Late-stage mode conversions in pipelined video encoders

A method of performing video encoding, comprising:

• performing by a block processing pipeline of a computer:
• determining, by a component of a given stage of the block processing pipeline that precedes a transcode stage of the block processing pipeline, an initial mode designation to be applied when encoding a given block of pixels;
• subsequent to said determining:
• determining, by a component of an other stage of the block processing pipeline that precedes the transcode stage, that a different mode designation should be applied when encoding the given block of pixels;
• and
• communicating, by a component of the other stage that precedes the transcode stage to the transcode stage, information that is usable in generating an encoded bit stream for the given block of pixels in accordance with the different mode designation;
• and
• subsequent to said communicating:
• generating, by a component of the transcode stage, an encoded bit stream for the given block of pixels, wherein said generating is dependent on the information communicated by the component of the other stage that precedes the transcode stage to the transcode stage.

A device, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• an apparatus configured to:
• process video frames in a block processing pipeline that comprises components comprising circuitry, and
• to store the processed video frames as frame data to the memory;
• wherein the circuitry of the components of the apparatus is configured to:
• determine, in a component of a given stage of the block processing pipeline that precedes a transcode stage of the block processing pipeline, an initial mode designation to be applied when encoding a given block of pixels;
• subsequent to the determination of the initial mode designation:
• determine, in a component of an other stage of the block processing pipeline that precedes the transcode stage, that a different mode designation should be applied when encoding the given block of pixels;
• and
• communicate, by a component of the other stage that precedes the transcode stage to the transcode stage, information that is usable in generating an encoded bit stream for the given block of pixels in accordance with the different mode designation;
• and
• subsequent to the communication:
• generate, by one or more components of the transcode stage, an encoded bit stream for the given block of pixels, dependent on the information communicated by the component of the other stage that precedes the transcode stage to the transcode stage;
• and
• output the encoded bit stream for the given block of pixels to the memory.