Spatial prediction based intra coding

Abstract

A method and device for coding a digital image using intra-mode block prediction, wherein a list of prediction modes for each combination of prediction modes of the neighboring blocks is obtained. The modes assigned to each combination of prediction modes may be divided into two groups. The first group includes n (where n is smaller than the overall number of available modes) most probable prediction modes and the second group includes the remaining modes. The modes in the first group are ordered according to their probability. This order may be specified as a list of modes ordered from most probable to the least probable mode. The modes belonging to the second group may be ordered in some predetermined manner, which may be specified depending on the information already available to the decoder.

Description

[0001] The instant application is a divisional application of a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 459,126, filed Jun. 10, 2003, which is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 388,061, filed Jun. 11, 2002, Ser. No. 60 / 391,112, filed Jun. 21, 2002, and Ser. No. 60 / 395,178, filed Jul. 9, 2002. CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] This application is related to a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 171,467, filed Jun. 12, 2002, and assigned to the assignee of the instant patent application.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates generally to image coding and, more particularly, to coding blocks of video frames. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] A digital image, such as a video image, a TV image, a still image or an image generated by a video recorder or a computer, consists of pixels arranged in horizontal and vertical lines. The number of pixels in a single image is typic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes a method and device for coding digital images using intra-mode block prediction. The method involves obtaining a list of prediction modes for each combination of prediction modes of neighboring blocks. These modes are divided into two groups: a first group of m most probable prediction modes and a second group of remaining modes. The modes in the first group are ordered according to their probability, while the modes in the second group may be ordered in a predetermined manner. Information is sent to the decoder regarding whether the mode selected for a given block belongs to the first or second group. The technical effect of this invention is to improve the efficiency and accuracy of image coding using intra-mode block prediction."

Problems solved by technology

Without compression, the quantity of information to be conveyed from an image encoder to an image decoder is so enormous that it renders real-time image transmission impossible.

However, pure block-based coding only reduces the inter-pixel correlation within a particular block, without considering the inter-block correlation of pixels, and it still produces high bit-rates for transmission.

The difference between the reconstructed frame and the original frame is called reconstruction error.

The above-mentioned method has one major drawback—the memory required to keep ordering of prediction modes for block C given prediction modes of blocks U and L is demanding.

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