Efficient memory architecture for fast total_zeros decoding in H.264/AVC CAVLC decoder

A large amount of memory accesses are required for CAVLC decoding in the H.264/AVC baseline profile. It is an important issue for low-power implementation of mobile video applications because the memory access function results in considerable power consumption. We have found some distinctive features in the variable-length code table (VLCT) of total_zeros element through a careful analysis of the codeword. Based on these features, efficient memory architecture is designed and new decoding method is developed in this paper. The simulation results show that the new decoding with the proposed memory architecture achieves an approximately 80~90% memory access saving compared to conventional decoding.