Abstract: A method for sequentially decoding, from a data stream, a sequence of samples corresponding to a picture, including entropy decoding a quantization index corresponding to a sample, indicating, based on the quantization index, a reconstruction level set of two reconstruction levels sets, the two reconstruction level sets including: a first reconstruction level set that includes reconstruction levels that are even multiples of a quantization step size, wherein the first reconstruction level set excludes reconstruction levels that are odd multiples of the quantization set size; a second reconstruction level set that includes reconstruction levels that are odd multiples of the quantization step size, and dequantizing the sample using the indicated reconstruction level set. The second reconstruction level set excludes reconstruction levels that are even multiples of the quantization step size.

Abstract: A video encoder is configured to entropy encode an absolute value of a quantization level of a current transform coefficient at position (xC, yC), wherein the absolute value is encoded using context adaptive binary arithmetic encoding of bins of a first binarization. The video coder is further configured, for the current transform coefficient, to encode a bin of the first binarization by using a context which is determined based on a sum of minimum absolute values of transform coefficient quantization levels, based on encoded bins of the first binarization, at one or more transform coefficient positions among (xC+1, yC), (xC+2, yC), (xC+1, yC+1), (xC, yC+1), and (xC, yC+2).

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: A video encoder is configured to entropy encode an absolute value of a quantization level of a current transform coefficient at position (xC, yC), wherein the absolute value is encoded using context adaptive binary arithmetic encoding of bins of a first binarization. The video coder is further configured, for the current transform coefficient, to encode a bin of the first binarization by using a context which is determined based on a sum of minimum absolute values of transform coefficient quantization levels, based on encoded bins of the first binarization, at one or more transform coefficient positions among (xC+1, yC), (xC+2, yC), (xC+1, yC+1), (xC, yC+1), and (xC, yC+2).

Abstract: An apparatus for block-based predictive decoding of a picture comprises 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: Decoder for decoding a residual signal from a data stream, configured to decode, from the data stream, a quantized prediction residual and at least one quantization error compensation signal; scale the quantized prediction residual to determine a scaled prediction residual; determine a reconstructed prediction residual based on the scaled prediction residual and the at least one quantization error compensation signal.

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: A decoder configured to decode residual levels, and sequentially dequantize the residual levels by selecting a quantizer out of a set of default quantizers depending on a current transition state, and updating the current transition state depending on a current residual level's characteristic obtained by an application of a binary function onto the current residual level, and depending on a quantization mode information contained in the data stream. The current transition state transitions, according to a surjective mapping which depends on the quantization mode information, from a domain of combinations of a set of one or more transition states with the current residual level's characteristic onto the set of one or more transition states, wherein a cardinality of the set of one or more transition states differs depending on the quantization mode information.

Abstract: A picture in a data stream is subdivided into different size transform bocks. For a transform block, a transformation is selected by checking whether the block's size exceeds a threshold. If it does, a default technique is used to select the transformation. If it does not, a transformation is used from a list of transformations as identified by an index, the list including an identity transformation and non-identity transformations. A coefficients block in the data stream is decoded, and if the selected transformation is the identity transformation, then the coefficients block is used as a residual sample array, and if the selected transformation is not the identity transformation, the coefficients block is subjected to an inverse transformation corresponding to the selected transformation to obtain a residual sample array used to correct a prediction for the transform block.

Abstract: A method for decoding a block of a picture includes decoding, from a data stream, an intra-coding mode for the block, deriving a predictor for a prediction partition of the block using at least one already reconstructed samples neighboring the prediction partition and the intra-coding mode, deriving a prediction residual for each of the at least two transform partitions included in the prediction partition, and combining the predictor of the prediction partition and the prediction residual for each of the at least two transform partitions included in the prediction partition to reconstruct the prediction partition. The block is partitioned into multiple transform partitions based on a partition dimension flag, and the prediction partition includes at least two transform partitions of the multiple transform partitions.

Abstract: A picture in a data stream is subdivided into different size transform bocks. For a transform block, a transformation is selected by checking whether the block's size exceeds a threshold. If it does, a default technique is used to select the transformation. If it does not, a transformation is used from a list of transformations as identified by an index, the list including an identity transformation and non-identity transformations. A coefficients block in the data stream is decoded, and if the selected transformation is the identity transformation, then the coefficients block is used as a residual sample array, and if the selected transformation is not the identity transformation, the coefficients block is subjected to an inverse transformation corresponding to the selected transformation to obtain a residual sample array used to correct a prediction for the transform block.

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.

Abstract: Decoder for block-based decoding of a picture from a data stream, configured to decode an intra-coding mode for a predetermined block of the picture from the data stream, configured to decode a partition dimension flag for the predetermined block of the picture from the data stream and set a partition dimension depending on the partition dimension flag to be horizontal or vertical and the decoder is configured to partition, along the predetermined dimension, the predetermined block into transform partitions which are as wide as the predetermined block perpendicular to predetermined dimension, furthermore configured to decode, for each transform partition, a transform of a prediction residual from the data stream; intra-predicting the predetermined block depending on one or more already reconstructed samples neighboring the predetermined block in a manner depending on the intra-coding mode to obtain a predictor for the predetermined block; and reconstructing the predetermined block by correcting the predictor

Abstract: A video encoder is configured to entropy encode an absolute value of a quantization level of a current transform coefficient at position (xC, yC), wherein the absolute value is encoded using context adaptive binary arithmetic encoding of bins of a first binarization. The video coder is further configured, for the current transform coefficient, to encode a bin of the first binarization by using a context which is determined based on a sum of minimum absolute values of transform coefficient quantization levels, based on encoded bins of the first binarization, at one or more transform coefficient positions among (xC+1, yC), (xC+2, yC), (xC+1, yC+1), (xC, yC+1), and (xC, yC+2).

Abstract: An apparatus for decoding a picture is configured to partition the picture into coding blocks, using recursive multi-tree splitting. Splitting schemes for the multi-tree splitting are described. According to an embodiment, the decoder decodes a split direction flag from a data stream by context adaptive entropy decoding using a context which depends on whether, and discriminates between, a first number of criteria which would be fulfilled in case of a split direction indicated by the split direction flag being horizontal equals a second number of criteria which would be fulfilled in case of the split direction indicated by the split direction flag being vertical, the first number being greater than the second number, and the first number being smaller than the second number.

Abstract: Concepts are presented which achieve a more efficient coding of coefficients of a transform block by use of dependent quantization and context adaptive entropy coding or achieve a coding of coefficients of a transform block in a manner which allows a more efficient coding even if a usage of dependent quantization is combined with the usage of context adaptive entropy coding.

Abstract: A video encoder is configured to entropy encode an absolute value of a quantization level of a current transform coefficient at position (xC, yC), wherein the absolute value is encoded using context adaptive binary arithmetic encoding of bins of a first binarization. The video coder is further configured, for the current transform coefficient, to encode a bin of the first binarization by using a context which is determined based on a sum of minimum absolute values of transform coefficient quantization levels, based on encoded bins of the first binarization, at one or more transform coefficient positions among (xC+1, yC), (xC+2, yC), (xC+1, yC+1), (xC, yC+1), and (xC, yC+2).

Abstract: A picture in a data stream is subdivided into different size transform bocks. For a transform block, a transformation is selected by checking whether the block's size exceeds a threshold. If it does, a default technique is used to select the transformation. If it does not, a transformation is used from a list of transformations as identified by an index, the list including an identity transformation and non-identity transformations. A coefficients block in the data stream is decoded, and if the selected transformation is the identity transformation, then the coefficients block is used as a residual sample array, and if the selected transformation is not the identity transformation, the coefficients block is subjected to an inverse transformation corresponding to the selected transformation to obtain a residual sample array used to correct a prediction for the transform block.

Abstract: An apparatus for decoding a picture is configured to partition the picture into coding blocks, using recursive multi-tree splitting. Splitting schemes for the multi-tree splitting are described. According to an embodiment, the decoder decodes a split direction flag from a data stream by context adaptive entropy decoding using a context which depends on whether, and discriminates be-tween, a first number of criteria which would be fulfilled in case of a split direction indicated by the split direction flag being horizontal equals a second number of criteria which would be fulfilled in case of the split direction indicated by the split direction flag being vertical, the first number being greater than the second number, and the first number being smaller than the second number.

Abstract: A picture in a data stream is subdivided into different size transform blocks. For a transform block, a transformation is selected by checking whether the block's size exceeds a threshold. If it does, a default technique is used to select the transformation. If it does not, a transformation is used from a list of transformations as identified by an index, the list including an identity transformation and non-identity transformations. A coefficients block in the data stream is decoded, and if the selected transformation is the identity transformation, then the coefficients block is used as a residual sample array, and if the selected transformation is not the identity transformation, the coefficients block is subjected to an inverse transformation corresponding to the selected transformation to obtain a residual sample array used to correct a prediction for the transform block.