Reduced-reference visual communication quality assessment using data hiding

Abstract

A method and system of communicating visual communication quality information, includes extracting reduced-reference (RR) feature data from visual content, embedding the RR feature data in the visual content; and transmitting the visual content with the embedded RR feature data. Visual communication quality is assessed by receiving visual content which includes visual content data and a first set of embedded RR feature data, retrieving the first set of RR feature data from the visual content data, and generating a second set of RR feature data from the visual content data. The second set of RR feature data corresponds to substantially identical features of the visual content data as that used to generate the first set of RR feature data. The first set of RR feature data is compared to the second first set of RR feature data to determine a quality of the visual content based upon the comparison.

1 . A system for communicating visual communication quality information, comprising: a feature extractor configured to receive visual content, wherein the feature extractor is configured to extract reduced-reference (RR) feature data from the visual content; a feature data embedder in communication with the feature extractor, wherein the feature data embedder is configured to embed the RR feature data in the visual content; and a transmitter in communication with the feature data embedder, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the visual content with the embedded RR feature data. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising: a feature data encoder in communication with the feature extractor and the feature data embedder, wherein the feature data encoder is configured to encode the RR feature data. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the feature data encoder is configured to compress the RR feature data from the feature data extractor when the RR feature data comprises a high bit rate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the feature data encoder is configured to encode the RR feature data using Reed Solomon codes. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising: a visual content encoder in communication with the feature data embedder and the transmitter, wherein the visual content encoder is configured to encode the visual content. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feature data embedder is configured to distribute the RR feature data throughout the visual content. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feature data embedder is configured to embed the RR feature data in the visual content using odd-even embedding. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises video frames. 
     
     
         9 . A system for assessing visual communication quality, comprising: a receiver configured to receive visual content, wherein the visual content includes visual content data and a first set of reduced-reference (RR) feature data, and wherein the first set of RR feature data is embedded in the visual content data; a feature data retriever in communication with the receiver, wherein the feature data retriever is configured to retrieve the first set of RR feature data from the visual content data; a feature extractor in communication with the feature data retriever, wherein the feature extractor is configured to generate a second set of RR feature data from the visual content data, wherein the second set of RR feature data corresponds to substantially identical features of the visual content data as that used to generate the first set of RR feature data; and a visual communication quality assessor in communication with the feature data retriever and the feature extractor, wherein the visual communication quality assessor is configured to compare the first set of RR feature data and the second first set of RR feature data, and determine a quality of the visual content based upon the comparison. 
     
     
         10 . A method of communicating visual communication quality information, comprising the steps of: a.) extracting reduced-reference (RR) feature data from visual content; b.) embedding the RR feature data in the visual content; and c.) transmitting the visual content with the embedded RR feature data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising the step of: d.) encoding the RR feature data extracted in step (a). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising the step of: e.) compressing the RR feature data extracted in step (a) when the RR feature data comprises a high bit rate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein step (d) is performed using Reed Solomon codes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising the step of: d.) encoding the visual content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (b) comprises the step of: b1.) distributing the RR feature data throughout the visual content. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (b) is performed using odd-even embedding. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the visual content comprises video frames. 
     
     
         18 . A method of assessing visual communication quality, comprising the steps of: a.) receiving visual content, wherein the visual content includes visual content data and a first set of reduced-reference (RR) feature data, and wherein the first set of RR feature data is embedded in the visual content data; b.) retrieving the first set of RR feature data from the visual content data; c.) generating a second set of RR feature data from the visual content data, wherein the second set of RR feature data corresponds to substantially identical features of the visual content data as that used to generate the first set of RR feature data; d) comparing the first set of RR feature data and the second first set of RR feature data, and determining a quality of the visual content based upon the comparison. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first set of RR feature data is encoded, and wherein the method comprises the step of: e) decoding the encoded first set of RR feature data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the visual content received in step (a) is encoded, and wherein the method comprises the step of: e) decoding the encoded visual content.