Extending HEVC with a Texture Synthesis Framework using Detail-aware Image Decomposition

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a tremendous improvement in video coding algorithms. This improvement resulted in 2013 in the standardization of the first version of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) which now forms the state-of-theart with superior coding efficiency. Nevertheless, the development of video coding algorithms did not stop as HEVC still has its limitations. Especially for complex textures HEVC reveals one of its limitations. As these textures are hard to predict, very high bit rates are required to achieve a high quality. Texture synthesis was proposed as solution for this limitation in previous works. However, previous texture synthesis frameworks only prevailed if the decomposition into synthesizable and non-synthesizable regions was either known or very easy. In this paper, we address this scenario with a texture synthesis framework based on detail-aware image decomposition techniques. Our techniques are based on a multiple-steps coarse-to-fine approach in which an initial decomposition is refined with awareness for small details. The efficiency of our approach is evaluated objectively and subjectively: BD-rate gains of up to 28.81% over HEVC and up to 12.75% over the closest related work were achieved. Our subjective tests indicate an improved visual quality in addition to the bit rate savings.