Abstract: A method for encoding a sequence of images by an encoding device. The method includes, for at least one current image of the sequence: building an epitome representative of the current image from the sequence, the current image and the images of the sequence belonging to a same shot; generating a signal including the built epitome; and generating information associated with the built epitome, the information being added to the generated signal or to another signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a sequence of images by predicting at least one current image by forward motion compensation from at least one reference image. Prediction implements, for at least one current block of the current image: forward projection of a block of the reference image on the current image, delivering a projected block at least partially overlapping the current block; partitioning the current block delivering a sub-block at least partially overlapped by at least one projected block; and at least one iteration of the following steps for at least one overlapped sub-block: checking that the overlapped sub-block complies with a predetermined allotting criterion; with a positive check, allotting, to the overlapped sub-block, one of the projected motion vectors; and with a negative check, and so long as a predetermined minimum size is not reached for the overlapped sub-block: partitioning of the overlapped sub-block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for encoding an image sequence and outputting a signal having a layered organization with at least a base layer and an enhancement layer. For at least one current image of the sequence, the method includes constructing a hierarchical epitome associated with the enhancement layer corresponding to a maximum resolution level of the current image, using: an epitome associated with the enhancement layer corresponding to the maximum resolution level of the current image; and at least one epitome associated with a preceding layer corresponding to a resolution level lower than the maximum resolution level of the current image.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for encoding at least one image broken up into blocks. The method includes, for at least one current block, transforming the current block from the spatial domain into a transformed domain, outputting a transformed block including of a set of coefficients representative of the current block, referred to as original coefficients. The method further includes selecting a subset of original coefficients from the set and, for at least one original coefficient of the subset, the following steps: estimating the original coefficient, outputting an estimated coefficient in the transformed domain; determining a residual of a coefficient by comparing the original coefficient and the estimated coefficient; and encoding the residual of a coefficient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for encapsulating a plurality of data substreams encoded in a bit stream, wherein the encoded data substream is obtained by entropy encoding of a symbol subsequence representing an image or a series of images. The method includes grouping data substreams into substream pairs according to an iterative traversal order predetermined from the plurality of substreams, and on the basis of a pair of the substreams, obtaining a symmetrical pair by reversing a data order making up the second substream of the pair. The obtained pairs are then concatenated within a sequence. The binary stream is created by encapsulating the sequence and information related to a number of substreams and related to the sizes of pairs of symmetrical substreams.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for encoding an image sequence. The method includes the following steps, for at least one group of blocks of an image: determining, for each block, at least one parameter characteristic of said block; forming at least one cluster including the blocks having at least one similar characteristic parameter; encoding the blocks of said cluster, the similar characteristic parameter(s) associated with said cluster being encoded only once; encoding the blocks that do not belong to any cluster, the characteristic parameter(s) associated with each of said blocks not being encoded; generating a data stream; and inserting into said stream, at least one piece of information on the partitioning of the group(s), in order to identify the outer block(s) within a group.

Abstract: A method is provided for coding an image sequence, including splitting a current image into blocks of standard size, termed macroblocks. For at least one current macroblock of the current image, the method further includes: constructing at least one block of greater size than the current macroblock, termed a large block, which includes the current macroblock and at least one neighbor macroblock in the current image, taking account of characteristics of the current image; coding the large block, delivering base coding information, making it possible to reconstruct a base layer of said current image, and for at least one large block, determining enhancement information associated with at least one macroblock present in the large block.

Abstract: A method is provided for encoding an image represented by a sequence of symbols. The method includes the following steps: defining subsequences within the sequence; and going through the subsequences applying the following sub-steps for a routine subsequence: determining an adjacent routine encoded group including two previously encoded subsequences, one of which belongs to an adjacent encoded group associated with a subsequence that is separate from the routine subsequence; initializing a routine probability of occurrence of a symbol, taking into account two known probabilities of occurrence of the symbol, relating to two previously encoded subsequences of the adjacent routine encoded group; the consecutive entropic encoding of the symbols, and updating the routine probability of occurrence; and storing the routine probability of occurrence after encoding the last symbol.

Abstract: A method for coding a sequence of video images comprising a cutting into zones of at least one current image of the sequence, characterized in that, for the coding of at least one target zone of said at least one current image, it comprises the steps of: determination (E2) of a set of candidate zones in previously coded and then decoded parts of images of the sequence, minimizing a prediction error calculated over the neighborhood of the target zone, formation (E3) of a set of groups of candidate zones in said set of candidate zones, as a function of a criterion of similarity between the candidate zones, identification (E6) of a best group in said set of groups, minimizing a reconstruction error with respect to the target zone, determination (E6) of an indication (n) representative of said identified best group; and coding (E7) of said indication (n).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding a signal from images, the images being split into sub-blocks of pixels. The method includes grouping at least two sub-blocks into at least one block of larger size, when the sub-blocks comply with at least one predetermined grouping criterion. A prediction is performed by applying at least one mode of motion prediction using at least two distinct motion prediction vectors, for at least one block of larger size, the motion prediction vectors being associated respectively with sub-sets of the block of larger size, comprising at least one of the sub-blocks of the block of larger size. The sub-sets are predefined and distinct.

Abstract: A method is provided for encoding at least one image, divided into macroblocks, one macroblock including a set of blocks de pixels. The method includes, for at least one current macroblock of a current image, at least two iterations of the following steps: allocation of a priority level for encoding to at least one pixel of the current macroblock, selection of a pixel with the highest priority level called the priority pixel, prediction of a set of pixels including the priority pixel and a step of encoding a remainder from prediction for a region made up of predicted pixels of the macroblock, called the predicted region, the encoding step being used as and when the predicted region meets a predetermined encoding criterion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding a sequence of images. The method includes a step of coding at least one block of a current image of the sequence, implementing a prediction associating the block with at least one corresponding block in a reference image. The prediction includes the following steps, for at least one given block of the current image or of the reference image: determination of a plurality of control vectors for the block; at least one splitting of the block into sub-blocks; determination of a plurality of control vectors for the sub-blocks; and determination of a prediction value for at least one point of the current image. Moreover, the method includes a step of inserting, into a signal representative of the sequence, information regarding reconstruction of the control vectors for the given block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method is provided for filtering a scalable video stream, organized in the form of data unit blocks, each of which comprises a base data unit and a set of data units distributed according to two types of enhancement data, corresponding respectively to time and/or space and/or quality characteristics and making it possible to define several quality levels. The method defines at least two distinct filtering profiles, or paths of each block data units, wherein each path defines a row of successive foldover positions and each foldover position uses at least by one less data units than a previous position, and selects one of the paths according to a predetermined criterion, taking into account the type of content of the stream and/or at least one information item representing the capacities of a terminal receiving the stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for decoding a signal representative of an image sequence. The method includes extracting motion tubes from the signal, each of the tubes being defined by at least the following information cues: a block of reference pixels comprising reference texture information cues; start-of-tube and end-of-tube instants; and transition information cues. The method further includes processing the transition information cues and combining the information cues associated with the current blocks of at least two of the tubes overlapping in an overlap zone of the current image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for encoding an image sequence and outputting a signal having a layered organization with at least a base layer and an enhancement layer. For at least one current image of the sequence, the method includes constructing a hierarchical epitome associated with the enhancement layer corresponding to a maximum resolution level of the current image, using: an epitome associated with the enhancement layer corresponding to the maximum resolution level of the current image; and at least one epitome associated with a preceding layer corresponding to a resolution level lower than the maximum resolution level of the current image.