COMPRESSION METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OCCLUSION DATA

• US 20130176394A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Tian, Dong, Lai, Wang Lin
• Granted Patent: US 9,485,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/70 characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for coding occlusion layers, such as occlusion video data and occlusion depth data in 3D video, are disclosed. A decoding method comprising the steps of: extracting an indicator representative of an original format for received occlusion data, the original format selected from one of a sparse occlusion data format and a filled occlusion data format; arranging 2D data, which is associated with the occlusion data, at location 0 in a reference picture list; decoding the occlusion data to produce decoded occlusion data; when the indicator indicates the sparse occlusion data format for the occlusion data, filling a non-occlusion area of the occlusion data with data indicative of a defined characteristic to produce decoded occlusion data; when the indicator indicates the filled occlusion data format for the occlusion data, replacing the occlusion data in a non-occlusion area of the occlusion data with sample values from a corresponding area of associated 2D data to produce decoded occlusion data; and outputting the decoded occlusion.

Claims

1. A method for processing occlusion data in a sequence of video data frames, said method comprising:

determining a format for said occlusion data, said format selected from a one of a sparse occlusion data format and a filled occlusion data format;

when the format for said occlusion data is determined to be said filled occlusion data format, converting said occlusion data into a sparse occlusion data format before encoding;

arranging 2D data, which is associated with said occlusion data, at location 0 in a reference picture list;

identifying at least one of an occlusion area macroblock and a non-occlusion area macroblock for said occlusion data;

encoding said occlusion data to produce encoded occlusion data, wherein for each non-occlusion area macroblock said encoding is realized by skip mode encoding, and wherein for each occlusion area macroblock said encoding is realized by selecting an encoding mode based on rate distortion cost; and

outputting said encoded occlusion data together with an indicator representative of the format determined for said occlusion data.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said occlusion data includes one of occlusion video data and occlusion depth data, and wherein said 2D data includes 2D video data when said occlusion data is occlusion video data and wherein said 2D data includes depth data when said occlusion data is occlusion depth data.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said encoding is performed in accordance with a video coding standard including one of H.264/AVC, MVC, and MPEG-2.

8. The method defined in claim 1, said method further including:

identifying at least one of an occlusion area and a non-occlusion area for the occlusion data;

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said occlusion data includes one of occlusion video data and occlusion depth data, and wherein said 2D data includes 2D video data when said occlusion data is occlusion video data and wherein said 2D data includes depth data when said occlusion data is occlusion depth data.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said decoding is performed in accordance with a video coding standard including one of H.264/AVC, MVC, and MPEG-2.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said decoding is performed in accordance with a video coding standard including one of H.264/AVC, MVC, and MPEG-2.

4. An apparatus for processing occlusion data in a sequence of video data frames, said apparatus comprising an encoder for:

determining a format for said occlusion data, said format selected from a one of a sparse occlusion data format and a filled occlusion data format;

when the format for said occlusion data is determined to be said filled occlusion data format, converting said occlusion data into a sparse occlusion data format before encoding;

arranging 2D data, which is associated with said occlusion data, at location 0 in a reference picture list;

identifying at least one of an occlusion area macroblock and a non-occlusion area macroblock for said occlusion data;

encoding said occlusion data to produce encoded occlusion data, wherein for each non-occlusion area macroblock said encoding is realized by skip mode encoding, and wherein for each occlusion area macroblock said encoding is realized by selecting an encoding mode based on rate distortion cost; and

outputting said encoded occlusion data together with an indicator representative of said format determined for said occlusion data.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said occlusion data includes one of occlusion video data and occlusion depth data, and wherein said 2D data includes 2D video data when said occlusion data is occlusion video data and wherein said 2D data includes depth data when said occlusion data is occlusion depth data.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said encoding is performed in accordance with a video coding standard including one of H.264/AVC, MVC, and MPEG-2.

7. A method for processing occlusion data in a sequence of video data frames, said method comprising:

extracting an indicator representative of an original format for received occlusion data, said original format selected from one of a sparse occlusion data format and a filled occlusion data format;

arranging 2D data, which is associated with said occlusion data, at location 0 in a reference picture list;

decoding said occlusion data to produce decoded occlusion data;

when said indicator indicates said sparse occlusion data format for said occlusion data, filling a non-occlusion area of said occlusion data with data indicative of a defined characteristic to produce decoded occlusion data;

when said indicator indicates said filled occlusion data format for said occlusion data, replacing said occlusion data in a non-occlusion area of said occlusion data with sample values from a corresponding area of associated 2D data to produce decoded occlusion data;

outputting said decoded occlusion.

11. An apparatus for processing occlusion data in a sequence of video data frames, said apparatus comprising a decoder for:

extracting an indicator representative of an original format for received occlusion data, said original format selected from one of a sparse occlusion data format and a filled occlusion data format;

arranging 2D data, which is associated with said occlusion data, at location 0 in a reference picture list;

decoding said occlusion data to produce decoded occlusion data;

when said indicator indicates said sparse occlusion data format for said occlusion data, filling a non-occlusion area of said occlusion data with data indicative of a defined characteristic to produce decoded occlusion data;

when said indicator indicates said filled occlusion data format for said occlusion data, replacing said occlusion data in a non-occlusion area of said occlusion data with sample values from a corresponding area of associated 2D data to produce decoded occlusion data;

outputting said decoded occlusion.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11, said decoder further identifying at least one of an occlusion area and a non-occlusion area for the occlusion data;

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said occlusion data includes one of occlusion video data and occlusion depth data, and wherein said 2D data includes 2D video data when said occlusion data is occlusion video data and wherein said 2D data includes depth data when said occlusion data is occlusion depth data.