

The authors present an algorithm for very low bit-rate video coding that combines new ideas in motion estimation, wavelet filter design, and wavelet-based coding techniques. A new motion compensation technique using image warping and overlapped block motion compensation is proposed to reduce temporal redundancies in a given image sequence. This combined motion model has the advantage of representing more complex motion than simple block matching schemes. To further improve the quality of the temporal prediction, an adaptive grid with variable density according to the varying motion activity of a given scene is generated. An adaptively switched high-quality texture interpolation is employed to cope with the problem of fractional displacements in such a way that both objective and subjective reconstruction quality is improved. Spatial decorrelation of the motion compensated residual images is performed using an one-parametric family of biorthogonal infinite impulse response (IIR) wavelet filters coupled with the highly efficient pre-coding scheme of `partitioning, aggregation and conditional coding' (PACC). Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in objective quality of 1.0-2.3 dB PSNR in comparison to the H.263+ test model TMN10 using advanced coding options. In addition, the authors' intracoding method provides a performance gain of 0.5 dB PSNR on the average for a test suite of various still images when compared to the emerging still image coding standard JPEG-2000     

甚低码率视频压缩编码算法研究和标准化进展

本文综述了甚低码率视频编码算法和标准化进程的发展状况,概述了运动补偿,模型基,分形IFS及H.263和MPEG4等方面的进展,并讨论了未来可能的发展方向。     

基于H.264视频编码的运动估计算法研究

运动估计是视频编码中最重要且最耗时的一部分,它占用整个视频编码60％～80％的时间.研究高效的、快速的运动估计算法是目前视频压缩技术中的重要研究课题.基于H.264视频编码标准,选择x264作为测试编码器,分析了x264的4种运动估计算法,通过加入非对称小菱形搜索,降低搜索点数,部分算法优化,对非对称十字型多层次六边形格点搜索算法(UMHexagonS)进行了改进,提高了运动估计算法效率.提出了非对称十字型多层次八边形格点搜索(x264_ME_UMO)算法.通过对各种视频序列的测试表明,在基本保持原有编码性能和图像质量的情况下,优化后的算法编码速度平均提高了约17％,能更好地满足实际应用的需求.     

Key-frame reference selection for non-feedback video communication

This article addresses the problem of reference picture optimization in video communication over error prone networks. A novel estimation model for transmission distortion is proposed. This model is capable of recursively estimating the overall end-to-end distortion caused by quantization, error propagation, and error concealment. Simulation results show that this model can accurately estimate channel distortion. Then, based on the distortion estimation model, a new non-feedback key-frame reference picture selection (KRPS) algorithm is developed. The optimum reference picture minimizes the transmission distortion under the rate-distortion optimization framework. Extensive experiment results demonstrate that the proposed KRPS algorithm substantially achieves more peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) gain over traditional prediction, especially in low bit-rate transmission.     

基于ZIG-ZAG交织的H.264/AVC容错编码算法

本文提出了一种基于ZIG-ZAG交织的灵活宏块排列算法ZFMO,按ZIG-ZAG扫描方式沿次对角线方向上交织排列宏块,从而在低位率下达到了编码效率和容错性能的最佳平衡点.实验结果表明,ZFMO在低丢包率的网络环境下比当前H.264/AVC的推荐算法具有更好的编码效率和容错性能.经过率失真优化后的ZFMO算法性能进一步提高.     

一种新的H.264多参考帧快速搜索算法

H.264/AVC是目前最新的视频编码国际标准.在H.264/AVC中,由于采用了多参考帧,运动估计部分的复杂度大大增加了.虽然JVT采用的快速运动估计(FME)提案能极大地提高搜索速度,但只是加快了一帧的搜索速度.本文在FME基础上提出了一种新的多参考帧快速搜索算法(FMRSA),它利用当前块周围的块信息来预测将要搜索的参考帧的范围,并在具体搜索过程中运用提前中断的方法加快整个搜索过程.实验证明本算法比标准快速搜索法搜索5个参考帧能在PSNR降低不超过0.05dB、码率增加不超过2.32%的情况下节省至少56.5%的时间.     

Overlapped patch elimination algorithm for deformable mesh videocoding

Updating mesh nodal points is one of the major tasks in deformable mesh video coding. Owing to object movement and inexact motion estimation, nodal point tracking often results in overlapped patches. A noniterative nodal point processing algorithm is proposed to solve this problem. Simulation results indicate that with this overlapped patch elimination algorithm, the updated mesh can maintain a rather uniform distribution and the moving object can be traced quite well     

计算能力可伸缩的运动估计率失真优化

不同硬件设备具有不同的计算能力,能否在任意给定计算能力约束下达到最好的编码效率,是当前视频编码研究领域的一个极具挑战性问题.同时,随着分块结构越来越灵活的编码标准不断出现（如：HEVC,H.264等）,运动估计不得不反复地应用在大小不同的各种分块上,导致其对编码总体计算复杂度的影响愈加重要.在此背景下,本文提出了一种针对运动估计的计算能力可伸缩（Complexity scalable）优化算法.我们通过对运动估计过程中预测失真度和计算复杂度的变化规律建模,发现根据各宏块的特性设置不同的预测失真度阈值可以优化地分配计算资源.而该阈值的大小则恰恰是各宏块的最小预测失真度加上一个由复杂度约束统一决定的偏移量.有鉴于此,我们进一步构造了计算能力可伸缩的优化运动估计算法,在不增加额外计算量的前提下,快速地得到各个宏块所对应的优化阈值,并完成运动估计.通过实验分析,该算法不仅具备自动适应不同计算复杂度约束的能力,而且在任意给定的复杂度约束下,都能提供优化的编码性能.     

一种基于H．264的有效运动估计算法

运动估计算法是实时视频编解码技术的研究重点，高精度的匹配和补偿可以减少预测误差，提高视频图像的压缩效果．为降低在视频编码标准H．264中运动估计的高计算复杂度问题，提出了采用一种基于节点模型的可变形块匹配运动估计算法来搜索最佳运动矢量．该算法充分利用了H．264运动矢量的的统计特性和相关性，并采用基于像素差值分类的运动估计匹配准则．实验表明，在编码性能损失很小的条件下，该算法有效降低了视频压缩编码中运动估计的运算复杂度．