Image encoding and decoding method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12574529-B2
Application number	US-202418437650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2024
Priority date	Aug 12, 2021
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

This application provides an image encoding and decoding method and apparatus. The method may include: reading a first sub-image of a first frame of image from a first memory, and storing the first sub-image into a second memory, where the first memory is an off-chip memory, and the second memory is an on-chip memory; encoding a base layer of the first sub-image based on the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the base layer of the first sub-image and a first reconstructed image; writing the first reconstructed image into the second memory; reading the first reconstructed image and the first sub-image from the second memory; and encoding a first enhancement layer of the first sub-image based on the first reconstructed image and the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image and a second reconstructed image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
reading a first sub-image of a first frame of image from a first memory, and storing the first sub-image into a second memory, wherein the first memory is an off-chip memory, the second memory is an on-chip memory, the first frame of image comprises a plurality of sub-images, and the plurality of sub-images comprise the first sub-image; encoding a base layer of the first sub-image based on the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the base layer of the first sub-image and a first reconstructed image, wherein the first reconstructed image is of the base layer of the first sub-image; writing the first reconstructed image into the second memory; reading the first reconstructed image and the first sub-image from the second memory; and encoding a first enhancement layer of the first sub-image based on the first reconstructed image and the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image and a second reconstructed image, wherein the second reconstructed image is of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image, and an image quality of the first enhancement layer is higher than an image quality of the base layer.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein after the second reconstructed image is obtained, the method further comprises:
writing the second reconstructed image into the second memory, and overwriting the first reconstructed image with the second reconstructed image.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
reading the second reconstructed image and the first sub-image from the second memory; encoding a second enhancement layer of the first sub-image based on the second reconstructed image and the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the second enhancement layer of the first sub-image and a third reconstructed image, wherein the third reconstructed image is of the second enhancement layer of the first sub-image, and an image quality of the second enhancement layer is higher than an image quality of the first enhancement layer; and writing the third reconstructed image into the second memory, and overwriting the second reconstructed image with the third reconstructed image.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first memory comprises a first storage space and a second storage space, the first storage space is used to store bitstreams of base layers, the second storage space is used to store bitstreams of first enhancement layers, and the method further comprises:
writing the bitstream of the base layer of the first sub-image into the first storage space; and writing the bitstream of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image into the second storage space.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
each time a quantity of sub-images corresponding to bitstreams of base layers stored in the first storage space reaches a preset first quantity, reading the bitstreams of the base layers of the first quantity of sub-images and sending the bitstreams to a decoder side; and each time a quantity of sub-images corresponding to bitstreams of first enhancement layers stored in the second storage space reaches the first quantity, reading the bitstreams of the first enhancement layers of the first quantity of sub-images and sending the bitstreams to the decoder side.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-images further comprises a second sub-image, an encoding order of the second sub-image is adjacent to an encoding order of the first sub-image, and the method further comprises:
encoding a plurality of image layers of the second sub-image after encoding of a plurality of image layers of the first sub-image is completed, wherein the plurality of image layers comprise the base layer and the first enhancement layer; or encoding a base layer of the second sub-image while encoding the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-image is a block, a macro block, or a largest coding unit.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second memory is a static random access memory (SRAM), and the first memory is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

9 . An apparatus, comprising:
a system on chip (SOC) comprising an encoder, a second memory, and a communication interface, wherein the encoder, the second memory, and the communication interface are coupled to each other; and a first memory, wherein the first memory is located on an outer side of the SOC, and the first memory is coupled to the communication interface; and wherein the encoder is configured to:
read a first sub-image of a first frame of image from the first memory, and store the first sub-image into the second memory, wherein the first frame of image comprises a plurality of sub-images, and the plurality of sub-images comprise the first sub-image;
encode a base layer of the first sub-image based on the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the base layer of the first sub-image and a first reconstructed image, wherein the first reconstructed image is of the base layer of the first sub-image;
write the first reconstructed image into the second memory;
read the first reconstructed image and the first sub-image from the second memory; and
encode a first enhancement layer of the first sub-image based on the first reconstructed image and the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image and a second reconstructed image, wherein the second reconstructed image is of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image, and an image quality of the first enhancement layer is higher than an image quality of the base layer.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the encoder is further configured to:
after the second reconstructed image is obtained, write the second reconstructed image into the second memory, and overwrite the first reconstructed image with the second reconstructed image.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the encoder is further configured to:
read the second reconstructed image and the first sub-image from the second memory; encode a second enhancement layer of the first sub-image based on the second reconstructed image and the first sub-image, to obtain a bitstream of the second enhancement layer of the first sub-image and a third reconstructed image, wherein the third reconstructed image is of the second enhancement layer of the first sub-image, and an image quality of the second enhancement layer is higher than an image quality of the first enhancement layer; and write the third reconstructed image into the second memory, and overwrite the second reconstructed image with the third reconstructed image.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first memory comprises a first storage space and a second storage space, the first storage space is configured to store bitstreams of base layers, the second storage space is configured to store bitstreams of first enhancement layers, and the encoder is further configured to:
write the bitstream of the base layer of the first sub-image into the first storage space; and write the bitstream of the first enhancement layer of the first sub-image into the second storage space.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the encoder is further configured to:
each time a quantity of sub-images corresponding to bitstreams of base layers stored in the first storage space reaches a preset first quantity, read the bitstreams of the base layers of the first quantity of sub-images a

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Yixuan
• Chen Shaolin
• Song Yi
• Di Peiyun

Classifications

• G06T2207/30168

  Image quality inspection · CPC title

• G06T7/0002

  Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection · CPC title

• H04N19/30

  using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability (H04N19/63 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N19/119

  Adaptive subdivision aspects, e.g. subdivision of a picture into rectangular or non-rectangular coding blocks · CPC title

• H04N19/436

  using parallelised computational arrangements · CPC title