Patents by Inventor Heiner Kirchhoffer

Heiner Kirchhoffer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11589062
    Abstract: A subblock-based coding of transform coefficient blocks of the enhancement layer is rendered more efficient. To this end, the subblock subdivision of the respective transform coefficient block is controlled on the basis of the base layer residual signal or the base layer signal. In particular, by exploiting the respective base layer hint, the subblocks may be made longer along a spatial frequency axis transverse to edge extensions observable from the base layer residual signal or the base layer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias Hinz, Haricharan Lakshman, Jan Stegemann, Philipp Helle, Mischa Siekmann, Karsten Suehring, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Christian Bartnik, Ali Atef Ibrahim Khairat Abdelhamid, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11575921
    Abstract: The coding efficiency of scalable video coding is increased by substituting missing spatial intra prediction parameter candidates in a spatial neighborhood of a current block of the enhancement layer by use of intra prediction parameters of a co-located block of the base layer signal. By this measure, the coding efficiency for coding the spatial intra prediction parameters is increased due to the improved prediction quality of the set of intra prediction parameters of the enhancement layer, or, more precisely stated, the increased likelihood, that appropriate predictors for the intra prediction parameters for an intra predicted block of the enhancement layer are available thereby increasing the likelihood that the signaling of the intra prediction parameter of the respective enhancement layer block may be performed, on average, with less bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias Hinz, Haricharan Lakshman, Jan Stegemann, Philipp Helle, Mischa Siekmann, Karsten Suehring, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Christian Bartnik, Ali Atef Ibrahim Khairat Abdelhamid, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11546642
    Abstract: Coding schemes for coding a spatially sampled information signal using sub-division and coding schemes for coding a sub-division or a multitree structure are described, wherein representative embodiments relate to picture and/or video coding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Martin Winken, Philipp Helle, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Thomas Wiegand
  • Publication number: 20220417538
    Abstract: A video decoder is configured to decode a plurality of video frames which are subdivided into a set of one or more slices. The decoder evaluates slice type information indicating whether a slice is encoded using an independent coding mode having no prediction of video content of a current frame on the basis of a video content of a previous frame, or using a single-predictive mode having a prediction of a block of pixels on the basis of one block of pixels of a previous frame, or using a bi-predictive mode having a prediction of a block of pixels on the basis of two or more blocks of pixels of one or more previous frames, to select a mode of operation for decoding a slice. The video decoder includes an arithmetic decoder for providing a decoded binary sequence on the basis of an encoded representation of the binary sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Jan STEGEMANN, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Detlev MARPE, Heiko SCHWARZ, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Patent number: 11533485
    Abstract: An entropy decoder is configured to, for horizontal and vertical components of motion vector differences, derive a truncated unary code from the data stream using context-adaptive binary entropy decoding with exactly one context per bin position of the truncated unary code, which is common for horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences, and an Exp-Golomb code using a constant equi-probability bypass mode to obtain the binarizations of the motion vector differences. A desymbolizer is configured to debinarize the binarizations of the motion vector difference syntax elements to obtain integer values of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences. A reconstructor is configured to reconstruct a video based on the integer values of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Valeri George, Benjamin Bross, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Detlev Marpe, Tung Nguyen, Matthias Preiss, Mischa Siekmann, Jan Stegemann, Thomas Wiegand
  • Publication number: 20220400271
    Abstract: Scalable video coding is rendered more efficient by deriving/selecting a subblock subdivision to be used for enhancement layer prediction, among a set of possible subblock subdivisions of an enhancement layer block by evaluating the spatial variation of the base layer coding parameters over the base layer signal. By this measure, less of the signalization overhead has to be spent on signaling this subblock subdivision within the enhancement layer data stream, if any. The subblock subdivision thus selected may be used in predictively coding/decoding the enhancement layer signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Tobias HINZ, Haricharan LAKSHMAN, Jan STEGEMANN, Philipp HELLE, Mischa SIEKMANN, Karsten SUEHRING, Detlev MARPE, Heiko SCHWARZ, Christian BARTNIK, Ali Atef Ibrahim KHAIRAT ABDELHAMID, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Publication number: 20220393986
    Abstract: Embodiments according to a first aspect of the present invention are based on the idea, that neural network parameters may be compressed more efficiently by using a non-constant quantizer, but varying same during coding the neural network parameters, namely by selecting a set of reconstruction levels depending on quantization indices decoded from, or respectively encoded, into the data stream for previous or respectively previously encoded neural network parameters. Embodiments according to a second aspect of the present invention are based on the idea that a more efficient neural network coding may be achieved when done in stages—called reconstruction layers to distinguish them from the layered composition of the neural network in neural layers—and if the parametrizations provided in these stages are then, neural network parameter-wise combined to yield a neural network parametrization improved compared to any of the stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Paul HAASE, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Heiko SCHWARZ, Detlev MARPE, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Patent number: 11516474
    Abstract: A decoder includes an entropy decoder configured to derive a number of bins of the binarizations from the data stream using binary entropy decoding by selecting a context among different contexts and updating probability states associated with the different contexts, dependent on previously decoded portions of the data stream; a desymbolizer configured to debinarize the binarizations of the syntax elements to obtain integer values of the syntax elements; a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the video based on the integer values of the syntax elements using a quantization parameter, wherein the entropy decoder is configured to distinguish between 126 probability states and to initialize the probability states associated with the different contexts according to a linear equation of the quantization parameter, wherein the entropy decoder is configured to, for each of the different contexts, derive a slope and an offset of the linear equation from first and second four bit parts of a respective 8 bit initial
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Valeri George, Benjamin Bross, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Detlev Marpe, Tung Nguyen, Matthias Preiss, Mischa Siekmann, Jan Stegemann, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11477467
    Abstract: Scalable video coding is rendered more efficient by deriving/selecting a subblock subdivision to be used for enhancement layer prediction, among a set of possible subblock subdivisions of an enhancement layer block by evaluating the spatial variation of the base layer coding parameters over the base layer signal. By this measure, less of the signalization overhead has to be spent on signaling this subblock subdivision within the enhancement layer data stream, if any. The subblock subdivision thus selected may be used in predictively coding/decoding the enhancement layer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias Hinz, Haricharan Lakshman, Jan Stegemann, Philipp Helle, Mischa Siekmann, Karsten Suehring, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Christian Bartnik, Ali Atef Ibrahim Khairat Abdelhamid, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11457230
    Abstract: A video decoder is configured to decode a plurality of video frames which are subdivided into a set of one or more slices. The decoder evaluates slice type information indicating whether a slice is encoded using an independent coding mode having no prediction of video content of a current frame on the basis of a video content of a previous frame, or using a single-predictive mode having a prediction of a block of pixels on the basis of one block of pixels of a previous frame, or using a bi-predictive mode having a prediction of a block of pixels on the basis of two or more blocks of pixels of one or more previous frames, to select a mode of operation for decoding a slice. The video decoder includes an arithmetic decoder for providing a decoded binary sequence on the basis of an encoded representation of the binary sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Jan Stegemann, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11431352
    Abstract: An arithmetic encoder for encoding a plurality of symbols having symbol values is configured to derive an interval size information for an arithmetic encoding of one or more symbol values to be encoded based on a plurality of state variable values representing statistics of a plurality of previously encoded symbol values with different adaptation time constants. The arithmetic encoder is configured to map a first state variable value, or a scaled and/or rounded version thereof, using a lookup-table and to map a second state variable value, or a scaled and/or rounded version thereof using the lookup-table, in order to obtain the interval size information describing an interval size for the arithmetic encoding of one or more symbols to be encoded. Further arithmetic encoders, arithmetic decoders, video encoders, video decoder, methods for encoding, methods for decoding and computer programs are also disclosed which are based on the same concept and on other concepts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Jan Stegemann, Detlev Marpe, Paul Haase, Stefan Matlage, Christian Bartnik, Heiko Schwarz, Thomas Wiegand
  • Publication number: 20220239924
    Abstract: Arithmetic encoder for encoding a plurality of symbols is configured to derive an interval size information for an arithmetic encoding of one or more symbol values to be encoded on the basis of one or more state variable value, in a first mode of operation, and to update the one or more state variable values and/or the interval size information for an encoding of one or more subsequent symbol values to be encoded in the first mode; in a second mode, the arithmetic encoder is configured to disable an update of the one or more state variable values and/or of the interval size information. Additionally, further embodiments of arithmetic encoders and decoders and video encoders and decoders are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Detlev MARPE, Benjamin BROSS, Phan Hoang Tung NGUYEN, Christian RUDAT, Heiko SCHWARZ, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Patent number: 11395013
    Abstract: Coding schemes for coding a spatially sampled information signal using sub-division and coding schemes for coding a sub-division or a multitree structure are described, wherein representative embodiments relate to picture and/or video coding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Martin Winken, Philipp Helle, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Thomas Wiegand
  • Publication number: 20220222541
    Abstract: Data stream having a representation of a neural network encoded thereinto, the data stream including serialization parameter indicating a coding order at which neural network parameters, which define neuron interconnections of the neural network, are encoded into the data stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan MATLAGE, Paul HAASE, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Karsten MUELLER, Wojciech SAMEK, Simon WIEDEMANN, Detlev MARPE, Thomas SCHIERL, Yago SÁNCHEZ DE LA FUENTE, Robert SKUPIN, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Publication number: 20220224904
    Abstract: A decoder for decoding a data stream into which media data is coded has a mode switch configured to activate a low-complexity mode or a high-efficiency mode depending on the data stream, an entropy decoding engine configured to retrieve each symbol of a sequence of symbols by entropy decoding using a selected one of a plurality of entropy decoding schemes, a desymbolizer configured to desymbolize the sequence of symbols to obtain a sequence of syntax elements, a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the media data based on the sequence of syntax elements, selection depending on the activated low-complexity mode or the high-efficiency mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Valeri GEORGE, Benjamin BROSS, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Detlev MARPE, Tung NGUYEN, Matthias PREISS, Mischa SIEKMANN, Jan STEGEMANN, Thomas WIEGAND, Christian BARTNIK
  • Patent number: 11363308
    Abstract: Coding schemes for coding a spatially sampled information signal using sub-division and coding schemes for coding a sub-division or a multitree structure are described, wherein representative embodiments relate to picture and/or video coding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Martin Winken, Philipp Helle, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11297336
    Abstract: A higher coding efficiency for coding a significance map indicating positions of significant transform coefficients within a transform coefficient block is achieved by the scan order by which the sequentially extracted syntax elements indicating, for associated positions within the transform coefficient block, as to whether at the respective position a significant or insignificant transform coefficient is situated, are sequentially associated to the positions of the transform coefficient block, among the positions of the transform coefficient block depends on the positions of the significant transform coefficients indicated by previously associated syntax elements. Alternatively, the first-type elements may be context-adaptively entropy decoded using contexts which are individually selected for each of the syntax elements dependent on a number of significant transform coefficients in a neighborhood of the respective syntax element, indicated as being significant by any of the preceding syntax elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Tung Nguyen, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11277614
    Abstract: A decoder for decoding a data stream into which media data is coded has a mode switch configured to activate a low-complexity mode or a high-efficiency mode depending on the data stream, an entropy decoding engine configured to retrieve each symbol of a sequence of symbols by entropy decoding using a selected one of a plurality of entropy decoding schemes, a desymbolizer configured to desymbolize the sequence of symbols to obtain a sequence of syntax elements, a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the media data based on the sequence of syntax elements, selection depending on the activated low-complexity mode or the high-efficiency mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Valeri George, Benjamin Bross, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Detlev Marpe, Tung Nguyen, Matthias Preiss, Mischa Siekmann, Jan Stegemann, Thomas Wiegand, Christian Bartnik
  • Patent number: 11265556
    Abstract: A higher coding efficiency for coding a significance map indicating positions of significant transform coefficients within a transform coefficient block is achieved by the scan order by which the sequentially extracted syntax elements indicating, for associated positions within the transform coefficient block, as to whether at the respective position a significant or insignificant transform coefficient is situated, are sequentially associated to the positions of the transform coefficient block, among the positions of the transform coefficient block depends on the positions of the significant transform coefficients indicated by previously associated syntax elements. Alternatively, the first-type elements may be context-adaptively entropy decoded using contexts which are individually selected for each of the syntax elements dependent on a number of significant transform coefficients in a neighborhood of the respective syntax element, indicated as being significant by any of the preceding syntax elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Tung Nguyen, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 11252419
    Abstract: A higher coding efficiency for coding a significance map indicating positions of significant transform coefficients within a transform coefficient block is achieved by the scan order by which the sequentially extracted syntax elements indicating, for associated positions within the transform coefficient block, as to whether at the respective position a significant or insignificant transform coefficient is situated, are sequentially associated to the positions of the transform coefficient block, among the positions of the transform coefficient block depends on the positions of the significant transform coefficients indicated by previously associated syntax elements. Alternatively, the first-type elements may be context-adaptively entropy decoded using contexts which are individually selected for each of the syntax elements dependent on a number of significant transform coefficients in a neighborhood of the respective syntax element, indicated as being significant by any of the preceding syntax elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Tung Nguyen, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand