Abstract:

The recursive splitting process of largest coding unit (LCU) and the mode search process of coding unit imposed enormous computational complexity on encoder. A multi-class support vector machine-based (MSVM) fast coding unit (CU) size decision algorithm for 3D-HEVC depth video intra-coding was proposed. The algorithm included two steps: off-line training and fast CU size and mode decision. In the process of off-line training, a MSVM model was constructed, where the texture complexity of current LCU, the optimal partition depth of its spatial neighboring LCU and co-located LCU in texture video were treated as feature vectors, and the optimal partition depth of LCU was utilized as corresponding class label. In the process of fast CU size and mode decision, features of LCU were extracted before cod-ing a LCU, then, a MSVM model was used to predict the class label. Finally, the class label that represents the largest parti-tion depth of the current LCU was employed to terminate the CU recursive splitting process and CU mode search process. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm saves the encoding time of 3D-HEVC by 35.91% on average, and the encoding time of depth video by 40.04% on average, with negligible rendered virtual view image degradation.

Key words: depth video coding, 3D-HEVC, intra coding, largest coding unit, multi-class support vector machine