Macro-block based mixed resolution video compression system

1. A method of compressing a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock as a candidate for downsampling of residual of the macroblocks;

comparing a cost of downsampling a macroblock residual in a standard mode to a cost of downsampling the macroblock residual in an alternate mode;

downsampling the selected macroblock residual according to the compared cost; and

coding the selected macroblock at one of a full residual resolution or reduced residual resolution.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

rearranging each macroblock residual;

transforming each macroblock residual; and

quantizing each macroblock residual.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of:

transmitting the macroblock residual.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downsampling is performed on at least one of inter macroblocks and intra macroblocks.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

determining not to downsample some of the macroblock residuals; and

coding some of the macroblocks at full resolution.

6. The method of claim 1

wherein the alternate mode is a Reduced Resolution Residual Coding (RRRC) mode.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein implicit signaling is used to indicate when a macroblock is upsampled.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

determining which frames can be tweened; and

performing a tweening operation on the frames that can be tweened.

9. A method of decompressing a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a compressed video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock to determine when the macroblock was transmitted with one of a full resolution residual or a reduced resolution residual:

comparing a cost of upsampling a macroblock residual in standard mode to a cost of upsamplinq the macroblock residual in an alternate mode;

upsampling the macroblock residual according to the compared cost; and

decoding the selected macroblock as one of the full residual resolution macroblock or the reduced residual resolution macroblock.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of:

determining whether to upsample a macroblock by use of implicit mode decisioning.

11. A method of transmitting a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock as a candidate for downsampling of residual of the macroblocks:

comparing a cost of downsampling a macroblock residual in standard mode to a cost of downsampling the macroblock residual in an alternate mode;

downsampling the selected macroblock residual and coding the selected macroblock at one of a full residual resolution or reduced residual resolution according to the compared cost;

receiving a compressed video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock to determine when the macroblock was transmitted with one of a full resolution residual or a reduced resolution residual;

upsampling a the macroblock residual for the selected macroblock with the reduced resolution residual; and

decoding the selected macroblock as one of the full residual resolution macroblock or the reduced residual resolution macroblock.

12. A system of compressing a video signal, the system comprising one or more processors configured to perform the steps of:

receiving a video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock as a candidate for downsampling of residual of the macroblocks;

comparing a cost of downsampling a macroblock residual in standard mode to a cost of downsampling the macroblock residual in an alternate mode;

downsampling the selected macroblock residual according to the compared cost; and

coding the selected macroblock at one of a full residual resolution or reduced residual resolution.

13. The system of claim 12 , the processors being configured to perform the steps of:

rearranging each macroblock residual; transforming each macroblock residual;

and quantizing each macroblock residual.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of: transmitting the macroblock residual.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the downsampling is performed on at least one of inter macroblocks and intra macroblocks.

16. The system of claim 12 , the processors being configured to perform the steps of:

determining not to downsample some of the macroblock residuals; and coding some of the macroblocks at full resolution.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alternate mode is a Reduced Resolution Residual Coding (RRRC) mode.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein implicit signaling is used to indicate when a macroblock is upsampled.

19. The system of claim 12 , further comprising the step of: determining which frames can be tweened: and performing a tweening operation on the frames that can be tweened.

20. A system for decompressing a video signal, the system comprising one or more processors configured for:

receiving a compressed video signal, the video signal including frames:

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock to determine when the macroblock was transmitted with one of a full resolution residual or a reduced resolution residual:

comparing a cost of upsampling a macroblock residual in standard mode to a cost of upsamplinq the macroblock residual in an alternate mode;

upsampling a the macroblock residual for the selected macroblock with the reduced resolution residual according to the compared cost; and

decoding the selected macroblock as one of the full residual resolution macroblock or the reduced residual resolution macroblock.

21. The system of claim 20 , the processors further configured for: determining whether to upsample a macroblock by use of implicit mode decisioning.

22. A system for transmitting a video signal, the system comprising one or more processors configured for:

receiving a video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock as a candidate for downsampling of residual of the macroblocks;

comparing a cost of downsampling a macroblock residual in a standard mode to a cost of downsamplinq the macroblock residual in an alternate mode;

downsampling the selected macroblock residual according to the compared cost; and

coding the selected macroblock at one of a full residual resolution or reduced residual resolution;

receiving a compressed video signal, the video signal including frames;

analyzing, for each frame, the video signal on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis;

selecting at least one macroblock to determine when the macroblock was transmitted with one of a full resolution residual or a reduced resolution residual;

selectively upsampling a the macroblock residual for the selected macroblock with the reduced resolution residual; and

decoding the selected macroblock as one of the full residual resolution macroblock or the reduced residual resolution macroblock.