Architecture and method for fine granularity scalable video coding

Abstract

A robust fine granularity scalability video encoding includes a base layer encoder and an enhancement layer encoder in which motion compensated difference images are generated by comparing an original image to predicted images at base layer and enhancement layer with motion compensation. Based on leaky and partial predictions, a high quality reference image is constructed at the enhancement layer to improve temporal prediction. In the construction of the high quality reference image, one parameter β controls the number of bitplanes of the enhancement layer difference coefficients used and another parameter α controls the amount of predictive leak. A spatial scalability module allows the processed pictures at the base layer and the enhancement layer to have identical or different spatial resolutions.