Abstract: A video encoder is configured to encode, by block based predictive encoding, pictures of a video into coding data, wherein the block based predictive encoding includes an intra-picture prediction. The video encoder is configured to use, for the intra-picture prediction, for encoding a prediction block of a picture, a plurality of nearest reference samples of the picture directly neighboring the prediction block and a plurality of extended reference samples, each extended reference sample of the plurality of extended reference samples separated from the prediction block at least by one nearest reference sample of the plurality of reference samples. The video encoder is further configured to sequentially determine an availability or unavailability of each of the plurality of nearest reference samples and to substitute a nearest reference sample being determined as unavailable by a substitution sample. The video encoder is configured to use the substitution sample for the intra-picture prediction.

Abstract: An idea used herein is to use the same function for the dependency of the context and the dependency of the symbolization parameter on previously coded/decoded transform coefficients. Using the same function—with varying function parameter—may even be used with respect to different transform block sizes and/or frequency portions of the transform blocks in case of the transform coefficients being spatially arranged in transform blocks. A further variant of this idea is to use the same function for the dependency of a symbolization parameter on previously coded/decoded transform coefficients for different sizes of the current transform coefficient's transform block, different information component types of the current transform coefficient's transform block and/or different frequency portions the current transform coefficient is located within the transform block.

Abstract: Although wedgelet-based partitioning seems to represent a better tradeoff between side information rate on the one hand and achievable variety in partitioning possibilities on the other hand, compared to contour partitioning, the ability to alleviate the constraints of the partitioning to the extent that the partitions have to be wedgelet partitions, enables applying relatively uncomplex statistical analysis onto overlaid spatially sampled texture information in order to derive a good predictor for the bi-segmentation in a depth/disparity map. Thus, in accordance with a first aspect it is exactly the increase of the freedom which alleviates the signaling overhead provided that co-located texture information in form of a picture is present. Another aspect pertains the possibility to save side information rate involved with signaling a respective coding mode supporting irregular partitioning.

Abstract: A video decoder and method for supporting a prediction mode for predicting blocks of a video is configured to predict each of the blocks by extrapolating a neighborhood of the respective block into the block along a direction which varies across the respective block.

Abstract: Wedgelet separation lines of neighboring blocks are predicted from each other by aligning the wedgelet separation lines of such neighboring blocks to each other, thereby reducing the side information coding rate that may be used.

Abstract: The refinement of block-based predictive coding and decoding of pictures as applicable in, e.g., hybrid video codecs, using additional reconstructed samples or residuals is described. An apparatus for block-based predictive decoding of a picture is described. The apparatus includes a combiner configured to combine a residual signal a predetermined block of the picture and a reference signal for the predetermined block so as to obtain a first spectrum, the residual signal correcting a prediction error of a prediction of the predetermined block of the picture; a reducer configured to perform thresholding on the first spectrum to obtain a second spectrum so that coefficients below a threshold value are set to a predefined value; an extractor configured to obtain from the second spectrum a modified version of the residual signal; and a reconstructor block configured to decode the predetermined block of the picture from the data stream on the basis of the modified version of the residual signal.

Abstract: The coding of a media signal is rendered more efficient by describing the media signal using a sequence of samples and sequentially encoding this sequence by selecting, for a current sample, a set of quantization levels out of a plurality of quantization level sets depending on indices encoded into the data stream for previous samples of the sequence of samples, quantizing the current sample onto one level of the set of quantization levels, and encoding a quantization index to the one level for the current sample into the data stream. In other words, scalar quantization of the individual samples of the sequence of samples is used, but it is rendered dependent on quantization indices encoded into the data stream for previous samples of the sequence of samples.

Abstract: In transform coefficient coding, predetermined sets of transforms may be used. Embodiments of the present invention provide an encoder and a decoder for encoding a picture into/from a data stream using block-based prediction and block-based residual coding, the encoder and decoder supporting a set of transforms for the block-based residual coding. The encoder and decoder are configured to determine a transform candidate list of transforms for a current residual block out of the set of transforms based on a height and a width of the current residual block, and to encode/decode a prediction residual within the residual block using one selected transform out of the selectable list of transforms and selectively signal/derive the selected transform in/from the data stream.

Abstract: Video decoder and/or video encoder, configured to determine a set of search area location candidates in a reference picture of a video; match the set of search area location candidates with a current template area adjacent to a current block of a current picture to obtain a best matching search area location candidate; select, out of a search area positioned in the reference picture at the best matching search area location candidate, a set of one or more predictor blocks by matching the current template area against the search area; and predictively decode/encode the current block from/into a data stream based on the set of one or more predictor blocks.

Abstract: The entropy coding of a current part of a predetermined entropy slice is based on, not only, the respective probability estimations of the predetermined entropy slice as adapted using the previously coded part of the predetermined entropy slice, but also probability estimations as used in the entropy coding of a spatially neighboring, in entropy slice order preceding entropy slice at a neighboring part thereof. Thereby, the probability estimations used in entropy coding are adapted to the actual symbol statistics more closely, thereby lowering the coding efficiency decrease normally caused by lower-delay concepts. Temporal interrelationships are exploited additionally or alternatively.

Abstract: Although wedgelet-based partitioning seems to represent a better tradeoff between side information rate on the one hand and achievable variety in partitioning possibilities on the other hand, compared to contour partitioning, the ability to alleviate the constraints of the partitioning to the extent that the partitions have to be wedgelet partitions, enables applying relatively uncomplex statistical analysis onto overlaid spatially sampled texture information in order to derive a good predictor for the bi-segmentation in a depth/disparity map. Thus, in accordance with a first aspect it is exactly the increase of the freedom which alleviates the signaling overhead provided that co-located texture information in form of a picture is present. Another aspect pertains the possibility to save side information rate involved with signaling a respective coding mode supporting irregular partitioning.

Abstract: A signaling of the layer ID is described which each of the packets of a multi-layered video signal is associated with. In particular, an efficient way of signaling this layer association is achieved, with nevertheless maintaining the backward compatibility with codecs according to which a certain value of the base layer-ID field is restricted to be non-extendable such as base layer-ID value 0 in the base layer-ID field. Instead of circumventing this restriction specifically with respect to this non-extendable base layer-ID value, the layer-ID of portions of the multi-layer data stream is signaled in an extendable manner by sub-dividing the base layer-ID field into a first sub-field and a second sub-field: whenever the first sub-field of the base layer-ID field fulfills a predetermined criterion, an extension layer-ID field is provided, and if the first sub-field of the base layer-ID field does not fulfill the predetermined criterion, the extension layer-ID field is omitted.

Abstract: A raw byte sequence payload describing a picture in slices, WPP substreams or tiles and coded using context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding is subdivided into tranches with continuing the context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding probability adaptation across tranche boundaries. Thereby, tranche boundaries additionally introduced within slices, WPP substreams or tiles do not lead to a reduction in the entropy coding efficiency of these entities. However, the tranches are smaller than the original slices, WPP substreams or tiles and accordingly they may be transmitted earlier, i.e. with lower delay, than the un-chopped original entities. According to another aspect combinable with the first aspect, substream marker NAL units are used within a sequence of NAL units of a video bitstream to enable a transport demultiplexer to assign data of slices within NAL units to the corresponding substreams or tiles so as to be able to, in parallel, serve a multi-threaded decoder with the corresponding substreams or tiles.

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.

Abstract: Wedgelet separation lines of neighboring blocks are predicted from each other by aligning the wedgelet separation lines of such neighboring blocks to each other, thereby reducing the side information coding rate that may be used.

Abstract: Video codec for supporting temporal inter-prediction, configured to perform padding of an area of a referenced portion of a reference picture which extends beyond a border of the reference picture, which referenced portion is referenced by an inter predicted block of a current picture by selecting one of a plurality of intra-prediction modes, and padding the area using the selected intra-prediction mode.

Abstract: Decomposing a value range of the respective syntax elements into a sequence of n partitions with coding the components of z laying within the respective partitions separately with at least one by VLC coding and with at least one by PIPE or entropy coding is used to greatly increase the compression efficiency at a moderate coding overhead since the coding scheme used may be better adapted to the syntax element statistics. Accordingly, syntax elements are decomposed into a respective number n of source symbols si with i=1 . . . n, the respective number n of source symbols depending on as to which of a sequence of n partitions into which a value range of the respective syntax elements is sub-divided, a value z of the respective syntax elements falls into, so that a sum of values of the respective number of source symbols si yields z, and, if n>1, for all i=1 . . . n?1, the value of si corresponds to a range of the ith partition.

Abstract: Concepts for more efficiently coding a picture and/or a video a data stream are described, in particular, ones using efficient transform coefficient block coding.

Abstract: Concepts for more efficiently coding a picture and/or a video a data stream are described, in particular, ones using efficient transform coefficient block coding.

Abstract: A better rate distortion ratio is achieved by making interrelationships between coding parameters of different planes available for exploitation for the aim of redundancy reduction despite the additional overhead resulting from the need to signal the inter-plane prediction information to the decoder. In particular, the decision to use inter plane prediction or not may be performed for a plurality of planes individually. Additionally or alternatively, the decision may be done on a block basis considering one secondary plane.