Method and apparatus for providing prediction mode fine granularity scalability

Abstract

In an encoding process, video data are represented as a bitstream of a quantized base layer and at least two enhancement layers, with each picture in each layer identified by a start code. The base layer, plus a number of enhancement layers capable of being transmitted by the communication channel's bandwidth, are transmitted on the communication channel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 generating a first body of data being sufficient to permit generation of a viewable video sequence of lesser quality than is represented by a source video sequence; and    generating a second body of data being sufficient to enhance the quality of the viewable video sequence generated from the first body of data, the second body of data being generated by subtracting a reconstructed body of data from a subsection of the source video sequence, wherein the reconstructed body of data is selected from a group of at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group of at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data is selected from a reconstructed first body of data sufficient to permit generation of the viewable video sequence of lesser quality than is represented by the source video sequence, a reconstructed second body of data sufficient to enhance the quality of the viewable video sequence generated from the first body of data, or a combination of the reconstructed first and second bodies of data.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 prior to generating the second body of data generated by subtracting the reconstructed body of data from the subsection of the source video sequence, spatially reconstructing and clipping the reconstructed first body of data, and spatially reconstructing and clipping the reconstructed second body of data.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second body of data is generated by subtracting a reconstructed body of data from a macroblock of the source video sequence.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 comparing the at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data to the source video sequence to adaptively select from the reconstructed first body of data, the reconstructed second body of data, or the combination of the reconstructed first and second bodies of data.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selection of the reconstructed body of data is indicated in a syntax of a bit-stream transmitted from an encoder.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a first set of motion vectors are used to generate the first body of data and the first set of motion vectors are used to generate the second body of data.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first body of data and the second body of data are generated by a single hardware component.  
     
     
         9 . An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions, the instructions causing a computer to: 
 generate a first body of data being sufficient to permit generation of a viewable video sequence of lesser quality than is represented by a source video sequence; and    generate a second body of data being sufficient to enhance the quality of the viewable video sequence generated from the first body of data, the second body of data being generated by subtracting a reconstructed body of data from a subsection of the source video sequence, wherein the reconstructed body of data is selected from a group of at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data.    
     
     
         10 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the group of at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data is selected from a reconstructed first body of data sufficient to permit generation of the viewable video sequence of lesser quality than is represented by the source video sequence, a reconstructed second body of data sufficient to enhance the quality of the viewable video sequence generated from the first body of data, or a combination of the reconstructed first and second bodies of data.  
     
     
         11 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , further including additional instructions causing the computer to: 
 prior to generating the second body of data generated by subtracting the reconstructed body of data from the subsection of the source video sequence, spatially reconstruct and clip the reconstructed first body of data, and spatially reconstruct and clip the reconstructed second body of data.    
     
     
         12 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the second body of data is generated by subtracting a reconstructed body of data from a macroblock of the source video sequence.  
     
     
         13 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , further including additional instructions causing the computer to: 
 compare the at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data to the source video sequence to adaptively select from the reconstructed first body of data, the reconstructed second body of data, or the combination of the reconstructed first and second bodies of data.    
     
     
         14 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the selection of the reconstructed body of data is indicated in a syntax of a bit-stream transmitted from an encoder.  
     
     
         15 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein a first set of motion vectors are used to generate the first body of data and the first set of motion vectors are used to generate the second body of data.  
     
     
         16 . The article comprising a computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the first body of data and the second body of data are generated by a single hardware component.  
     
     
         17 . A system comprising: 
 a first unit to generate a first body of data being sufficient to permit generation of a viewable video sequence of lesser quality than is represented by a source video sequence; and    a second unit to generate a second body of data being sufficient to enhance the quality of the viewable video sequence generated from the first body of data, the second body of data being generated by subtracting a reconstructed body of data from a subsection of the source video sequence, wherein the reconstructed body of data is selected from a group of at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the group of at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data is selected from a reconstructed first body of data sufficient to permit generation of the viewable video sequence of lesser quality than is represented by the source video sequence, a reconstructed second body of data sufficient to enhance the quality of the viewable video sequence generated from the first body of data, or a combination of the reconstructed first and second bodies of data.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein prior to the first unit generating the second body of data generated by subtracting the reconstructed body of data from the subsection of the source video sequence, spatially reconstructing and clipping the reconstructed first body of data, and the second unit spatially reconstructing and clipping the reconstructed second body of data.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second body of data is generated by subtracting a reconstructed body of data from a macroblock of the source video sequence.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second unit compares the at least two separate reconstructed bodies of data to the source video sequence to adaptively select from the reconstructed first body of data, the reconstructed second body of data, or the combination of the reconstructed first and second bodies of data.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the selection of the reconstructed body of data is indicated in a syntax of a bit-stream transmitted from the system.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein a first set of motion vectors are used by the first unit to generate the first body of data and the first set of motion vectors are used by the second unit to generate the second body of data.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first unit and the second unit are included on a single hardware component.