Patent ID: 6031872
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method, for use in a video signal encoder for encoding a video signal by selectively using either a progressive or an interlaced coding technique, for coding texture information of the video signal which includes the texture information and shape information on each of macroblocks, each macroblock having M.times.M pixels and being dividable into P number of equal-sized DCT-blocks, M and P being positive integers, respectively, comprising the steps of:(a) generating a predicted coded block pattern type (CBPY) bit-number based on the shape information on a target macroblock, wherein the predicted CBPY bit-number is determined as the larger of the number of non-transparent DCT-blocks in progressive macroblocks and the number of non-transparent DCT-blocks in interlaced type macroblocks, the progressive and the interlaced type macroblocks being generated by re-forming the shape information on the target macroblock according to the progressive and the interlaced coding techniques, respectively, interlaced type macroblocks including top-field and bottom-field DCT blocks, each comprising alternating rows of corresponding progressive type macroblocks, each non-transparent DCT-block having a DCT-block size and containing at least one object pixel;(b) determining which of the progressive coding technique and the interlaced coding technique is more effective at encoding texture information in the target macroblock, to thereby form DCT.sub.-- type information representing the DCT.sub.-- type;(c) converting the texture information on the target macroblock in response to the DCT.sub.-- type to thereby produce transformed texture information;(d) producing CBPY information for the target macroblock based on the transformed texture information;(e) encoding the CBPY information by performing a bit extension process based on the predicted CBPY bit-number to thereby provide encoded CBPY information; and(f) encoding the transformed texture information to thereby supply encoded texture information.