Content-aware bit allocation in scalable multi-view video coding

Abstract

We propose a new scalable multi-view video coding (SMVC) method with content-aware bit allocation among multiple views. The video is encoded off-line with a predetermined number of temporal and SNR scalability layers. Content-aware bit allocation among the views is performed during bitstream extraction by adaptive selection of the number of temporal and SNR scalability layers for each group of pictures (GOP) according to motion and spatial activity of that GOP. The effect of bit allocation among the multiple views on the overall video quality has been studied on a number of training sequences by means of both quantitative quality measures as well as qualitative visual tests. The number of temporal and SNR scalability layers selected as a function of motion and spatial activity measures for the actual test sequences are "learned" from these bit allocation vs. video quality studies on the training sequences. SMVC with content-aware bit allocation among views can be used for multi-view video transport over the Internet for interactive 3DTV. Experimental results are provided on stereo video sequences.