Early merge mode decision for texture coding in 3D-HEVC

As the upcoming 3D video coding standard, high efficiency video coding (HEVC) based 3D video coding (3D-HEVC) has been drafted. In 3D-HEVC, the computational complexity of mode decision process is significantly high due to exhaustive modes’ checks for coding units (CU) derived from recursive quad-tree partitioning. In this paper, we propose an early merge mode decision method for complexity reduction of dependent texture views. First, inter-view correlation and hierarchical depth correlation of coding modes are separately analyzed for B frame and P frame. Then, conditions to early determine merge mode coded CUs are derived based on the correlations. All of the early determined CUs only check merge modes in the mode decision process, which brings considerable complexity reduction. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve average 20.4% of encoding time saving for dependent texture views with negligible rate distortion performance loss.     

Self-learning residual model for fast intra CU size decision in 3D-HEVC

As an extension of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard, 3D-HEVC requires to encode multiple texture views and depth maps, which inherits the same quad-tree coding structure as HEVC. Due to the distinct properties of texture views and depth maps, existing fast intra prediction approaches were presented for the coding of texture views and depth maps, respectively. To further reduce the coding complexity of 3D-HEVC, a self-learning residual model-based fast coding unit (CU) size decision approach is proposed for the intra coding of both texture views and depth maps. Residual signal, which is defined as the difference between the original luminance pixel and the optimal prediction luminance pixel, is firstly extracted from each CU. Since residue signal is strongly correlated with the optimal CU partition, it is used as the feature of each CU. Then, a self-learning residual model is established by intra feature learning, which iteratively learns the features of the previously encoded coding tree unit (CTU) generated by itself. Finally, a binary classifier is developed with the self-learning residual model to early terminate CU size decision of both texture views and depth maps. Experimental results show the proposed fast intra CU size decision approach achieves 33.3% and 49.3% encoding time reduction on average for texture views and depth maps with negligible loss of overall video quality, respectively.     

一种基于自适应阈值的Merge模式快速选择方法

高性能视频编码(HEVC)作为最新的视频编码标准, 有赖于各种新技术的引入,其中Merge模式利用部分相邻块运动信息的相关性对其的 压缩性能有显著贡献,然而HEVC在显著提升编码效率的同时复杂度也有所提高, 限制了它在实际中的应用。由于需要遍历多个Merge候选点使Merge模式带来一定的 复杂度,为 降低Merge模式的编码复杂度,本文分析了不同编码单元深度和量化系数值所对应的率失真 代价值(RD cos t)变化特 点,提出使用自适应阈值的方法减少Merge模式中的率失真优化计算次数,从 而快速选择最优的Merge 候选点。基于HM14.0的仿真结果显示,所提方法能平均减少 15.38%的编码时间,而在相同客观质量下码率只增加了0.37%。     

基于单深度帧内模式的3D-HEVC深度视频信息隐藏算法

针对三维(3D)视频系统中深度视频的安全问题,利 用一种全新的信息嵌入载体,提出 一种基于单深度帧内模式(single depth intra mode)的3D高效视频编码(3D-HEVC)深度视 频信息隐藏算法。首先,对采用单深度帧内模式编码的编码单元(CU)根据 相邻块重建像素构建像素候选列表,并比较候选列表中的两个像素值;然后,为增加算法的 安全性、保证 视频的质量,在像素值相等和不相等的情况下分别根据密钥和后续块的预测模式范围选择嵌 入块;最后, 根据隐秘信息对嵌入块候选列表所选像素的索引值进行LSB调制。实验结果表明,本文算 法平均每帧嵌入容 量为244bit,编码重建深度视频绘制视点质量的峰值 信噪比(PSNR)值和结构相似度(SSIM)值仅分别平均下降1.41×10－3 dB和6×10－6,码率平均增长0.12%,可见本文算法对3D视频的主观感知质量及码率影响很小。     

Fast encoder decision for texture coding in 3D-HEVC

As a 3D extension of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard, 3D-HEVC is developed to improve the coding efficiency of multi-view video. However, the improvement of the coding efficiency is obtained at the expense of a computational complexity increase. How to relieve the computational burden of the encoder is becoming a critical problem in applications. In this paper, a fast encoder decision algorithm to encode the dependent texture views is proposed, where two strategies to accelerate encoder decision by exploiting inter-view correlations are utilized. The first one is an early merge mode decision algorithm, and the second one is an early CU splitting termination algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve 47.1% encoding time saving with overall 0.1% BD-rate reduction compared to HTM (3D-HEVC test model) version 7 under the common test condition (CTC). Both of the two strategies have been adopted into the 3D-HEVC reference software and enabled as a default encoding process under CTC.     

基于机器学习的HEVC帧内模式快速决策算法

针对高效视频编码(HEVC)计算复杂度过高的情况, 提出了一种基于机器学习的帧内快速决策算法。根据图像内容的平滑 程度将PU划分成3类,对具有一定平滑度的预测单元(PU)不需要遍历完所有的帧内预测模式 ,从而有效降低算法的计算复杂度。首 先,计算各个PU的左边参考像素方差、上边参考像素方差和总参考像素的方差,以及各个P U采用的最优的帧内预测模式, 这些方差反映了参考像素的平滑程度;然后,利用机器学习软件Weka对得到的数据进行分类 处理,得到分类决策树; 最后,根据决策树来判定各个PU需要测试的帧内模式,再对各个PU 遍历这些帧内模式,确 定最优的模式,减少不必要 预测,从而降低编码复杂度。实验结果表明,本文算法相对于标准的HEVC 15.0编码算法,在高码率的情况下,编码时间平 均节省约16.18%,BD-rate平均升高约0.25%,BD-PSNR平均降低约0.02 dB;在低码率的情况下,编码时 间平均节省约20.75%,BD-rate平均升高 约0.04%,BD-PSNR平均降低约0.00dB。     

基于视觉感知的3D-HEVC帧间信息隐藏算法

由于传统的视频信息隐藏算法缺乏对人眼视觉感 知特性的研究,本文提出一种基于视觉感知 的3D-HEVC(3D High Efficiency Video Coding,3D-HEVC)帧间信息隐藏算法。首先,根 据立体显 著模型和大津阈值,将立体视频图像分为显著区域和非显著区域;然后,建立隐秘信息与量 化参数 QP(Quantization Parameter,QP)的映射关系,且针对不同的区 域,利用隐秘信息根据余数相等原 则相应的调制P帧或B帧的QP值;最后,用含隐秘信息的QP进行编码。实验结果表明,该 算法 平均每帧嵌入容量为246bit,相比于原始HTM13.0,所提算法编码重建立体视频序列的PSNR 值和SSIM值平均下降0.031dB和 0.000058,比特率仅平均增长0.0741%,且能对隐秘信息盲提取。     

低复杂度的多视点视频编码宏块模式决策算法

为了降低多视点视频编码(MVC)的计算复杂度,提出了一种基于全局-局部率失真代价的低复杂度宏块模式决策算法。首先根据宏块候选模式的块尺寸和率失真代价特点,将所有候选模式分为大尺寸模式(Skip/Direct、Inter16×16和Intra16×16)和小尺寸模式(Inter16×8、Inter8×16、Inter8×8、Intra8×8和Intra4×4);接着统计已编码帧中这两类宏块模式的平均率失真代价,并利用这些平均率失真代价计算当前帧宏块模式决策的全局率失真代价;最后利用得到的全局率失真代价,并结合当前宏块已估计模式的局部率失真代价和空间邻近宏块的模式信息提前终止模式决策,具体包括对大尺寸宏块模式进行提前判定以及对小尺寸候选模式进行逐级选择。实验结果表明:与MVC参考代码中的全搜索模式决策算法相比,本文算法在时域预测视点和视点域预测视点上分别节省了74%和82%的平均编码时间,同时保持了良好的编码率失真性能;与现有模式决策快速算法相比,本文算法降低了更多的编码时间,并具有更好的编码率失真性能。     

一种基于零块分布的快速帧间模式判决算法

针对新一代视频编码标准离散视编码(HEVC)帧间预 测编码计算复杂度过高的问题,提出一种利用变换量化 后零块分布特征进行快速帧间模式筛选的低复杂度算法。首先统计SKIP和帧间 2N×2N模式下零系数与 非零系数的区域分布特征,判断其运动特征和运动估计匹配效果,用以分析全零块下SKIP 模式的分布;同 时在非全零块下结合残差块的SATD代价分类筛选PU模式分布,从而优先选择符合零块分布 特征的PU 模式,以达到快速筛选帧间模式,降低计算复杂度的效果。实验结果表明,在低延迟和随机 访问配置条件下,本文提出的算法在保证编码性能的情况下,相比原有HM 快速算法, 编码时间平均分别可减少50.3和49.3%,BDBR仅降低0.03%,有效 地降低了编码复杂度。     

Fast mode decision and PU size decision algorithm for intra depth coding in 3D-HEVC

In 3D video extension of High-Efficiency-Video-Coding (3D-HEVC), intra depth coding involves huge computational complexity for the added depth modeling modes (DMMs) and the new complex processing flow. This paper proposes an algorithm including the fast mode and prediction unit (PU) size decisions to accelerate the intra depth coding. For the mode decision, after a modification of the processing flow, three strategies are adopted: (1) evaluation results for intra conventional modes (ICMs) are utilized to determine whether DMMs are skipped; (2) with a predicted direction from ICMs, a golden ratio method is adopted to simplify the DMMs searching; and (3) fast Planar mode decision is made by analyzing the relationship of DMMs and Planar mode. For the fast PU size decision, evaluation costs of ICMs and DMMs, with combination of some trained thresholds, are used to make decisions. Experimental results show the overall algorithm reduces 63.00% computational complexity, with 1.04% BD-rate increasing.     

基于多视点视频特征的3D-HEVC深度视频信息隐藏算法

为了更安全地传输秘密信息和保护3D视频,提 出基于多视点视频特征的3D-HEVC深度视频信息隐 藏算法。首先结合彩色视频的纹理特征,考虑深度视频不同区域对绘制视点的质量和编码效 率的影响,对 深度视频进行区域分割。然后针对不同的区域,采用不同的方式调制最大编码单元(LCU) 的QP值嵌入 秘密信息。最后,用修改后的QP值进行编码压缩,传输视频信息。实验仿真结果表明,相 比于原始HTM13.0, 本算法编码重建深度视频绘制视点质量的PSNR平均下降0.0015dB, 码率平均增加0.035%。本文算法 能较好地保证绘制视点的质量,对视频流的码率影响较小,且能实现秘密信息的盲提取。     

基于转移概率的多视点视频快速模式选择算法

针对多视点视频编码(MVC)中部分大宏块模式(SKI P/DIRECT模式,帧间16×16模式)相对于其它模式的计算复杂 度低,并且在编码所确定的最优模式中占有相当高比重的特点,本文提出一种基于转移概率 的多视点视频 快速模式选择算法。首先根据多视点视频当前编码宏块对应时间和视点间宏块及周围宏块的 位置几何关系, 建立宏块模式参考模型;其次比较参考模型中模式的时间相似度和视点间相似度;最后计算 模式之间的转 移概率,确定提前结束大宏块模式选择过程的阈值。实验结果表明,本文所提出的快速算法 平均节约MVC时间80.93%,编码质量平均下降0.04dB,码率平均增加0.27%。     

结合深度信息的多视点视频编码快速模式选择算法

多视点视频加深度(MVD,multi-view video plus depth)的编码格式包含多个纹理视频序列及其对应的深度图,深度图与对应的纹理视频具有相似的边缘信息。传统的编码模式不考虑两者的联系,单独编码导致复杂度高、编码时间过长。因此,合理利用深度图与纹理图的相似性进行编码,可以有效降低编码复杂度,同时应该确保编码质量不受影响。本文利用深度图的这一特点辅助纹理视频的编码,提出一种帧间快速模式选择算法,充分利用深度图与纹理图之间的相似性,建立一种联合复杂度模型,根据模型得到每个宏块的复杂度。对于复杂度低的宏块,在计算率失真代价之前跳过编码中一些不必要的模式,从而降低编码复杂度。实验表明,本文提出的快速模式选择算法,在保证率失真性能基本不变的情况下,能减少60.57%的编码复杂度,并最高能减少80.64%的编码时间。     

基于视频序列相关性的H.264快速模式选择算法

为了实现尽可能高的编码效率，H．264采用了基于率失真优化的编码模式选择技术，然而为每一种编码模式都计算率失真代价极大的增加了编码时间。为了降低编码时间，提出了一种H．264快速模式选择算法，其主要思想是根据图像序列在时间以及空间上的相关性，为当前编码宏块预测一个编码模式子集，并仅对子集中的模式进行编码以及率失真优化，同时采用了适当的策略来避免由于不精确预测所带来的误差扩散。仿真结果表明，本算法平均减少了56％的编码时间，同时PSNR值平均下降0．13dB，最大下降不超过0．19dB。     

Efficient early direct mode decision for multi-view video coding

Multi-view video coding (MVC) uses various prediction modes and exhaustive mode decision to achieve high coding efficiency. However, the introduced heavy computational complexity becomes the bottleneck of the practical application of MVC. For this, an efficient early Direct mode decision for MVC is proposed in this paper. Based on the observation that the Direct mode is highly possible to be the optimal mode, the proposed method first computes the rate distortion (RD) cost of the Direct mode and compares this RD cost value with an adaptive threshold for providing an early termination chance as follows. If this RD cost value is smaller than the adaptive threshold, the Direct mode will be selected as the optimal mode and the checking process of the remaining modes will be skipped; otherwise, all the modes will be checked to select the one with the minimum RD cost as the optimal mode. Note that the above-mentioned adaptive threshold is determined as the median prediction value of a set of thresholds, which are derived by using the spatial, temporal and inter-view correlations between the current macroblock (MB) and its neighboring MBs, respectively. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed method is able to significantly reduce the computational complexity of MVC with negligible loss of coding efficiency, compared with the exhaustive mode decision in MVC.     

Multi-class support vector machine-based fast algorithm for 3D-HEVC depth video intra coding

The recursive splitting process of largest coding unit (LCU) and the mode search process of coding unit imposed enormous computational complexity on encoder. A multi-class support vector machine-based (MSVM) fast coding unit (CU) size decision algorithm for 3D-HEVC depth video intra-coding was proposed. The algorithm included two steps: off-line training and fast CU size and mode decision. In the process of off-line training, a MSVM model was constructed, where the texture complexity of current LCU, the optimal partition depth of its spatial neighboring LCU and co-located LCU in texture video were treated as feature vectors, and the optimal partition depth of LCU was utilized as corresponding class label. In the process of fast CU size and mode decision, features of LCU were extracted before cod-ing a LCU, then, a MSVM model was used to predict the class label. Finally, the class label that represents the largest parti-tion depth of the current LCU was employed to terminate the CU recursive splitting process and CU mode search process. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm saves the encoding time of 3D-HEVC by 35.91% on average, and the encoding time of depth video by 40.04% on average, with negligible rendered virtual view image degradation.     

基于时空相关性的HEVC帧间模式决策快速算法

新一代的高效率视频编码标准HEVC采用编码树单元（CTU）四叉树划分技术和多达10种的帧间预测单元（PU）模式,有效地提高了编码压缩效率,但也极大地增加了编码计算复杂度。为了减少编码单元（CU）的划分次数和候选帧间PU模式个数,提出了一种基于时空相关性的帧间模式决策快速算法。首先,利用当前CTU与参考帧中相同位置CTU、当前帧中相邻CTU的深度信息时空相关性,有效预测当前CTU的深度范围。然后,通过分析当前CU与其父CU之间的最佳PU模式空间相关性,以及利用当前CU已估计PU模式的率失真代价,跳过当前CU的冗余帧间PU模式。实验结果表明,提出的算法与HEVC测试模型（HM）相比,在不同编码配置下降低了52%左右的编码时间,同时保持了良好的编码率失真性能;与打开快速算法选项的HM相比,所提算法进一步降低了30%左右的编码时间。     

Segment-based view synthesis optimization scheme in 3D-HEVC

The 3D extension of high efficiency video coding (3D-HEVC) adopts a view synthesis optimization (VSO) technique to improve the quality of synthesized views for depth map coding. The exact synthesized view distortion change (SVDC) is calculated in VSO which in turn brings huge coding complexity to the 3D-HEVC encoder due to the real view synthesis process. This work presents a scheme aimed at reducing coding complexity of the SVDC calculating process in the 3D-HEVC encoder. It skips line segments of pixels with variable lengths based on information from both of the textures and depth maps in the SVDC calculation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can reduce the coding complexity without any significant loss in rate distortion performance for the synthesized views.     

A novel fast intra mode decision for versatile video coding

The latest video coding standard Versatile Video Coding (VVC) obtains superior coding efficiency compared to the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), which is achieved by incorporating more effective and complex new coding tools. In this paper, we propose a novel fast intra mode decision algorithm for VVC, including following two strategies: (1) the correlation between the optimal modes of the adjacent blocks and the modes selected in the rough modes decision (RMD) process is analyzed and applied to reduce the modes in the candidate list; (2) modes in the candidate list are sorted in ascending order according to the modes’ cost calculated in the RMD process. An early termination method is proposed for terminating the optimal prediction mode decision process based on this new order early. These two strategies are incorporated into intra coding to reduce the coding complexity. Since these two strategies do not add any additional computational complexity, the proposed fast algorithm can achieve more complexity reduction. The experimental results show that the complexity reduction of the proposed algorithm is up to 44.74% compared to VVC reference software VTM2.0, and averagely 30.59% encoding time saving with 0.86% BDBR increase.