126 research outputs found
A fully scalable wavelet video coding scheme with homologous inter-scale prediction
In this paper, we present a fully scalable wavelet-based video coding architecture called STP-Tool, in which motion-compensated temporal-filtered subbands of spatially scaled versions of a video sequence can be used as a base layer for inter-scale predictions. These predictions take place in a pyramidal closed-loop structure between homologous resolution data, i.e., without the need of spatial interpolation. The presented implementation of the STP-Tool architecture is based on the reference software of the Wavelet Video Coding MPEG Ad-Hoc Group. The STP-Tool architecture makes it possible to compensate for some of the typical drawbacks of current wavelet-based scalable video coding architectures and shows interesting objective and visual results even when compared with other wavelet-based or MPEG-4 AVC/H.264-based scalable video coding systems
State-of-the-Art and Trends in Scalable Video Compression with Wavelet Based Approaches
3noScalable Video Coding (SVC) differs form traditional single point approaches mainly because it allows to encode in a unique bit stream several working points corresponding to different quality, picture size and frame rate. This work describes the current state-of-the-art in SVC, focusing on wavelet based motion-compensated approaches (WSVC). It reviews individual components that have been designed to address the problem over the years and how such components are typically combined to achieve meaningful WSVC architectures. Coding schemes which mainly differ from the space-time order in which the wavelet transforms operate are here compared, discussing strengths and weaknesses of the resulting implementations. An evaluation of the achievable coding performances is provided considering the reference architectures studied and developed by ISO/MPEG in its exploration on WSVC. The paper also attempts to draw a list of major differences between wavelet based solutions and the SVC standard jointly targeted by ITU and ISO/MPEG. A major emphasis is devoted to a promising WSVC solution, named STP-tool, which presents architectural similarities with respect to the SVC standard. The paper ends drawing some evolution trends for WSVC systems and giving insights on video coding applications which could benefit by a wavelet based approach.partially_openpartially_openADAMI N; SIGNORONI. A; R. LEONARDIAdami, Nicola; Signoroni, Alberto; Leonardi, Riccard
MASCOT : metadata for advanced scalable video coding tools : final report
The goal of the MASCOT project was to develop new video coding schemes and tools that provide both an increased coding efficiency as well as extended scalability features compared to technology that was available at the beginning of the project. Towards that goal the following tools would be used: - metadata-based coding tools; - new spatiotemporal decompositions; - new prediction schemes. Although the initial goal was to develop one single codec architecture that was able to combine all new coding tools that were foreseen when the project was formulated, it became clear that this would limit the selection of the new tools. Therefore the consortium decided to develop two codec frameworks within the project, a standard hybrid DCT-based codec and a 3D wavelet-based codec, which together are able to accommodate all tools developed during the course of the project
Motion Scalability for Video Coding with Flexible Spatio-Temporal Decompositions
PhDThe research presented in this thesis aims to extend the scalability range of the
wavelet-based video coding systems in order to achieve fully scalable coding with a
wide range of available decoding points. Since the temporal redundancy regularly
comprises the main portion of the global video sequence redundancy, the techniques
that can be generally termed motion decorrelation techniques have a central role in
the overall compression performance. For this reason the scalable motion modelling
and coding are of utmost importance, and specifically, in this thesis possible
solutions are identified and analysed.
The main contributions of the presented research are grouped into two
interrelated and complementary topics. Firstly a flexible motion model with rateoptimised
estimation technique is introduced. The proposed motion model is based
on tree structures and allows high adaptability needed for layered motion coding. The
flexible structure for motion compensation allows for optimisation at different stages
of the adaptive spatio-temporal decomposition, which is crucial for scalable coding
that targets decoding on different resolutions. By utilising an adaptive choice of
wavelet filterbank, the model enables high compression based on efficient mode
selection. Secondly, solutions for scalable motion modelling and coding are
developed. These solutions are based on precision limiting of motion vectors and
creation of a layered motion structure that describes hierarchically coded motion.
The solution based on precision limiting relies on layered bit-plane coding of motion
vector values. The second solution builds on recently established techniques that
impose scalability on a motion structure. The new approach is based on two major
improvements: the evaluation of distortion in temporal Subbands and motion search
in temporal subbands that finds the optimal motion vectors for layered motion
structure.
Exhaustive tests on the rate-distortion performance in demanding scalable video
coding scenarios show benefits of application of both developed flexible motion
model and various solutions for scalable motion coding
Efficient algorithms for scalable video coding
A scalable video bitstream specifically designed for the needs of various client terminals,
network conditions, and user demands is much desired in current and future video transmission
and storage systems. The scalable extension of the H.264/AVC standard (SVC) has
been developed to satisfy the new challenges posed by heterogeneous environments, as
it permits a single video stream to be decoded fully or partially with variable quality, resolution,
and frame rate in order to adapt to a specific application. This thesis presents
novel improved algorithms for SVC, including: 1) a fast inter-frame and inter-layer coding
mode selection algorithm based on motion activity; 2) a hierarchical fast mode selection
algorithm; 3) a two-part Rate Distortion (RD) model targeting the properties of different
prediction modes for the SVC rate control scheme; and 4) an optimised Mean Absolute
Difference (MAD) prediction model.
The proposed fast inter-frame and inter-layer mode selection algorithm is based on the
empirical observation that a macroblock (MB) with slow movement is more likely to be
best matched by one in the same resolution layer. However, for a macroblock with fast
movement, motion estimation between layers is required. Simulation results show that
the algorithm can reduce the encoding time by up to 40%, with negligible degradation in
RD performance.
The proposed hierarchical fast mode selection scheme comprises four levels and makes
full use of inter-layer, temporal and spatial correlation aswell as the texture information of
each macroblock. Overall, the new technique demonstrates the same coding performance
in terms of picture quality and compression ratio as that of the SVC standard, yet produces
a saving in encoding time of up to 84%. Compared with state-of-the-art SVC fast mode
selection algorithms, the proposed algorithm achieves a superior computational time reduction
under very similar RD performance conditions.
The existing SVC rate distortion model cannot accurately represent the RD properties of
the prediction modes, because it is influenced by the use of inter-layer prediction. A separate
RD model for inter-layer prediction coding in the enhancement layer(s) is therefore
introduced. Overall, the proposed algorithms improve the average PSNR by up to 0.34dB
or produce an average saving in bit rate of up to 7.78%. Furthermore, the control accuracy
is maintained to within 0.07% on average.
As aMADprediction error always exists and cannot be avoided, an optimisedMADprediction
model for the spatial enhancement layers is proposed that considers the MAD from
previous temporal frames and previous spatial frames together, to achieve a more accurateMADprediction.
Simulation results indicate that the proposedMADprediction model
reduces the MAD prediction error by up to 79% compared with the JVT-W043 implementation
Motion estimation and signaling techniques for 2D+t scalable video coding
We describe a fully scalable wavelet-based 2D+t (in-band) video coding architecture. We propose new coding tools specifically designed for this framework aimed at two goals: reduce the computational complexity at the encoder without sacrificing compression; improve the coding efficiency, especially at low bitrates. To this end, we focus our attention on motion estimation and motion vector encoding. We propose a fast motion estimation algorithm that works in the wavelet domain and exploits the geometrical properties of the wavelet subbands. We show that the computational complexity grows linearly with the size of the search window, yet approaching the performance of a full search strategy. We extend the proposed motion estimation algorithm to work with blocks of variable sizes, in order to better capture local motion characteristics, thus improving in terms of rate-distortion behavior. Given this motion field representation, we propose a motion vector coding algorithm that allows to adaptively scale the motion bit budget according to the target bitrate, improving the coding efficiency at low bitrates. Finally, we show how to optimally scale the motion field when the sequence is decoded at reduced spatial resolution. Experimental results illustrate the advantages of each individual coding tool presented in this paper. Based on these simulations, we define the best configuration of coding parameters and we compare the proposed codec with MC-EZBC, a widely used reference codec implementing the t+2D framework
Scalable video compression with optimized visual performance and random accessibility
This thesis is concerned with maximizing the coding efficiency, random accessibility and visual performance of scalable compressed video. The unifying theme behind this work is the use of finely embedded localized coding structures, which govern the extent to which these goals may be jointly achieved.
The first part focuses on scalable volumetric image compression. We investigate 3D transform and coding techniques which exploit inter-slice statistical redundancies without compromising slice accessibility. Our study shows that the motion-compensated temporal discrete wavelet transform (MC-TDWT) practically achieves an upper bound to the compression efficiency of slice transforms. From a video coding perspective, we find that most of the coding gain is attributed to offsetting the learning penalty in adaptive arithmetic coding through 3D code-block extension, rather than inter-frame context modelling.
The second aspect of this thesis examines random accessibility. Accessibility refers to the ease with which a region of interest is accessed (subband samples needed for reconstruction are retrieved) from a compressed video bitstream, subject to spatiotemporal code-block constraints. We investigate the fundamental implications of motion compensation for random access efficiency and the compression performance of scalable interactive video. We demonstrate that inclusion of motion compensation operators within the lifting steps of a temporal subband transform incurs a random access penalty which depends on the characteristics of the motion field.
The final aspect of this thesis aims to minimize the perceptual impact of visible distortion in scalable reconstructed video. We present a visual optimization strategy based on distortion scaling which raises the distortion-length slope of perceptually significant samples. This alters the codestream embedding order during post-compression rate-distortion optimization, thus allowing visually sensitive sites to be encoded with higher fidelity at a given bit-rate.
For visual sensitivity analysis, we propose a contrast perception model that incorporates an adaptive masking slope. This versatile feature provides a context which models perceptual significance. It enables scene structures that otherwise suffer significant degradation to be preserved at lower bit-rates. The novelty in our approach derives from a set of "perceptual mappings" which account for quantization noise shaping effects induced by motion-compensated temporal synthesis. The proposed technique reduces wavelet compression artefacts and improves the perceptual quality of video
Selection of Wavelet Video Codec Parameters to Optimize Coding Time
In the paper, results of experimental research on wavelet video codec are presented. The author has put emphasis on the optimal selection of the coder parameters to optimize the coding time. The author has used six test sequences (Basket, City, Crew, Harbour, Ice and Soccer in 352x288, 30 fps) for the experiments. The sequences used in the research are commonly used to assess the effectiveness of video sequence compression. The measurement of the image quality is based on the PSNR. The results of optimal selection of wavelet video codec parameters due to the coding time are presented. The main goal of the paper is to show the coder parameters that provide the best values of the PSNR for a reduced coding time
A family of stereoscopic image compression algorithms using wavelet transforms
With the standardization of JPEG-2000, wavelet-based image and video
compression technologies are gradually replacing the popular DCT-based methods. In
parallel to this, recent developments in autostereoscopic display technology is now
threatening to revolutionize the way in which consumers are used to enjoying the
traditional 2D display based electronic media such as television, computer and
movies. However, due to the two-fold bandwidth/storage space requirement of
stereoscopic imaging, an essential requirement of a stereo imaging system is efficient
data compression.
In this thesis, seven wavelet-based stereo image compression algorithms are
proposed, to take advantage of the higher data compaction capability and better
flexibility of wavelets. In the proposed CODEC I, block-based disparity
estimation/compensation (DE/DC) is performed in pixel domain. However, this
results in an inefficiency when DWT is applied on the whole predictive error image
that results from the DE process. This is because of the existence of artificial block
boundaries between error blocks in the predictive error image. To overcome this
problem, in the remaining proposed CODECs, DE/DC is performed in the wavelet
domain. Due to the multiresolution nature of the wavelet domain, two methods of
disparity estimation and compensation have been proposed. The first method is
performing DEJDC in each subband of the lowest/coarsest resolution level and then
propagating the disparity vectors obtained to the corresponding subbands of
higher/finer resolution. Note that DE is not performed in every subband due to the
high overhead bits that could be required for the coding of disparity vectors of all
subbands. This method is being used in CODEC II. In the second method, DEJDC is
performed m the wavelet-block domain. This enables disparity estimation to be
performed m all subbands simultaneously without increasing the overhead bits
required for the coding disparity vectors. This method is used by CODEC III.
However, performing disparity estimation/compensation in all subbands would result
in a significant improvement of CODEC III. To further improve the performance of
CODEC ill, pioneering wavelet-block search technique is implemented in CODEC
IV. The pioneering wavelet-block search technique enables the right/predicted image
to be reconstructed at the decoder end without the need of transmitting the disparity
vectors. In proposed CODEC V, pioneering block search is performed in all subbands
of DWT decomposition which results in an improvement of its performance. Further,
the CODEC IV and V are able to perform at very low bit rates(< 0.15 bpp). In
CODEC VI and CODEC VII, Overlapped Block Disparity Compensation (OBDC) is
used with & without the need of coding disparity vector. Our experiment results
showed that no significant coding gains could be obtained for these CODECs over
CODEC IV & V.
All proposed CODECs m this thesis are wavelet-based stereo image coding
algorithms that maximise the flexibility and benefits offered by wavelet transform
technology when applied to stereo imaging. In addition the use of a baseline-JPEG
coding architecture would enable the easy adaptation of the proposed algorithms
within systems originally built for DCT-based coding. This is an important feature
that would be useful during an era where DCT-based technology is only slowly being
phased out to give way for DWT based compression technology.
In addition, this thesis proposed a stereo image coding algorithm that uses JPEG-2000
technology as the basic compression engine. The proposed CODEC, named RASTER
is a rate scalable stereo image CODEC that has a unique ability to preserve the image
quality at binocular depth boundaries, which is an important requirement in the design
of stereo image CODEC. The experimental results have shown that the proposed
CODEC is able to achieve PSNR gains of up to 3.7 dB as compared to directly
transmitting the right frame using JPEG-2000
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