METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ENCODE AND DECODE STEREOSCOPIC VIDEO DATA
A method and apparatus for encoding or tagging a video frame provides a way to indicate, to a receiver, for example, whether the video content is 3-D content or 2-D content. A method and apparatus for decoding an encoded or tagged video frame provides a way, for a receiver, for example, to determine whether the video content is 3-D content or 2-D content. 3-D video data may be encoded by replacing lines of at least one video frame with a specific color or pattern. When a decoder detects the presence of the colored or patterned lines in an image frame, it may interpret them as an indicator that 3-D video data is present.
1 . A method for encoding stereoscopic video data containing at least one image frame, the method comprising modifying a portion of the image frame to carry a 3-D content identifier.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the stereoscopic video data in a transportable format.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the transportable format comprises a left eye image and a right eye image in each image frame.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising compressing the modified stereoscopic video data.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising one of storing or transmitting the compressed modified stereoscopic video data.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying a portion of the image frame comprises modifying at least a bottom-most row of the image frame with a 3-D content identifier.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the modifying at least the bottom-most row of the image frame comprises modifying at least two bottom-most rows of the image frame.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the modifying at least the bottom-most row of the image frame comprises modifying at least eight bottom-most rows of the image frame.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying a portion of the image frame comprises modifying at least a top-most row of the image frame with a 3-D content identifier.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying a portion of the image frame comprises modifying at least a left-most column of the image frame with a 3-D content identifier.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying a portion of a second image frame to carry a 3-D content identifier.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying a portion of alternating left-eye image frames and right-eye image frames to each carry 3-D content identifiers.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a predetermined pattern for the 3-D content identifier, the predetermined pattern being unlikely to appear in naturally occurring non-stereoscopic video data.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying a portion of the image frame to carry a 3-D content identifier comprises modifying a portion of the image frame to carry a dynamic 3-D content identifier.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying a portion of the image frame to carry a 3-D content identifier comprises modifying a portion of the image frame to carry a predetermined 3-D content identifier.
16 . A method for decoding stereoscopic video data containing at least one image frame carrying a 3-D content identifier, the method comprising analyzing a portion of the image frame to detect a 3-D content identifier embedded within the image frame.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving the stereoscopic video data.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
when the 3-D content identifier is detected, indicating a 3-D decoding mode.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
when the 3-D content identifier is not detected, indicating a 2-D decoding mode.
20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
analyzing a portion of a second image frame to detect a 3-D content identifier embedded within the image frame, the second image frame consecutively following the image frame in the stereoscopic video data;
when the 3-D content identifier is detected in each of the image frame and the second image frame, indicating a 3-D decoding mode.
21 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
when the 3-D content identifier is detected, replacing pixels of the 3-D content identifier with replacement pixels.
22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the analyzing a portion of an image frame comprises analyzing at least the bottom-most row of the image frame.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the analyzing at least the bottom-most row of the image frame comprises analyzing the eight bottom-most rows of the image frame.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the analyzing at least the bottom-most row of the image frame comprises analyzing the two bottom-most rows of the image frame.
25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the analyzing at least the bottom-most row of the image frame comprises analyzing a central four rows of the eight bottom-most rows of the image frame.
26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the analyzing at least the bottom-most row of the image frame comprises analyzing a central four rows of the eight bottom-most rows of the image frame.
27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the analyzing a portion of an image frame comprises analyzing at least a top-most row of the image frame.
28 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the analyzing a portion of an image frame comprises analyzing at least a left-most column of the image frame.
29 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the analyzing a portion of an image frame comprises analyzing a central eight pixels of at least one row of the image frame.
30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising determining whether each pixel of the central eight pixels is within predetermined RGB ranges.
31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising toggling an error count when any pixel of the central eight pixels is outside of the predetermined RGB ranges.
32 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising:
when the error count exceeds a predetermined threshold, indicating detection of a 2-D content identifier; and
when the error count is below the predetermined threshold, indicating detection of a 3-D content identifier.
33 . A method for encoding video data containing at least one image frame, the method comprising modifying a portion of an image frame to carry a tag.
34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising determining the tag based on pieces of information about the image frame.
35 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the tag is dynamically generated.
36 . A module to decode video data containing at least one image frame, the module comprising an analyzer module operable to analyze a portion of an image frame to determine whether a 3-D content identifier is embedded with the image frame.
37 . The module of claim 36 , further comprising a receiving module operable to receive the video data.
38 . The module of claim 36 , further comprising an indicating module operable to indicate one of a 3-D mode or 2-D mode.
39 . The module of claim 36 , further comprising an image writing module operable to replace pixels of the 3-D content identifier with black pixels.
40 . The module of claim 36 , wherein the analyzer module analyzes at least the bottom-most row of the image frame.
41 . A module to decode video data containing at least one image frame, the module comprising an analyzer module operable to analyze a tag to determine pieces of information about the image frame.
42 . A method for encoding a composite image frame to identify the carriage of 3D content, the method comprising:
modifying a portion of the composite image frame to replace image data with a 3D content tag, wherein the composite image frame comprises a left eye image frame and a right eye image frame.
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the 3D content tag is a graphical tag within the composite image frame.