Efficient MB and prediction mode decisions for intra prediction of H.264 High Profile

The rate-distortion optimization framework employed in H.264 for the selection of best coding mode is computationally expensive, although it achieves remarkable coding efficiency. In this paper, an integrated intra prediction algorithm for intra-frame coding of the H.264 High Profile is proposed. It consists of two components: a variance-based method for macroblock mode decision and an improved filter-based method for prediction mode decision using contextual information. The two components can work independently or jointly to achieve higher efficiency. The integrated algorithm achieves an average saving of 51.3% (maximum 66.0%) in encoding time for intra coded frames, with negligible effect on PSNR and bit-rate.

[1]  Jar-Ferr Yang,et al.  Enhanced Intra-4$,times,$4 Mode Decision for H.264/AVC Coders , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology.

[2]  Jhing-Fa Wang,et al.  A Fast Mode Decision Algorithm and Its VLSI Design for H.264/AVC Intra-Prediction , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology.

[3]  Homer H. Chen,et al.  A HARDWARE-ORIENTED INTRA PREDICTION SCHEME FOR HIGH DEFINITION AVS ENCODER , 2007 .

[4]  Detlev Marpe,et al.  H.264/MPEG4-AVC fidelity range extensions: tools, profiles, performance, and application areas , 2005, IEEE International Conference on Image Processing 2005.

[5]  Ajay Luthra,et al.  Overview of the H.264/AVC video coding standard , 2003, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol..

[6]  Graham R. Martin,et al.  Fast Inter-Mode Selection in the H.264/AVC Standard Using a Hierarchical Decision Process , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology.

[7]  King Ngi Ngan,et al.  Efficient intra- and inter-mode selection algorithms for H.264/ AVC , 2006, J. Vis. Commun. Image Represent..

[8]  Ming-Ting Sun,et al.  Encoder optimization for H.264/AVC fidelity range extensions , 2005, Visual Communications and Image Processing.

[9]  Jhing-Fa Wang,et al.  Effective Subblock-Based and Pixel-Based Fast Direction Detections for H.264 Intra Prediction , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology.

[10]  Gary J. Sullivan,et al.  Rate-constrained coder control and comparison of video coding standards , 2003, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol..

[11]  Liang-Gee Chen,et al.  Analysis, fast algorithm, and VLSI architecture design for H.264/AVC intra frame coder , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology.

[12]  Limin Wang,et al.  A fast intra mode selection method for H.264 high profile , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing.

[13]  Susanto Rahardja,et al.  Fast mode decision algorithm for intraprediction in H.264/AVC video coding , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology.

[14]  G. Bjontegaard,et al.  Calculation of Average PSNR Differences between RD-curves , 2001 .