Adaptive preprocessing method using feature-extracted video maps

摘要

A method and apparatus for preprocessing a video signal prior to its being encoded. During preprocessing, features are extracted from the video signal into feature planes which are each adaptively filtered in response to estimations of feature activity. After feature extraction the signal which remains is referred to as a “remaining signal”, which is then noise filtered to remove a substantial portion of the noise. The feature planes and remaining signal are recombined into a preprocessed output signal configured for receipt and processing by a video encoder. A video encoder receiving the preprocessed video signal can generate higher quality and/or lower bit rate encoded video than one receiving the original source video. Preprocessing according to the invention is particularly well suited for use with encoders adapted to remove temporal and/or spatial redundancy, such as those implemented according to the MPEG2/4, or AVC/H.264 standards.

主权项

1. An apparatus for preprocessing a video signal prior to encoding, comprising:
means for extracting features from a source video into feature planes which are adaptively filtered; partitioning feature planes into blocks, which are categorized into one of multiple filter parameters selected from a plurality of predefined filter parameters; wherein a group of said features are extracted from the group of features consisting of edges, texture complexity, gradient characteristic, and activity; means for noise reduction filtering of a remaining signal, which remains after extracting features from said source video; means for adaptively filtering feature planes based on a level of feature activity; and means for recombining adaptively filtered feature planes with a noise reduced version of said remaining signal into a preprocessed video output configured for receipt by a video encoder; wherein said apparatus performs preprocessing of video signals toward increasing coding efficiency at a recipient video encoder by providing an increase in video quality and/or a lowered bit rate for a given encoded video quality.