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).

  • Publication number: 20210120271
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Tung NGUYEN, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Detlev MARPE
  • Patent number: 10924754
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Valeri George, Anastasia Henkel, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Schierl
  • Publication number: 20210044835
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas SCHIERL, Valeri GEORGE, Karsten GRUENEBERG, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Anastasia HENKEL, Detlev MARPE
  • Publication number: 20210029360
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Paul HAASE, Christian RUDAT, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Phan Hoang Tung NGUYEN, Mischa SIEKMANN, Heiko SCHWARZ, Detlev MARPE, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Publication number: 20210029365
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Martin WINKEN, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Heiko SCHWARZ, Detlev MARPE, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Publication number: 20210029359
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Paul HAASE, Christian RUDAT, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Phan Hoang Tung NGUYEN, Mischa SIEKMANN, Heiko SCHWARZ, Detlev MARPE, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Publication number: 20210014512
    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: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Jan STEGEMANN, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Detlev MARPE, Heiko SCHWARZ, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Patent number: 10893301
    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: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Martin Winken, Philipp Helle, Detlev Marpe, Heiko Schwarz, Thomas Wiegand
  • Publication number: 20210006804
    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: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Heiko SCHWARZ, Tung NGUYEN, Detlev MARPE, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Publication number: 20210006821
    Abstract: A coding efficiency increase is achieved by using a common signalization within the bitstream with regard to activation of merging and activation of the skip mode. One possible state of one or more syntax elements within the bitstream may signalize for a current sample set of a picture that the sample set is to be merged and has no prediction residual encoded and inserted into the bitstream. A common flag may signalize whether the coding parameters associated with a current sample set are to be set according to a merge candidate or to be retrieved from the bitstream, and whether the current sample set of the picture is to be reconstructed based on a prediction signal depending on the coding parameters associated with the current sample set, without any residual data, or to be reconstructed by refining the prediction signal depending on the coding parameters associated with the current sample set by means of residual data within the bitstream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Heiko SCHWARZ, Heiner KIRCHHOFFER, Philipp HELLE, Simon OUDIN, Jan STEGEMANN, Benjamin BROSS, Detlev MARPE, Thomas WIEGAND
  • Patent number: 10887625
    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 with a 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 to be able to, in parallel, serve a multi-threaded decoder with the corresponding substreams or tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Schierl, Valeri George, Karsten Grueneberg, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Anastasia Henkel, Detlev Marpe
  • Patent number: 10880579
    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 with a 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 to be able to, in parallel, serve a multi-threaded decoder with the corresponding substreams or tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Schierl, Valeri George, Karsten Grueneberg, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Anastasia Henkel, Detlev Marpe
  • Patent number: 10880577
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Schierl, Valeri George, Karsten Grueneberg, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Anastasia Henkel, Detlev Marpe
  • Patent number: 10880578
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Schierl, Valeri George, Karsten Grueneberg, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Anastasia Henkel, Detlev Marpe
  • Publication number: 20200404266
    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: May 11, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    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: 10873766
    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 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 with a 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 to be able to, in parallel, serve a multi-threaded decoder with the corresponding substreams or tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Schierl, Valeri George, Karsten Grueneberg, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Anastasia Henkel, Detlev Marpe
  • Patent number: 10873749
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: GE Video Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Winken, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 10855999
    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 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Tung Nguyen, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 10855990
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Winken, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand
  • Patent number: 10855995
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: GE VIDEO COMPRESSION, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Winken, Heiner Kirchhoffer, Heiko Schwarz, Detlev Marpe, Thomas Wiegand