Temporal and resolution layering in advanced television

An apparatus for compressing video information captured in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps, 72 fps, and 75 fps, including an encoder for encoding and outputting the captured video frames into a compressed data stream comprising:

• (a) a base layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (b) at least one of the following types of layers:
• (1) optionally, at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the base layer;
• (2) optionally, at least one high resolution enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (3) optionally, at least one high resolution temporal enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the high resolution enhancement layers.

A computer program for compressing video information captured in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps, 72 fps, and 75 fps, the computer program residing on a media readable by a computer system and comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• (a) encode the captured video frames in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (2) at least one of the following types of layers:
• (A) optionally, at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the base layer;
• (B) optionally, at least one high resolution enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (C) optionally, at least one high resolution temporal enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the high resolution enhancement layers;
• (b) output the compressed data stream.

A computer-readable storage medium, configured with a computer program for compressing video information captured in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps, 72 fps, and 75 fps, where the storage medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner to:

• (a) encode the captured video frames in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (2) at least one of the following types of layers:
• (A) optionally, at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the base layer;
• (B) optionally, at least one high resolution enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (C) optionally, at least one high resolution temporal enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the high resolution enhancement layers;
• (b) output the compressed data stream.

A method for generating at least one resolution enhancement layer from a high resolution video image, comprising the steps of:

• (a) reducing a high resolution video image to a lower resolution base layer;
• (b) compressing and then decompressing the base layer using at least a base layer interframe compression and decompression method;
• (c) expanding the decompressed base layer to at least one expanded layer;
• (d) generating at least one resolution enhancement layer as the difference between the high resolution video image and a corresponding expanded layer.

A method for compressing a sequence of high resolutions video images, comprising the steps of:

• (a) filtering each high resolution video image to a lower resolution base layer;
• (b) compressing the base layer to a compressed base layer using at least a base layer interframe compression method;
• and
• (c) generating at least one compressed resolution enhancement layer by the steps of:
• (1) decompressing the compressed base layer;
• (2) expanding the decompressed base layer;
• (3) generating a corresponding enhancement layer source image as the difference between the high resolution video image and the expanded decompressed base layer;
• and
• (4) compressing each corresponding enhancement layer source image using a corresponding interframe compression method.

A method for capturing and compressing video information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) capturing video images in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps, 72 fps, and 75 fps;
• (b) encoding the captured video images in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using bidirectionally predicted compression B frames and having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (2) at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using forward predicted compression P frames and having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the base layer.

A method for capturing and compressing video information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) capturing video images in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps, 72 fps, and 75 fps;
• (b) encoding the captured video images in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using bidirectionally predicted compression B frames and having relatively low resolution and a frame rate of approximately 36 Hz;
• (2) a temporal enhancement layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using forward predicted compression P frames and having relatively low resolution and a frame rate of approximately 24 Hz;
• wherein the compressed data stream can be displayed on either a 60 Hz or a 72 Hz video display after decoding.

A method for capturing and compressing video information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) capturing video images in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps, 72 fps, and 75 fps;
• (b) encoding the captured video images in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using bidirectionally predicted compression B frames and having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz;
• (2) at least one of the following types of layers:
• (A) at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using forward predicted compression P frames and having relatively low resolution and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 60 Hz, 72 Hz, or 75 Hz when combined with the base layer;
• (B) at least one high resolution enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having relatively high resolution and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz, 36 Hz, and 37.5 Hz.

A method for capturing and compressing video information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) capturing video images in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps and 72 fps;
• (b) encoding the captured video images in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using bidirectionally predicted compression B frames and having a resolution of no more than about 1024.times.512 and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz and 36 Hz;
• (2) at least one of the following types of layers:
• (A) at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using forward predicted compression P frames and having a resolution of no more than about 1024.times.512 and a frame rate of approximately 72 Hz;
• (B) at least one high resolution enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having a resolution of at least about 1536.times.768 and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz and 36 Hz.

A method for capturing and compressing video information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) capturing video images in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps and 72 fps;
• (b) encoding the captured video images in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using bidirectionally predicted compression B frames and having a resolution of no more than about 1024.times.512 and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz and 36 Hz;
• (2) at least one high resolution enhancement layer comprising an encoded bitstream having a resolution of at least about 1536.times.768 and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz and 36 Hz.

A method for capturing and compressing video information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) capturing video images in a plurality of frames at an initial framing rate selected from one of approximately 36 fps and 72 fps;
• (b) encoding the captured video images in a compressed data stream comprising:
• (1) a base layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using bidirectionally predicted compression B frames and having a resolution of no more than about 1024.times.512 and a frame rate selected from one of approximately 24 Hz and 36 Hz;
• (2) at least one temporal enhancement layer comprising a bitstream encoded without using forward predicted compression P frames and having a resolution of no more than about 1024.times.512 and a frame rate selected to achieve a final frame rate of approximately 72 Hz when combined with the base layer.