Video processing system also compressing coding decision data

Claim 2

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; characterized in that the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate and that the bit-rate reduced representation of the modified coding decisions is passed through one or more audio channels accompanying a video channel carrying the decoded video signal.

Claim 3

A video compression system according to claim 1 , wherein short term control over coding decision bit-rate is achieved through modification of the coding decisions.

Claim 4

A video compression system according to claim 2 , wherein the modification is signaled within the representation of the coding decisions.

Claim 5

A video compression system according to claim 2 , wherein the modification occurs on a macroblock basis.

Claim 6

A video compression system according to claim 4 , wherein the semantics of the macroblock type syntactical element is modified to signal the modification.

Claim 7

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process and comprises an original bitstream, wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal and comprises a second bitstream in which coefficients and coded block patterns used for the original bitstream are replaced with dummy coefficients and dummy coded block patterns.

Claim 8

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process and comprises an original bitstream, wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal and comprises a second bitstream in which coefficients and coded block patterns used for the original bitstream are replaced with dummy coefficients and dummy coded block patterns.

Claim 9

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and coefficients and coded block patterns used for the original bitstream are deleted with alteration of the macroblock syntactical element.

Claim 10

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and coefficients and coded block patterns used for the original bitstream are deleted with alteration of the macroblock syntactical element.

Claim 11

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions comprises modification of motion vectors where the differential between succeeding vectors is greater than a threshold.

Claim 12

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions comprises modification of motion vectors where the differential between succeeding vectors is greater than a threshold.

Claim 13

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions includes looking ahead to find groups of macroblocks to be modified.

Claim 14

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions includes looking ahead to find groups of macroblocks to be modified.

Claim 15

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal having different types of frames, one of said types of frames comprising bi-directional predicted B frames and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions occurs more frequently in B-frames than in other types of frames.

Claim 16

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal having different types of frames, one of said types of frames comprising bi-directional predicted B frames and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions occurs more frequently in B-frames than in other types of frames.

Claim 17

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions occurs more frequently around the edges of the picture than in the remainder of the picture.

Claim 18

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal for use in a later signal process; wherein the coding decisions are modified to enable them to be represented at a reduced bit rate, a representation of the modified coding decisions accompanies the decoded signal, and modification of coding decisions occurs more frequently around the edges of the picture than in the remainder of the picture.

Claim 19

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded video signal for use in a later signal process, wherein the representation of the coding decisions and the decoded video signal pass through separate channels and that information about the decoded video signal is carried in said representation to enable a check to be made, prior to use of the coding decisions, whether the video signal in said separate channel has not been changed, the coding decisions being used only where no change in the video signal is detected.

Claim 20

A video compression system in which an encoder operates on a video signal and takes coding decisions in a compression encoding process to generate an encoded signal and in which a decoder operates on the encoded signal in a compression decoding process to generate a decoded signal, wherein a representation of coding decisions accompanies the decoded video signal for use in a later signal process, wherein the representation of the coding decisions and the decoded video signal pass through separate channels and that information about the decoded video signal is carried in said representation to enable a check to be made, prior to use of the coding decisions, whether the video signal in said separate channel has not been changed, the coding decisions being used only where no change in the video signal is detected.

Claim 21

A video compression system according to claim 12 , wherein said information about the decoded video signal comprises a check sum of a macroblock or other picture region.

Claim 22

A video compression system according to claim 12 , wherein said information about the decoded video signal comprises statistical information.

Claim 23

A video compression system according to claim 14 , wherein said information comprises the mean and variance of a macroblock or other picture region.

Claim 24

A video compression system according to claim 1 , wherein a signal that the decoded video signal has been changed is included in said representation.

Claim 25

A video compression system according to claim 16 , wherein said signal comprises one bit per macroblock.