Video processing method and video appliance implementing method

Abstract

It is disclosed a video processing method for generating a reverse video stream from an original video stream. Coded frames of the original video stream are buffered and decoded, whereby a reverse video stream is generated wherein the decoded frames are organized according to an order which is opposite to the display order of the original video stream. According to the method, a frame to be displayed is selected (602) between frames of the original video stream, selection of the frame being made based on the frames display order of the reverse video stream. The method further provides for checking (702-703) in a list of decoded frames if all reference frames of the original video stream necessary to decode the selected frame have already been decoded and the relative decoded frames are actually buffered. If all reference frames have been decoded and are actually buffered, then the selected frame is decoded. If not all reference frames have been decoded and are actually buffered, the method provides for decoding (706-707) all reference frames of the selected frame that are not in the list of decoded frames and buffering the relative decoded reference frames, wherein if no buffer memory is available for buffering one decoded frame, the buffer storing the oldest decoded frame not present in a list of frames to be displayed (1000) and not storing a reference frame for the selected frame is released and the decoded frame is buffered in the released buffer (901-912). Once the selected frame is decoded and buffered, a list of frames to be displayed is updated (604) with order information for outputting the decoded selected frame as a frame of the reverse video stream. A next video frame of the original video stream is selected (602), to be the next video frame of the reverse video stream, then the selection and decoding steps of the method are repeated for said next video stream.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the field of video processing methods, and in particular, to video processing methods for reverse playback (rewind) of video streams. [0002] The invention is preferably applied in video equipment, such as a set-top box, which has limited memory available for video processing. Background technique [0003] A digital video stream consists of multiple video frames that should be displayed sequentially; the higher the quality of the video stream, the larger the corresponding stream size in bytes. [0004] In order to reduce the required transmission bandwidth or the required storage space, it is known to compress video streams according to different compression standards. [0005] MPEG video uses three different compression algorithms for compressing frames: I frames, which require no other frames to be decoded (intra-coded frames); P frames, which require the previous P frame to be decoded (inter-coded frames); and B f...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, this solution has the disadvantage of a differential video output that can irritate the user

Therefore, this solution cannot be used for partial rewinding of video streams, i.e. in a single video device that is not connected to a remote video server

Images