Enhanced skip frame encoding associated with a hierarchical prediction pattern

A device, comprising:

• one or more memories;
• and
• one or more processors, communicably coupled to the one or more memories, configured to:
• encode a series of images of video data into an encoded video stream including key frames and delta frames,
• wherein the delta frames are arranged according to a hierarchical prediction pattern with multiple temporal layers and a predetermined structure, and
• wherein the hierarchical prediction pattern defines a display order for the key frames and delta frames;
• obtain an instruction to encode a delta frame as a skip frame to lower a bit rate of the encoded video stream and maintain a frames per second (FPS) value of the encoded video stream;
• determine that the skip frame is to be encoded in a first temporal layer, of the multiple temporal layers, according to the predetermined structure;
• evaluate, based on the display order, whether an immediately preceding frame to the skip frame is encoded, or to be encoded, in a second temporal layer, of the multiple temporal layers, that is finer than the first temporal layer;
• based on the second temporal layer being finer than the first temporal layer,
• modify the predetermined structure by encoding the immediately preceding frame as a new delta frame in the first temporal layer, and
• encode the skip frame with reference to the new delta frame in the first temporal layer;
• and
• based on the second temporal layer not being finer than the first temporal layer,
• encode the skip frame with reference to the immediately preceding frame.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:

• one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:
• encode a series of images of video data into an encoded video stream including key frames and delta frames,
• wherein the delta frames are arranged according to a hierarchical prediction pattern with multiple temporal layers and a predetermined structure, and
• wherein the hierarchical prediction pattern defines a display order for the key frames and delta frames;
• obtain an instruction to encode a delta frame as a skip frame to lower a bit rate of the encoded video stream and maintain a frames per second (FPS) value of the encoded video stream;
• determine that the skip frame is to be encoded in a first temporal layer, of the multiple temporal layers, according to the predetermined structure;
• evaluate, based on the display order, whether an immediately preceding frame to the skip frame is encoded, or to be encoded, in a second temporal layer, of the multiple temporal layers, that is finer than the first temporal layer;
• based on the second temporal layer being finer than the first temporal layer,
• modify the predetermined structure by encoding the immediately preceding frame as a new delta frame in the first temporal layer, and encode the skip frame with reference to the new delta frame in the first temporal layer;
• and
• based on the second temporal layer not being finer than the first temporal layer,
• encode the skip frame with reference to the immediately preceding frame.