Patent ID: 9332276
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. A method for encoding a video stream of frames, each frame having a plurality of macroblocks, comprising: determining a motion vector predictor for one or more macroblocks of a frame using a processor; generating a residual error for the one or more macroblocks using the motion vector predictor; deciding, based on the residual error, whether to encode the one or more macroblocks using direct prediction; combining those of the macroblocks to be encoded using direct prediction into at least one superblock, each superblock formed of at least two macroblocks to be encoded using direct prediction, wherein, for a first macroblock to be encoded using direct prediction, defining the first macroblock as a first superblock, determining whether an adjacent macroblock is to be encoded using direct prediction, and combining the adjacent macroblock with the first superblock when the adjacent macroblock is to be encoded using direct prediction and when the first superblock has not yet reached a predefined size limit; encoding the at least one superblock using direct prediction into a bitstream; and including a variable length code in the bitstream that indicates a size of the at least one superblock.