Video Classification Systems and Methods

A video encoder, comprising:

• non-transitory storage adapted to maintain a plurality of tables relating quantization parameters and encoding modes for a video frame;
• and
• a content classifier that selects an encoding mode for a macroblock of the video frame from the plurality of tables using a deviation representative of a difference between original and decoded versions of the macroblock;
• and
• wherein the video encoder maintains a motion complexity index corresponding to a quantization parameter and non-zero coefficients of the encoded frame, the motion complexity index being operable to select the encoding mode as a function of the motion complexity of the video frame, wherein the selected encoding mode yields a least-cost encoding.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with data and instructions wherein the data and instructions, when executed by a processor of a video encoder, cause the video encoder to perform a content classification method comprising:

• calculating a deviation representative of a difference between original and decoded versions of a macroblock of a frame of video, a distribution frequency of the value of a distortion and the location of a minimum point corresponding to a distortion value associated with a minimum rate difference between possible encoding modes for the macroblock;
• updating a motion complexity index using a quantization parameter and a number of non-zero coefficients in the encoded macroblock;
• and
• selecting an encoding mode for the macroblock using the motion complexity index to reference mode information maintained in one or more tables by the video encoder, the one or more tables relating quantization parameters and minimum points for the frame, wherein each macroblock of the frame is associated with a bit rate representing bits used to encode the each macroblock, and wherein each minimum point represents a point in the frame at which a rate of change of bit rate is equal to zero.