Patent ID: 7016413

Claim:
A method for encoding a frame having a plurality of macroblocks, said method comprising: using intraframe statistics to determine without reference to another frame whether said frame includes a random noise portion and a normal video portion, and if so, then for each macroblock of said frame: (i) determining a macroblock activity level; (ii) determining when said macroblock activity level exceeds a predefined threshold, wherein said macroblock activity level exceeding said predefined threshold indicates that said macroblock is associated with said random noise portion of said frame; and (iii) adjusting encoding of said macroblock when said macroblock activity level exceeds said predefined threshold to conserve bits used in encoding said macroblock by biasing coding of said macroblock associated with said noisy portion of said frame towards predictive coding and thereby save bits otherwise used to encode said random noise portion of said frame and provide a more constant picture quality due to encoding of the frame.