High-throughput CAVLC architecture for real-time H.264 coding using reconfigurable devices

One of the encoding methods offered by H.264 AVC is context-based adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC). This paper presents a high-throughput hardware implementation of the CAVLC encoder. A dual-coefficient scanning phase is investigated and modified to improve the speed of the encoding phase. This improved scanning solution determines all the required data for the encoding phase to be completed in a minimized and constant number of clock cycles. In addition, an algorithmic approach for encoding levels is exploited to reduce hardware resource requirements. The modified scanning phase approach offers significant throughput capabilities for CAVLC: at 200 MHz, the architecture is capable of encoding 1,080 p video files at 95 fps.