An Efficient Hardware Architecture of Intra Prediction and TQ/IQIT Module for H.264 Encoder

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a novel hardware architecture for an intra‐prediction, integer transform, quantization, inverse integer transform, inverse quantization, and mode decision module for the macroblock engine of a new video coding standard, H.264. To reduce the cycle of intra prediction, transform/quantization, and inverse quantization/inverse transform of H.264, a reduction method for cycle overhead in the case of I16MB mode is proposed. This method can process one macroblock for 927 cycles for all cases of macroblock type by processing 4×4 Hadamard transform and quantization during 16×16 prediction. This module was designed using Verilog Hardware Description Language (HDL) and operates with a 54 MHz clock using the Hynix 0.35 µm TLM (triple layer metal) library.

An implementation of intra prediction with transform for H.264/AVC

“…Because the chroma transform waits until intra prediction is completely finished, this design showed 927 cycles/MB. With the same design specification of full intra prediction, considering the inter prediction case, our design shows less than half cycles/MB compared to the design in [8]. 2 K UHD (2,048×1,080) requires less than 513 cycle/MB with 133 MHz and our design is the only one that meets the …”

“…The design in [8] considered transform for residual from inter prediction after intra prediction is complete. Because the chroma transform waits until intra prediction is completely finished, this design showed 927 cycles/MB.…”

“…Lin et al presented an efficient mode decision algorithm that finds the most probable mode with less image quality degradation [6]. Jin et al presented a highly pipelined architecture for H.264/AVC intra prediction [7] and Suh et al presented an efficient architecture for H.264 with full-mode search particularly focused on reducing the execution cycles for intra 16×16 (I16) predictions [8]. Lee et al proposed rearranging the encoding order of intra 4×4 (I4) predictions to increase the throughput of the pipelined process of intra prediction and transform [9].…”

Fast implementation of H.264 4x4 intra prediction

“…As a result, the computational complexity in H.264/AVC is extremely high. Some previous approaches to reduce computation complexity of H.264/AVC intra prediction by optimizing and speeding-up are presented in [1,4,5,6].…”

Enhanced Inter Mode Decision Based on Contextual Prediction for P-Slices in H.264/AVC Video Coding

“…The block sizes are 16×16, 16×8, 8×16, 8×8, 8×4, 4×8, and 4×4. In addition, intra mode prediction (nine 4×4 and four 16×16 modes) follows inter mode prediction to find the best residual image [1], [2], [4]. For any block mode, the motion vector estimation for a minimum residual image is also performed by full search [3] or fast motion search methods such as a directional diamond search [5] and fast-adaptive rood pattern search [6].…”