Advanced zero-block mode decision algorithm for H.264/AVC video coding

This paper proposes an advanced zero-block inter mode decision algorithm for H.264/AVC inter frame coding, to improve computation efficiency of the previous algorithms. Although the previous zero-block decision algorithm in achieves significant computation improvement, computation performance is still limited for high bit-rate coding. To obtain better computation efficiency at high bit-rate, another work in suggests another zero-block decision algorithm, using zero-blocks of both 8×8 and 4×4 DCT coefficients to describe video sequences in detail, including global and local stationary characteristics. The experimental results reveal significant computation improvement for high bit-rate coding, but computation performance at low-bit rate is slightly worse than the previous algorithm. This study proposes an advanced decision algorithm which accounts for advantages of both algorithms to greatly improve computation. Improved computation reduction is very momentous for all bit-rates while still preserving high coding efficiency.