Abstract: Multi-view video encoding using early Merge mode decision and/or early CU split termination is disclosed. The present invention encodes a current coding block using the Merge/Skip mode without evaluating coding performance for at least one of Inter modes and Intra modes if the coding conditions associated with the current coding block and a neighboring block set of the current coding block are asserted. The coding conditions may correspond to whether the coding performance of the Skip mode is better than the coding performance of 2N×2N Merge mode for the current coding block and whether all blocks in the neighboring block set select the Merge mode or the Skip mode. Similarly, the process of splitting the current coding block into smaller coding blocks can be terminated without evaluating coding performance associated with the smaller coding blocks from splitting the current coding block if some coding conditions are asserted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for three-dimensional video coding and multi-view video coding are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention derive a unified disparity vector (DV) based on neighboring blocks of the current block or depth information associated with the current block and locate a single corresponding block in a reference view according to the unified DV. An inter-view motion vector prediction (MVP) candidate is then derived for both list0 and list1 from the single corresponding block. List0 and list1 MVs of the inter-view MVP candidate are derived from the single corresponding block located according to the unified DV.

Abstract: The invention provides a motion prediction method. First, a plurality of candidate units corresponding to a current unit of a current frame is determined. A plurality of motion vectors of the candidate units is then obtained. A plurality of scaling factors of the candidate units is then calculated according to a plurality of respective temporal distances depending on a plurality of reference frames of the motion vectors. The motion vectors of the candidate units are then scaled according to the scaling factors to obtain a plurality of scaled motion vectors. The scaled motion vectors are ranked, and a subset of highest ranking motion vectors are identified to be included in a candidate set. Finally, a motion vector predictor for motion prediction of the current unit is then selected from the candidate units.

Abstract: A method for three-dimensional or multi-view video coding receives input data associated with a current block of a current picture in a current dependent view, wherein the current block is inter-time coded based on an inter-time reference block located by a motion vector (MV), determines estimated DV (disparity vector) candidates from neighboring DVs, applies an evaluation function to the estimated DV candidates to obtain evaluation results for the estimated DV candidates, and selects a final estimated DV. The method then determines an inter-view reference region in an inter-view reference picture, determines first pseudo residues, wherein the first pseudo residues correspond to first differences between the inter-view reference region and a pseudo reference region in a pseudo reference picture located by the MV, and applies encoding or decoding to the input data associated with residues of the current block utilizing the first pseudo residues.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for signaling one or more coding modes selected from a mode group for multi-view or three-dimensional (3D) video coding are disclosed. The mode group comprises a pulse code modulation (PCM) mode, a segment-wise depth coding (SDC) mode and a depth-based block partitioning (DBBP) mode. According to the present invention, a first mode is determined regarding whether it is enabled, where the first mode corresponds to one of at least two mode members selected from the PCM mode, the SDC mode and the DBBP mode. If the first mode is enabled, a first mode flag corresponding to the first mode is signaled to indicate whether the first mode is asserted. If the first mode is asserted, the current depth or texture block is coded using the first mode and signaling any remaining mode member of at least two mode members is skipped.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a scaled motion vector (MV) for a current block based on a candidate MV associated with a candidate block determines a first picture distance between a current picture corresponding to the current block and a target reference picture pointed to by a current motion vector of the current block, and then determines a second picture distance between a candidate picture corresponding to the candidate block and a candidate reference picture pointed to by the candidate MV of the candidate block. The method further determines a pre-scaled distance division having a first value related to dividing a pre-scaling factor by the second picture distance, and determines an intermediate scaling factor by right-shifting a multiplication result associated with the first picture distance and the pre-scaled distance division by q bits, wherein q is a positive integer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) for a motion vector (MV) of a current block of a current picture in Inter, or Merge, or Skip mode. The method selects a co-located block corresponding to a co-located picture, receives one or more reference motion vectors (MVs) of one or more co-located reference blocks associated with the co-located block, and determines a search set that includes one or more search MVs associated with said one or more co-located reference blocks. The method further determines a search order for the search set having an order associated with a reference list attribute for a first search MV and a second search MV associated with an identical co-located reference block. Finally, the method determines the MVP for the current block based on the search set and the search order, and provides the MVP for the current block.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include a method for video coding. The method includes receiving input data associated with a current block in a current image frame of video data, where the current block is coded by intra-prediction or to be coded by intra-prediction. The method also includes determining an intra-prediction mode of the current block, selecting one of a plurality of filters including at least a default filter and an N-tap filter, and generating filtered neighboring samples by filtering neighboring samples adjacent to the current block using the selected filter, where N is a positive integer different from 3. Moreover, the method includes encoding or decoding the current block by predicting the current block based on the filtered neighboring samples and the intra-prediction mode.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for video coding. The method includes receiving input data associated with a processing block in a current picture, selecting, from a set of neighboring reconstructed samples for intra-coding pixels in the processing block, a plurality of reference samples for a pixel in the processing block based on a position of the pixel and an intra prediction mode of the processing block, determining a projection phase for the pixel based on the position of the pixel and the intra prediction mode of the processing block, determining coefficients of an interpolation filter based on the projection phase for the pixel, applying the interpolation filter with the determined coefficients on the reference samples to generate a prediction of the pixel, and encoding or decoding the pixel in the processing block using the prediction of the pixel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus using pseudo residues to predict current residues for three-dimensional or multi-view video coding are disclosed. The method first receives input data associated with a current block of a current picture in a current dependent view and determines an inter-view reference block in a first inter-view reference picture in a reference view according to a DV (disparity vector), where the current picture and the first inter-view reference picture correspond to same time instance. Pseudo residues are then determined and used for encoding or decoding of the current block, where the pseudo residues correspond to differences between a corresponding region in an inter-time reference picture in the current dependent view and a pseudo reference region in a pseudo reference picture in the reference view, and where the inter-time reference picture and the pseudo reference picture correspond to same time instance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a scaled MV (motion vector) for a current block based on a candidate MV associated with a candidate block are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention increase effective scaling factor of motion vector scaling. In one embodiment, a distance ratio of a first picture distance between a current picture and a target reference picture pointed to by a current motion vector of the current block to a second picture distance between a candidate picture corresponding to the candidate block and a candidate reference picture pointed to by the candidate MV is computed. The scaled MV is then generated based on the candidate MV according to the distance ratio, where the scaled MV has an effective scaling ratio between ?m and n, and wherein m and n are positive integers greater than 4. The values of m and n can be 8, 16 or 32.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a three-dimensional or multi-view video encoding or decoding system are disclosed, where a three-dimensional coding tool relying on a disparity vector are adaptively applied depending on whether the inter-view reference picture pointed by the disparity vector is in the reference list associated with the current slice. The three-dimensional coding tool may correspond to the Inter-View Motion Prediction (IVMP) or View Synthesis Prediction (VSP). If the inter-view reference picture pointed by the DV is not in the current reference list associated with the current slice, the selected three-dimensional coding tool is disabled for the current block. If the inter-view reference picture pointed by the DV is in the current reference list associated with the current slice, the selected three-dimensional coding tool can be applied to the current block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a temporal motion vector predictor (MVP) are disclosed. The MVP is derived for a current block of a current picture in Inter, or Merge, or Skip mode based on co-located reference blocks of a co-located block and a flag is used to indicate the co-located picture. More than one co-located reference blocks can be used to derive the temporal MVP and the co-located reference blocks can be selected from the co-located block as well as neighboring blocks of the co-located block. A search set comprises search motion vectors associated with the co-located reference block(s) is formed. The search motion vector (MV) corresponding to the co-located reference block in the same reference list is searched before the search MV in a different reference list. Various schemes to accommodate implicit method of deriving co-located picture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) for a motion vector (MV) of a current block of a current picture in Inter, or Merge, or Skip mode. The method selects a co-located block corresponding to a co-located picture and receives one or more reference motion vectors (MVs) of one or more co-located reference blocks associated with the co-located block. The method also determines a search set and determines a search order for the search set, if the search MV corresponding to the given reference list is not available, the search order then searches the search MV corresponding to a reference list different from the given reference list. Finally, the method determines the MVP for the current block based on the search set and the search order and provides the MVP for the current block.

Abstract: A method of depth map coding for a three-dimensional video coding system incorporating extended reconstructed neighboring depth samples is disclosed. The depth block is partitioned into one or more segments. A prediction value for each segment is derived based on reconstructed neighboring depth samples. The reconstructed neighboring depth samples for at least one segment include at least one reconstructed sample from an extended top neighboring row or an extended left neighboring column. The extended top neighboring row includes at least one extended top-row reconstructed depth sample located adjacent to top side of a second depth block adjacent to right side of the current depth block. The extended left neighboring column includes at least one extended left-column reconstructed depth sample located adjacent to left side of a third depth block adjacent to bottom side of the current depth block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of Intra coding for a block in a coding system. The method includes receiving input data associated with a current block; determining a current Intra prediction mode for the current block; deriving prediction samples for the current block based on reconstructed neighboring samples according to the current Intra prediction mode, wherein a predicting value representing a single prediction value for the current block is determined based on at least two corner samples corresponding to the current block according to the current Intra prediction mode; and applying encoding or decoding to the input data associated with the current block using the prediction samples derived for the current block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for 3D (three-dimensional) and multi-view video encoding or decoding of dependent-view texture or depth data using Merge mode with modified list size according to one or more 3D enabling flags are disclosed. An extra-candidate-number indicating one or more extra Merge candidates for the current block is determined according to one or more 3D enabling flags comprising a VSP (view synthesis prediction) flag. A modified list size for a 3D Merge list corresponding to a sum of the extra-candidate-number and an original list size is determined. The 3D Merge list with the modified list size is then determined based on original Merge candidates used to derive the base-view Merge list for video data in a base view and one or more 3D Merge candidates as enabled by the 3D enabling flags according to a priority order.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of video coding including a Single Sample Mode are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention construct a sample candidate list comprising one or more sample candidates from previously reconstructed neighboring samples of the current depth block or the current texture block. A sample candidate is selected from the sample candidate list and the selected sample candidate is used as reconstructed samples for the current depth block or the current texture block. A sample candidate index indicating the selected sample candidate can be signaled at the encoder side or parsed at the decoder side. Alternatively, the sample candidate index can be derived implicitly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for low-latency illumination compensation in a three-dimensional (3D) and multi-view coding system are disclosed. According to the present invention, the encoder determines whether to enable or disable the illumination compensation for the current picture or slice based on a condition related to statistic associated with a selected reference picture or slice respectively, or related to high-level coding information associated with the current picture or slice respectively. The high-level coding information associated with the current picture or slice excludes any information related to pixel values of the current picture or slice respectively. The illumination compensation is them applied according to the decision made by the encoder. A similar low-latency method is also applied for depth lookup table (DLT) based coding.

Abstract: An apparatus for dynamically adjusting video decoding complexity includes a decoding resolution control circuit and an adaptive spatial resolution decoder. The decoding resolution control circuit is arranged to dynamically determine whether at least one portion of multiple frames should be decoded in accordance with a specific resolution differing from an original resolution of the frames. In addition, the adaptive spatial resolution decoder is arranged to decode the frames according to whether the at least one portion of the frames should be decoded in accordance with the specific resolution. In particular, the apparatus further includes a system capability analyzing circuit arranged to analyze system capability of at least a portion of the apparatus, in order to generate analyzing results for being sent to the decoding resolution control circuit. An associated method is also provided.