Inheritance in sample array multitree subdivision

• US 10,708,629 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Helle, Philipp, Marpe, Detlev, Oudin, Simon, Wiegand, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Suh, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US16/376,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20190238896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/129 Scanning of coding units, e.g. zig-zag scan of transform coefficients or flexible macroblock ordering [FMO]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/13 Adaptive entropy coding, e.g. adaptive variable length coding [AVLC] or context adaptive binary arithmetic coding [CABAC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/136 Incoming video signal characteristics or properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/159 Prediction type, e.g. intra-frame, inter-frame or bidirectional frame prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/176 the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/439 using cascaded computational arrangements for performing a single operation, e.g. filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/44 Decoders specially adapted therefor, e.g. video decoders which are asymmetric with respect to the encoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/463 by compressing encoding parameters before transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/513 Processing of motion vectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/52 by predictive encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/53 Multi-resolution motion estimation; Hierarchical motion estimation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/593 involving spatial prediction techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/70 characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/96 Tree coding, e.g. quad-tree coding

Abstract

A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.

Claims

1. A decoder for reconstructing an array of information samples encoded in a data stream and representing video information, the decoder comprising:

an extractor configured for;

extracting, from the data stream, multi-tree subdivision information and inheritance information associated with an inheritance coding block of the array of information samples, the inheritance information indicating whether inheritance is used,

wherein the inheritance coding block is associated with prediction coding, corresponds to a first hierarchy level of a sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information, and the inheritance coding block is composed of a set of residual blocks, wherein each of the residual blocks includes residual information associated with transform coding and corresponds to a second hierarchy level of the sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information,

extracting, from the data stream if the inheritance is used with respect to the inheritance coding block, an inheritance subset associated with the inheritance coding block, the inheritance subset including at least one syntax element, and

extracting, from the data stream, respective residual information associated with each of the set of residual blocks; and

a predictor configured for;

copying the at least one syntax element in the inheritance subset into a set of syntax elements representing coding parameters related to an inter coding process corresponding to each of the set of residual blocks,

determining, for each of the set of residual blocks, a coding parameter related to the inter coding process associated with the corresponding residual block based on the at least one syntax element,

predicting a prediction coding block corresponding to the set of residual blocks in accordance with the inter coding process, and

reconstructing a portion of the array of information samples based on the coding parameters of the set of residual blocks, the prediction coding block, and the residual information of the set of residual blocks.

2. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the inheritance information includes an inheritance flag indicating whether inheritance is used with respect to the inheritance coding block defined by multi-tree subdivision based on the multi-tree subdivision information, and the extractor is configured to extract the inheritance flag from the data stream.

3. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the decoder is a hybrid decoder.

4. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the decoder is configured to decode the residual information for each of the set of residual blocks.

5. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the decoder is configured to extract, from the data stream, at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type representing a coding parameter associated with a block that is not a residual block of an inheritance coding block.

6. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the decoder is configured to, if inheritance is indicated not to be used, extract at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type representing a coding parameter associated with coding blocks of the array of information samples for which inheritance is not used.

7. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the decoder is configured to reconstruct the array of information samples by prediction coding in a prediction mode determined based on at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type associated with coding blocks of the array of information samples.

8. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with color samples.

9. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with depth values related to a depth map.

10. A method for reconstructing an array of information samples encoded in a data stream and representing video information, the method comprising:

extracting, from the data stream, multi-tree subdivision information and inheritance information associated with an inheritance coding block of the array of information samples, the inheritance information indicating whether inheritance is used,

wherein the inheritance coding block is associated with prediction coding, corresponds to a first hierarchy level of a sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information, and the inheritance coding block is composed of a set of residual blocks, wherein each of the residual blocks includes residual information associated with transform coding and corresponds to a second hierarchy level of the sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information;

extracting, from the data stream if the inheritance is used with respect to the inheritance coding block, an inheritance subset associated with the inheritance coding block, the inheritance subset including at least one syntax element;

extracting, from the data stream, respective residual information associated with each of the set of residual blocks;

copying the at least one syntax element in the inheritance subset into a set of syntax elements representing coding parameters related to an inter coding process corresponding to each of the set of residual blocks;

determining, for each of the set of residual blocks, a coding parameter related to the inter coding process associated with the corresponding residual block based on the at least one syntax element;

predicting a prediction coding block corresponding to the set of residual blocks in accordance with the inter coding process; and

reconstructing a portion of the array of information samples based on the coding parameters of the set of residual blocks, the prediction coding block, and the residual information of the set of residual blocks.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inheritance information includes an inheritance flag indicating whether inheritance is used with respect to the inheritance coding block defined by multi-tree subdivision in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information, the method further comprising extracting the inheritance flag from the data stream.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising decoding the residual information for each of the set of residual blocks.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising extracting, from the data stream, at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type representing a coding parameter associated with a block that is not a residual block of an inheritance coding block.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising, if inheritance is indicated not to be used, extracting at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type representing a coding parameter associated with coding blocks of the array of information samples for which inheritance is not used.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising reconstructing the array of information samples by prediction coding in a prediction mode determined based on at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type associated with coding blocks of the array of information samples.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with color samples.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with depth values related to a depth map.

18. A non-transitory computer readable digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, which, when read by the computer, causes the computer to perform a method according to claim 10.

19. A method for encoding an array of information samples representing video information signal into a data stream, the method comprising:

inserting, into the data stream, multi-tree subdivision information and inheritance information associated with an inheritance coding block of the array of information samples, the inheritance information indicating whether inheritance is used,

wherein the inheritance coding block is associated with prediction coding, corresponds to a first hierarchy level of a sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information, and the inheritance coding block is composed of a set of residual blocks, wherein each of the residual blocks sub blocks ii includes residual information associated with transform coding and corresponds to a second hierarchy level of the sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information;

inserting, into the data stream if inheritance is indicated to be used with respect to the inheritance coding block, an inheritance subset including at least one syntax element associated with the inheritance coding block, wherein, during decoding, at least one syntax element in the inheritance subset is to be copied into a set of syntax elements representing coding parameters related to an inter coding process corresponding to each of the set of residual blocks in order to reconstruct the residual block; and

inserting, into the data stream, respective residual information for each of the set of residual blocks so that a portion of the array of information samples is to be reconstructed based on one or more of the coding parameters related to the inter coding process, the residual information of the set of residual blocks, and a prediction coding block corresponding to the set of residual blocks generated in accordance with the inter coding process.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the inheritance information includes an inheritance flag indicating whether inheritance is used with respect to the inheritance coding block defined by multi-tree subdivision in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information, the method further comprising inserting the inheritance flag into the data stream.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising inserting, into the data stream, at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type representing a coding parameter associated with a block that is not a residual block of an inheritance coding block.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising, if inheritance is indicated not to be used, inserting, into the data stream, at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type representing a coding parameter associated with coding blocks of the array of information samples for which inheritance is not used.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising inserting, into the data stream, at least one syntax element of a predetermined syntax element type indicating a prediction mode associated with coding blocks of the array of information samples.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with color samples.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with depth values related to a depth map.

26. A non-transitory computer readable digital storage medium having stored thereon a computer program having a program code, which, when read by the computer, causes the computer to perform a method according to claim 19.

27. A machine readable non-transitory medium for storing data associated with a video signal, comprising a data stream stored in the non-transitory machine readable medium, the data stream comprising an array of information samples representing video information, multi-tree subdivision information and inheritance information associated with an inheritance coding block of the array of information samples, the inheritance information indicating whether inheritance is used,

wherein the inheritance coding block is associated with prediction coding, corresponds to a first hierarchy level of a sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information, and the inheritance coding block is composed of a set of residual blocks, wherein each of the residual blocks includes residual information associated with transform coding and corresponds to a second hierarchy level of the sequence of hierarchy levels in accordance with the multi-tree subdivision information,

the data stream further comprising respective residual information associated with each of the set of residual blocks and, if inheritance is indicated to be used with respect to the inheritance coding block, an inheritance subset including at least one syntax element associated with the inheritance coding block, so that the at least one syntax element associated with the inheritance coding block is to be copied as a corresponding syntax element representing a coding parameter related to an inter coding process associated with the corresponding residual block, and a portion of the array of information samples is to be reconstructed based on one or more of the coding parameters related to the inter coding process, the respective residual information of the set of residual blocks, and a prediction coding block corresponding to the set of residual blocks generated in accordance with the inter coding process.

28. The non-transitory medium of claim 27, wherein the inheritance information includes an inheritance flag indicating whether inheritance is used with respect to the inheritance coding block defined by multi-tree subdivision, the data stream comprising the inheritance flag.

29. The non-transitory medium of claim 27, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with color samples.

30. The non-transitory medium of claim 27, wherein the data stream comprises at least a portion associated with depth values related to a depth map.