Abstract: When coding a fine granularity scalability layer separated by color components, a marker is provided to signal the end of each color component. In particular, markers are used to separate luminance (Y) component from chrominance components (U,V) so that the chrominance components can be discarded in the truncation of the FGS layer. A different marker may be used to indicate the location of the color separation marker. In video editing, the chrominance components of encoded video data of the FGS layer are stored while the luminance component is decoded so that video effects can be applied to the luminance component. In the base layer, the luminance component is extracted from the decoded base layer for video effect application.

Abstract: A method for coding spatial and quality enhancement information in scalable video coding using variable length codes. Conventional systems have been capable of using variable length codes only with nonscalable video coding. In the present invention, the coded block pattern for each block of information, significance passes, and refinement passes can all be coded with different types of variable length codes. The present invention also provides for a variable length encoder/decoder that dynamically adapts to the actual symbol probability. The encoder/decoder of the present invention counts the number of times each symbol is coded. Based upon these counts, the encoder/decoder selects how many symbols to group when forming a code word. The encoder also uses these counts to select the specific codeword that should be used.

Abstract: An adaptively formed reference block is used for coding a block in a current frame in the enhancement layer. In particular, the reference block is formed from a reference block in base layer reconstructed frame and a reference block in the enhancement layer reference frame together with a base layer reconstructed prediction residual block. Furthermore, the reference block for coding is adjusted depending on the transform coefficients of the base layer reconstructed residual layer. Moreover, the actual reference signal used for coding is a weighted average of a reference signal from the reconstructed frame in the base layer and a reference signal from the enhancement layer reference frame together with a base layer reconstruction prediction residual.

Abstract: A method of encoding and decoding a scalable video data stream comprising a base layer and at least one enhancement layer. A scalable data stream is encoded, wherein the data stream includes at least one non-required picture in a temporal location of a layer wherein decoding of pictures in an upper layer at and succeeding the said temporal location in decoding order does not require said non-required picture, and wherein information of the at least one non-required picture is signalled in the scalable video data stream. In the decoding phase, the signalled information is decoded and pictures in a layer above the non-required picture at and succeeding the said temporal location in decoding order are decoded without decoding said non-required picture.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer code products for encoding and decoding a video signal including conditional encoding and decoding of a residual prediction flag for an enhancement layer only of all base layers are discrete layers. If some base layers are not discrete, the residual prediction flag is always encoded and decoded. Encoding and decoding the residual prediction flag can include using contexts which depend on whether the reconstructed prediction residual of the discrete base layers is zero or not.

Abstract: The present invention reduces the complexity in the update step without significantly affecting the coding performance. In the update operation in motion compensated temporal filtering for video coding, an interpolation filter is adaptively selected from a short filter and a long filter so that the update signal can be obtained through the interpolation of prediction residue based on the interpolation filter. A short filter refers to a filter with a relatively small number of filter taps such as two. A long filter refers to a filter with a more than two filter taps.

Abstract: Fast partial pixel motion estimation for video encoding can include a technique in which a current partition mode is determined. Where the current partition mode is a 16 by 16 mode, an estimation module compares the gain from a half-pel motion estimation against a half-pel gain threshold and, if the gain exceeds the half-pel gain threshold, the estimation module performs a quarter-pel motion estimation for an entire partition. Where the current partition mode is a 16 by 8 or a 8 by 16 mode, the estimation module determines if a current partition is the first partition in the current macroblock.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods, devices and systems for effective and improved video data scalable coding and/or decoding based on Fine Grain Scalability (FGS) information. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for scalable encoding video data is provided.

Abstract: The ordering of iterations within a video bit stream can be specified by an added syntax element. Changing the order of iteration can improve the ability to extract certain constituent elements of the video coding. In one embodiment, a method of decoding scalable video data having multiple dimensions of scalability includes receiving an indication of an ordering of iteration within a coded bit stream across the multiple dimensions and ordering iterations according to the received indication. The techniques can also be applied to encoding.

Abstract: A system and method for providing improved FGS identification in scalable video coding. According to the present invention, each FGS enhancement layer is assigned a unique dependency identifier and contains only FGS enhancement information. For subsequent enhancement layers, the base dependency identifier will point to either a base-quality layer or an FGS enhancement layer. Alternatively, two base dependency identifiers can be used. One identifier is used to identify the base quality layer, which does not contain FGS information, that is used for the prediction of coding mode and motion information for a subsequent enhancement layer. The other identifier is used to identify the FGS enhancement layer, which contains only FGS information, that is used for the prediction of sample and/or residual data for a subsequent enhancement layer.

Abstract: Scalable video coding techniques include encoding blocks by scan position within a coding cycle in decreasing order to increase the probability of the next symbol will be non-zero. When truncating a fine granularity singularity (FGS) slice, instead of removing a constant fraction of every slice, the fraction is a truncation ration that is set to depend on the temporal level of the slice being truncated.

Abstract: A system and method for providing improved FGS identification in scalable video coding. According to the present invention, each FGS enhancement layer is assigned a unique dependency identifier and contains only FGS enhancement information. For subsequent enhancement layers, the base dependency identifier for the subsequent enhancement layers will point to either a base-quality layer or an FGS enhancement layer.

Abstract: A system and method for providing quality scalability in a video stream. A bit stream is provided with a video sequence having a base layer and an enhancement layer. The enhancement layer includes a plurality of enhancement layer blocks, each of which includes a block coefficient. Each layer block coefficient is assigned to one of a plurality of zones, and layer block coefficients assigned to a particular one of the plurality of zones are removed periodically.

Abstract: Methods, computer code products and devices for encoding and/or decoding video data in multiple passes, the video data having a multiple components each component including multiple coefficients. The method can starting the next pass of the encoding or decoding process immediately after the end of the current encoding or decoding pass for a given component without regard to whether other components have finished the current encoding or decoding pass. In addition, stagger delays and dampers can be used to more closely regulate the encoding or decoding process to ensure that one component is not encoded or decoded too quickly with respect to other components.

Abstract: In scalable video coding where two predictive motion vectors are calculated: one from the current layer neighboring motion vectors and one from the co-located base layer motion vectors. One of the two predictive motion vectors is chosen as the predictive motion vector for current block. A flag bit is coded to indicate which predictive motion vector is chosen only if it is not possible to infer the layer from which the predictive motion vector for the current block comes. Such inference is possible in many situations, such as when both predictive motion vectors are substantially the same, or only one of the vectors is reliable or available.

Abstract: The present invention improves residue prediction by using MI even when the base layer MB is encoded in intra mode such as copying intra 4×4 mode of one 4×4 block in the base layer to multiple neighboring 4×4 blocks in the enhancement layer if the base layer resolution is lower than the enhancement layer resolution, using the intra 4×4 mode as intra 8×8 mode if the base layer resolution is lower than the enhancement layer resolution and the base layer resolution is half of the enhancement layer resolution in both dimensions, carrying out direct calculation of the base layer prediction residue used in RP, clipping of prediction residue for reducing memory requirement and tunneling of prediction residue in BLTP mode; and conditional coding of RP flag to save flag bits and reduce implementation complexity

Abstract: A scalable video coding method and apparatus for coding a video sequence, wherein the coefficients in the enhancement layer is classified as belonging to a significant pass when the corresponding coefficient in the base layer is zero, and classified as belonging to a refinement pass when the corresponding coefficient in the base layer is non-zero. For coefficients classified as belonging to the significance pass, an indication is coded to indicate whether the coefficient is zero or non-zero, and if the coefficient is non-zero, coding an indication of the sign of the coefficient. A last_significant_coeff_flag is used to indicate the coding of remaining coefficients in the scanning order can be skipped. For coefficients classified as belonging to the refinement pass, a value to refine the magnitude of the corresponding coefficient in the base layer is coded, and if the coefficient is non-zero, a sign bit may be coded.

Abstract: A pixel correction system is provided. The pixel correction system includes a dynamic range detection system that receives test pixel data and adjacent pixel data and determines whether the test pixel data is within minimum pixel characteristic data and maximum pixel characteristic data of the adjacent pixel data. For example, if the pixel characteristic data is intensity, the dynamic range detection system detects bad pixels by identifying those pixels having an intensity value that is greater than the maximum intensity value of an adjacent pixel, or less than the minimum intensity value of an adjacent pixel.

Abstract: A method, program product and device for encoding and/or decoding video data can include treating coefficients in the enhancement layer corresponding to a non-zero coefficient in the base layer differently than a coefficient in the enhancement layer corresponding to a zero coefficient in the base layer. The sign of the base layer quantized coefficient can also be used as it indicates how the reconstructed error differs from the original signal. The coefficient of independent spatial transforms can be arranged into subbands and the encoding of the subbands can utilize spatial information and coded block flags and end of block flags to reduce bit rate. Rather than feeding the coefficients into a context-based adaptive binary arithmetic coding engine on a block-by-block basis, the subbands can be passed into the engine. Subband coefficients may be removed in a controlled manner, leading to a reduced bit-rate.

Abstract: A method, program product and apparatus for decoding from a scalable bit stream the binarization results of a video sequence by selectively decoding syntax elements and avoiding redundancy in coding. The result is a decrease in the size of the compressed bit stream of an enhancement layer bit stream. One method includes determining whether a skipping flag in the base layer macro block of the video data is set, and decoding a skipping flag from an enhancement layer macro block of the video data, corresponding to the base layer macro block, only if the base layer macro block skipping flag is set.