Fast intra prediction algorithm based on H.264

Summary form only given. In order to save on the computational complexity of intra prediction in H.264, a fast intra prediction algorithm is presented. For a 4/spl times/4 block, only partial pixels are predicted and then the best prediction mode can be decided according to an adaptive threshold. At the same time, a multi-hierarchy structure of mode selection is introduced based on statistical results of varied video sequences. Furthermore, the predicted residual error is used as the rule to decide whether one mode is a candidate mode or not. In order to save complexity ulteriorly, the relationship between a 16/spl times/16 macroblock (MB) and the 4/spl times/4 block is utilized, and some candidate modes for the 16/spl times/16 MB can be selected according to the best mode for the 4/spl times/4 block. The test results indicate that this fast algorithm could reduce reconstructed computation and decrease the complexity in intra prediction considerably with negligible loss in coding efficiency.