Fast inter-prediction algorithms for spatial Scalable High efficiency Video Coding SHVC

Scalable High Efficiency Video Coding (SHVC) has aggregated an exhaustive algorithm for mode decision based on a recursive quad-tree structure coding unit. However, this comes at the cost of high computational complexity. Therefore, in order to improve the SHVC in terms of encoding time, fast inter-mode decision algorithms for spatial scalability were suggested in this paper. This study focuses on using statistical analysis and the correlation between base layer and enhanced layer modes to speed up the mode decision algorithm for inter-mode. Consequently, the proposed method concerns only the inter-prediction module. It is devoted to three principal levels: CUs level, PUs, and skip mode. Experimental results for different proposed methods showed an important improvement in terms of encoding time which is the most important constraint for any real-time implementation. Moreover, the combination of these three methods could achieve up to 48% of time reduction with insignificant loss in video quality.