Apparatus and method for processing a picture frame

1. An apparatus for processing a picture frame comprising a plurality of macroblocks (MBs), and each MB comprises a plurality of blocks, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

an image processing unit; and

a decoder, being configured to decode a received bitstream to generate a plurality of decoded blocks, and to deblock the decoded blocks with the following operations for removing visual blocking effect:

deblocking a decoded block to generate a deblocked block and transmit the deblocked block to the image processing unit when deblocking of the decoded block does not require data of a next MB row; and

deblocking a first portion of the decoded block requiring data of the next MB row to generate a first deblocked portion of a deblocked block and storing the first deblocked portion and a second portion of the decoded block requiring no data of the next MB row in the memory when deblocking of the decoded block requires data of the next MB row, wherein the decoder further accesses the second portion of the decoded block from the memory to generate a second deblocked portion of the deblocked block through deblocking and transmits the second deblocked portion to the image processing unit when the data of the next MB row is available;

wherein the memory stores the decoded blocks and the deblocked blocks generated by the decoder; and

the image processing unit receives the deblocked blocks from the decoder or from both the decoder and the memory for compensating the deblocked blocks for visual preference.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit conducts film grain processing for each deblocked block and the image processing unit comprises:

an averaging unit for calculating an average value of pixels in each deblocked block; and

a first searching unit for searching a lookup table according to the average value to derive supplemental enhancement information of the deblocked block;

a pseudo random number generator for generating a reference value based on a predefined random value;

a second searching unit for generating film grain compensating values for the deblocked block based on searching a database with the reference value and supplemental enhancement information of the deblocked block; and

a blender for combining the film grain compensating values with pixels of the deblocked block.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit stores the deblocked blocks after compensation back into the memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit comprises a scaler for scaling the deblocked blocks into a desired dimension.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit comprises a deinterlacer for deinterlacing the deblocked blocks.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second deblocked portion of the deblocked block retrieved from the decoder comprises last N rows of pixels in the deblocked block, and N is predetermined by a corresponding encoder.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the decoder checks a picture header of the picture frame to determine if deblocking is required for the picture frame, if the picture header indicates deblocking is not required, the decoder disables deblocking procedures and sequentially transmits the decoded blocks to the image processing unit for compensating the decoded blocks for visual preference.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each MB comprise four luminance blocks and two chrominance blocks.

9. A method for processing a picture frame comprising a plurality of macroblocks (MBs), and each MB comprises a plurality of blocks, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) decoding a received bitstream by a decoder to generate a plurality of decoded blocks;

(b) determining if deblocking of a decoded block requires data of a next MB row by the decoder;

(c) after the step (b), deblocking the decoded block by the decoder to generate a deblocked block and transmit the deblocked block to an image processing unit when deblocking of the decoded block does not require data of a next MB row;

(d) after the step (b), deblocking a first portion of the decoded block requiring data of the next MB row by the decoder to generate a first deblocked portion of a deblocked block and storing the first deblocked portion and a second portion of the decoded block requiring no data of the next MB row in a memory when deblocking of the decoded block requires data of the next MB row;

(e) after the step (d), accessing the second portion of the decoded block from the memory by the decoder to generate a second deblocked portion of the deblocked block through deblocking and transmitting the second deblocked portion to the image processing unit by the decoder when the data of the next MB row is available;

(f) compensating the deblocked block for visual preference by the image processing unit.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second deblocked portion of the deblocked block comprise last N rows of pixels in the deblocked block, and N is predetermined by a corresponding encoder.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of compensating the deblocked block for visual preference comprises:

conducting film grain processing for each deblocked block to generate film grain compensating values; and

blending the film grain compensating value with pixels of the deblocked block.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of storing the deblocked blocks after compensation back into the memory.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of compensating the deblocked block for visual preference comprises scaling the deblocked blocks into a desired dimension.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of compensating the deblocked block for visual preference comprises deinterlacing the deblocked blocks.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

checking a picture header of the picture frame to determine if deblocking is required for the picture frame; and

if the picture header indicates deblocking is not required, disabling deblocking procedures and sequentially transmitting the decoded blocks to the image processing unit for compensating the decoded blocks for visual preference.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein each MB comprise four luminance blocks and two chrominance blocks.