Video coding standards are essential to a wide range of applications, but have certain limitations. New, flexible approaches to video compression have the potential to speed up adoption of new coding techniques, to improve compression performance through adaptive coding and to support multiple coding standards on a single platform. We propose an alternative framework, fully configurable video coding, in which the video compression algorithms themselves may be created, configured and re-configured adaptively. In the new paradigm, a common decoding engine (Universal Video Decoder, UVD) can be configured to decode any video sequence or syntax.

In a typical scenario, the UVD initially has no knowledge of the decoding methods required for a particular video bitstream. The encoder sends a set of configuration commands and the UVD generates and connects new functional processing units according to these commands. The UVD can then proceed to decode the video bitstream. At a later point, the encoder may signal a change in configuration by sending new configuration commands; the UVD implements the change and continues to decode the bitstream using the changed syntax or functionality.

This concept has the following benefits compared with fixed, standardized video codecs:

1. Any video decoding processes may be created (instantiated) without the need for a standardized library of processes. Hence the time lag between developing a new algorithm and propagating it to existing decoders becomes very short.

2. Re-configuration may be carried out dynamically, enabling on-the-fly adaptation. This enables the codec to use the best configuration for a particular video stream, with significant potential for improved compression performance.

3. A single decoder can be re-configured to support multiple standard or non-standard video compression formats.

4. There is no need for the decoder to support a library of unnecessary processing algorithms; instead, the algorithms necessary to decode video are transmitted and created as they are needed.