A method of managing a network bandwidth by controlling of an image compression rate and controlling of a frame generation, and an image transmission system using the same are provided. The method includes approving generation of an intra-frame (I-frame) for one among a plurality of image compression hardware (H/W) units, storing compressed image data compressed by the plurality of image compression H/W units in a plurality of buffers corresponding to the plurality of image compression H/W units, controlling a data storage level of the plurality of buffers, and encapsulating the compressed image data stored in each of the plurality of buffers into a network packet and transmitting the encapsulated image data to the outside through an external network.

A method of managing a network bandwidth by controlling of an image compression rate and controlling of a frame generation, and an image transmission system using the same are provided. The method includes approving generation of an intra-frame (I-frame) for one among a plurality of image compression hardware (H/W) units, storing compressed image data compressed by the plurality of image compression H/W units in a plurality of buffers corresponding to the plurality of image compression H/W units, controlling a data storage level of the plurality of buffers, and encapsulating the compressed image data stored in each of the plurality of buffers into a network packet and transmitting the encapsulated image data to the outside through an external network.

Techniques for efficient coding of digital media data are presented. A resource controller component dynamically allocates computing resources between an estimator component and a coder component. The estimator component generates an initial motion estimation of a raw video frame of a sequence of raw video frames based on a previous raw video frame. The coder component encodes the previous raw video frame to generate a reconstructed video frame in parallel with the generation of the initial motion estimation. When the previous raw video frame is reconstructed, the coder component dynamically determines whether and/or how to refine the motion estimation to encode the raw video frame based on a predefined encoding criterion. In making that determination, the coder component selects and uses a mode(s) of motion estimation refinement from a plurality of available motion estimation refinement modes to encode the raw video frame.

Techniques for efficient coding of digital media data are presented. A resource controller component dynamically allocates computing resources between an estimator component and a coder component. The estimator component generates an initial motion estimation of a raw video frame of a sequence of raw video frames based on a previous raw video frame. The coder component encodes the previous raw video frame to generate a reconstructed video frame in parallel with the generation of the initial motion estimation. When the previous raw video frame is reconstructed, the coder component dynamically determines whether and/or how to refine the motion estimation to encode the raw video frame based on a predefined encoding criterion. In making that determination, the coder component selects and uses a mode(s) of motion estimation refinement from a plurality of available motion estimation refinement modes to encode the raw video frame.

Methods and apparatus for caching reference data in a block processing pipeline. A cache may be implemented to which reference data corresponding to motion vectors for blocks being processed in the pipeline may be prefetched from memory. Prefetches for the motion vectors may be initiated one or more stages prior to a processing stage. Cache tags for the cache may be defined by the motion vectors. When a motion vector is received, the tags can be checked to determine if there are cache block(s) corresponding to the vector (cache hits) in the cache. Upon a cache miss, a cache block in the cache is selected according to a replacement policy, the respective tag is updated, and a prefetch (e.g., via DMA) for the respective reference data is issued.

Methods and apparatus for caching reference data in a block processing pipeline. A cache may be implemented to which reference data corresponding to motion vectors for blocks being processed in the pipeline may be prefetched from memory. Prefetches for the motion vectors may be initiated one or more stages prior to a processing stage. Cache tags for the cache may be defined by the motion vectors. When a motion vector is received, the tags can be checked to determine if there are cache block(s) corresponding to the vector (cache hits) in the cache. Upon a cache miss, a cache block in the cache is selected according to a replacement policy, the respective tag is updated, and a prefetch (e.g., via DMA) for the respective reference data is issued.

A method of decoding an enhanced video stream composed of base layer video access units and enhancement layer video access units, each access unit comprising a plurality of syntax structures, includes passing the syntax structures of the base layer access units to a base layer buffer, passing syntax structures of the enhancement layer access units to an enhancement layer buffer, outputting the syntax structures passed to the base layer buffer in a predetermined sequence, outputting the syntax structures passed to the enhancement layer buffer in a predetermined sequence, and recombining the sequences of syntax structures output by the base layer buffer and the enhancement layer buffer respectively to form a complete enhanced access unit, composed of base layer syntax structures and enhancement layer syntax structures in a predetermined sequence.

A method of decoding an enhanced video stream composed of base layer video access units and enhancement layer video access units, each access unit comprising a plurality of syntax structures, includes passing the syntax structures of the base layer access units to a base layer buffer, passing syntax structures of the enhancement layer access units to an enhancement layer buffer, outputting the syntax structures passed to the base layer buffer in a predetermined sequence, outputting the syntax structures passed to the enhancement layer buffer in a predetermined sequence, and recombining the sequences of syntax structures output by the base layer buffer and the enhancement layer buffer respectively to form a complete enhanced access unit, composed of base layer syntax structures and enhancement layer syntax structures in a predetermined sequence.

An image decoding apparatus (31) includes a CT information decoding unit (10) configured, in each coding tree, to decode a constraint flag indicating whether or not to constrain decoding a prediction unit, and a CU decoding unit (20) configured, in the coding tree, to decode a prediction unit in a coding node to be decoded first and to not decode a prediction unit in another coding node, in a case that the constraint flag indicates constraint of decoding the prediction unit. According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce a coding amount of PU and complexity of coding/decoding an image while maintaining a split with a high degree of freedom by CT split (QT split and BT split).

An image decoding apparatus (31) includes a CT information decoding unit (10) configured, in each coding tree, to decode a constraint flag indicating whether or not to constrain decoding a prediction unit, and a CU decoding unit (20) configured, in the coding tree, to decode a prediction unit in a coding node to be decoded first and to not decode a prediction unit in another coding node, in a case that the constraint flag indicates constraint of decoding the prediction unit. According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce a coding amount of PU and complexity of coding/decoding an image while maintaining a split with a high degree of freedom by CT split (QT split and BT split).