Patent Description:
<CIT> describes filtering blockiness artifacts for video coding; <CIT> deblocking of non-square blocks for video coding; <NPL> ; <CIT> discloses the adaptation of the filter strength depending on the block size. Video content is being created with ever-increasing resolution and contrast levels. For example, UltraHD video may include resolutions of <NUM> or even <NUM>. As another example, High Dynamic Range (HDR) allows for presentation of highly bright as well as very dark signals on the same video frame, thereby providing a high contrast ratio within the same image. However, such high-quality video presents challenges regarding the computational resources for encoding, processing, and/or decoding, storage space requirements, and bandwidth requirements to deliver such video content to consumers. As such, improvements are needed.

Enabling disclosure for the protected invention is provided with the embodiments described in relation to <FIG>. The other figures, aspects, and embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes and do not represent embodiments of the invention unless when combined with all of the features respectively defined in the independent claims.

The following drawings show generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various examples discussed in the present disclosure. In the drawings:.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described for processing (e.g., preprocessing, coding, pre-filtering, partitioning, etc.) video data. Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described for processing video. A method may comprise receiving video content comprising a plurality of frames and determining a splitting parameter of a partitioning of at least a portion of a first frame of the plurality of frames. Deblock filtering may be implemented on at least the first frame of the plurality of frames based at least on the splitting parameter.

Such techniques may reduce the size of the compressed video, saving on storage and bandwidth.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of an example video distribution system <NUM>. The video distribution system <NUM> may comprise a video source <NUM>, a video preprocessor <NUM>, a video encoder <NUM>, and a video decoder <NUM>. The video source <NUM> may provide raw, uncompressed video data, comprising video content, to the video preprocessor <NUM> and/or the video encoder <NUM>. The video preprocessor <NUM> may process the raw video data and send the preprocessed video data to the video encoder <NUM>. The video encoder <NUM> may receive the raw video data and/or the preprocessed video data, as the case may be, and encode such video data. The encoded video data may be sent to the video decoder <NUM>. The video decoder <NUM> may decode the encoded video data. The decoded video data, comprising the video content, may be presented to a viewer.

The video source <NUM> may provide video (e.g., audio and/or visual) content in response to a request. The request may be from a user device, such as a mobile device, a set-top box, a cable modem, etc. The request may be from a schedule (such as a network's programming schedule, for example), which automatically requests video content related to a particular program at a particular time. The video content may comprise a plurality of frames. The video source <NUM> may be video storage, such as from a video-on-demand database. The video source <NUM> may be a video stream, such as a live feed from a camera. The video content provided from the video source <NUM> may be raw (e.g., uncompressed, unprocessed, not encoded, etc.) video.

The video preprocessor <NUM> may receive (e.g., intercept, etc.) video data from the video source <NUM>. The video preprocessor <NUM> may comprise one or more logical blocks of instructions <NUM>, <NUM> for preprocessing video. The video source <NUM> and the video preprocessor <NUM> may be integrated into one or more computing devices. The video source <NUM> and the video preprocessor <NUM> may be local to one another (e.g., in the same room, on the same premises, etc.). The video source <NUM> and the video preprocessor <NUM> may be remote from one another. The video preprocessor <NUM> may execute one or more of the one or more logical blocks of instructions <NUM>, <NUM> to convert received raw video into preprocessed (e.g., coded, etc.) video.

The video preprocessor <NUM> and/or the video source <NUM> may transmit (e.g., send, deliver, etc.) the video data (raw or preprocessed) to the video encoder <NUM>. The video encoder <NUM> may comprise one or more logical blocks of instructions <NUM>, <NUM> for encoding video data. The video encoder <NUM> may treat the received video data as input. The video encoder <NUM> may execute one or more of the one or more logical blocks of instructions <NUM>, <NUM> to convert received raw video data and/or preprocessed video data into encoded (e.g., compressed, etc.) video data.

The video encoder <NUM> may encode the video data according to a number of video coding formats, such as MPEG-<NUM> Part <NUM>, MPEG-<NUM> Part <NUM>, H. <NUM> (MPEG-<NUM> Part <NUM>), or H. <NUM> (HEVC). The video encoder <NUM> may further encode the video data according to any future or developing video coding format. For example, the video encoder <NUM> may encode the video data according to the emerging Versatile Video Coding (VVC) standard. The aforementioned video formats, or others, may also apply to decoding or other processes. The video data may be organized as a series of frames. The series of frames may comprise I-, B-, and P- frames. Each frame may be divided into a number of partitions. Each partition may comprise a plurality of pixels. Depending on the coding format, the partition may be a block, macroblock, coding tree unit, etc. A partition may comprise an 8x8 block of image values. A partition may comprise any other size block of image values. An image value of a partition may represent a pixel. A partition may be with respect to luma (Y) or one of the two chroma components (Cr (U), Cb (V)). The image values of a partition may indicate a luminance component or one of the two chrominance components of the respective pixel of the partition.

In the case of the VVC standard being used, the video data may be encoded using a quadtree structure with a nested multi-type tree. The quadtree may comprise a binary and ternary splits segmentation structure. <FIG> depicts a coding tree unit (CTU) <NUM> showing an example division of the CTU <NUM>. The CTU <NUM> may be used in conjunction with the VVC standard. The CTU <NUM> may comprise a plurality of partitions <NUM>. A partition may comprise a CU. According to the VVC standard, a coding unit (CU) may be in a square shape or a rectangular shape. Further according to the VVC standard, the CTU <NUM> may comprise a maximum size of 128x128 pixels. For example, a maximum size of a luma block in the CTU <NUM> may be 128x128 pixels. A maximum size of a luma transform block (TB) may be 64x64 pixels, which may be well suited for higher resolution videos. The supported chroma TB size may be 32x32 pixels under the VVC standard.

A CTU may be partitioned by a quaternary tree comprising leaf nodes. The quaternary tree leaf nodes may be further partitioned (e.g., split) by a VVC multi-type tree (MTT) structure. The VVC standard may include several different splitting types. For example, the VVC standard may include a vertical binary splitting type, horizontal binary splitting type, a vertical ternary splitting type, and a horizontal ternary splitting type.

<FIG> depicts various splitting types available under the VVC standard. For example, a vertical binary splitting type is represented in CU <NUM>, which comprises a binary tree vertical split <NUM>. A horizontal binary splitting type is represented in CU <NUM>, which comprises a binary tree horizontal split <NUM>. A vertical ternary splitting type is represented in CU <NUM>, which comprises a first ternary tree vertical split <NUM> and a second ternary tree vertical split <NUM>. A horizontal ternary splitting type is represented in CU <NUM>, which comprises a first ternary tree horizontal split <NUM> and a second ternary tree horizontal split <NUM>.

The leaf nodes of the VVC standard may each comprise a CU. The leaf nodes and/or associated CUs may be used for prediction and transform processes without additional splitting/partitioning. However, if the CU size is too large compared to a preset maximum length (e.g., 64x64 pixels), the CU may be not used for prediction and transform processes without additional splitting/partitioning. A quadtree having the nested multi-type tree coding block structure, the CUs, prediction units (PUs), and transform units (TUs) may have the same block size. Yet if the supported transform length is smaller than the width and/or height of the CU color component, the CUs, PUs, and TUs may be configured in unequal same sizes.

The VVC quadtree with nested multi-type tree partitioning structure may comprise a CU-based content adaptive coding tree structure. The size of each CU may be the same or small than the CTU size. For luma samples, the size of each CU may be up to 4x4 pixels. A maximum supported luma transform block (TB) size may be 64x64 pixels. A maximum supported chroma TB size may be 32x32 pixels. A coding block (CB) may be split when the width and/or height of the CB is larger than a maximum transform width and/or height, such as when needed to meet a TB size limitation.

A CTU may be split into multiple CUs, thereby forming a quaternary tree with nested MMT coding block structure. <FIG> depicts a CTU <NUM>. The CTU <NUM> is split into multiple CUs. Particularly, the CTU <NUM> is split into four equal CUs: upper left CU <NUM>, upper right CU <NUM>, lower right CU <NUM>, and lower left CU <NUM>. It is noted that a sub-partition 406a of the lower right CU <NUM> is split according to the horizontal binary splitting type. It is further noted that a second sub-partition 406b of the lower right CU <NUM> is split according to the horizontal ternary splitting type.

The splitting may be done as part of or in conjunction with the encoding the video data. For example, the splitting (and other noted processes relating to the VVC standard) may be performed by the video encoder <NUM>. The splitting may be performed as part of the encoding process, for example, to adapt to various local characteristics, such as the complexity or texture of the image or portion thereof.

The video encoder <NUM> may perform deblocking filtering with respect to the video data. As numerous video encoding formats and processes include various forms of partitioning, undesirable blocking artifacts (e.g., "blockiness") may appear at block boundaries in the resultant video data. For example, there for may be no correlation between the blocks and discontinuities on the block edges. Such blocking artifacts may be perceivable by the human visual system (HVS). This may particularly occur when the video data comprises relatively smooth (e.g., flat) content. In particular, blocking artifacts may occur due to the application of block-transform coding on the prediction error and then performing relatively course quantization (e.g., with a relatively high quantization parameter (QP)).

The deblocking filtering may be performed to reduce such blocking artifacts. The deblocking filtering may improve objective and/or subjective picture quality of the encoded video data. For example, the deblocking filtering may enhance continuity between block boundaries (e.g., borders and/or edges). The deblocking filtering may be performed as part of or in conjunction with the encoding process. For example, the deblocking filtering may be applied to the video data having already undergone the splitting processes associated with the VVC standard.

The deblocking filtering may comprise in-loop filtering during the encoding process. For example, the deblocking filtering may be applied to a reconstructed images (e.g., reference frames or images) during the encoding process. Deblocking filtering applied to reconstructed frames or images may improve coding efficiency, which, in turn, may result in reductions in the bit-rate of the encoded video data. Further, deblocking filtering may force the decoders to perform standardized filtering decisions/operations for staying synchronized with the encoder. The requirement of the in-loop filtering may aid in achieving a certain level of video quality, which can be highly important where decoders of several manufactures are used to decode video content, thereby ensuring a predefined quality level as expected by the video content producer.

The deblocking filtering applied by the video encoder <NUM> (or other component) to the video data may comprise adaptive deblocking filtering in which the deblocking filtering is based on splitting parameters associated with the splitting of a portion of an image or frame of video data. Such splitting parameters may comprise the complexity of the portion of the frame, the texture of the portion of the frame, a quantity of splits of the portion of the frame, and/or a splitting type (e.g., a vertical binary splitting type, a horizontal binary splitting type, a vertical ternary splitting, and/or a horizontal ternary splitting type) of one or more splits of the portion of the frame.

The strength of the deblocking filtering is based on the splitting parameters. The strength of the deblocking filtering may tend to be inversely proportionate to the complexity of portion of the frame and/or a quantity of splits. That is, a higher strength of deblocking filtering is based on a lesser quantity of splits of the portion of the frame. Conversely, a lower strength of deblocking filtering is based on a greater quantity of splits of the portion of the frame.

Additionally or alternatively, adaptive deblocking filtering may be based on a directionality of one or more splits in the portion of the frame. The border regions to which deblocking filtering is applied is based on the directionality of the splits in the portion of the frame. The decision whether to apply adaptive deblocking filtering to a horizontal and/or vertical border of non-overlapping regions (such as regions of 8x8) is based on a particular splitting type (i.e. a vertical binary splitting, horizontal binary splitting, vertical ternary splitting, and/or horizontal ternary splitting), which is carried out at a corresponding CU. For example, at CU regions with either vertical binary splitting and/or vertical ternary splitting, a vertical border of predefined non-overlapping regions is deblocked while deblocking filtering to one or more associated horizontal borders is omitted.

One or more splitting parameters (e.g., complexity, texture, quantity of splits, type of splits, directionality of splits, directionality of border regions) may be indicated to a deblocking filtering component. Such deblocking filtering component may be integrated with the video encoder <NUM> or situated (physically or logically) apart from the video encoder <NUM>. The splitting parameter indication may be realized as metadata associated with the video data or as a separate message. The message may comprise an intra-encoder message between various components of the video encoder <NUM>, including a deblocking filtering component. The metadata may be recognized by various components of the video encoder <NUM> to effectuate communication of the splitting parameters within the video encoder <NUM>.

Such adaptive deblocking filtering techniques may improve the perceived video quality of video data having undergone the adaptive deblocking filtering. Such adaptive deblocking filtering techniques may remove or lessen the need to apply post-processing (e.g., post-encoding) deblocking filtering, although the application is not so limited. Performing the adaptive deblocking filtering process may allow the omission or reduction of post-processing deblocking filtering.

The video encoder <NUM> may send the video to a device requesting the video content. The video encoder <NUM> and one or more of the video source <NUM> and the video preprocessor <NUM> may be integrated into one or more computing devices. The video preprocessor <NUM> and the video encoder <NUM> may be local to one another (e.g., in the same room, on the same premises, etc.). The video preprocessor <NUM> and the video encoder <NUM> may be remote from one another.

The video encoder <NUM> may send the encoded video data to the video decoder <NUM> in a video stream. The video decoder <NUM> may comprise one or more logical blocks of instructions <NUM>, <NUM> for decoding video. The video decoder <NUM> may be realized as a user device or component thereof. The video decoder <NUM> may receive the encoded video data from the video encoder <NUM>. The video decoder <NUM> may execute one or more of the one or more logical blocks of instructions <NUM>, <NUM> to convert (e.g., decode, etc.) received encoded video data to decoded (e.g., uncompressed, etc.) video data. The video decoder <NUM> may decompress the encoded video data using an entropy decoder. The video decoder <NUM> may perform an inverse transform quantized transform coefficients from the video stream, thus determining a decoded image representing the original partition. The decoded image is likely not an exact replication of the original.

The video decoder <NUM> may output the decoded video data. The output decoded video data may be presented to a viewer, such as via the user device and/or a display associated with the user device. Although the systems, methods, and apparatuses described herein are generally described in reference to the video encoder <NUM>, it is understood that various other components of the system <NUM> may perform, at a preprocessing stage, some or all of the disclosed techniques for adaptive deblocking filtering.

Referring again to <FIG>, the CTU <NUM> may represent a frame of video data. The upper left CTU <NUM> and the upper right CTU <NUM> may form a portion of the frame that comprises flat video content, such as a blue sky. The lack of partitioning or splitting of the upper left CTU <NUM> and the upper right CTU <NUM> may reflect the flat nature of that portion of the frame. Yet the lower right CTU <NUM> and the lower left CTU <NUM> may form a portion of the frame that comprises more complex or textured video content, such as a ground portion of the video content with various individuals, vehicles, structures, or the like. As such, the lower right CTU <NUM> and the lower left CTU <NUM> comprise various partitions or splits. The lower right CTU <NUM> may represent more complex or textured video content than the lower left CTU <NUM>, as reflected in the greater quantity of partitions or splits found in the lower right CTU <NUM>.

Adaptive deblocking filtering may be applied to the CTU <NUM>. The adaptive deblocking filtering applied to the CTU <NUM> may be based on a splitting parameter of the CTU <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the adaptive deblocking filtering may be applied separately to one or more of the CU <NUM>, CU <NUM>, CU <NUM>, and CU <NUM>.

The adaptive deblocking filtering may be applied to the upper left CU <NUM> based on a complexity and/or quantity of splits of the CU <NUM> (e.g., the complexity of the corresponding video content). The adaptive deblocking filtering may be additionally or alternatively applied to the upper right CU <NUM>. It was noted that the CU <NUM> and CU <NUM> comprise flat video content, such as a blue sky. Due to the reduced complexity and/or lack of splits in the CU <NUM> and the CU <NUM>, a stronger deblocking filtering may be applied to the CU <NUM> and the CU <NUM>.

The adaptive deblocking filtering may be applied to the lower right CU <NUM> and the lower left CU <NUM>. The lower CU <NUM> and CU <NUM> both have greater complexity than the upper CU <NUM> and CU <NUM>. The lower CU <NUM> and CU <NUM> likewise each have greater quantities of splits than both of the upper CU <NUM> and CU <NUM>. Based on the greater quantity of splits found in the lower CU <NUM> and CU <NUM>, the adaptive deblocking filtering is applied to the lower CU <NUM> and CU <NUM> at a lesser strength than the ad deblocking filtering applied to the upper CU <NUM> and CU <NUM>. Yet between the CU <NUM> and the CU <NUM>, the CU <NUM> comprises a greater quantity of splits and/or more complexity (it is assumed) than the CU <NUM>. Based on the greater quantity of splits found in the CU <NUM>, the adaptive deblocking filtering is applied to the CU <NUM> at a lesser strength than the adaptive deblocking filtering applied to the CU <NUM>.

The adaptive deblocking filtering applied to the CTU <NUM> is based on the splitting type of splits of a CU and a directionality of the splits of a CU. The adaptive deblocking filtering may be applied to the CU <NUM>, in particular the lower right sub-partition 406b of the CU <NUM>. The splits in the sub-partition 406b comprise horizontal ternary splitting type splits. The ad deblocking filtering applied to the sub-partition 406b may be based on the splits in the sub-partition 406b comprising horizontal ternary splitting type splits. Additionally or alternatively, the adaptive deblocking filtering applied to the sub-partition 406b is based on the directionality of the splits of the sub-partition 406b. The directionality of the splits of the sub-partition 406a are horizontal. The ad deblocking filtering applied to the sub-partition 406b is based on the horizontal directionality of the splits of the sub-partition 406b.

The adaptive deblocking filtering may be applied to sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b. Whether to apply the deblocking filtering to the border region between the sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b is based on the directionality (e.g., the splitting types, being vertical or horizontal splitting types) of the splits of the sub-partition 406a and the splits of the sub-partition 406b. If the directionality of the splits of the sub-partition 406a and the splits of the sub-partition 406b align, the border region between the sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b, having the same directionality as the splits, the adaptive deblocking filtering is applied to the border region between the sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b. Here, the directionality of the splits of both of the sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b are horizontal. Based on the directionality of all of the splits of the sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b being horizontal, the adaptive deblocking filtering is applied to the border region. Based on the splits of the sub-partition 406a and the sub-partition 406b having a horizontal directionality, a vertical border region associated with the sub-partition 406a and/or the sub-partition 406b is omitted from adaptive deblocking filtering.

Additionally or alternatively (without reference to <FIG>), the decision whether to apply adaptive deblocking filtering to a horizontal and/or vertical border of non-overlapping regions (such as regions of 8x8) is made based on a particular splitting type (i.e. a vertical binary splitting, horizontal binary splitting, vertical ternary splitting, and/or horizontal ternary splitting), which is carried out at a corresponding CU. For example, at CU regions with either vertical binary splitting and/or vertical ternary splitting, only a vertical border of predefined non-overlapping regions is deblocked. By doing as such, reduction of computational recourses may be realized with little or no impact on perceived visual quality.

Any combination or sub-combination of the video source <NUM>, video preprocessor <NUM>, video encoder <NUM>, and/or video decoder <NUM> may be located local (e.g., in the same room, same premises, etc.) to one another. The video source <NUM> may be at a first location, the video encoder <NUM> (and/or the video preprocessor <NUM>) may be at a second location, and the video decoder <NUM> may be located at a third location, with the first, second, and third locations being different from one another. The video source <NUM> and the video encoder <NUM> may be at a first location and the video decoder <NUM> may be at a second location. Any combination or sub-combination of the video source <NUM>, video preprocessor <NUM>, video encoder <NUM>, and/or video decoder <NUM> may be realized as a computing device, such as a user device. The video source <NUM> and video encoder <NUM> (and the video preprocessor <NUM>, if so applicable) may be realized as a first computing device (e.g., a first mobile and/or user device, etc.) and the video decoder <NUM> may be realized as a second, different computing device (e.g., a second mobile and/or user device etc.). The video encoder <NUM> and video decoder <NUM> (and/or the video source <NUM> and video preprocessor <NUM>, as the case may be) may be realized as a unitary computing device. The decoding performed by the video decoder <NUM> and the encoding performed by the video encoder <NUM> may be part of a video processing operation acting, at least initially, on raw video data. The video processing operation may ultimately output encoded video data by alternately performing encoding and decoding over several iterations.

A Video-On-Demand (VOD) system may be, at least in part, a video distribution system <NUM>. The VOD system may comprise a VOD server, which may be or may comprise a video source <NUM>. The VOD server may receive a request for video content from a set-top box. The VOD system may comprise a processing unit to receive raw video from the VOD server. The VOD server may transmit raw video related to the received request to the processing unit. The processing unit may be or may comprise a video preprocessor (e.g., the video preprocessor <NUM>) and/or a video encoder (e.g., the video encoder <NUM>). The processing unit may comprise one or more logical blocks of instructions to preprocess received video for easier (e.g., more efficient, faster, etc.) consumption of video by a video encoder. The processing unit may comprise one or more logical blocks of instructions to encode raw and/or preprocessed video data. The processing unit may transmit the processed (e.g., encoded) video to the set-top box. The set-top box may comprise a video decoder (e.g., the video decoder <NUM>). The video decoder may decode the encoded video data. The set-top box may cause output of the resultant decoded video, such as via a display associated with the set-top box.

Referring to <FIG>, video content comprising a plurality of frames may be received, at step <NUM>. A video encoder (e.g., the video encoder <NUM> in <FIG>) may receive the video content comprising the plurality of frames. A deblocking filtering component of the video encoder may receive the video content. The video content may be received during inter-loop deblocking filtering. The video content may comprise un-encoded video content. The video content may comprise high definition video content, such as <NUM> or <NUM> resolution video content. The video content may comprise High Dynamic Range (HDR) compressed video content. The video content may comprise Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) compressed video content.

At step <NUM>, a splitting parameter of a partitioning of at least a portion of a first frame of the plurality of frames may be received. The at least a portion of the first frame may comprise a partition of the first frame. The at least a portion of the first frame may comprise a CTU or CU of the first frame. The partitioning may have been performed according to the VVC standard. The partitioning may have been performed during an encoding process of the video content. The partitioning may comprise determining a multi-tree type (MMT) structure. The splitting parameter may indicate a complexity of the at least a portion of the first frame. The splitting parameter may indicate or be based on a texture of the at least a portion of the first frame.

The splitting parameter may indicate a quantity of one or more splits associated with the partitioning of the at least a portion of the first frame. The splitting parameter may indicate a quantity of one or more splits within the at least a portion of the first frame. The one or more splits may comprise one or more splits of a CU of the at least a portion of the first frame. The splitting parameter may indicate a splitting type associated with the partitioning the portion of the first frame. The splitting type may comprise a vertical binary split type, a horizontal binary split type, a vertical ternary split type, and a horizontal ternary split type. The one or more splits may comprise at least one of a vertical binary split, a horizontal binary split, a vertical ternary split, and a horizontal ternary split.

At step <NUM>, the first frame (or the portion thereof) is deblock filtered (i.e., adaptive deblocking filtering is applied) based on at least the splitting parameter. The deblock filtering may be performed as part of the encoding process of the video content. The deblock filtering may be performed at a video encoder. The deblock filtering may comprise determining a strength of the deblock filtering to be applied to the first frame. The strength of the deblock filtering may be inversely proportional to the complexity and/or quantity of splits of the portion of the first frame.

At step <NUM>, a split type of a split between two or more regions of a portion of a first frame of the plurality of frames is determined. The portion of the first frame may comprise a CU. The split type may comprise a vertical split type or a horizontal split type. The split type may comprise a vertical binary split type, a horizontal binary split type, a vertical ternary split type, and a horizontal ternary split type. The one or more splits may comprise at least one of a vertical binary split, a horizontal binary split, a vertical ternary split, and a horizontal ternary split. The one or more splits and or the split type may comprise a directionality (e.g., vertical or horizontal) of the split or split type.

At step <NUM>, a border region corresponding to the split between the two or more regions of the first portion of the first frame is deblock filtered based on the split type. The directionality of the deblock filtering the border region may correspond to the directionality of the split type. The directionality of the deblock filtering the border region may comprise one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. The directionality of the split type may comprise one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein a split type having a vertical directionality may comprise at least one of a vertical binary split and a vertical ternary split, and wherein a split type having a horizontal directionality may comprise at least one of a horizontal binary split and a horizontal ternary split.

The two or more regions of the first portion of the first frame may comprise all regions of the first portion of the first frame, such that the split types of the splits between adjacent regions of the two or more regions all share a common directionality (e.g., the split types are all vertical or the split types are all horizontal). Based on the split types of the splits between the adjacent regions of the two or more regions, the border regions corresponding to the splits between the adjacent regions of the two or more regions may be deblock filtered. The adjacent regions of the two or more regions may be non-overlapping.

<FIG> shows an operating environment <NUM>, but is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of operating environment architecture. Neither should the operating environment be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components shown in the operating environment.

The present methods, systems, and apparatuses may be operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the methods, systems, and apparatuses comprise, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, laptop devices, and multiprocessor systems. Additional examples comprise set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that comprise any of the above systems or devices, and the like.

The processing of the disclosed methods, systems, and apparatuses may be performed by software components. The disclosed methods, systems, and apparatuses may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules comprise computer code, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that performs particular tasks or implements particular abstract data types. The disclosed methods may be practiced in grid-based and distributed computing environments where tasks may be performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.

Further, the methods, systems, and apparatuses disclosed may be implemented via a general-purpose computing device in the form of a computing device <NUM>. The components of the computing device <NUM> may comprise, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units <NUM>, a system memory <NUM>, and a system bus <NUM> that couples various system components including the processor <NUM> to the system memory <NUM>. In the case of multiple processing units <NUM>, the system may utilize parallel computing.

The system bus <NUM> represents one or more of several possible types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures may comprise an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, an Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) bus, and a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI), a PCI-Express bus, a Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association (PCMCIA), Universal Serial Bus (USB) and the like. The system bus <NUM>, and all buses specified in this description may be implemented over a wired or wireless network connection and each of the subsystems, including the processor <NUM>, a mass storage device <NUM>, an operating system <NUM>, video processing software <NUM>, video processing data <NUM>, a network adapter <NUM>, system memory <NUM>, an Input/Output Interface <NUM>, a display adapter <NUM>, a display device <NUM>, and a human machine interface <NUM>, may be contained within one or more remote computing devices 614a,b,c at physically separate locations, connected through buses of this form, in effect implementing a fully distributed system.

The computing device <NUM> typically comprises a variety of computer readable media. Example readable media may be any available media that is accessible by the computing device <NUM> and comprises, for example and not meant to be limiting, both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. The system memory <NUM> comprises computer readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM). The system memory <NUM> typically contains data such as video processing data <NUM> and/or program modules such as operating system <NUM> and video processing software <NUM> that are immediately accessible to and/or are presently operated on by the processing unit <NUM>.

The computing device <NUM> may comprise other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer storage media. By way of example, <FIG> shows a mass storage device <NUM> which may provide non-volatile storage of computer code, computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computing device <NUM>. For example and not limitation, a mass storage device <NUM> may be a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, a removable optical disk, magnetic cassettes or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory cards, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, random access memories (RAM), read only memories (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and the like.

Optionally, any number of program modules may be stored on the mass storage device <NUM>, including by way of example, an operating system <NUM> and video processing software <NUM>. Each of the operating system <NUM> and video processing software <NUM> (or some combination thereof) may comprise elements of the programming and the video processing software <NUM>. Video processing data <NUM> may be stored on the mass storage device <NUM>. Video processing data <NUM> may be stored in any of one or more databases known in the art. Examples of such databases comprise, DB2®, Microsoft® Access, Microsoft® SQL Server, Oracle®, mySQL, PostgreSQL, and the like. The databases may be centralized or distributed across multiple systems.

The user may enter commands and information into the computing device <NUM> via an input device (not shown). Examples of such input devices may comprise, but are not limited to, a keyboard, pointing device (e.g., a "mouse"), a microphone, a joystick, a scanner, tactile input devices such as gloves, and other body coverings, and the like These and other input devices may be connected to the processing unit <NUM> via a human machine interface <NUM> that is coupled to the system bus <NUM>, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port, an IEEE <NUM> Port (also known as a Firewire port), a serial port, or a universal serial bus (USB).

A display device <NUM> may be connected to the system bus <NUM> via an interface, such as a display adapter <NUM>. It is contemplated that the computing device <NUM> may have more than one display adapter <NUM> and the computing device <NUM> may have more than one display device <NUM>. For example, a display device may comprise a monitor, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), or a projector. In addition to the display device <NUM>, other output peripheral devices may comprise components such as speakers (not shown) and a printer (not shown) which may be connected to the computing device <NUM> via Input/Output Interface <NUM>. Any step and/or result of the methods may be output in any form to an output device. Such output may comprise any form of visual representation, including, but not limited to, textual, graphical, animation, audio, tactile, and the like. The display device <NUM> and computing device <NUM> may comprise part of one device, or separate devices.

The computing device <NUM> may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computing devices 614a,b,c. By way of example, a remote computing device may comprise a personal computer, portable computer, a smart phone, a server, a router, a network computer, a peer device or other common network node. Logical connections between the computing device <NUM> and a remote computing device 614a,b,c may be made via a network <NUM>, such as a local area network (LAN) and a general wide area network (WAN). Such network connections may be through a network adapter <NUM>. A network adapter <NUM> may be implemented in both wired and wireless environments. Such networking environments are conventional and commonplace in dwellings, offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet.

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
receiving, by a video encoder, un-encoded video content comprising a plurality of frames;
partitioning at least a portion of a first frame of the plurality of frames;
determining a splitting parameter associated with the partitioning the at least a portion of the first frame of the plurality of frames, wherein the splitting parameter comprises an indication of a quantity of one or more splits associated with the partitioning of the at least the portion of the first frame of the plurality of frames and an indication of a split type associated with the partitioning of the at least the portion of the first frame of the plurality of frames;
deblock filtering, based at least on the splitting parameter, the first frame of the plurality of frames, wherein deblock filtering is applied to a border region of the at least the portion of the first frame of the plurality of frames when a directionality of the split type corresponds to a directionality of the border region, wherein application of deblock filtering to a border region of the at least the portion of the first frame of the plurality of frames is omitted when a directionality of the split type does not correspond to a directionality of the border region, wherein the directionality of the split type indicates whether the one or more splits partitioning the at least the portion of the first frame of the plurality of frames extend horizontally or vertically, wherein the directionality of the border region indicates whether the border region extends horizontally or vertically, wherein a strength of the applied deblock filtering is based on the quantity of one or more splits, wherein a lesser quantity of splits corresponds to a higher strength of the applied deblocking filtering and a greater quantity of splits corresponds to a lower strength of the applied deblocking filtering.