A Visual-Masking-Based Estimation Algorithm for Temporal Pumping Artifact Region Prediction

This paper investigates the temporal pumping artifact (TPA) induced by digital video coding using H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC standards and proposes a visual-masking-based method to estimate regions with perceptible TPA, referred to as VM-TPA-PRE, for head-and-shoulder video sequences which are common in video messaging, video conferencing and video telephony applications. In digitally coded head-and-shoulder video sequences, the TPA manifests itself as a stumbling effect caused by severe quality fluctuations from frame to frame among adjacent pictures which are most likely to be perceived in regions that the human visual system (HVS) is sensitive to. Considering the object-based or region-of-interest-based video coding theory, accurately estimating regions of the TPA perceivable to the HVS is the key to effective assessment and processing of the TPA and to improve visual quality of videos impaired by the TPA. Experimental results clearly show that the estimation by the VM-TPA-PRE is accurate and in line with human perception.