US 11,638,016 B2Granted

Selection of motion vector precision

AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC

InventorsGary J. Sullivan, You Zhou, Chih-Lung Lin

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Abstract

Approaches to selection of motion vector (“MV”) precision during video encoding are presented. These approaches can facilitate compression that is effective in terms of rate-distortion performance and/or computational efficiency. For example, a video encoder determines an MV precision for a unit of video from among multiple MV precisions, which include one or more fractional-sample MV precisions and integer-sample MV precision. The video encoder can identify a set of MV values having a fractional-sample MV precision, then select the MV precision for the unit based at least in part on prevalence of MV values (within the set) having a fractional part of zero. Or, the video encoder can perform rate-distortion analysis, where the rate-distortion analysis is biased towards the integer-sample MV precision. Or, the video encoder can collect information about the video and select the MV precision for the unit based at least in part on the collected information.

Claims20

Dependent claims

One or more computer-readable media having stored therein computer-executable instructions for causing one or more processing units, when programmed thereby, to perform operations, the one or more computer-readable media being selected from the group consisting of non-volatile memory, volatile memory, and tangible storage, the operations comprising:

encoding frames of a video sequence, thereby producing encoded data, wherein the encoding the frames includes:
encoding an indicator in a first-layer syntax structure that applies for at least one of the frames of the video sequence, the indicator indicating:
whether or not motion vector (“MV”) precision is adaptively selected for units of the at least one of the frames;
and
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is not adaptively selected, whether the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision;
and
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is adaptively selected, for each of the units, setting a flag in a second-layer syntax structure for the unit, the flag indicating whether MV precision for the unit is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision;
and
outputting the encoded data as part of a bitstream, the encoded data including the encoded indicator in the first-layer syntax structure and, if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is adaptively selected, for each of the units, the flag in the second-layer syntax structure for the unit that indicates the MV precision for the unit.

6 more elements

A computer system comprising:

a buffer, implemented using memory, configured to receive encoded data for frames of a video sequence as part of a bitstream;
and
a video decoder, implemented using one or more processing units and memory, configured to perform operations to decode the encoded data to reconstruct the frames of the video sequence, the operations including:
determining an indicator using a first-layer syntax structure that applies for at least one of the frames of the video sequence, the indicator indicating:
whether or not motion vector (“MV”) precision is adaptively selected for units of the at least one of the frames;
and
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is not adaptively selected, whether the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision;
determining, based on the indicator, whether or not the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is adaptively selected;
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is not adaptively selected, for each of the units, determining, based on the indicator, whether MV precision for the unit is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision;
and
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is adaptively selected, for each of the units, determining, based on a flag in a second-layer syntax structure for the unit, whether the MV precision for the unit is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision.

8 more elements

receiving encoded data for frames of a video sequence as part of a bitstream;
and
decoding the encoded data to reconstruct the frames of the video sequence, including:
determining an indicator using a first-layer syntax structure that applies for at least one of the frames of the video sequence, the indicator indicating:
whether or not motion vector (“MV”) precision is adaptively selected for units of the at least one of the frames;
and
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is not adaptively selected, whether the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision;
determining, based on the indicator, whether or not the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is adaptively selected;
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is not adaptively selected, for each of the units, determining, based on the indicator, whether MV precision for the unit is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision;
and
if the MV precision for the units of the at least one of the frames is adaptively selected, for each of the units, determining, based on a flag in a second-layer syntax structure for the unit, whether the MV precision for the unit is fractional-sample precision or integer-sample precision.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/366,887Filed 2 Jul 2021 · continuation
Priority: 8 Jan 2014
Published: US 2021/0337214 A128 Oct 2021
Granted: 25 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04N 19/174
The unit being an image region, e.g. an object: the region being a slice, e.g. a line of blocks or a group of blocks
H04N 19/105
Selection of coding mode or of prediction mode: selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g.…
H04N 19/109
Selection of coding mode or of prediction mode: among a plurality of temporal predictive coding modes
H04N 19/136
Characterised by the element, parameter or criterion affecting or controlling the adaptive coding: incoming video signal characteristics or properties

Family

Application61/925,090Us provisional application · filed 8 Jan 2014
Application61/934,574Us provisional application · filed 31 Jan 2014
Application14/513,132Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Oct 2014
Application15/688,669Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Aug 2017
US 9,749,642 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Aug 2017
Application15/865,648Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jan 2018
US 9,900,603 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Feb 2018
Application16/422,227Parent of this continuation · filed 24 May 2019
US 10,313,680 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jun 2019
Application16/779,354Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Jan 2020
US 10,681,356 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jun 2020
Application16/911,190Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Jun 2020
US 10,735,747 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Aug 2020
US 2021/0337214 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Oct 2021
US 11,095,904 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0195525 A1Published application
US 2017/0359587 A1Published application
US 2018/0131947 A1Published application
US 2019/0281309 A1Published application
US 2020/0177887 A1Published application
US 2020/0329247 A1Published application
US 11,638,016 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.