HYBRID SCALABLE CODING
Systems, apparatuses and methods whereby coded bitstreams are delivered to downstream end-user devices having various performance capabilities. A head-end encoder/video store generates a primary coded bitstream and metadata for delivery to an intermediate re-encoding system. The re-encoding system recodes the primary coded bitstream to generate secondary coded bitstreams based on coding parameters in the metadata. Each secondary coded bitstream is matched to a conformance point of a downstream end-user device. Coding parameters for each conformance point can be derived from the head-end encoder encoding original source video to generate the secondary coded bitstreams and extracting information from the coding process/results. The metadata can then can be communicated as part of the primary coded bitstream (e.g., as SEI) or can be communicated separately. As a result, the complexity of the secondary coded bitstream is appropriately scaled to match the capabilities of the downstream end-user device to which it is delivered.
1 . A scalable encoding method, comprising:
encoding source video according to a primary coding profile to generate a primary coded bitstream;
encoding the source video according to a plurality of secondary coding profiles to generate a plurality of corresponding secondary coded bitstreams; and
deriving metadata based on generation of the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams;
wherein the metadata comprises coding parameters to recode the primary coded bitstream to regenerate the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams.
2 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein the metadata identifies which coding parameters to use to recode the primary coded bitstream to regenerate each of the secondary coded bitstreams.
3 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein the primary coding profile is based on a maximum conformance operating point of a video decoding device.
4 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving comprises including one of the secondary coded bitstreams in the metadata.
5 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving comprises determining coding parameters to generate an additional secondary coded bitstream based on the metadata derived from generation of the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams.
6 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving video decoding device conformance operating point information.
7 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining prediction mode decision information for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
8 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining frame type information for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
9 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining slice type information for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
10 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining motion vector information for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
11 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining frame quantization parameters for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
12 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining resolution scaling cropping information for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
13 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining Low Complexity (LC) profile values for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
14 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining pre-processing instructions for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
15 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining post-processing instructions for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
16 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , wherein deriving further comprises determining temporal scalability information for at least one secondary coded bitstream.
17 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , further comprising encoding the metadata as part of the primary coded bitstream.
18 . The scalable encoding method of claim 17 , wherein the metadata is encoded as Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI).
19 . The scalable encoding method of claim 1 , further comprising encoding the metadata as a bitstream separate from the primary coded bitstream.
20 . A scalable encoded video signal created from a method comprising:
encoding source video according to a primary coding profile to generate a primary coded bitstream;
encoding the source video according to a plurality of secondary coding profiles to generate a corresponding plurality of secondary coded bitstreams;
deriving metadata based on generation of the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams; and
encoding the metadata as part of the primary coded bitstream to form the scalable encoded video signal;
wherein the metadata comprises coding parameters to recode the primary coded bitstream to regenerate the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams.
21 . The scalable encoded video signal of claim 20 , wherein the metadata is encoded as Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI).
22 . A scalable encoded video signal created from a method comprising:
encoding source video according to a primary coding profile to generate a primary coded bitstream;
encoding the source video according to a plurality of secondary coding profiles to generate a corresponding plurality of secondary coded bitstreams;
deriving metadata based on generation of the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams; and
encoding the metadata as a bitstream separate from the primary coded bitstream, wherein the primary coded bitstream and the encoded metadata bitstream form the scalable encoded video signal;
wherein the metadata comprises coding parameters to recode the primary coded bitstream to regenerate the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams.
23 . The scalable encoded video signal of claim 22 , wherein the encoded metadata bitstream is interleaved with the primary coded bitstream.
24 . A scalable encoding method, comprising:
receiving a primary coded bitstream encoded according to a primary coding profile;
receiving metadata based on generation of a plurality of secondary coded bitstreams encoded according to a plurality of corresponding secondary coding profiles; and
recoding the primary coded bitstream based on the metadata to regenerate at least one of the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams;
wherein the metadata comprises coding parameters to recode the primary coded bitstream to regenerate the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams.
25 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , further comprising recoding the primary coded bitstream based on the metadata and a request from a user of a decoding device to generate a customized bitstream.
26 . The scalable encoding method of claim 25 , wherein the customized bitstream is matched to a coding profile that is different from each of the plurality of secondary coding profiles.
27 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata identifies which coding parameters to use to recode the primary coded bitstream to regenerate each of the secondary coded bitstreams.
28 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the primary coding profile is based on a maximum conformance operating point of a video decoding device.
29 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises one of the secondary coded bitstreams.
30 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises coding parameters to generate an additional secondary coded bitstream derived from the metadata developed from generation of the plurality of secondary coded bitstreams.
31 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein recoding further comprises conducting a full re-encoding of the primary coded bitstream to regenerate one of the secondary coded bitstreams.
32 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein recoding further comprises conducting a partial decoding and partial re-encoding of the primary coded bitstream to regenerate one of the secondary coded bitstreams.
33 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , the metadata comprises prediction mode decision information associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
34 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises motion vector information associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
35 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises frame quantization parameters associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
36 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises resolution scaling cropping information associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
37 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises Low Complexity (LC) profile values associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
38 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises pre-processing instructions associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
39 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises post-processing instructions associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
40 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , wherein the metadata comprises temporal scalability information associated with at least one secondary coded bitstream.
41 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , further comprising receiving the metadata as part of the primary coded bitstream.
42 . The scalable encoding method of claim 41 , wherein the metadata is encoded as Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI).
43 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , further comprising receiving the metadata as an encoded bitstream separate from the primary coded bitstream.
44 . The scalable encoding method of claim 43 , wherein the encoded metadata bitstream is interleaved with the primary coded bitstream.
45 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , further comprising recoding the primary coded bitstream based on the metadata and one or more received enhancement layers.
46 . The scalable encoding method of claim 24 , further comprising recoding the primary coded bitstream based on metadata derived from the received metadata to generate a bitstream matched to a coding profile that is different from each of the plurality of secondary coding profiles.