Patent ID: 8270467

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: classification logic configured to determine, using an image characteristic from a macro-block of image data, whether the macro-block is a smooth image, a medium image, or a complex image based at least in part on the image characteristic; wherein a smooth threshold value and a complex threshold value are generated to define values of the image characteristic to determine the smooth image and the complex image, and wherein the medium image is determined for values between the smooth threshold value and the complex threshold value; encoding logic configured to generate an encoded macro-block by selectively encoding the macro-block using an intra16 prediction mode if the macro-block is the smooth image and encoding the macro-block using an intra4 prediction mode if the macro-block is the complex image; and when the macro-block is the medium image, the encoding logic is configured to: for a plurality of intra16 prediction modes, calculate a cost for each mode for encoding the macro-block and select the intra16 prediction mode having a minimum cost; if the minimum cost is less than a medium cost threshold, then encode the macro-block with the intra16 prediction mode having the minimum cost; and if the minimum cost is greater than the medium cost threshold, then encode the macro-block with a selected intra4 prediction mode.