Spatial error concealment with low complexity in the H.264 standard

Abstract

H.264 adopts new coding tools such as intra-prediction, variable block size, motion estimation with quarter-pixel-accuracy, loop filter, etc. The adoption of these tools enables an H.264-coded bitstream to have more information compared with previous standards. In this paper we proposed an effective spatial error concealment method with low complexity. Among the information included in an H.264-coded bitstream, we use prediction modes of intra-blocks for recovering a damaged block. This is because a prediction direction in each prediction mode is highly correlated to the edge direction. We first estimate the edge direction of a damaged block using prediction modes of intra-blocks adjacent to a damaged block and classify the area inside a damaged block into the edge and the flat area. And then our method recovers pixel values in the edge area using edge-directed interpolation, and recovers pixel values in the flat area using weighted interpolation. Simulation results show the proposed method yields better video quality than conventional approaches.