A High-Throughput Hardware Design for AV1 Rough Mode Decision

SHENG Qinghua; TAO Zehao; HUANG Xiaofang; LAI Changcai; HUANG Xiaofeng; YIN Haibing; DONG Zhekang

doi:10.11999/JEIT240823

Volume 47 Issue 4

Apr. 2025

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Article Navigation > Journal of Electronics & Information Technology > 2025 > 47(4): 1202-1214

SHENG Qinghua, TAO Zehao, HUANG Xiaofang, LAI Changcai, HUANG Xiaofeng, YIN Haibing, DONG Zhekang. A High-Throughput Hardware Design for AV1 Rough Mode Decision[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology, 2025, 47(4): 1202-1214. doi: 10.11999/JEIT240823

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SHENG Qinghua, TAO Zehao, HUANG Xiaofang, LAI Changcai, HUANG Xiaofeng, YIN Haibing, DONG Zhekang. A High-Throughput Hardware Design for AV1 Rough Mode Decision[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology, 2025, 47(4): 1202-1214. doi: 10.11999/JEIT240823

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A High-Throughput Hardware Design for AV1 Rough Mode Decision

doi: 10.11999/JEIT240823 cstr: 32379.14.JEIT240823

1.
School of Electronic Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
2.
School of Information Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 311305, China
3.
School of Communication Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China

Funds: The National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFB4502804)

Received Date: 2024-09-27
Rev Recd Date: 2025-01-02

Available Online: 2025-01-09

Publish Date: 2025-04-01

Abstract

Abstract

Objective As demand for 4k and 8k Ultra High Definition (UHD) videos increases, the latest generation of video coding standards has been developed to meet the growing need for UHD video transmission. UHD video coding requires processing more pixels and details, resulting in significant increases in computational complexity and resource consumption. Optimizing algorithms and implementing hardware acceleration are essential for achieving real-time encoding and decoding of UHD videos. In Alliance for Open Media Video 1 (AV1), richer intra-prediction modes have been introduced, expanding the number of modes from 10 in VP9 to 61, thereby increasing computational complexity. To address the added complexity of these modes and enhance hardware processing throughput, a hardware design for AV1 Rough Mode Decision (RMD) based on a fully pipelined architecture is proposed. Methods At the algorithm level, a 4×4 block is used as the minimum processing unit. RMD is applied to various sizes of Prediction Units (PUs) within a 64×64 Coding Tree Unit (CTU) following Z-order scanning. This approach allows for efficient processing of large blocks by dividing them into smaller, manageable units. To reduce computational complexity, the SATD cost calculations for different PU sizes (e.g., 1:2, 1:4, 2:1, and 4:1) are performed using a cost accumulation approximation method based on the 1:1 PU. This method minimizes the need to recalculate costs for every possible configuration, thus improving efficiency and reducing computational load. At the hardware level, the architecture supports RMD for PUs of various sizes (4×4 to 32×32) within a 64×64 CTU. This architecture differs from traditional designs, which use separate circuits for each PU size. It optimizes logical resource use and minimizes downtime. The design incorporates a 28-stage pipeline that enables parallel processing of intra-prediction modes, ensuring RMD for at least 16 pixels per clock cycle and significantly enhancing throughput and encoding efficiency. Additionally, the design emphasizes circuit compatibility and reusability across various PU sizes, reducing redundancy and maximizing hardware resource utilization. Results and Discussions Software analysis shows that the proposed AV1 coarse mode decision algorithm reduces processing time by an average of 45.78% compared to the standard AV1 algorithm under the All-Intra (AI) configuration, while achieving a 1.94% improvement in BD-Rate. The testing platform is an Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9900K CPU @ 3.60 GHz with 16.0 GB of DRAM. Compared to existing methods, the algorithm significantly reduces processing time while maintaining encoding efficiency. It offers an optimized trade-off, with a slight BD-Rate loss in exchange for substantial reductions in encoding time. Hardware analysis reveals that the proposed hardware architecture has a total circuit area of 0.556 mm² after synthesis, with a maximum operating frequency of 432.7 MHz, enabling real-time encoding of 8k@50.6fps video. Although the circuit area is slightly larger than in existing designs, the architecture demonstrates significant improvements in processing speed and video resolution capability, providing a balanced trade-off between hardware resource usage and throughput/area efficiency. These results further confirm the design’s superiority in terms of hardware resource efficiency and processing performance. Conclusions This paper presents a high-throughput hardware design for AV1 RMD, capable of processing all PU sizes with 56 directional and 5 non-directional prediction modes. The design employs a 28-stage pipeline for parallel intra-frame prediction mode processing, enabling RMD for at least 16 pixels per clock cycle and significantly improving encoding efficiency. Techniques such as false-reconstructed reference pixel, Z-order scanning, PMCM circuit structures, and circuit reuse address the increased hardware resource demands of parallel processing. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm reduces processing time by an average of 45.78% and improves BD-Rate by 1.94% compared to the AV1 standard, ensuring high speed and encoding quality. Circuit synthesis confirms the architecture’s capability for real-time 8k@50.6fps video processing, meeting the demands of future UHD video encoding with exceptional performance and efficiency.
- Alliance for Open Media Video 1 (AV1),
- Intra prediction,
- Rough Mode Decision (RMD),
- Video coding,
- Pipeline

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References(39)

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