Netflix patents method to hide video banding with synthetic grain
This filing describes a technique to reduce visible banding in video streams by adding specific noise. The system calculates an offset value based on the banding artifact and generates modified noise to mask the flaw in the final output.
In the filing’s own words
One embodiment sets forth a technique for reducing visibility of banding artifacts in a video stream. According to some embodiments, the technique includes the steps of receiving a video stream; generating, for at least one video frame of the video stream, an offset value corresponding to a banding artifact present in the video stream; generating modified noise based on the offset value; and adding the modified noise to the video stream to generate an output video stream. In other embodiments, filtering can be performed to determine an offset value based on filtered and unfiltered portions of the video stream. Thereafter, modified noise can be generated for the output video stream based on the offset value.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method for reducing visibility of banding artifacts, the method comprising: receiving a video stream exhibiting a banding artifact at a portion of the video stream; generating a filtered portion of the video stream from the portion of the video stream exhibiting the banding artifact; generating, for at least one video frame of the video stream, an offset value based on a difference between the filtered portion of the video stream and the portion of the video stream; generating modified noise for the at least one video frame based on the offset value; and adding the modified noise to the video stream to generate an output video stream.
Facts
- Company
- Netflix (NETFLIX, INC.)
- Official title
- DEBANDING USING FILM GRAIN SYNTHESIS
- Publication number
- US20260311296A1
- Application number
- 19418821
- Filed
- Dec 12, 2025
- Published
- Oct 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06T 5/20 Physics & computingG06T 5/70 Physics & computingG06T 2207/20182 Physics & computingMore from Netflix in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.