JP2978165B1 - Video coding apparatus and method using same pattern information - Google Patents

Abstract

Kind Code: A1 An encoding apparatus and method using the same pattern information suitable for a transmission environment where the transmission bandwidth changes as needed, such as the Internet, is provided. A pattern and texture information extraction unit (111) for extracting pattern information and texture information, a transmission bandwidth investigation unit (116) for outputting available transmission bandwidth information of a transmission line, and an available transmission bandwidth information A pattern similarity determining unit (112) that determines whether or not the pattern of the video individual is similar according to the standard and outputs the same, and a texture encoding unit (114) that outputs texture encoded data ), A pattern encoding unit (115) that encodes pattern information and outputs pattern encoded data, and an encoded data combination unit (115) that combines texture and pattern encoded data.
And

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for determining whether a pattern of an inter-screen video individual is similar in whole or in part without coding the pattern. Pattern coding, which reduces the number of coded bits by simply letting
(similarity of patterns depending on the size of (band width))
The present invention relates to a pattern encoding device and a method thereof in which a determination criterion for y) is changed.

[0002] Here, an image individual is a set of pixels (picture elements) having similar characteristics, and is represented by a screen area having a certain pattern on the screen.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technology, MPEG-4 (Moving Pict
ure Expert Group-4) As in the international standardization work, the pattern is expressed in the alpha (alpha) plane, and the texture is
e element) value, after encoding each block for each block composed of an arbitrary number of pixels in the screen, when the pattern of the video individual does not change between the screens, There is a method of encoding information that the pattern is the same for each block every time.

In the prior art, when coding the outline of a pattern, if the entire pattern of the video individual does not change significantly between screens, the pattern is regarded as the same, and instead of coding the pattern information. There has been a method of reducing the number of bits by encoding only information that the patterns are the same.

[0005]

However, in these methods, it is possible to reduce the number of coded bits by coding only information that the pattern is the same instead of the pattern information. Since the pattern similarity is determined without considering the change in width, it can be used effectively in a transmission environment with a fixed transmission bandwidth, but the output code in a transmission environment where the transmission bandwidth changes at any time, such as the Internet. However, there is a problem that it is not possible to properly cope with the case where the number of bits to be converted has to be changed.

Accordingly, the present invention devised to solve the above-described problems, according to the present invention, if the pattern of the inter-screen video individual is determined to be wholly or partially similar to the pattern, In pattern coding, in which the number of coding bits is reduced simply by notifying that the patterns are similar without coding, the criterion for pattern similarity is changed according to the size of the transmission bandwidth. An object of the present invention is to provide an encoding device and an encoding method.

[0007]

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for extracting pattern information and texture information from image individual data input from the outside, comprising: Transmission bandwidth investigation means for examining the transmission traffic (traffic) state of the transmission path to transmit the encoded data of the data to find an available transmission bandwidth, and fetching the available transmission bandwidth information from the transmission bandwidth examination means,
A pattern similarity determining unit that sets a similarity determination criterion based on the information and determines whether the pattern of the video individual is similar between the screens, and a texture input from the pattern and texture information extracting unit. Texture coding means for taking in and coding information; and pattern coding for coding pattern information input from the pattern and texture information extracting means in accordance with the discrimination data input from the pattern similarity discriminating means. And encoded data combining means for combining texture encoded data input from the texture encoding means with pattern encoded data input from the pattern encoding means.

Further, the method of the present invention comprises a first step of dividing the captured video individual into pattern information and texture information, and a pattern similarity based on an available transmission bandwidth of a transmission path for transmitting coded data of the video solid. The method is characterized in that the method includes a second step of performing encoding on the pattern information and the texture information according to the gender determination criterion, and a third step of combining and outputting the encoded data.

According to the present invention, in a transmission environment in which the transmission bandwidth changes at any time, such as the Internet, if the available transmission bandwidth becomes narrower during transmission of a moving image, the criteria for pattern similarity are relaxed accordingly. By processing patterns that are similar to some extent as the same pattern, the image quality (picture quality) is reduced to some extent due to the transmission of incorrect pattern information, but the number of coded bits is adjusted according to the reduced transmission bandwidth. Is output. Conversely, if the available transmission bandwidth is widened, the criterion for pattern similarity is strengthened, and the effect of ensuring image quality only for the relatively widened transmission bandwidth is achieved.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a moving picture coding apparatus using the same pattern information according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the moving picture coding apparatus using the same pattern information according to the present embodiment extracts pattern information and texture information from video individual data, and uses the pattern information as a pattern similarity determining unit ( 112) and the shape encoding part (1
13), and the texture information is sent to the texture encoder (texture encodi
ng part) (114) Pattern and texture information extraction unit (111)
And a similarity determination criterion is set based on the available transmission bandwidth information fetched from the transmission bandwidth research unit (116), and the pattern of the video individual is totally or partially similar between the screens according to the criterion. A pattern similarity determining unit (112) that determines whether there is a pattern, and outputs information indicating the similarity of the pattern to a pattern encoding unit (113), and encodes the pattern information if the pattern is not similar. The pattern coded data is output to the coded data combination unit (115), and when the patterns are similar, the pattern coding unit (113) does not perform the pattern coding, and the texture information is coded by coding the texture information. Texture encoding unit (114) to be output to the coded data combination unit, pattern encoding unit (113), and texture encoding unit (11
An encoded data combination unit (115) that combines the data output from 4) and outputs the combined encoded data.
A transmission bandwidth check to find out an available transmission bandwidth by examining a transmission traffic state of a transmission path to output the above encoded data, and to transmit available transmission bandwidth information to a pattern similarity determination unit (112). (116).

The operation of the moving picture coding apparatus using the same pattern information according to the present embodiment will be described below in detail.

A pattern and texture information extraction unit (111) extracts a pattern information and a texture information from the video individual data by using a well-known automatic segmentation announced through MPEG-4 standardization work as the pattern information. ) Method to display the pattern of the individual video
lane) information is extracted and used, and pixel values and the like corresponding to the video individual are extracted and used as texture information.

The pattern similarity determination unit (112) compares the screens by moving the alpha plane for displaying the pattern of the image individual horizontally and vertically, and compares the number of pixels included in the mutually mismatched area with a reference value (threshold). If not larger than value: T), it is determined that the patterns are similar.

At this time, the reference value (T) is changed according to the available transmission bandwidth. The reference value (T), available transmission bandwidth (B), initial reference value (Ts), and initial transmission bandwidth (Bs) Is related to
Is displayed as follows.

Equation 1 T = Ts × (Bs / B); As the available transmission bandwidth becomes narrower, the reference value becomes larger (similarity criterion becomes gentler) and the number of cases where patterns are determined to be similar increases. As a result, the number of bits used for pattern coding is reduced, and conversely, if the available transmission bandwidth is wide, the reference value is small (the similarity determination criterion is strict) and it is determined that the patterns are similar. As the number of cases decreases, the number of bits used for pattern coding increases. here,
An average available transmission bandwidth is set as an initial transmission bandwidth, and a reference value experimentally obtained to obtain a desired image quality is set as an initial reference value. The initial reference value is set differently depending on the application field in consideration of the transmission environment and the characteristics of the moving image.

A pattern encoding unit (113) is a pattern similarity determination unit.
If the pattern is determined not to be similar as in a known method announced through MPEG-4 standardization work according to the determination data of (112), the pattern information is encoded, and if the pattern is determined to be similar, the pattern is encoded. Only the information that the patterns are similar is output without encoding the information.

The texture coding unit (114) includes a pixel (picture elem).
ent) value is used as the motion compensation (motion co) as in a known method announced through MPEG-4 standardization work.
mpensated) Encoding is performed using an encoding method of DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform).

The coded data combination unit (115) combines the data output from the pattern coding unit (113) and the data output from the texture coding unit (114) into one coded bit stream.
Is output to the transmission path.

The transmission bandwidth checking unit (116) finds an available transmission bandwidth by examining the transmission traffic state of the transmission line by using a known Internet protocol, and determines the pattern similarity by using the available transmission bandwidth information. Department
(112).

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a moving picture encoding method using the same pattern information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, in the moving picture encoding method using the same pattern information according to the present embodiment, first, video individual data is captured (210), and the captured video individual is divided into patterns and textures ( 211).

Subsequently, the available transmission bandwidth of the transmission line to which the encoded data of the video individual data is to be transmitted is checked (212), and a pattern similarity determination criterion for the checked available transmission bandwidth is determined.
(213).

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the patterns divided according to the determined criterion are similar (214). If the patterns are similar, texture coding is performed (215), and encoded data is generated. (217) If not similar, pattern and texture encoding is performed (216), and the encoded data is combined (217).

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not data to be encoded remains (218). If there is any remaining data, the process is repeatedly performed from the step (210) of capturing the video individual data.

In the present invention, those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field pertaining to the present invention can make various substitutions, modifications and changes without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. It is not limited to the above embodiment and the accompanying drawings.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the available transmission bandwidth becomes narrower during the transmission of a moving image in a transmission environment where the transmission bandwidth changes as required, such as the Internet, the pattern is correspondingly reduced. By relaxing the criteria for similarity and treating patterns that are somewhat similar as the same pattern, the image quality (p.
(icture quality) is reduced to some extent, but the number of coded bits can be output according to the narrowed transmission bandwidth.On the contrary, if the available transmission bandwidth is wide, the discrimination criterion for pattern similarity is strengthened, This has the effect of ensuring image quality only for the relatively wide transmission bandwidth.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a video encoding device using the same pattern information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a moving picture encoding method using the same pattern information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 111 Pattern and Texture Information Extraction Unit 112 Pattern Similarity Discrimination Unit 113 Pattern Encoding Unit 114 Texture Encoding Unit 115 Encoded Data Combining Unit 116 Transmission Bandwidth Investigation Unit

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-351006 (JP, A) JP-A-8-116540 (JP, A) JP-A-8-280030 (JP, A) JP-A-9-9 130784 (JP, A) JP-A-10-269367 (JP, A) JP-A-10-276440 (JP, A) JP-A-11-41612 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ^6, DB name) H04N 7/24 - 7/68 H04N 1/41 - 1/419 G06T 9/20

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pattern and texture information extracting means for extracting pattern information and texture information from video individual data input from the outside, and transmission traffic of a transmission path for transmitting encoded data of the video solid data. Transmission bandwidth investigating means for examining the state to find an available transmission bandwidth, and fetching available transmission bandwidth information from the transmission bandwidth investigating means, and setting a similarity determination criterion based on the information,
A pattern similarity determining unit that determines whether or not the pattern of the video individual is similar between the screens; a texture encoding unit that captures and encodes texture information input from the pattern and texture information extraction unit; A pattern encoding unit that encodes the pattern information input from the pattern and texture information extraction unit according to the determination data input from the pattern similarity determination unit; and a texture code input from the texture encoding unit. A moving image encoding apparatus comprising: encoded data combining means for combining encoded data with pattern encoded data input from the pattern encoding means. 2. The pattern encoding means does not encode the input pattern information when the identification data input from the pattern similarity identification means indicates that the patterns are similar. 2. The moving picture encoding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern information is encoded and output when the discrimination data indicates that the patterns are not similar. 3. The pattern similarity judging means generates more cases in which the pattern is determined to be similar when the available transmission bandwidth is reduced, and determines that the pattern is similar when the available transmission bandwidth is increased. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of cases to be determined is reduced.
Or the moving picture encoding device according to 2. 4. The pattern similarity determining means compares an alpha plane displaying a pattern of an image individual between screens by moving left and right and up and down, and determines the number of pixels included in the mutually inconsistent area by a predetermined reference value ( If the value is not larger than threshold value (T), the patterns are determined to be similar.
A moving picture encoding device according to claim 1. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the discrimination reference value (T) is an available transmission bandwidth (B), an initial reference value (Ts) and an initial transmission bandwidth.
The moving picture coding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein T = Tsx (Bs / B); in relation to (Bs). 6. A moving picture coding method applied to a moving picture coding apparatus, wherein a first step of dividing a captured video individual into pattern information and texture information, and transmitting coded data of a video solid. A second step of encoding the pattern information and the texture information according to a pattern similarity determination criterion based on an available transmission bandwidth of the transmission path; and a third step of combining and outputting encoded data. Video encoding method consisting of 7. The second step includes checking a transmission traffic state of the transmission path to determine an available transmission bandwidth, and using an available transmission bandwidth, an initial reference value, and an initial transmission bandwidth. The fifth step of setting the pattern similarity determination criterion, and comparing the screens by moving the alpha plane displaying the pattern of the image individual horizontally and vertically, and rotating, and setting the number of pixels included in the mutual mismatch area. A sixth step of determining whether or not the patterns are similar based on whether or not the set reference value has been exceeded; and, if the determination results in the sixth step indicate that the patterns are similar, perform texture coding to determine whether the patterns are similar. 7. The moving picture coding method according to claim 6, further comprising: performing a pattern and texture coding otherwise.