Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for coding pixel blocks of an input frame in which coding costs of a plurality of candidate coding modes are estimated, in which estimates of distortion include an estimate of noise of each respective candidate coding mode. Thus, evaluation of each coding mode may involve searching for a prediction reference for a pixel block according to the mode, and estimating coding cost of the respective candidate coding mode based at least in part on an estimate of noise associated with the respective coding mode. A coding mode for the input pixel block may be selected based on a comparison of the coding costs of the candidate coding modes, and the input pixel block may be coded according to the selected coding mode. By estimating noise associated with the candidate coding modes and, in particular, employing techniques to maintain consistent levels of noise across different frames of a coded video sequence, it is expected that perceived quality of coding will be improved.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for coding video data in a manner that provides consistency to portions of the video that have similar content. According to such techniques, a video sequence may be parsed into partitions and content of the partitions may be analyzed. Partitions may be grouped together based on detected similarities in content. Coding parameters may be selected for each partition based on the partition's membership in the groups. Thus, when the video sequence is coded, coding parameters for frames of two commonly-grouped partitions may be similar, which causes coded video data to have similar presentation.

Abstract: According to at least one aspect, a method for predictive Intra coding is provided. The method comprises: determining a set of Intra prediction modes used for prediction unit (PU) blocks with a plurality of different block sizes comprising a 4×4 block size and at least two other block sizes; applying predictive Intra coding to a first PU block having a first block size that matches a block size in the plurality of different block sizes based on one or more neighboring PU blocks according to a first Intra prediction mode selected from the set of Intra prediction modes; and applying predictive Intra coding to a second PU block having a second block size that is different from the first block size and matches a block size in the plurality of different block sizes according to a second Intra prediction mode selected from the set of Intra prediction modes.

Abstract: Methods of in-loop deblocking filter for high dynamic range (HDR) video compression are disclosed. HDR processing and standard dynamic range (SDR) processing adopt different electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) to convert digital code words to linear luminance. For compressing HDR video, EOTF is proposed to be involved in the selection of two deblocking parameters, ? and tC, which control the strength of deblocking filter. In local activity checking for filter decisions, the calculated local signal characteristics and the thresholds are adjusted according to EOTF. After deblocking filter, the clipping range is modified based on EOTF. The chroma deblocking filter is also extended to inter-inter block boundary.

Abstract: Methods of sample adaptive offset (SAO) for high dynamic range (HDR) video compression are disclosed. For band offset (BO), the sample range of each component is unequally divided into a number of bands based on the distribution of samples, the electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) of HDR source and one perceptually uniform EOTF. Each component may have a different number of bands, different number of signaled bands, and different range value for signaled offsets in BO mode. For edge offset (EO), Cb and Cr may use separate syntax elements. In the sample classification for EO, the difference between the current sample and its neighbor is compared with a threshold to determine whether it is a local valley, a local peak, or corners. A distortion measure for HDR source images are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) of a syntax element, the bin string corresponding to the syntax element is processed by context-adaptive arithmetic coding with a reduced number of contexts using the bin-level bypass mode, bin-level context sharing, or both. The syntax element belongs to a group comprising merge_idx, ref_idx_1c/ref_idx_10/ref_idx_11, pred_type, and cu_qp_delta. In one embodiment, the syntax element corresponds to merge_idx and three bins of the bin string with bin indices corresponding to 1, 2 and 3 are coded in the bin by-pass mode. In another embodiment, the syntax element corresponds to ref_idx_1c/ref_idx_10/ref_idx_11 and one or more bins of the bin string with bin indices larger than 1 for larger than 2 are coded in the bin bypass mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of predictive Intra coding of a block are disclosed. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a set of Intra prediction modes is determined, and predictive Intra coding is applied to a prediction unit (PU) of an image based on one or more neighboring PUs according to a current Intra prediction mode. The current Intra prediction mode is selected from the set of Intra prediction modes and the current Intra prediction mode is predicted using most probable modes (MPMs) and remaining modes. A number of the remaining modes is kept as a power of 2. For example, the 32 remaining modes can be represented using 5-bit fixed length codes.

Abstract: Methods of sample adaptive offset (SAO) for high dynamic range (HDR) video compression are disclosed. For band offset (BO), the sample range of each component is unequally divided into a number of bands based on the distribution of samples, the electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) of HDR source and one perceptually uniform EOTF. Each component may have a different number of bands, different number of signaled bands, and different range value for signaled offsets in BO mode. For edge offset (EO), Cb and Cr may use separate syntax elements. In the sample classification for EO, the difference between the current sample and its neighbor is compared with a threshold to determine whether it is a local valley, a local peak, or corners. A distortion measure for HDR source images are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for coding high dynamic range (HDR) data. According to such techniques, HDR data may be converted to a domain of uniform luminance data. The uniform domain data may be coded by motion compensated predictive coding. The HDR data also may be coded by motion compensated predictive coding, using a coding parameter that is derived from a counterpart coding parameter of the coding of the uniform domain data. In another technique, HDR data may be coded using coding parameters that are derived from HDR domain processing but distortion measurements may be performed in a uniform domain.

Abstract: Methods of in-loop deblocking filter for high dynamic range (HDR) video compression are disclosed. HDR processing and standard dynamic range (SDR) processing adopt different electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) to convert digital code words to linear luminance. For compressing HDR video, EOTF is proposed to be involved in the selection of two deblocking parameters, ? and tC, which control the strength of deblocking filter. In local activity checking for filter decisions, the calculated local signal characteristics and the thresholds are adjusted according to EOTF. After deblocking filter, the clipping range is modified based on EOTF. The chroma deblocking filter is also extended to inter-inter block boundary.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for intra prediction mode coding and decoding are disclosed. In one embodiment, the encoding and decoding process assigns individual indices and codewords to DC mode and Planar mode respectively. The flag is set if the current intra prediction mode is equal to any of one or more neighboring intra prediction modes. Variable length codes are designed for a remaining mode set. If the flag is not set, the currently intra prediction mode is encoded using the variable length codes. In another embodiment, multiple most probable modes are used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inter-layer prediction for scalable video coding are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention apply inter-layer adaptive filtering to the video data derived from the reconstructed BL video data to generate inter-layer adaptive filtered data. The inter-layer adaptive filtered data is then included as prediction data to encode or decode the EL video data. The video data derived from the reconstructed BL video data is up-sampled before applying inter-layer adaptive filtering. The up-sampling may also be included in the inter-layer adaptive filtering. In another embodiment, the inter-layer adaptive filtering comprises adaptive up-sampling. For up-sampled BL video data at locations not collocated with the EL video data, the up-sampled BL video data is divided into location types according to locations of the up-sampled BL video data. Each location type may have an individual filter for up-sampling video data in the group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of Intra mode coding for a scalable video coding system are disclosed. For a current Intra-coded block in the enhancement layer (EL), predictive coding is applied to the current Intra mode based on the base layer (BL) coding mode associated with the co-located block in the BL and neighboring coding modes associated with neighboring blocks of the current block in the EL. The neighboring blocks of the current block in the EL comprise a left block adjacent to a left side of the current block and a top block adjacent to a top side of the current block. One or more most probable modes (MPMs) can be derived from the neighboring coding modes and the BL coding mode, and the MPMs is then used for predictive coding of the current Intra mode.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for intra prediction mode coding and decoding are disclosed. In one embodiment, the encoding and decoding process assigns individual indices and codewords to DC mode and Planar mode respectively. The flag is set if the current intra prediction mode is equal to any of one or more neighboring intra prediction modes. Variable length codes are designed for a remaining mode set. If the flag is not set, the currently intra prediction mode is encoded using the variable length codes. In another embodiment, multiple most probable modes are used. If the current intra prediction mode is not equal to any of the multiple most probable modes, the current intra prediction mode is encoded using variable length codes designed for the corresponding remaining modes according the ranking order of the remaining modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of predictive Intra coding of a block are disclosed. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a set of Intra prediction modes is determined, and predictive Intra coding is applied to a prediction unit (PU) of an image based on one or more neighboring PUs according to a current Intra prediction mode. The current Intra prediction mode is selected from the set of Intra prediction modes and the current Intra prediction mode is predicted using most probable modes (MPMs) and remaining modes. A number of the remaining modes is kept as a power of 2. For example, the 32 remaining modes can be represented using 5-bit fixed length codes.

Abstract: According to at least one aspect, a method for predictive Intra coding is provided. The method comprises: determining a set of Intra prediction modes used for prediction unit (PU) blocks with a plurality of different block sizes comprising a 4×4 block size and at least two other block sizes; applying predictive Intra coding to a first PU block having a first block size that matches a block size in the plurality of different block sizes based on one or more neighboring PU blocks according to a first Intra prediction mode selected from the set of Intra prediction modes; and applying predictive Intra coding to a second PU block having a second block size that is different from the first block size and matches a block size in the plurality of different block sizes according to a second Intra prediction mode selected from the set of Intra prediction modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of predictive Intra coding of a block are disclosed. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a set of Intra prediction modes is determined, and predictive Intra coding is applied to a prediction unit (PU) of an image based on one or more neighboring PUs according to a current Intra prediction mode. The current Intra prediction mode is selected from the set of Intra prediction modes and the current Intra prediction mode is predicted using most probable modes (MPMs) and remaining modes. A number of the remaining modes is kept as a power of 2. For example, the 32 remaining modes can be represented using 5-bit fixed length codes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of predictive Intra coding of a block are disclosed. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a same set of Intra prediction modes is used for PUs corresponding to different block sizes including a 4×4 block size and at least one other block size. In another embodiment of the present invention, the number of Intra prediction modes in the set is reduced by removing at least one Intra prediction mode from the set. For example, when the set of 35 Intra prediction modes is used, intraPredMode corresponding to 18, 34, or 26 can be removed. The current Intra prediction mode can be coded predictively based on said one or more neighboring PUs, wherein the current Intra prediction mode is predicted using 2 most probable modes (MPMs) and 32 remaining modes. The 32 remaining modes can be represented using 5-bit fixed length codes.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for selecting deblocking filter parameters in a video decoding system. According to these techniques, a boundary strength parameter may be determined based, at least in part, on a bit depth of decoded video data. Activity of a pair of decoded pixel blocks may be classified based, at least in part, on the determined boundary strength parameter, and when a level of activity indicates that deblocking filtering is to be applied to the pair of pixel blocks, pixel block content at a boundary between the pair of pixel blocks may be filtered using filtering parameters derived at least in part based on the bit depth of the decoded video data. The filtering parameters may decrease strength with increasing bit depth of the decoded video data, which improves quality of the decoded video data.

Abstract: Methods for modulating plants using optimized ZmME293 down-regulation constructs are disclosed. Also disclosed are nucleotide sequences, constructs, vectors, and modified plant cells, as well as transgenic plants displaying increased seed and/or biomass yield, improved tolerance to abiotic stress such as drought or high plant density, improved nitrogen utilization efficiency, increased ear number and/or reduction in time to scenescence.