Encoder Optimization of Stereoscopic Video Delivery Systems

Abstract

Controlling a feature of an encoding process for regions of an image pattern representing more than one image when the regions include an amount of disparity in the represented images that would result in cross-contamination between the represented images if encoded with the feature. The control may be, for example, any of turning the encoding feature off, using the encoding feature less often than when encoding an image pattern representing a single image, negatively biasing the encoding feature, and enabling the encoding feature for regions determined to have zero or near zero disparity and disabling the feature for all other regions. The represented images comprise, for example, any of a stereoscopic view, multiple stereoscopic views, multiple views of a same scene, and multiple unrelated views.

1 . A method of encoding images comprising the step of turning off or negatively biasing an encoding feature of an encoding process for regions of an image pattern representing more than one image to be encoded by the encoding process when the regions include an amount of disparity in the represented images. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the image pattern comprises a checkerboard arrangement of pixels comprising two channels of a stereoscopic view. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disparity is determined by at least one of bandpass filtering the image patterns and computing distortion, wherein the distortion is computed by comparing original pre-image pattern images to the images represented in the image pattern after being decoded. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of disparity comprises at least one of an amount of estimated motion in corresponding regions of the images, and an amount of illumination change in corresponding regions of the images. 
     
     
         5 . An encoding device, comprising:
 an input port configured to receive a bit pattern comprising image data to be encoded;   an encoder comprising a set of tools configured to encode aspects of the image data to be encoded;   an evaluation processor configured to,   evaluate at least one factor between corresponding regions of a set of images embedded in the bit pattern of the image to be decoded, and   regulate an amount of use of at least one of the tools based on said evaluation.   
     
     
         6 . The encoding device according to  claim 5 , wherein said factor comprises at least one of disparity, luminance, chrominance, and motion estimation. 
     
     
         7 . The encoding device according to  claim 5 , wherein the set of tools comprises at least one of a deblocking tool and a motion prediction tool. 
     
     
         8 . The encoding device according to  claim 5 , wherein the encoder comprises a scalable video encoder. 
     
     
         9 . The encoding device according to  claim 5 , wherein the regulation by the evaluation processor comprises reducing an effect of use of at least one of the tools if at least one of the evaluated factors exceeds a pre-determined threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The encoding device according to  claim 5 , wherein the images comprises one of a stereoscopic view, multiple stereoscopic views, multiple views of a same scene, and multiple unrelated views. 
     
     
         11 . A use of a device, comprising a decoded video input port, and a multi-view signal output port, wherein the device is configured to processes a video received on the input port that comprises a decoded multi-view-in-each-frame video to produce a multi-view signal to be transmitted by the output port, wherein when the decoded multi-view-in-each-frame video comprises a 3D video having left and right views embedded in each frame of the video that had been encoded by controlling at least one encoding feature based on an evaluation of a factor between the left and right views the device produces a stereoscopic multi-view signal in a format recognized by a display connected to the output port,
 the use being that the device is used to decode the multi-view-in-each-frame video from a checkerboard pattern of pixels comprising the left and the right view.   
     
     
         12 . The use of the device according to  claim 11 , wherein the device is embedded in a media player. 
     
     
         13 . The use of the device according to  claim 11 , wherein the decoded multi-view-in-each-frame video comprises a stereoscopic video that was decompressed from the checkerboard pattern while controlling said feature upon evaluation of said factor comprising a disparity between at least two of the views of an original video from which the encoding was made. 
     
     
         14 . An electronic readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when loaded into and executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform the step of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of reducing quality of at least a region of at least one image set of the represented images. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of reducing quality is performed based on a content of the image set being reduced. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of reducing quality is performed based on a pricing model that takes into account a desired and acceptable level of quality of the image sets. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein image sets within the represented images are prioritized based on a desired quality, and the step of reducing quality, if performed on an image set, is regulated according to the image set priority such that a lower priority image set is reduced in quality further than a higher priority image set. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein image sets within the represented images are prioritized based on a desired quality, and the step of reducing quality, if performed on an image set, is regulated according to the image set priority and size of the image set such that a lower priority image set is reduced in quality further than a higher priority image set unless a higher priority image set is too large and additional space or bandwidth is needed to carry all of the image sets.