Adding SVC Spatial Scalability to Existing H.264/AVC Video

This paper describes an innovative algorithm for adding SVC spatial scalability to all existing non-scalable H.264/AVC video streams. The algorithmic system builds on a full-decode-full-encode method of conversion and employs reuse of available data by an efficient downscaling of video information for different layers, thus reducing the complexity of the algorithm by manifold whilst maintaining a high coding efficiency. The complexity is further reduced by bypassing of various time consuming processes of the encoding process by the use of sharing and reuse of video information coming from original bitstream. Extensive analysis has been done to evaluate the gains in the coding efficiency and complexity of the algorithm using the full-decode-full-encode approach as a benchmark. The ultimate reduction in complexity is at least 60% from full-decode-full-encode while maintaining the output video quality. The modular nature of the algorithm is designed to be easily adaptable to other scalable video standards as well.