Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) candidate set for motion vector coding of a current block. Embodiments according to the present invention determine a redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set. The redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is derived from a spatial-temporal MVP candidate set by removing any redundant MVP candidate. The spatial-temporal MVP candidate set includes a top spatial MVP candidate, a left spatial MVP candidate and one temporal MVP candidate. The method further checks whether candidate number of the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is smaller than a threshold, and adds a zero motion vector to the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set if the candidate number is smaller than the threshold. Finally, the method provides the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set for encoding or decoding of the motion vector of a current block.

Abstract: Implementations of the invention are provided in methods for filter-unit based in-loop filtering in a video decoder and encoder. In one implementation, filter parameters are selected from a filter parameter set for each filter based on a filter index. In another implementation, the picture is partitioned into filter units according to filter unit size, which can be selected between a default size and other size. When other size is selected, the filter unit size may be conveyed using direct size information or ratio information. In another implementation, a merge flag and a merge index are used to convey filter unit merge information. A method for filter-unit based in-loop filtering in a video encoder for color video is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method incorporates filter syntax in the video bitstream by interleaving the color-component filter syntax for the FUs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) candidate set for a block are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention generate a complete full MVP candidate set based on the redundancy-removed MVP candidate set if one or more redundant MVP candidates exist. In one embodiment, the method generates the complete full MVP candidate set by adding replacement MVP candidates to the redundancy-removed MVP candidate set and a value corresponding to a non-redundant MVP is assigned to each replacement MVP candidate. In another embodiment, the method generates the complete full MVP candidate set by adding replacement MVP candidates to the redundancy-removed MVP candidate set and a value is as signed to each replacement MVP candidate according to a rule. The procedure of assigning value, checking redundancy, removing redundant MVP candidate are repeated until the MVP candidate set is complete and full.

Abstract: Video decoding and encoding with in-loop processing of reconstructed video are disclosed. At the decoder side, a flag is received from the video bitstream and according to the flag, information associated with in-loop filter parameters is received either from a data payload in the video bitstream to be shared by two or more coding blocks or individual coding block data in the video bitstream. At the encoder side, information associated with the in-loop filter parameters is incorporated either in a data payload in a video bitstream to be shared by two or more coding blocks or interleaved with individual coding block data in the video bitstream according to a flag. The data payload in the video bitstream is in a picture level, Adaptation Parameter Set (APS), or a slice header.

Abstract: Methods for decoding of a video bitstream by a video decoding circuit are provided. In one implementation, a method receives coded data for a 2N×2N coding unit (CU) from the video bitstream, selects one or more first codewords according to whether asymmetric motion partition is disabled or enabled when a size of said 2N×2N CU is not equal to a smallest CU size, wherein none of the first codewords corresponds to INTER N×N partition, selects one or more second codewords when the size of said 2N×2N CU is equal to the smallest CU size, wherein none of the second codewords corresponds to the INTER N×N partition when N is 4, determines a CU structure for said 2N×2N CU from the video bitstream using said one or more first codewords or said one or more second codewords, and decodes the video bitstream using the CU structure.

Abstract: A method for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) receives motion vectors (MVs) associated with reference blocks of the current block. The method determines at least one first spatial search MV associated with a first MV searching order and at least one second spatial search MV associated with a second MV searching order for each neighboring reference block. Then, the method determines whether a first available-first spatial search MV exists for said at least one neighboring reference block according to the first MV searching order, and provides the first available-first spatial search MV as a spatial MVP for the current block. Finally, the method determines whether a first available-second spatial search MV exists for said at least one neighboring reference block according to the second MV searching order only if none of first spatial search MVs for said at least one neighboring reference block is available.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scalable video coding are disclosed, wherein the video data is configured into a Base Layer (BL) and an Enhancement Layer (EL) and wherein the EL has higher spatial resolution or better video quality than the BL. According to embodiments of the present invention, information from the base layer is exploited for coding the enhancement layer. The information coding for the enhancement layer includes CU structure, motion vector predictor (MVP) information, MVP/merge candidates, intra prediction mode, residual quadtree information, texture information, residual information, context adaptive entropy coding, Adaptive Lop Filter (ALF), Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO), and deblocking filter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loop processing of reconstructed video in an encoder system are disclosed. The loop processing comprises an in-loop filter and one or more adaptive filters. The filter parameters for the adaptive filter are derived from the pre-in-loop video data so that the adaptive filter processing can be applied to the in-loop processed video data without the need of waiting for completion of the in-loop filter processing for a picture or an image unit. In another embodiment, two adaptive filters derive their respective adaptive filter parameters based on the same pre-in-loop video data. In yet another embodiment, a moving window is used for image-unit-based coding system incorporating in-loop filter and one or more adaptive filters. The in-loop filter and the adaptive filter are applied to a moving window of pre-in-loop video data comprising one or more sub-regions from corresponding one or more image units.

Abstract: A method of video coding using palette coding mode for color video in a non-444 color format is disclosed. The non-444 video data can be converted to the 444 format so that the palette designed for the 444 format can be used for the non-444 video data. For the 4:2:0 color format, each chroma sample collocated with corresponding quad luma samples is padded with three chroma samples to form converted quad chroma samples. For the 4:2:0 color format, if a current pixel does not belong to the color palette, one or more escape values are signaled for the current pixel and the escape value associated with the chroma sample of the current pixel for each color component is not signaled for three of the quad chroma sample locations collocated with corresponding quad luma samples.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for three-dimensional video coding or multi-view video coding are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention derive a unified disparity vector from depth information for Inter mode and Skip/Direct mode. The unified disparity vector is derived from a subset of depth samples in an associated depth block corresponding to the current block using a unified derivation method. The unified derivation method is applied in Inter mode, Skip mode, or Direct mode when a disparity vector derived from depth data is required for encoding or decoding. The unified disparity vector can also be applied to derive a disparity vector for locating a corresponding block, and thus an inter-view motion vector candidate can be determined for Skip mode or Direct mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deblocking of reconstructed video in a video coding system are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention determine boundary strength between two blocks without checking whether the block boundary is a coding unit (CU) boundary. In one embodiment according to the present invention, the method comprises determining whether any of the two blocks is Intra coded. If any of the two blocks is Intra coded, the boundary strength is assigned a first value. Otherwise, additional decision processing is performed to determine the boundary strength. In another embodiment, said determining the boundary strength for the block boundary comprises determining whether the block boundary is a TU boundary and whether any of the two blocks contains coefficients. In yet another embodiment, said determining the boundary strength for the block boundary comprises determining whether the two blocks have different reference pictures or different motion vectors.

Abstract: An exemplary method for determining a control output in a control domain includes: obtaining a control input of an input domain, wherein the control input includes a previous input value and a current input value; and dynamically adjusting a control resolution setting, and converting the control input of the input domain into the control output in the control domain according to the control resolution setting, wherein the control output includes a previous output value and a current output value corresponding to the previous input value and the current input value, respectively, the control resolution setting for the current input value is determined according to at least the previous input value, and the current output value is identical to the previous output value when the current input value and the previous input value are generated in response to a same user input.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing in-loop reconstructed video using an in-loop filter is disclosed. In the recent HEVC development, adaptive loop filtering (ALF) is being adopted to process in-loop reconstruction video data, where ALF can be selectively turned ON or OFF for each block in a frame or a slice. An advanced ALF is disclosed later that allows a choice of multiple filter sets that can be applied to the reconstructed video data adaptively. In the present disclosure, pixels of the in-loop reconstructed video data are divided into a plurality of to-be-filtered regions, and an in-loop filter from a filter set is determined for each to-be-filtered region based on a rate-distortion optimization procedure. According to one embodiment of the present invention, computation of cost function associated with the rate-distortion optimization procedure is related to correlation values associated with original video data and the in-loop reconstructed video data.

Abstract: A method for decoding of a video bitstream including receiving coded data for a 2N×2N coding unit (CU) from the video bitstream, selecting one or more first codewords according to whether asymmetric motion partition is disabled or enabled, selecting one or more second codewords when a size of the 2N×2N CU is equal to a smallest CU size, wherein none of the second codewords corresponds to INTER N×N partition when N is 4, determining a CU structure for the 2N×2N CU from the video bitstream using the first codewords or the second codewords, and decoding the video bitstream using the CU structure. A corresponding method for encoding a 2N×2N coding unit of video data is 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, 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: A method and apparatus for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) candidate set for motion vector coding of a current block. Embodiments according to the present invention determine a redundancy-removed spatial MVP candidate set by removing any redundant MVP candidate from the spatial MVP candidate set. The redundancy-removal process does not apply to the temporal MVP candidate. In another embodiment of the present invention, a redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is determined and the number of candidates in the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is checked to determine whether it is smaller than a threshold. If the number of candidates is smaller than the threshold, a zero motion vector is added to the redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set. The redundancy-removed spatial-temporal MVP candidate set is then provided for encoding or decoding of the motion vector of the current block.

Abstract: Transform unit (TU) partition method and apparatus depending on the coding unit (CU) partition and prediction unit (PU) partition are disclosed. In one embodiment, the maximum TU size is restricted to the minimum of PU width and height, except for a 2N×2N coding unit with the 2N×2N partition type. In another embodiment, the maximum TU size equals to maximum of PU width and height, and the minimum TU size equals to minimum of the PU width and height, except for a 2N×2N coding unit with the 2N×2N partition type. In yet another embodiment, the maximum TU size is equal to the maximum of PU width and height, and the minimum TU size is equal to the minimum of PU width and height except for a 2N×2N CU with 2N×2N partition type.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) for a current MV of a current block in Inter, Merge or Skip mode are disclosed based on motion vector (MV) attribute search. The system determines first MV attribute search comprising whether a given MV pointing to the target reference picture in the given reference list, or whether the given MV pointing to the target reference picture in other reference list, and determines second MV attribute search comprising whether the given MV pointing to other reference pictures in the given reference list, or whether the given MV pointing to the other reference pictures in the other reference list. The MVP for the current block is then determined from the neighboring blocks according to a search order.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for Intra prediction of a block based on neighboring pixels around the block are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention use square blocks as well as non-square blocks for Intra prediction. For a 2N×2N Luma CU (coding unit), the CU can be partitioned into 2N×N, N×2N, 2N×2N or N×N PUs. The 2N×N and N×2N PUs can be further processed by either square transforms only or both non-square and square transforms. In one embodiment, the 2N×N PU or the N×2N PU is processed as two N×N TUs (transform units) and each of the N×N TU is further split into smaller N×N TUs based on quad-tree split. In another embodiment, the 2N×N and N×2N PUs are processed as two 2N×0.5N and 0.5N×2N TUs respectively.

Abstract: A video encoder that utilizes adaptive interpolation filtering for coding video data includes a prediction unit, a reconstruction unit, a reference picture buffer, a filter parameter estimator for estimating filter parameters according to the original video data and the predicted samples, and an adaptive interpolation filter for utilizing the stored filter parameters to perform filtering on the reconstructed video data.