Region-of-interest encoding enhancements for variable-bitrate mezzanine compression

An apparatus comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory holds instructions that when executed by the least one processor cause the apparatus to perform:

• receiving compressed video data comprising images encoded with higher precision in one or more defined regions-of-interest of the images than outside of the defined regions-of-interest, wherein the regions of interest are defined by including one or more pixels each characterized by a luma code-value within a luma limit by no more than a first number or by a chroma code-value within a chroma limit by no more than a second number;
• decoding the compressed video data thereby obtaining a video signal decoded with higher precision in the one or more defined regions-of-interest than in areas outside of the defined regions-of-interest;
• and
• outputting the video signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with data and instructions comprising a codestream from an encoding process, wherein the codestream, when processed by a decoder, causes the decoder to perform:

• receiving compressed video data comprising images encoded with higher precision in one or more defined regions-of-interest of the images than outside of the defined regions-of-interest, wherein the regions of interest are defined by including one or more pixels each characterized by a luma code-value within a luma limit by no more than a first number or by a chroma code-value within a chroma limit by no more than a second number;
• decoding the compressed video data thereby obtaining a video signal decoded with higher precision in the one or more defined regions-of-interest than in areas outside of the defined regions-of-interest;
• and
• outputting the video signal.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• analyzing, by a computer, an input image comprising digital video data, wherein the analyzing comprises identifying pixels having luma code-values within allowable limits by no more than a first number or chroma code-values within allowable limits by no more than a second number;
• defining, by the computer, at least one region-of-interest within the input image based on containing the pixels having the code-values identified by the analyzing the input image, comprising creating a data set comprising bits encoding luma code-values and chroma code-values for pixels in the region-of-interest;
• encoding, by the computer, the input image with higher precision in each region-of-interest than outside any region-of-interest using a compression method to provide compressed image data;
• repeating, by the computer, the analyzing, defining, and encoding on successive portions of the video data, wherein the portions are converted into compressed video data;
• and
• providing, by the computer, the compressed video data in a computer-readable medium.