Device and method for encoding image by using template matching, and device and method for decoding image by using template matching

Abstract

An image decoding method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise a step for determining a motion vector of the current block from a motion vector candidate list for the current block included in the current image. The image decoding method may comprise a step for determining a first reference block in a first reference image by using the motion vector of the current block. The image decoding method can determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in the second reference image by using a motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be different from the first reference image. The image decoding method may comprise a step for reconstructing the current block by using the second reference block.

Description

Device and method for encoding an image using template matching, device and method for decoding an image using template matching

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of encoding and decoding of images, and more particularly, to a device and method for encoding or decoding an image by encoding or decoding a current block using template matching.

[0002] In video encoding and decoding, the image is divided into blocks, and each block is predicted and decoded through inter prediction.

[0003] Inter prediction is a technique for compressing images by removing temporal redundancy between images. Inter prediction uses a reference image to predict blocks in the current image. The reference block most similar to the current block can be searched within a predetermined search range within the reference image. The current block is predicted based on the reference block, and the predicted block generated as a result of the prediction is subtracted from the current block to generate a residual block.

[0004] Codecs such as H.264 AVC (Advanced Video Coding) and HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) use the motion vectors of previously encoded blocks adjacent to the current block or blocks included in a previously encoded image as motion vector predictors of the current block to predict the motion vector of the current block. The difference between the motion vector of the current block and the motion vector predictor, called the motion vector difference, is signaled to the decoder through a predetermined method.

[0005] The residual block generated through inter prediction undergoes transformation and quantization and is then passed to the decoder. The decoder dequantizes and inversely transforms the residual block, and combines the predicted block of the current block with the residual block to reconstruct the current block. In certain cases, the decoder can filter the reconstructed current block to remove artifacts within it.

[0006] A method and device for encoding an image, and a method and device for decoding an image, according to one embodiment, aim to improve the performance of predictive encoding and predictive decoding for a current block.

[0007] A method and device for encoding an image, and a method and device for decoding an image, according to one embodiment, aim to reduce the amount of data required for signaling an inter prediction mode.

[0008] A method and device for encoding an image according to one embodiment, and a method and device for decoding an image, have as their object the reduction of the bit rate of a bitstream.

[0009] A method and device for encoding an image, and a method and device for decoding an image, according to one embodiment, aim to improve image quality by making a decoded image more similar to an original image.

[0010] The technical problems to be achieved through the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains from the description below.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a video decoding method is provided. The video decoding method may include a step of determining a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current video. The video decoding method may include a step of determining a first reference block in a first reference video using the motion vector of the current block. The video decoding method may determine a second reference block in a second reference video by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference video using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference video may be a different video from the first reference video. The video decoding method may include a step of reconstructing the current block using the second reference block.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image decoding device may be provided, including at least one memory storing at least one instruction and at least one processor operating according to the at least one instruction. The at least one processor may determine a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The at least one processor may determine a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The at least one processor may determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The at least one processor may reconstruct the current block using the second reference block.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a video encoding method may be provided. The video encoding method may include a step of determining a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The video encoding method may include a step of determining a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The video encoding method may include a step of determining a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The video encoding method may include a step of encoding a current block using the reference block.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the system may include at least one memory storing at least one instruction and at least one processor operating according to the at least one instruction. The at least one processor may determine a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The at least one processor may determine a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The at least one processor may determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The at least one processor may encode the current block using the second reference block.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream generated by a method for encoding an image may be provided. The bitstream may include motion information for determining a motion vector from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The motion vector may be used to determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching in a second reference image different from a first reference image including a block pointed to by the motion vector. The second reference image may be determined using a motion vector of a predetermined block in the first reference image. The second reference block may be used to reconstruct the current block.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image decoding device according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an image encoding device according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a process of dividing a current encoding unit to determine at least one encoding unit according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a process of dividing a non-square coding unit to determine at least one coding unit according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates a process of dividing an encoding unit based on at least one of block shape information and segmentation shape mode information according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for determining a predetermined coding unit among an odd number of coding units according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates the order in which multiple encoding units are processed when a current encoding unit is divided to determine multiple encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates a process for determining that a current encoding unit is split into an odd number of encoding units when encoding units cannot be processed in a predetermined order according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates a process of dividing a first encoding unit to determine at least one encoding unit according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates that, according to one embodiment, the shapes into which a first encoding unit can be divided are limited when a second encoding unit of a non-square shape determined by splitting the first encoding unit satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates a process of splitting a square-shaped encoding unit when the split shape mode information cannot represent splitting into four square-shaped encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 12 illustrates that, according to one embodiment, the processing order between multiple encoding units may vary depending on the process of splitting the encoding units.

[0028] FIG. 13 illustrates a process in which the depth of an encoding unit is determined as the shape and size of the encoding unit change when the encoding unit is recursively split to determine a plurality of encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 14 illustrates an index (part index, hereinafter referred to as PID) for depth and encoding unit distinction that can be determined according to the shape and size of encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 15 illustrates that a plurality of coding units are determined according to a plurality of predetermined data units included in a picture according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 16 illustrates encoding units that can be determined for each picture when the combination of forms into which encoding units can be divided is different for each picture according to one embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 17 illustrates various forms of encoding units that can be determined based on segmentation form mode information expressed in binary code according to one embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 18 illustrates another form of a coding unit that can be determined based on segmentation mode information expressed in binary code according to one embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 19 is a block diagram of an image encoding and decoding system that performs loop filtering according to one embodiment.

[0035] Fig. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image decoding device according to one embodiment.

[0036] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the locations of neighboring blocks related to a current block according to one embodiment.

[0037] FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining a template of a template matching prediction mode according to one embodiment.

[0038] FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block based on template matching according to one embodiment.

[0039] FIG. 24 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0040] FIG. 25 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0041] FIG. 26 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0043] Figure 28 is a flowchart of an image decoding method according to one embodiment.

[0044] Fig. 29 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image encoding device according to one embodiment.

[0045] Figure 30 is a flowchart of an image encoding method according to one embodiment.

[0046] The present disclosure may be subject to various modifications and various embodiments. Examples are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure may include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the various embodiments.

[0047] When describing embodiments, detailed descriptions of related known technologies may be omitted if they are deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure. Furthermore, numbers (e.g., "first," "second," etc.) used in the description of embodiments may correspond to identification symbols used to distinguish one component from another.

[0048] In this disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b or c” may refer to “a”, “b”, “c”, “a and b”, “a and c”, “b and c”, “all of a, b and c”, or variations thereof.

[0049] In the present disclosure, when a component is referred to as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but unless there is a specific description to the contrary, the component may also be connected or connected via another component in between.

[0050] In the present disclosure, components expressed as "units", "modules", etc. may be two or more components combined into a single component, or a single component may be divided into two or more more detailed components. In addition, each component described below may additionally perform some or all of the functions performed by other components in addition to its own main function, and some of the main functions performed by each component may be exclusively performed by other components.

[0051] In the present disclosure, 'image' may refer to a picture, a still image, a frame, a moving image composed of a plurality of consecutive still images, or a video.

[0052] In this disclosure, "sample" may refer to data assigned to a sampling location in an image and thus to be processed. For example, a pixel within a frame in a spatial domain may correspond to a sample. A unit containing multiple samples may be defined as a block.

[0053] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 19, an image encoding method and device based on a tree-structured encoding unit and a transformation unit according to one embodiment, and an image decoding method and device are disclosed.

[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an image decoding device (100) according to one embodiment.

[0055] The video decoding device (100) may include a bitstream acquisition unit (110) and a decoding unit (120). The bitstream acquisition unit (110) and the decoding unit (120) may include at least one processor. In addition, the bitstream acquisition unit (110) and the decoding unit (120) may include a memory that stores commands to be executed by at least one processor.

[0056] The bitstream acquisition unit (110) can receive a bitstream. The bitstream includes information obtained by encoding an image by an image encoding device (200) described below. In addition, the bitstream can be transmitted from the image encoding device (200). The image encoding device (200) and the image decoding device (100) can be connected by wire or wirelessly, and the bitstream acquisition unit (110) can receive the bitstream by wire or wirelessly. The bitstream acquisition unit (110) can receive the bitstream from a storage medium such as an optical medium, a hard disk, etc. The decoding unit (120) can restore the image based on information obtained from the received bitstream. The decoding unit (120) can obtain syntax elements for restoring the image from the bitstream. The decoding unit (120) can restore the image based on the syntax elements.

[0057] To describe in detail the operation of the video decoding device (100), the bitstream acquisition unit (110) can receive a bitstream.

[0058] The image decoding device (100) may perform an operation of obtaining a binstring corresponding to a splitting shape mode of an encoding unit from a bitstream. In addition, the image decoding device (100) may perform an operation of determining a splitting rule of the encoding unit. In addition, the image decoding device (100) may perform an operation of splitting the encoding unit into a plurality of encoding units based on at least one of the binstring corresponding to the splitting shape mode and the splitting rule. In order to determine the splitting rule, the image decoding device (100) may determine a first allowable range of the size of the encoding unit according to a ratio of the width and height of the encoding unit. In order to determine the splitting rule, the image decoding device (100) may determine a second allowable range of the size of the encoding unit according to the splitting shape mode of the encoding unit.

[0059] Below, the division of encoding units according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail.

[0060] First, a picture can be divided into one or more slices or one or more tiles. A slice or a tile can be a sequence of one or more maximum coding tree units (CTUs). Depending on the implementation, a slice may include one or more tiles, and a slice may include one or more maximum coding units. A slice including one or more tiles can be determined within a picture.

[0061] The concept of a maximum coding block (Coding Tree Block; CTB) contrasts with a maximum coding unit (CTU). A maximum coding block (CTB) is an NxN block containing NxN samples (N is an integer). Each color component can be divided into one or more maximum coding blocks.

[0062] When a picture has three sample arrays (sample arrays for Y, Cr, and Cb components), a maximum coding unit (CTU) is a unit that includes a maximum coding block of luma samples, two maximum coding blocks of corresponding chroma samples, and syntax structures used to encode the luma samples and chroma samples. When a picture is a monochrome picture, a maximum coding unit is a unit that includes a maximum coding block of monochrome samples and syntax structures used to encode the monochrome samples. When a picture is a picture that is encoded with a color plane that is separated by color components, a maximum coding unit is a unit that includes syntax structures used to encode the picture and samples of the picture.

[0063] A single maximum coding block (CTB) can be divided into MxN coding blocks containing MxN samples (M, N are integers).

[0064] When a picture has a sample array for each Y, Cr, and Cb component, a coding unit (CU) is a unit that includes a coding block for a luma sample and two coding blocks for corresponding chroma samples, and syntax structures used to encode the luma sample and the chroma samples. When a picture is a monochrome picture, a coding unit is a unit that includes a coding block for a monochrome sample and syntax structures used to encode the monochrome samples. When a picture is a picture that is encoded with a color plane that is separated by color component, a coding unit is a unit that includes syntax structures used to encode the picture and samples of the picture.

[0065] As explained above, the maximum coding block and the maximum coding unit are distinct concepts, and the coding block and the coding unit are distinct concepts. That is, the (maximum) coding unit refers to a data structure including a (maximum) coding block including the corresponding sample and a syntax structure corresponding to it. However, since a person skilled in the art can understand that the (maximum) coding unit or the (maximum) coding block refers to a block of a predetermined size including a predetermined number of samples, the following specification will refer to the maximum coding block and the maximum coding unit, or the coding block and the coding unit, without distinction unless there are special circumstances.

[0066] An image can be divided into Coding Tree Units (CTUs). The size of the CTUs can be determined based on information obtained from the bitstream. The shape of the CTUs can be a square of equal size, but is not limited thereto.

[0067] For example, information about the maximum size of a luma coding block can be obtained from the bitstream. For example, the maximum size of the luma coding block indicated by the information about the maximum size of the luma coding block can be one of 4x4, 8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128, and 256x256.

[0068] For example, information about the maximum size of a luma coding block capable of being split into two and the luma block size difference can be obtained from the bitstream. The information about the luma block size difference can indicate the size difference between a luma maximum coding unit and a maximum luma coding block capable of being split into two. Therefore, by combining the information about the maximum size of a luma coding block capable of being split into two obtained from the bitstream and the information about the luma block size difference, the size of the luma maximum coding unit can be determined. Using the size of the luma maximum coding unit, the size of the chroma maximum coding unit can also be determined. For example, if the Y: Cb: Cr ratio is 4:2:0 according to the color format, the size of the chroma block can be half the size of the luma block, and similarly, the size of the chroma maximum coding unit can be half the size of the luma maximum coding unit.

[0069] According to one embodiment, since information about the maximum size of a luma coding block capable of binary splitting is obtained from a bitstream, the maximum size of the luma coding block capable of binary splitting can be determined variably. In contrast, the maximum size of a luma coding block capable of ternary splitting can be fixed. For example, the maximum size of a luma coding block capable of ternary splitting in an I picture may be 32x32, and the maximum size of a luma coding block capable of ternary splitting in a P picture or a B picture may be 64x64.

[0070] Additionally, the maximum coding unit can be hierarchically divided into coding units based on the division shape mode information obtained from the bitstream. As the division shape mode information, at least one of information indicating whether quad division is performed, information indicating whether multi-division is performed, division direction information, and division type information can be obtained from the bitstream.

[0071] For example, information indicating whether a quad split is present may indicate whether the current encoding unit is to be quad split (QUAD_SPLIT) or not to be quad split.

[0072] If the current encoding unit is not quad-split, the information indicating whether it is multi-split may indicate whether the current encoding unit will not be split any further (NO_SPLIT) or will be binary / ternary split.

[0073] When the current encoding unit is binary or ternary split, the split direction information indicates that the current encoding unit is split in either the horizontal or vertical direction.

[0074] When the current encoding unit is split in the horizontal or vertical direction, the split type information indicates that the current encoding unit is split into binary split or ternary split.

[0075] Depending on the split direction information and the split type information, the split mode of the current encoding unit can be determined. The split mode when the current encoding unit is split into binaries in the horizontal direction can be determined as binary horizontal split (SPLIT_BT_HOR), the split mode when the current encoding unit is split into ternary horizontal split (SPLIT_TT_HOR), the split mode when the current encoding unit is split into binaries in the vertical direction can be determined as binary vertical split (SPLIT_BT_VER), and the split mode when the current encoding unit is split into ternary vertical split (SPLIT_TT_VER).

[0076] The image decoding device (100) can obtain segmentation shape mode information from a bitstream from a single binstring. The format of the bitstream received by the image decoding device (100) can include a fixed length binary code, a unary code, a truncated unary code, a predetermined binary code, etc. The binstring represents information as a series of binary numbers. The binstring can be composed of at least one bit. The image decoding device (100) can obtain segmentation shape mode information corresponding to the binstring based on a segmentation rule. The image decoding device (100) can determine whether to quad-segment an encoding unit, whether not to quad-segment, or the segmentation direction and segmentation type based on a single binstring.

[0077] The coding unit may be smaller than or equal to the maximum coding unit. For example, the maximum coding unit is also a coding unit with the maximum size, so it is a coding unit. If the split shape mode information for the maximum coding unit indicates that it is not split, the coding unit determined from the maximum coding unit has the same size as the maximum coding unit. If the split shape mode information for the maximum coding unit indicates that it is split, the maximum coding unit may be split into coding units. In addition, if the split shape mode information for the coding unit indicates splitting, the coding units may be split into coding units of smaller sizes. However, the splitting of the image is not limited thereto, and the maximum coding unit and the coding units may not be distinguished. The splitting of the coding unit is described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 16.

[0078] Additionally, one or more prediction blocks for prediction may be determined from the coding unit. The prediction blocks may be equal to or smaller than the coding unit. Additionally, one or more transformation blocks for transformation may be determined from the coding unit. The transformation blocks may be equal to or smaller than the coding unit.

[0079] The shape and size of the transformation block and the prediction block may be unrelated.

[0080] In another embodiment, prediction may be performed using the encoding unit as a prediction block. Transformation may also be performed using the encoding unit as a transform block.

[0081] The division of a coding unit is described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 16. The current block and neighboring blocks of the present disclosure may represent one of a maximum coding unit, a coding unit, a prediction block, and a transform block. In addition, the current block or the current coding unit is a block currently being decoded or encoded, or a block currently being divided. The neighboring block may be a block reconstructed before the current block. The neighboring block may be spatially or temporally adjacent to the current block. The neighboring block may be located on one of the lower left, left, upper left, upper right, upper right, right, and lower right sides of the current block.

[0082] FIG. 3 illustrates a process in which an image decoding device (100) divides a current encoding unit to determine at least one encoding unit according to one embodiment.

[0083] The block shape may include 4Nx4N, 4Nx2N, 2Nx4N, 4NxN, Nx4N, 32NxN, Nx32N, 16NxN, Nx16N, 8NxN or Nx8N, where N may be a positive integer. The block shape information is information indicating at least one of the shape, direction, width and height ratio or size of the encoding unit.

[0084] The shape of the encoding unit may include square and non-square. When the width and height of the encoding unit are equal (i.e., when the block shape of the encoding unit is 4Nx4N), the image decoding device (100) may determine the block shape information of the encoding unit as square. The image decoding device (100) may determine the shape of the encoding unit as non-square.

[0085] When the width and height of the encoding unit are different (i.e., when the block shape of the encoding unit is 4Nx2N, 2Nx4N, 4NxN, Nx4N, 32NxN, Nx32N, 16NxN, Nx16N, 8NxN, or Nx8N), the image decoding device (100) may determine the block shape information of the encoding unit to be non-square. When the shape of the encoding unit is non-square, the image decoding device (100) may determine the ratio of the width and height among the block shape information of the encoding unit to be at least one of 1:2, 2:1, 1:4, 4:1, 1:8, 8:1, 1:16, 16:1, 1:32, and 32:1. Additionally, based on the width length and height length of the encoding unit, the image decoding device (100) can determine whether the encoding unit is in the horizontal or vertical direction. Additionally, based on at least one of the width length, height length, or area of ​​the encoding unit, the image decoding device (100) can determine the size of the encoding unit.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine the shape of an encoding unit using block shape information, and can determine the shape into which the encoding unit is divided using segmentation shape mode information. That is, the splitting method of the encoding unit indicated by the segmentation shape mode information can be determined depending on which block shape the block shape information used by the image decoding device (100) indicates.

[0087] The image decoding device (100) can obtain the segmentation shape mode information from the bitstream. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the image decoding device (100) and the image encoding device (200) can determine the pre-agreed segmentation shape mode information based on the block shape information. The image decoding device (100) can determine the pre-agreed segmentation shape mode information for the maximum coding unit or the minimum coding unit. For example, the image decoding device (100) can determine the segmentation shape mode information for the maximum coding unit as quad split. In addition, the image decoding device (100) can determine the segmentation shape mode information for the minimum coding unit as “not split.” Specifically, the image decoding device (100) can determine the size of the maximum coding unit as 256x256. The image decoding device (100) can determine the pre-agreed segmentation shape mode information as quad split. Quad splitting is a splitting mode that divides both the width and height of an encoding unit in half. The image decoding device (100) can obtain a coding unit of size 128x128 from a maximum coding unit of size 256x256 based on the splitting mode information. In addition, the image decoding device (100) can determine the size of the minimum coding unit as 4x4. The image decoding device (100) can obtain splitting mode information indicating "not splitting" for the minimum coding unit.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may use block shape information indicating that the current encoding unit is a square shape. For example, the image decoding device (100) may determine whether to not split a square encoding unit, to split it vertically, to split it horizontally, to split it into four encoding units, etc., according to the split shape mode information. Referring to FIG. 3, when the block shape information of the current encoding unit (300) indicates a square shape, the decoding unit (120) may not split an encoding unit (310a) having the same size as the current encoding unit (300) according to the split shape mode information indicating that it is not split, or may determine a split encoding unit (310b, 310c, 310d, 310e, 310f, etc.) based on the split shape mode information indicating a predetermined splitting method.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 3, the image decoding device (100) may determine two coding units (310b) by vertically dividing the current coding unit (300) based on the split shape mode information indicating that the current coding unit (300) is vertically divided, according to an embodiment. The image decoding device (100) may determine two coding units (310c) by horizontally dividing the current coding unit (300) based on the split shape mode information indicating that the current coding unit (300) is horizontally divided, according to an embodiment. The image decoding device (100) may determine four coding units (310d) by vertically and horizontally dividing the current coding unit (300) based on the split shape mode information indicating that the current coding unit (300) is vertically and horizontally divided, according to an embodiment. The image decoding device (100) may determine three coding units (310e) by vertically dividing the current coding unit (300) based on the split shape mode information indicating that the current coding unit (300) is ternary divided, according to an embodiment. The image decoding device (100) can determine three coding units (310f) into which the current coding unit (300) is horizontally divided based on the division shape mode information indicating that the ternary division is horizontally divided. However, the division shapes into which a square coding unit can be divided should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described shapes, and may include various shapes that can be indicated by the division shape mode information. Specified division shapes into which a square coding unit is divided will be specifically described below through various embodiments.

[0090] FIG. 4 illustrates a process in which an image decoding device (100) divides a non-square coding unit to determine at least one coding unit according to one embodiment.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may utilize block shape information indicating that the current encoding unit is non-square. The image decoding device (100) may determine whether to not split the current non-square encoding unit or to split it using a predetermined method based on the split shape mode information. Referring to FIG. 4, when the block shape information of the current encoding unit (400 or 450) indicates a non-square shape, the image decoding device (100) may determine an encoding unit (410 or 460) having the same size as the current encoding unit (400 or 450) according to the split shape mode information indicating that it is not split, or may determine a split encoding unit (420a, 420b, 430a, 430b, 430c, 470a, 470b, 480a, 480b, 480c) based on the split shape mode information indicating a predetermined splitting method. The predetermined splitting method by which a non-square encoding unit is split will be described in detail through various embodiments below.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine a form in which an encoding unit is split using split form mode information, and in this case, the split form mode information may indicate the number of at least one encoding unit generated by splitting the encoding unit. Referring to FIG. 4, when the split form mode information indicates that the current encoding unit (400 or 450) is split into two encoding units, the image decoding device (100) may split the current encoding unit (400 or 450) based on the split form mode information to determine two encoding units (420a, 420b, or 470a, 470b) included in the current encoding unit.

[0093] According to one embodiment, when the image decoding device (100) splits a current encoding unit (400 or 450) having a non-square shape based on split shape mode information, the image decoding device (100) may split the current encoding unit by considering the position of the long side of the non-square current encoding unit (400 or 450). For example, the image decoding device (100) may split the current encoding unit (400 or 450) in a direction that splits the long side of the current encoding unit (400 or 450) by considering the shape of the current encoding unit (400 or 450) to determine a plurality of encoding units.

[0094] According to one embodiment, if the split shape mode information indicates that the coding unit is split into an odd number of blocks (ternary splitting), the image decoding device (100) may determine an odd number of coding units included in the current coding unit (400 or 450). For example, if the split shape mode information indicates that the current coding unit (400 or 450) is split into three coding units, the image decoding device (100) may split the current coding unit (400 or 450) into three coding units (430a, 430b, 430c, 480a, 480b, 480c).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the ratio of the width and height of the current encoding unit (400 or 450) may be 4:1 or 1:4. When the ratio of the width and height is 4:1, the block shape information may be in the horizontal direction because the length of the width is longer than the length of the height. When the ratio of the width and height is 1:4, the block shape information may be in the vertical direction because the length of the width is shorter than the length of the height. The image decoding device (100) may determine to split the current encoding unit into an odd number of blocks based on the split shape mode information. In addition, the image decoding device (100) may determine the splitting direction of the current encoding unit (400 or 450) based on the block shape information of the current encoding unit (400 or 450). For example, if the current encoding unit (400) is in the vertical direction, the image decoding device (100) can divide the current encoding unit (400) in the horizontal direction to determine encoding units (430a, 430b, 430c). Also, if the current encoding unit (450) is in the horizontal direction, the image decoding device (100) can divide the current encoding unit (450) in the vertical direction to determine encoding units (480a, 480b, 480c).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine an odd number of coding units included in the current coding unit (400 or 450), and the sizes of the determined coding units may not all be the same. For example, among the determined odd number of coding units (430a, 430b, 430c, 480a, 480b, 480c), the size of a given coding unit (430b or 480b) may have a different size from the other coding units (430a, 430c, 480a, 480c). That is, the encoding units into which the current encoding unit (400 or 450) can be divided and determined can have multiple types of sizes, and in some cases, an odd number of encoding units (430a, 430b, 430c, 480a, 480b, 480c) can each have different sizes.

[0097] According to one embodiment, when the split shape mode information indicates that the coding unit is split into an odd number of blocks, the image decoding device (100) can determine an odd number of coding units included in the current coding unit (400 or 450), and further, the image decoding device (100) can place a predetermined restriction on at least one coding unit among the odd number of coding units generated by splitting. Referring to FIG. 4, the image decoding device (100) can perform a decoding process for a coding unit (430b, 480b) located in the center among three coding units (430a, 430b, 430c, 480a, 480b, 480c) generated by splitting the current coding unit (400 or 450) differently from the decoding process for other coding units (430a, 430c, 480a, 480c). For example, the image decoding device (100) can restrict the encoding unit (430b, 480b) located in the center from being split any further, unlike other encoding units (430a, 430c, 480a, 480c), or can restrict it to be split only a predetermined number of times.

[0098] FIG. 5 illustrates a process in which an image decoding device (100) divides an encoding unit based on at least one of block shape information and division shape mode information according to one embodiment.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine whether to split or not to split a first coding unit (500) having a square shape into coding units based on at least one of block shape information and split shape mode information. According to one embodiment, when the split shape mode information indicates splitting the first coding unit (500) in the horizontal direction, the image decoding device (100) may split the first coding unit (500) in the horizontal direction to determine a second coding unit (510). The first coding unit, the second coding unit, and the third coding unit used according to one embodiment are terms used to understand the relationship before and after splitting between coding units. For example, when the first coding unit is split, the second coding unit may be determined, and when the second coding unit is split, the third coding unit may be determined. Hereinafter, the relationship between the first coding unit, the second coding unit, and the third coding unit used may be understood to follow the above-described characteristics.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine to split or not split the determined second encoding unit (510) into encoding units based on the split shape mode information. Referring to FIG. 5, the image decoding device (100) may split the first encoding unit (500) based on the split shape mode information to split the determined second encoding unit (510) of a non-square shape into at least one third encoding unit (520a, 520b, 520c, 520d, etc.) or may not split the second encoding unit (510). The image decoding device (100) can obtain split shape mode information, and the image decoding device (100) can split the first encoding unit (500) based on the obtained split shape mode information to split a plurality of second encoding units (e.g., 510) of various shapes, and the second encoding unit (510) can be split according to the way in which the first encoding unit (500) is split based on the split shape mode information. According to one embodiment, when the first encoding unit (500) is split into the second encoding unit (510) based on the split shape mode information for the first encoding unit (500), the second encoding unit (510) can also be split into the third encoding unit (e.g., 520a, 520b, 520c, 520d, etc.) based on the split shape mode information for the second encoding unit (510). That is, the coding unit can be recursively split based on the split shape mode information associated with each coding unit. Accordingly, a square coding unit can be determined from a non-square coding unit, and such a square coding unit can be recursively split to determine a non-square coding unit.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 5, among the odd number of third coding units (520b, 520c, 520d) determined by splitting the second coding unit (510) having a non-square shape, a predetermined coding unit (e.g., a coding unit located in the middle or a coding unit having a square shape) may be split recursively. According to an embodiment, the non-square third coding unit (520b), which is one of the odd number of third coding units (520b, 520c, 520d), may be split horizontally into a plurality of fourth coding units. The non-square fourth coding unit (530b or 530d), which is one of the plurality of fourth coding units (530a, 530b, 530c, 530d), may be split again into a plurality of coding units. For example, the fourth coding unit (530b or 530d) having a non-square shape may be further divided into an odd number of coding units. Methods that can be used for recursive division of coding units will be described later through various embodiments.

[0102] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split each of the third encoding units (520a, 520b, 520c, 520d, etc.) into encoding units based on the split shape mode information. In addition, the image decoding device (100) may determine not to split the second encoding unit (510) based on the split shape mode information. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split the second encoding unit (510) having a non-square shape into an odd number of third encoding units (520b, 520c, 520d). The image decoding device (100) may place a predetermined restriction on a predetermined third encoding unit among the odd number of third encoding units (520b, 520c, 520d). For example, the image decoding device (100) can limit the encoding unit (520c) located in the middle among an odd number of third encoding units (520b, 520c, 520d) to not be divided any further or to be divided a settable number of times.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 5, the image decoding device (100) may limit the coding unit (520c) located in the middle among the odd number of third coding units (520b, 520c, 520d) included in the second coding unit (510) having a non-square shape to not be split any further, or to be split in a predetermined split form (for example, to be split only into four coding units or to be split in a form corresponding to the split form of the second coding unit (510), or to be split only a predetermined number of times (for example, to be split only n times, where n>0). However, the above limitations on the coding unit (520c) located in the middle are merely simple embodiments and should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described embodiments, but should be interpreted as including various limitations in which the coding unit (520c) located in the middle can be decoded differently from the other coding units (520b, 520d).

[0104] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can obtain the segmentation shape mode information used to segment the current encoding unit from a predetermined location within the current encoding unit.

[0105] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for an image decoding device (100) to determine a predetermined encoding unit among an odd number of encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 6, the split shape mode information of the current encoding unit (600, 650) can be obtained from a sample at a predetermined position among a plurality of samples included in the current encoding unit (600, 650) (for example, a sample (640, 690) located in the center). However, the predetermined position within the current encoding unit (600) from which at least one of the split shape mode information can be obtained should not be interpreted as being limited to the center position illustrated in FIG. 6, but should be interpreted as including various positions (for example, top, bottom, left, right, upper left, lower left, upper right, or lower right, etc.) that can be included within the current encoding unit (600). The image decoding device (100) can obtain the split shape mode information obtained from the predetermined position and determine whether or not to split the current encoding unit into encoding units of various shapes and sizes.

[0107] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may select one of the coding units when the current coding unit is divided into a predetermined number of coding units. Various methods may be used to select one of the multiple coding units, and descriptions of such methods will be provided later through various embodiments.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can divide the current encoding unit into a plurality of encoding units and determine an encoding unit at a predetermined position.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may use information indicating the positions of each of the odd-numbered coding units to determine an coding unit located in the middle of the odd-numbered coding units. Referring to FIG. 6, the image decoding device (100) may divide the current coding unit (600) or the current coding unit (650) to determine odd-numbered coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) or odd-numbered coding units (660a, 660b, 660c). The image decoding device (100) may use information about the positions of the odd-numbered coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) or odd-numbered coding units (660a, 660b, 660c) to determine the middle coding unit (620b) or the middle coding unit (660b). For example, the image decoding device (100) can determine the coding unit (620b) located in the center by determining the positions of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) based on information indicating the positions of predetermined samples included in the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c). Specifically, the image decoding device (100) can determine the coding unit (620b) located in the center by determining the positions of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) based on information indicating the positions of samples (630a, 630b, 630c) at the upper left of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c).

[0110] According to one embodiment, information indicating the positions of the upper left samples (630a, 630b, 630c) included in each of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) may include information on the positions or coordinates of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) within the picture. According to one embodiment, information indicating the positions of the upper left samples (630a, 630b, 630c) included in each of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) may include information indicating the width or height of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) included in the current coding unit (600), and this width or height may correspond to information indicating the difference between the coordinates of the coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) within the picture. That is, the image decoding device (100) can determine the encoding unit (620b) located in the center by directly using information about the positions or coordinates of the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) within the picture or by using information about the width or height of the encoding unit corresponding to the difference between the coordinates.

[0111] According to one embodiment, information indicating the position of the sample (630a) at the upper left of the upper encoding unit (620a) may represent (xa, ya) coordinates, information indicating the position of the sample (530b) at the upper left of the middle encoding unit (620b) may represent (xb, yb) coordinates, and information indicating the position of the sample (630c) at the upper left of the lower encoding unit (620c) may represent (xc, yc) coordinates. The image decoding device (100) may determine the middle encoding unit (620b) using the coordinates of the upper left samples (630a, 630b, 630c) included in the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c), respectively. For example, when the coordinates of the samples (630a, 630b, 630c) on the upper left are sorted in ascending or descending order, the encoding unit (620b) including the coordinates (xb, yb) of the sample (630b) located in the center can be determined as the encoding unit located in the center among the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) determined by dividing the current encoding unit (600). However, the coordinates indicating the position of the upper left samples (630a, 630b, 630c) can indicate coordinates indicating the absolute position within the picture, and further, based on the position of the upper left sample (630a) of the upper left coding unit (620a), the (dxb, dyb) coordinates, which are information indicating the relative position of the sample (630b) of the upper left of the middle coding unit (620b), and the (dxc, dyc) coordinates, which are information indicating the relative position of the sample (630c) of the upper left of the lower coding unit (620c), can be used. In addition, the method of determining the coding unit of a given position by using the coordinates of the corresponding sample as information indicating the position of the sample included in the coding unit should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described method, but should be interpreted as various arithmetic methods that can utilize the coordinates of the sample.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may divide the current encoding unit (600) into a plurality of encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c), and select an encoding unit from among the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) according to a predetermined criterion. For example, the image decoding device (100) may select an encoding unit (620b) having a different size from among the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c).

[0113] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the width or height of each of the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) by using the (xa, ya) coordinate, which is information indicating the position of the sample (630a) at the upper left of the upper encoding unit (620a), the (xb, yb) coordinate, which is information indicating the position of the sample (630b) at the upper left of the middle encoding unit (620b), and the (xc, yc) coordinate, which is information indicating the position of the sample (630c) at the upper left of the lower encoding unit (620c). The image decoding device (100) can determine the size of each of the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) using coordinates (xa, ya), (xb, yb), (xc, yc) indicating the positions of the encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c). According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine the width of the upper encoding unit (620a) as the width of the current encoding unit (600). The image decoding device (100) can determine the height of the upper encoding unit (620a) as yb-ya. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine the width of the middle encoding unit (620b) as the width of the current encoding unit (600). The image decoding device (100) may determine the height of the middle encoding unit (620b) as yc-yb. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the width or height of the lower encoding unit using the width or height of the current encoding unit and the width and height of the upper encoding unit (620a) and the middle encoding unit (620b). The image decoding device (100) may determine an encoding unit having a different size from other encoding units based on the width and height of the determined encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c).Referring to FIG. 6, the image decoding device (100) can determine the middle encoding unit (620b) having a different size from the sizes of the upper encoding unit (620a) and the lower encoding unit (620c) as the encoding unit of a predetermined position. However, the process by which the image decoding device (100) described above determines the encoding unit having a different size from other encoding units is merely an embodiment of determining the encoding unit of a predetermined position using the size of the encoding unit determined based on sample coordinates, and therefore, various processes of determining the encoding unit of a predetermined position by comparing the sizes of the encoding units determined according to predetermined sample coordinates can be used.

[0114] The image decoding device (100) can determine the width or height of each of the encoding units (660a, 660b, 660c) by using the (xd, yd) coordinate, which is information indicating the position of the sample (670a) at the upper left of the left encoding unit (660a), the (xe, ye) coordinate, which is information indicating the position of the sample (670b) at the upper left of the middle encoding unit (660b), and the (xf, yf) coordinate, which is information indicating the position of the sample (670c) at the upper left of the right encoding unit (660c). The image decoding device (100) can determine the size of each of the encoding units (660a, 660b, 660c) by using the (xd, yd), (xe, ye), (xf, yf), which are coordinates indicating the positions of the encoding units (660a, 660b, 660c).

[0115] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the width of the left encoding unit (660a) as xe-xd. The image decoding device (100) may determine the height of the left encoding unit (660a) as the height of the current encoding unit (650). According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the width of the middle encoding unit (660b) as xf-xe. The image decoding device (100) may determine the height of the middle encoding unit (660b) as the height of the current encoding unit (600). According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the width or height of the right encoding unit (660c) using the width or height of the current encoding unit (650) and the widths and heights of the left encoding unit (660a) and the middle encoding unit (660b). The image decoding device (100) can determine an encoding unit having a different size from other encoding units based on the width and height of the determined encoding units (660a, 660b, 660c). Referring to FIG. 6, the image decoding device (100) can determine a middle encoding unit (660b) having a different size from the sizes of the left encoding unit (660a) and the right encoding unit (660c) as an encoding unit at a predetermined position. However, the process of the image decoding device (100) described above determining an encoding unit having a different size from other encoding units is merely an embodiment of determining an encoding unit at a predetermined position using the size of the encoding unit determined based on sample coordinates, and therefore, various processes of determining an encoding unit at a predetermined position by comparing the sizes of the encoding units determined according to predetermined sample coordinates can be used.

[0116] However, the location of the sample considered for determining the location of the encoding unit should not be interpreted as being limited to the upper left corner described above, and it can be interpreted that information on the location of any sample included in the encoding unit can be used.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may select an encoding unit at a predetermined position from among an odd number of encoding units determined by splitting the current encoding unit, taking into consideration the shape of the current encoding unit. For example, if the current encoding unit has a non-square shape in which the width is longer than the height, the image decoding device (100) may determine an encoding unit at a predetermined position in the horizontal direction. That is, the image decoding device (100) may determine one of the encoding units whose positions vary in the horizontal direction and place a restriction on the corresponding encoding unit. If the current encoding unit has a non-square shape in which the height is longer than the width, the image decoding device (100) may determine an encoding unit at a predetermined position in the vertical direction. That is, the image decoding device (100) may determine one of the encoding units whose positions vary in the vertical direction and place a restriction on the corresponding encoding unit.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may use information indicating the positions of each of the even-numbered coding units to determine the coding unit at a predetermined position among the even-numbered coding units. The image decoding device (100) may determine the even-numbered coding units by dividing the current coding unit (binary dividing) and may determine the coding unit at a predetermined position using information about the positions of the even-numbered coding units. A specific process for this may be a process corresponding to the process of determining the coding unit at a predetermined position (e.g., the center position) among the odd-numbered coding units described above in FIG. 6, and thus will be omitted.

[0119] According to one embodiment, when a current encoding unit having a non-square shape is split into a plurality of encoding units, predetermined information about the encoding unit at a predetermined position may be used during the splitting process to determine an encoding unit at a predetermined position among the plurality of encoding units. For example, the image decoding device (100) may use at least one of block shape information and split shape mode information stored in a sample included in a middle encoding unit during the splitting process to determine an encoding unit located in the middle among the encoding units into which the current encoding unit is split.

[0120] Referring to FIG. 6, the image decoding device (100) can split the current encoding unit (600) into a plurality of encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) based on the split shape mode information, and can determine the encoding unit (620b) located in the middle among the plurality of encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c). Furthermore, the image decoding device (100) can determine the encoding unit (620b) located in the middle by considering the position where the split shape mode information is acquired. That is, the split shape mode information of the current encoding unit (600) can be obtained from a sample (640) located in the center of the current encoding unit (600), and when the current encoding unit (600) is split into a plurality of encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) based on the split shape mode information, the encoding unit (620b) including the sample (640) can be determined as the encoding unit located in the center. However, the information used to determine the encoding unit located in the center should not be interpreted as being limited to the split shape mode information, and various types of information can be used in the process of determining the encoding unit located in the center.

[0121] According to one embodiment, predetermined information for identifying a coding unit at a predetermined position may be obtained from a predetermined sample included in the coding unit to be determined. Referring to FIG. 6, the image decoding device (100) may use split shape mode information obtained from a sample at a predetermined position within the current coding unit (600) (e.g., a sample located at the center of the current coding unit (600)) to determine a coding unit at a predetermined position among a plurality of coding units (620a, 620b, 620c) determined by splitting the current coding unit (600) (e.g., a coding unit located at the center of the coding units split into multiple units). That is, the image decoding device (100) can determine the sample at the predetermined position by considering the block shape of the current encoding unit (600), and the image decoding device (100) can determine an encoding unit (620b) that includes a sample from which predetermined information (e.g., division shape mode information) can be obtained among a plurality of encoding units (620a, 620b, 620c) determined by dividing the current encoding unit (600), and can set a predetermined restriction. Referring to FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine a sample (640) located at the center of the current encoding unit (600) as a sample from which predetermined information can be obtained, and the image decoding device (100) can set a predetermined restriction on the encoding unit (620b) that includes such a sample (640) during the decoding process. However, the location of the sample from which certain information can be obtained should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described location, but may be interpreted as samples at any location included in the encoding unit (620b) to be determined in order to set a limitation.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the position of a sample from which predetermined information can be obtained may be determined according to the shape of the current encoding unit (600). According to one embodiment, the block shape information may determine whether the shape of the current encoding unit is square or non-square, and may determine the position of a sample from which predetermined information can be obtained according to the shape. For example, the image decoding apparatus (100) may determine a sample located on a boundary that divides at least one of the width and height of the current encoding unit in half as a sample from which predetermined information can be obtained, using at least one of information about the width and information about the height of the current encoding unit. As another example, when the block shape information related to the current encoding unit indicates that the shape is non-square, the image decoding apparatus (100) may determine one of the samples adjacent to the boundary that divides the long side of the current encoding unit in half as a sample from which predetermined information can be obtained.

[0123] According to one embodiment, when the image decoding device (100) divides the current encoding unit into a plurality of encoding units, the image decoding device (100) may use the split shape mode information to determine the encoding unit at a predetermined position among the plurality of encoding units. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may obtain the split shape mode information from a sample at a predetermined position included in the encoding unit, and the image decoding device (100) may divide the plurality of encoding units generated by splitting the current encoding unit using the split shape mode information obtained from the sample at a predetermined position included in each of the plurality of encoding units. That is, the encoding unit may be recursively divided using the split shape mode information obtained from the sample at a predetermined position included in each of the encoding units. Since the recursive division process of the encoding unit has been described above with reference to FIG. 5, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can divide a current encoding unit to determine at least one encoding unit, and can determine the order in which the at least one encoding unit is decoded according to a predetermined block (e.g., the current encoding unit).

[0125] FIG. 7 illustrates the order in which multiple encoding units are processed when an image decoding device (100) divides a current encoding unit to determine multiple encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine second encoding units (710a, 710b) by vertically splitting the first encoding unit (700) according to the splitting shape mode information, determine second encoding units (730a, 730b) by horizontally splitting the first encoding unit (700), or determine second encoding units (750a, 750b, 750c, 750d) by vertically and horizontally splitting the first encoding unit (700).

[0127] Referring to FIG. 7, the image decoding device (100) can determine the order in which the second encoding units (710a, 710b) determined by vertically dividing the first encoding unit (700) are processed in the horizontal direction (710c). The image decoding device (100) can determine the order in which the second encoding units (730a, 730b) determined by horizontally dividing the first encoding unit (700) are processed in the vertical direction (730c). The image decoding device (100) can determine the second encoding units (750a, 750b, 750c, 750d) determined by dividing the first encoding unit (700) in the vertical and horizontal directions according to a predetermined order (e.g., raster scan order (750e) or z scan order (z scan order)) in which encoding units located in one row are processed and then encoding units located in the next row are processed.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can recursively split the encoding units. Referring to FIG. 7, the image decoding device (100) can split the first encoding unit (700) to determine a plurality of encoding units (710a, 710b, 730a, 730b, 750a, 750b, 750c, 750d), and can recursively split each of the determined plurality of encoding units (710a, 710b, 730a, 730b, 750a, 750b, 750c, 750d). A method for splitting a plurality of coding units (710a, 710b, 730a, 730b, 750a, 750b, 750c, 750d) may be a method corresponding to a method for splitting the first coding unit (700). Accordingly, the plurality of coding units (710a, 710b, 730a, 730b, 750a, 750b, 750c, 750d) may each be independently split into a plurality of coding units. Referring to FIG. 7, the image decoding device (100) may split the first coding unit (700) in the vertical direction to determine the second coding units (710a, 710b), and further may determine to independently split or not split each of the second coding units (710a, 710b).

[0129] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may horizontally divide the second encoding unit (710a) on the left into third encoding units (720a, 720b), and may not divide the second encoding unit (710b) on the right.

[0130] According to one embodiment, the processing order of the coding units may be determined based on the splitting process of the coding units. In other words, the processing order of the split coding units may be determined based on the processing order of the coding units immediately before splitting. The image decoding device (100) may determine the processing order of the third coding units (720a, 720b) ​​determined by splitting the second coding unit (710a) on the left, independently from the second coding unit (710b) on the right. Since the second coding unit (710a) on the left is split horizontally and the third coding units (720a, 720b) ​​are determined, the third coding units (720a, 720b) ​​may be processed in the vertical direction (720c). In addition, since the order in which the second encoding unit (710a) on the left and the second encoding unit (710b) on the right are processed corresponds to the horizontal direction (710c), the right encoding unit (710b) can be processed after the third encoding units (720a, 720b) ​​included in the second encoding unit (710a) on the left are processed in the vertical direction (720c). Since the above-described content is intended to explain the process in which the processing order of the encoding units is determined according to the encoding units before splitting, it should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described embodiment, but should be interpreted as being used in various ways in which encoding units that are split and determined in various forms can be independently processed according to a predetermined order.

[0131] FIG. 8 illustrates a process for determining that a current encoding unit is divided into an odd number of encoding units when the encoding units cannot be processed in a predetermined order, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine that the current encoding unit is split into an odd number of encoding units based on the acquired split shape mode information. Referring to FIG. 8, a first encoding unit (800) having a square shape may be split into second encoding units (810a, 810b) having a non-square shape, and the second encoding units (810a, 810b) may each be independently split into third encoding units (820a, 820b, 820c, 820d, 820e). According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine a plurality of third encoding units (820a, 820b) by horizontally dividing the left encoding unit (810a) among the second encoding units, and can divide the right encoding unit (810b) into an odd number of third encoding units (820c, 820d, 820e).

[0133] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine whether there is an odd number of split encoding units by determining whether the third encoding units (820a, 820b, 820c, 820d, 820e) can be processed in a predetermined order. Referring to FIG. 8, the image decoding device (100) can determine the third encoding units (820a, 820b, 820c, 820d, 820e) by recursively splitting the first encoding unit (800). The image decoding device (100) can determine whether the first encoding unit (800), the second encoding unit (810a, 810b), or the third encoding unit (820a, 820b, 820c, 820d, 820e) is divided into an odd number of encoding units based on at least one of the block shape information and the split shape mode information. For example, the encoding unit located on the right side of the second encoding unit (810a, 810b) can be divided into an odd number of third encoding units (820c, 820d, 820e). The order in which the plurality of encoding units included in the first encoding unit (800) are processed can be a predetermined order (e.g., z-scan order (830)), and the image decoding device (100) can determine whether the third encoding unit (820c, 820d, 820e) determined by dividing the second encoding unit (810b) on the right into odd numbers satisfies the condition that it can be processed according to the predetermined order.

[0134] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine whether the third encoding units (820a, 820b, 820c, 820d, 820e) included in the first encoding unit (800) satisfy a condition that they can be processed in a predetermined order, and the condition is related to whether at least one of the width and height of the second encoding unit (810a, 810b) is split in half according to the boundary of the third encoding unit (820a, 820b, 820c, 820d, 820e). For example, the third encoding unit (820a, 820b) determined by splitting the height of the left second encoding unit (810a) of a non-square shape in half may satisfy the condition. Since the boundaries of the third encoding units (820c, 820d, 820e) determined by dividing the right second encoding unit (810b) into three encoding units do not divide the width or height of the right second encoding unit (810b) in half, it may be determined that the third encoding units (820c, 820d, 820e) do not satisfy the condition. In the case where this condition is not satisfied, the image decoding device (100) may determine that there is a disconnection in the scanning order, and may determine that the right second encoding unit (810b) is divided into an odd number of encoding units based on the determination result. According to an embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may place a predetermined restriction on an encoding unit at a predetermined position among the divided encoding units when the encoding unit is divided into an odd number of encoding units. Since the contents of such restrictions or predetermined positions have been described above through various embodiments, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0135] FIG. 9 illustrates a process in which an image decoding device (100) divides a first encoding unit (900) to determine at least one encoding unit according to one embodiment.

[0136] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split the first coding unit (900) based on the split shape mode information acquired through the bitstream acquisition unit (110). The first coding unit (900) having a square shape may be split into four coding units having a square shape or may be split into a plurality of coding units having a non-square shape. For example, referring to FIG. 9, when the first coding unit (900) is square and the split shape mode information indicates that it is split into non-square coding units, the image decoding device (100) may split the first coding unit (900) into a plurality of non-square coding units. Specifically, when the split shape mode information indicates that the first encoding unit (900) is split in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction to determine an odd number of encoding units, the image decoding device (100) can split the first encoding unit (900) having a square shape into second encoding units (910a, 910b, 910c) determined by splitting them in the vertical direction into an odd number of encoding units or second encoding units (920a, 920b, 920c) determined by splitting them in the horizontal direction.

[0137] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine whether the second encoding units (910a, 910b, 910c, 920a, 920b, 920c) included in the first encoding unit (900) satisfy a condition that allows them to be processed in a predetermined order, and the condition is related to whether at least one of the width and height of the first encoding unit (900) is split in half according to the boundary of the second encoding units (910a, 910b, 910c, 920a, 920b, 920c). Referring to FIG. 9, since the boundaries of the second coding units (910a, 910b, 910c) determined by vertically dividing the first coding unit (900) in a square shape do not divide the width of the first coding unit (900) in half, it may be determined that the first coding unit (900) does not satisfy the condition that it can be processed in a predetermined order. In addition, since the boundaries of the second coding units (920a, 920b, 920c) determined by horizontally dividing the first coding unit (900) in a square shape do not divide the height of the first coding unit (900) in half, it may be determined that the first coding unit (900) does not satisfy the condition that it can be processed in a predetermined order. If such a condition is not satisfied, the image decoding device (100) may determine that the scan order is disconnected, and based on the determination result, may determine that the first encoding unit (900) is divided into an odd number of encoding units. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may place a predetermined restriction on an encoding unit at a predetermined position among the divided encoding units when the encoding unit is divided into an odd number of encoding units. Since the contents of such restrictions or predetermined positions, etc. have been described above through various embodiments, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can divide the first encoding unit to determine encoding units of various shapes.

[0139] Referring to FIG. 9, the image decoding device (100) can divide the first encoding unit (900) having a square shape and the first encoding unit (930 or 950) having a non-square shape into encoding units of various shapes.

[0140] FIG. 10 illustrates that, according to one embodiment, a video decoding device (100) limits the shapes into which a second encoding unit can be divided when a non-square shape of a second encoding unit determined by splitting a first encoding unit (1000) satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine to split a first coding unit (1000) having a square shape into second coding units (1010a, 1010b, 1020a, 1020b) having a non-square shape based on the split shape mode information acquired through the bitstream acquisition unit (110). The second coding units (1010a, 1010b, 1020a, 1020b) may be split independently. Accordingly, the image decoding device (100) may determine to split or not split into a plurality of coding units based on the split shape mode information related to each of the second coding units (1010a, 1010b, 1020a, 1020b). According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine third encoding units (1012a, 1012b) by horizontally dividing the left second encoding unit (1010a) having a non-square shape determined by vertically dividing the first encoding unit (1000). However, when the image decoding device (100) divides the left second encoding unit (1010a) in the horizontal direction, the right second encoding unit (1010b) may be restricted from being horizontally divided in the same direction as the direction in which the left second encoding unit (1010a) is divided. If the second encoding unit on the right (1010b) is split in the same direction to determine the third encoding unit (1014a, 1014b), the second encoding unit on the left (1010a) and the second encoding unit on the right (1010b) may be independently split in the horizontal direction to determine the third encoding unit (1012a, 1012b, 1014a, 1014b). However, this is the same result as the image decoding device (100) splitting the first encoding unit (1000) into four square-shaped second encoding units (1030a, 1030b, 1030c, 1030d) based on the split shape mode information, which may be inefficient in terms of image decoding.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine third coding units (1022a, 1022b, 1024a, 1024b) by vertically dividing a second coding unit (1020a or 1020b) having a non-square shape determined by dividing a first coding unit (1000) in a horizontal direction. However, when the image decoding device (100) vertically divides one of the second coding units (e.g., the upper second coding unit (1020a)), the other second coding units (e.g., the lower coding unit (1020b)) may be restricted from being vertically divided in the same direction as the direction in which the upper second coding unit (1020a) is divided, for the reasons described above.

[0143] FIG. 11 illustrates a process in which an image decoding device (100) divides a square-shaped encoding unit when the split shape mode information cannot indicate that the encoding unit is divided into four square-shaped encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0144] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split the first encoding unit (1100) based on the split shape mode information to determine the second encoding units (1110a, 1110b, 1120a, 1120b, etc.). The split shape mode information may include information about various shapes into which the encoding unit may be split, but the information about various shapes may not include information for splitting the encoding unit into four encoding units having a square shape. According to this split shape mode information, the image decoding device (100) cannot split the first encoding unit (1100) having a square shape into four second encoding units having a square shape (1130a, 1130b, 1130c, 1130d). Based on the segmentation shape mode information, the image decoding device (100) can determine a second encoding unit (1110a, 1110b, 1120a, 1120b, etc.) of a non-square shape.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can independently split each of the second encoding units (1110a, 1110b, 1120a, 1120b, etc.) having a non-square shape. Each of the second encoding units (1110a, 1110b, 1120a, 1120b, etc.) can be split in a predetermined order using a recursive method, which may be a splitting method corresponding to a method in which the first encoding unit (1100) is split based on splitting shape mode information.

[0146] For example, the image decoding device (100) can determine third coding units (1112a, 1112b) having a square shape by splitting the left second coding unit (1110a) in the horizontal direction, and can determine third coding units (1114a, 1114b) having a square shape by splitting the right second coding unit (1110b) in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the image decoding device (100) can also determine third coding units (1116a, 1116b, 1116c, 1116d) having a square shape by splitting both the left second coding unit (1110a) and the right second coding unit (1110b) in the horizontal direction. In this case, the encoding unit can be determined in the same form as the first encoding unit (1100) being divided into four square-shaped second encoding units (1130a, 1130b, 1130c, 1130d).

[0147] As another example, the image decoding device (100) may determine third coding units (1122a, 1122b) having a square shape by vertically splitting the upper second coding unit (1120a), and may determine third coding units (1124a, 1124b) having a square shape by vertically splitting the lower second coding unit (1120b). Furthermore, the image decoding device (100) may determine third coding units (1126a, 1126b, 1126a, 1126b) having a square shape by vertically splitting both the upper second coding unit (1120a) and the lower second coding unit (1120b). In this case, the encoding unit can be determined in the same form as the first encoding unit (1100) being divided into four square-shaped second encoding units (1130a, 1130b, 1130c, 1130d).

[0148] FIG. 12 illustrates that, according to one embodiment, the processing order between multiple encoding units may vary depending on the process of dividing the encoding units.

[0149] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split the first encoding unit (1200) based on the split shape mode information. If the block shape is square and the split shape mode information indicates that the first encoding unit (1200) is split in at least one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, the image decoding device (100) may split the first encoding unit (1200) to determine second encoding units (e.g., 1210a, 1210b, 1220a, 1220b, etc.). Referring to FIG. 12, the second encoding units (1210a, 1210b, 1220a, 1220b) having a non-square shape determined by splitting the first encoding unit (1200) only in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction may be independently split based on the split shape mode information for each. For example, the image decoding device (100) can determine third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d) by horizontally dividing second encoding units (1210a, 1210b) generated by vertically dividing the first encoding unit (1200), and can determine third encoding units (1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) by vertically dividing second encoding units (1220a, 1220b) generated by horizontally dividing the first encoding unit (1200). Since the process of dividing the second encoding units (1210a, 1210b, 1220a, 1220b) has been described above with reference to FIG. 11, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can process encoding units according to a predetermined order. Since the characteristics of processing encoding units according to a predetermined order have been described above with reference to FIG. 7, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Referring to FIG. 12, the image decoding device (100) can divide a first encoding unit (1200) having a square shape and determine four third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d, 1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) having a square shape. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can determine the processing order of the third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d, 1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) depending on the form in which the first encoding unit (1200) is divided.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d) by horizontally dividing the second encoding units (1210a, 1210b) generated by vertically dividing them, and the image decoding device (100) may process the third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d) according to an order (1217) of first processing the third encoding units (1216a, 1216c) included in the left second encoding unit (1210a) in the vertical direction and then processing the third encoding units (1216b, 1216d) included in the right second encoding unit (1210b) in the vertical direction.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine third encoding units (1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) by vertically dividing the second encoding units (1220a, 1220b) generated by being divided in the horizontal direction, and the image decoding device (100) may process the third encoding units (1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) according to an order (1227) of first processing the third encoding units (1226a, 1226b) included in the upper second encoding unit (1220a) in the horizontal direction and then processing the third encoding units (1226c, 1226d) included in the lower second encoding unit (1220b) in the horizontal direction.

[0153] Referring to FIG. 12, the second encoding units (1210a, 1210b, 1220a, 1220b) can be divided into third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d, 1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) having a square shape. The second encoding units (1210a, 1210b) determined by being split in the vertical direction and the second encoding units (1220a, 1220b) determined by being split in the horizontal direction are split into different shapes, but according to the third encoding units (1216a, 1216b, 1216c, 1216d, 1226a, 1226b, 1226c, 1226d) determined later, the first encoding unit (1200) is ultimately split into encoding units of the same shape. Accordingly, even if the image decoding device (100) determines encoding units of the same shape as a result by recursively splitting the encoding units through different processes based on the split shape mode information, it can process a plurality of encoding units determined in the same shape in different orders.

[0154] FIG. 13 illustrates a process in which the depth of an encoding unit is determined as the shape and size of the encoding unit change when the encoding unit is recursively divided to determine a plurality of encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0155] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the depth of an encoding unit according to a predetermined criterion. For example, the predetermined criterion may be the length of a long side of the encoding unit. If the length of the long side of the current encoding unit is split to be 2n (n>0) times the length of the long side of the encoding unit before splitting, the image decoding device (100) may determine that the depth of the current encoding unit is increased by n compared to the depth of the encoding unit before splitting. Hereinafter, an encoding unit with an increased depth is expressed as an encoding unit of a lower depth.

[0156] Referring to FIG. 13, according to one embodiment, based on block shape information indicating a square shape (for example, the block shape information may indicate '0: SQUARE'), the image decoding device (100) may divide a first coding unit (1300) having a square shape to determine a second coding unit (1302), a third coding unit (1304), etc. of a lower depth. If the size of the first coding unit (1300) having a square shape is 2Nx2N, the second coding unit (1302) determined by dividing the width and height of the first coding unit (1300) by half may have a size of NxN. Furthermore, the third coding unit (1304) determined by dividing the width and height of the second coding unit (1302) by half may have a size of N / 2xN / 2. In this case, the width and height of the third encoding unit (1304) correspond to 1 / 4 of the width and height of the first encoding unit (1300). When the depth of the first encoding unit (1300) is D, the depth of the second encoding unit (1302), which is 1 / 2 of the width and height of the first encoding unit (1300), may be D+1, and the depth of the third encoding unit (1304), which is 1 / 4 of the width and height of the first encoding unit (1300), may be D+2.

[0157] In one embodiment, based on block shape information indicating a non-square shape (for example, the block shape information may indicate '1: NS_VER' indicating a non-square shape in which the height is longer than the width or '2: NS_HOR' indicating a non-square shape in which the width is longer than the height), the image decoding device (100) may split a first coding unit (1310 or 1320) having a non-square shape to determine a second coding unit (1312 or 1322), a third coding unit (1314 or 1324) of a lower depth, etc.

[0158] The image decoding device (100) can determine a second encoding unit (e.g., 1302, 1312, 1322, etc.) by splitting at least one of the width and height of the first encoding unit (1310) having a size of Nx2N. That is, the image decoding device (100) can split the first encoding unit (1310) in the horizontal direction to determine a second encoding unit (1302) having a size of NxN or a second encoding unit (1322) having a size of NxN / 2, and can also split the first encoding unit (1310) in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction to determine a second encoding unit (1312) having a size of N / 2xN.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine a second coding unit (e.g., 1302, 1312, 1322, etc.) by splitting at least one of the width and the height of the first coding unit (1320) having a size of 2NxN. That is, the image decoding device (100) may split the first coding unit (1320) in the vertical direction to determine a second coding unit (1302) having a size of NxN or a second coding unit (1312) having a size of N / 2xN, and may also split the first coding unit (1320) in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction to determine a second coding unit (1322) having a size of NxN / 2.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine a third encoding unit (e.g., 1304, 1314, 1324, etc.) by splitting at least one of the width and the height of the second encoding unit (1302) having a size of NxN. That is, the image decoding device (100) may split the second encoding unit (1302) in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to determine a third encoding unit (1304) having a size of N / 2xN / 2, a third encoding unit (1314) having a size of N / 4xN / 2, or a third encoding unit (1324) having a size of N / 2xN / 4.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine a third encoding unit (e.g., 1304, 1314, 1324, etc.) by splitting at least one of the width and the height of the second encoding unit (1312) having a size of N / 2xN. That is, the image decoding device (100) may split the second encoding unit (1312) in the horizontal direction to determine a third encoding unit (1304) having a size of N / 2xN / 2 or a third encoding unit (1324) having a size of N / 2xN / 4, or split the second encoding unit (1312) in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to determine a third encoding unit (1314) having a size of N / 4xN / 2.

[0162] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine a third encoding unit (e.g., 1304, 1314, 1324, etc.) by splitting at least one of the width and the height of the second encoding unit (1322) having a size of NxN / 2. That is, the image decoding device (100) may split the second encoding unit (1322) in the vertical direction to determine a third encoding unit (1304) having a size of N / 2xN / 2 or a third encoding unit (1314) having a size of N / 4xN / 2, or split the second encoding unit (1322) in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to determine a third encoding unit (1324) having a size of N / 2xN / 4.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split a square-shaped encoding unit (e.g., 1300, 1302, 1304) in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction. For example, a first encoding unit (1300) having a size of 2Nx2N may be split in the vertical direction to determine a first encoding unit (1310) having a size of Nx2N, or may be split in the horizontal direction to determine a first encoding unit (1320) having a size of 2NxN. According to one embodiment, when the depth is determined based on the length of the longest side of the encoding unit, the depth of the encoding unit determined by splitting the first encoding unit (1300) having a size of 2Nx2N in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction may be the same as the depth of the first encoding unit (1300).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the width and height of the third coding unit (1314 or 1324) may be 1 / 4 times that of the first coding unit (1310 or 1320). When the depth of the first coding unit (1310 or 1320) is D, the depth of the second coding unit (1312 or 1322), which is 1 / 2 times the width and height of the first coding unit (1310 or 1320), may be D+1, and the depth of the third coding unit (1314 or 1324), which is 1 / 4 times the width and height of the first coding unit (1310 or 1320), may be D+2.

[0165] FIG. 14 illustrates an index (part index, hereinafter referred to as PID) for depth and encoding unit distinction that can be determined according to the shape and size of encoding units according to one embodiment.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split a first encoding unit (1400) having a square shape to determine second encoding units of various shapes. Referring to FIG. 14, the image decoding device (100) may split the first encoding unit (1400) in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction according to the split shape mode information to determine second encoding units (1402a, 1402b, 1404a, 1404b, 1406a, 1406b, 1406c, 1406d). That is, the image decoding device (100) can determine the second encoding unit (1402a, 1402b, 1404a, 1404b, 1406a, 1406b, 1406c, 1406d) based on the split shape mode information for the first encoding unit (1400).

[0167] According to one embodiment, the depth of the second coding units (1402a, 1402b, 1404a, 1404b, 1406a, 1406b, 1406c, 1406d) determined according to the split shape mode information for the first coding unit (1400) having a square shape may be determined based on the length of the long side. For example, since the length of one side of the first coding unit (1400) having a square shape and the length of the long side of the second coding unit (1402a, 1402b, 1404a, 1404b) having a non-square shape are the same, the depth of the first coding unit (1400) and the second coding units (1402a, 1402b, 1404a, 1404b) having a non-square shape may be considered to be the same as D. In contrast, when the image decoding device (100) divides the first encoding unit (1400) into four square-shaped second encoding units (1406a, 1406b, 1406c, 1406d) based on the split shape mode information, the length of one side of the square-shaped second encoding units (1406a, 1406b, 1406c, 1406d) is half the length of one side of the first encoding unit (1400), so the depth of the second encoding units (1406a, 1406b, 1406c, 1406d) may be a depth of D+1, which is one depth lower than D, the depth of the first encoding unit (1400).

[0168] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split a first encoding unit (1410) having a height greater than its width into a plurality of second encoding units (1412a, 1412b, 1414a, 1414b, 1414c) in a horizontal direction according to the splitting shape mode information. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may split a first encoding unit (1420) having a width greater than its height into a plurality of second encoding units (1422a, 1422b, 1424a, 1424b, 1424c) in a vertical direction according to the splitting shape mode information.

[0169] According to one embodiment, the depth of the second coding unit (1412a, 1412b, 1414a, 1414b, 1414c. 1422a, 1422b, 1424a, 1424b, 1424c) determined based on the split shape mode information for the first coding unit (1410 or 1420) of a non-square shape may be determined based on the length of the long side. For example, since the length of one side of the second encoding unit (1412a, 1412b) in the shape of a square is half the length of one side of the first encoding unit (1410) in the shape of a non-square having a height longer than a width, the depth of the second encoding unit (1412a, 1412b) in the shape of a square is D+1, which is one depth lower than the depth D of the first encoding unit (1410) in the shape of a non-square.

[0170] Furthermore, the image decoding device (100) can split a non-square first encoding unit (1410) into an odd number of second encoding units (1414a, 1414b, 1414c) based on the split shape mode information. The odd number of second encoding units (1414a, 1414b, 1414c) can include non-square second encoding units (1414a, 1414c) and square second encoding units (1414b). In this case, since the length of the long side of the second encoding unit (1414a, 1414c) of a non-square shape and the length of one side of the second encoding unit (1414b) of a square shape are half the length of one side of the first encoding unit (1410), the depth of the second encoding unit (1414a, 1414b, 1414c) may be a depth of D+1, which is one depth lower than D, which is the depth of the first encoding unit (1410). The image decoding device (100) may determine the depth of the encoding units associated with the first encoding unit (1420) of a non-square shape, in which the width is longer than the height, in a manner corresponding to the above method of determining the depth of the encoding units associated with the first encoding unit (1410).

[0171] According to one embodiment, when determining an index (PID) for distinguishing divided coding units, the image decoding device (100) may determine the index based on a size ratio between the coding units when the coding units divided into an odd number are not of the same size. Referring to FIG. 14, among the coding units (1414a, 1414b, 1414c) divided into an odd number, the coding unit (1414b) located in the middle may have the same width as the other coding units (1414a, 1414c) but may have a height that is twice the height of the coding units (1414a, 1414c) that are different in height. That is, in this case, the coding unit (1414b) located in the middle may include two of the other coding units (1414a, 1414c). Accordingly, if the index (PID) of the encoding unit (1414b) located in the middle according to the scanning order is 1, the index of the encoding unit (1414c) located in the next order may be 3, which is an increase of 2. In other words, there may be a discontinuity in the index value. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine whether the encoding units divided into an odd number are not of the same size based on the presence or absence of discontinuity in the index for distinguishing between the divided encoding units.

[0172] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine whether the image is divided into a specific split shape based on the value of an index for distinguishing a plurality of coding units that are divided from the current coding unit. Referring to FIG. 14, the image decoding device (100) may divide a first coding unit (1410) having a rectangular shape in which the height is longer than the width, to determine an even number of coding units (1412a, 1412b) or an odd number of coding units (1414a, 1414b, 1414c). The image decoding device (100) may use an index (PID) indicating each coding unit to distinguish each of the plurality of coding units. According to one embodiment, the PID may be obtained from a sample (for example, an upper left sample) at a predetermined position of each coding unit.

[0173] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine an coding unit at a predetermined position among the coding units that are divided and determined using an index for distinguishing the coding units. According to one embodiment, when the split shape mode information for the first coding unit (1410) having a rectangular shape with a height longer than the width indicates that the first coding unit (1410) is divided into three coding units, the image decoding device (100) may divide the first coding unit (1410) into three coding units (1414a, 1414b, 1414c). The image decoding device (100) may assign an index to each of the three coding units (1414a, 1414b, 1414c). The image decoding device (100) may compare the indexes for each coding unit to determine the middle coding unit among the coding units divided into an odd number of coding units. The image decoding device (100) may determine a coding unit (1414b) having an index corresponding to a middle value among the indices of the coding units as a coding unit at a middle position among the coding units determined by splitting the first coding unit (1410). According to an embodiment, when determining an index for distinguishing the split coding units, the image decoding device (100) may determine the index based on a size ratio between the coding units when the coding units do not have the same size. Referring to FIG. 14, the coding unit (1414b) generated by splitting the first coding unit (1410) may have the same width as other coding units (1414a, 1414c) but may be twice the height of the coding units (1414a, 1414c) that are different in height. In this case, if the index (PID) of the encoding unit (1414b) located in the middle is 1, the index of the encoding unit (1414c) located in the next order may be 3, which is an increase of 2.In cases like this where the index increases uniformly and then the increase amount changes, the image decoding device (100) may determine that the current encoding unit is divided into a plurality of encoding units including encoding units having different sizes from other encoding units. According to one embodiment, when the split shape mode information indicates that the current encoding unit is divided into an odd number of encoding units, the image decoding device (100) may divide the current encoding unit into a form in which an encoding unit at a predetermined position among the odd number of encoding units (for example, a middle encoding unit) has a different size from the other encoding units. In this case, the image decoding device (100) may determine a middle encoding unit having a different size using an index (PID) for the encoding unit. However, the above-described index, the size or position of the encoding unit at the predetermined position to be determined are specific for explaining one embodiment and should not be interpreted as being limited thereto, and it should be interpreted that various indexes, positions and sizes of encoding units can be used.

[0174] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may utilize a predetermined data unit from which recursive division of the encoding unit begins.

[0175] FIG. 15 illustrates that a plurality of coding units are determined according to a plurality of predetermined data units included in a picture according to one embodiment.

[0176] According to one embodiment, a predetermined data unit may be defined as a data unit from which a coding unit begins to be recursively split using split shape mode information. That is, it may correspond to a coding unit of the highest depth used in the process of determining multiple coding units for splitting the current picture. For convenience of explanation, this predetermined data unit will be referred to as a reference data unit hereinafter.

[0177] In one embodiment, the reference data unit may exhibit a predetermined size and shape. In one embodiment, the reference data unit may include MxN samples, where M and N may be the same and may be integers expressed as powers of 2. That is, the reference data unit may exhibit a square or non-square shape, and may be subsequently divided into an integer number of coding units.

[0178] According to one embodiment, the video decoding device (100) can divide the current picture into a plurality of reference data units. According to one embodiment, the video decoding device (100) can divide the plurality of reference data units into which the current picture is divided using division type mode information for each reference data unit. This division process of the reference data units can correspond to a division process using a quad-tree structure.

[0179] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine in advance the minimum size that a reference data unit included in the current picture may have. Accordingly, the image decoding device (100) may determine reference data units of various sizes having a size greater than or equal to the minimum size, and may determine at least one encoding unit using segmentation mode information based on the determined reference data unit.

[0180] Referring to FIG. 15, the image decoding device (100) may use a reference coding unit (1500) having a square shape, or may use a reference coding unit (1502) having a non-square shape. According to one embodiment, the shape and size of the reference coding unit may be determined according to various data units (e.g., sequence, picture, slice, slice segment, tile, tile group, maximum coding unit, etc.) that may include at least one reference coding unit.

[0181] According to one embodiment, the bitstream acquisition unit (110) of the image decoding device (100) can acquire at least one of information on the shape of the reference coding unit and information on the size of the reference coding unit from the bitstream for each of the various data units. The process of determining at least one coding unit included in the square-shaped reference coding unit (1500) has been described above through the process of splitting the current coding unit (300) of FIG. 3, and the process of determining at least one coding unit included in the non-square-shaped reference coding unit (1502) has been described above through the process of splitting the current coding unit (400 or 450) of FIG. 4, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0182] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may use an index for identifying the size and shape of the reference coding unit to determine the size and shape of the reference coding unit according to some data units that are predetermined based on a predetermined condition. That is, the bitstream acquisition unit (110) may acquire only an index for identifying the size and shape of the reference coding unit for each slice, slice segment, tile, tile group, maximum coding unit, etc., among the various data units (e.g., sequences, pictures, slices, slice segments, tiles, tile groups, maximum coding units, etc.) that satisfy a predetermined condition (e.g., data units having a size smaller than a slice) from the bitstream. The image decoding device (100) may determine the size and shape of the reference data unit for each data unit that satisfies the predetermined condition by using the index. When information about the shape of the reference coding unit and information about the size of the reference coding unit are obtained from the bitstream for each relatively small-sized data unit and used, the efficiency of the bitstream may not be good. Therefore, instead of directly obtaining information about the shape of the reference coding unit and information about the size of the reference coding unit, only the index may be obtained and used. In this case, at least one of the size and shape of the reference coding unit corresponding to the index indicating the size and shape of the reference coding unit may be determined in advance. That is, the image decoding device (100) can determine at least one of the size and shape of the reference coding unit included in the data unit that serves as the basis for obtaining the index by selecting at least one of the sizes and shapes of the predetermined reference coding units according to the index.

[0183] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may use at least one reference coding unit included in one maximum coding unit (1510). That is, a maximum coding unit for dividing an image may include at least one reference coding unit, and a coding unit may be determined through a recursive splitting process of each reference coding unit. According to one embodiment, at least one of the width and the height of the maximum coding unit may correspond to an integer multiple of at least one of the width and the height of the reference coding unit. According to one embodiment, the size of the reference coding unit may be a size obtained by splitting the maximum coding unit n times according to a quad tree structure. That is, the image decoding device (100) may split the maximum coding unit n times according to the quad tree structure to determine the reference coding unit, and may split the reference coding unit based on at least one of block shape information and split shape mode information according to various embodiments.

[0184] According to one embodiment, the video decoding device (100) may obtain and use block shape information indicating the shape of the current encoding unit or split shape mode information indicating a method of splitting the current encoding unit from the bitstream. The split shape mode information may be included in a bitstream related to various data units. For example, the video decoding device (100) may use split shape mode information included in a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a video parameter set, a slice header, a slice segment header, a tile header, and a tile group header. Furthermore, the video decoding device (100) may obtain and use a syntax element corresponding to block shape information or split shape mode information from the bitstream for each maximum encoding unit and each reference encoding unit.

[0185] Hereinafter, a method for determining a partitioning rule according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0186] The video decoding device (100) can determine a segmentation rule of the video. The segmentation rule may be predetermined between the video decoding device (100) and the video encoding device (200). The video decoding device (100) can determine the segmentation rule of the video based on information obtained from a bitstream. The video decoding device (100) can determine the segmentation rule based on information obtained from at least one of a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a video parameter set, a slice header, a slice segment header, a tile header, and a tile group header. The video decoding device (100) can determine the segmentation rule differently according to a frame, a slice, a tile, a temporal layer, a maximum coding unit, or an coding unit.

[0187] The image decoding device (100) can determine a segmentation rule based on the block shape of the encoding unit. The block shape can include the size, shape, width and height ratio, and direction of the encoding unit. The image encoding device (200) and the image decoding device (100) can determine in advance that the segmentation rule will be determined based on the block shape of the encoding unit. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The image decoding device (100) can determine the segmentation rule based on information obtained from the bitstream received from the image encoding device (200).

[0188] The shape of the encoding unit may include a square and a non-square shape. If the width and height of the encoding unit are equal, the image decoding device (100) may determine the shape of the encoding unit as a square. In addition, if the width and height of the encoding unit are not equal, the image decoding device (100) may determine the shape of the encoding unit as a non-square shape.

[0189] The size of the coding unit may include various sizes such as 4x4, 8x4, 4x8, 8x8, 16x4, 16x8, ..., 256x256. The size of the coding unit may be classified according to the length of the long side, the length of the short side, or the area of ​​the coding unit. The image decoding device (100) may apply the same splitting rule to the coding units classified into the same group. For example, the image decoding device (100) may classify the coding units having the same long side length into the same size. In addition, the image decoding device (100) may apply the same splitting rule to the coding units having the same long side length.

[0190] The ratio of the width to the height of the coding unit may include 1:2, 2:1, 1:4, 4:1, 1:8, 8:1, 1:16, 16:1, 32:1, or 1:32, etc. In addition, the direction of the coding unit may include a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The horizontal direction may indicate a case where the length of the width of the coding unit is longer than the length of the height. The vertical direction may indicate a case where the length of the width of the coding unit is shorter than the length of the height.

[0191] The image decoding device (100) can adaptively determine a splitting rule based on the size of the encoding unit. The image decoding device (100) can determine a different allowable splitting mode based on the size of the encoding unit. For example, the image decoding device (100) can determine whether splitting is allowed based on the size of the encoding unit. The image decoding device (100) can determine a splitting direction based on the size of the encoding unit. The image decoding device (100) can determine an allowable splitting type based on the size of the encoding unit.

[0192] Determining the splitting rule based on the size of the encoding unit may be a splitting rule predetermined between the image encoding device (200) and the image decoding device (100). In addition, the image decoding device (100) may determine the splitting rule based on information obtained from the bitstream.

[0193] The image decoding device (100) can adaptively determine a segmentation rule based on the position of the encoding unit. The image decoding device (100) can adaptively determine a segmentation rule based on the position that the encoding unit occupies in the image.

[0194] Additionally, the image decoding device (100) can determine a splitting rule so that encoding units generated through different splitting paths do not have the same block shape. However, this is not limited thereto, and encoding units generated through different splitting paths may have the same block shape. Encoding units generated through different splitting paths may have different decoding processing orders. Since the decoding processing order has been described together with FIG. 12, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0195] FIG. 16 illustrates encoding units that can be determined for each picture when the combination of forms into which encoding units can be divided is different for each picture according to one embodiment.

[0196] Referring to FIG. 16, the image decoding device (100) can determine a different combination of partitioning shapes into which a coding unit can be partitioned for each picture. For example, the image decoding device (100) can decode an image using a picture (1600) that can be partitioned into four coding units, a picture (1610) that can be partitioned into two or four coding units, and a picture (1620) that can be partitioned into two, three, or four coding units, among at least one picture included in the image. The image decoding device (100) can only use partitioning shape information indicating that the picture (1600) is partitioned into four square coding units to partition the picture (1600) into a plurality of coding units. The image decoding device (100) can only use partitioning shape information indicating that the picture (1610) is partitioned into two or four coding units to partition the picture. The video decoding device (100) can only use the segmentation type information indicating that the picture (1620) is segmented into two, three, or four encoding units. The above-described combination of segmentation types is merely an example for explaining the operation of the video decoding device (100), and therefore the above-described combination of segmentation types should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described example, but should be interpreted as being capable of using various combinations of segmentation types for each predetermined data unit.

[0197] According to one embodiment, the bitstream acquisition unit (110) of the image decoding device (100) can acquire a bitstream including an index indicating a combination of segmentation type information for each predetermined data unit (e.g., a sequence, a picture, a slice, a slice segment, a tile, a tile group, etc.). For example, the bitstream acquisition unit (110) can acquire an index indicating a combination of segmentation type information from a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a slice header, a tile header, or a tile group header. The image decoding device (100) can determine a combination of segmentation types into which an encoding unit can be segmented for each predetermined data unit using the acquired index, and thus can use different combinations of segmentation types for each predetermined data unit.

[0198] FIG. 17 illustrates various forms of encoding units that can be determined based on segmentation mode information that can be expressed in binary code according to one embodiment.

[0199] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can split an encoding unit into various shapes using block shape information and split shape mode information acquired through the bitstream acquisition unit (110). The shapes of the encoding unit that can be split may correspond to various shapes including the shapes described through the above-described embodiments.

[0200] Referring to FIG. 17, the image decoding device (100) can split a square-shaped encoding unit in at least one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction based on the split shape mode information, and can split a non-square-shaped encoding unit in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction.

[0201] According to one embodiment, when the image decoding device (100) can divide a square-shaped encoding unit into four square encoding units by horizontally and vertically splitting the encoding unit, there may be four types of splitting modes that the splitting mode information for the square encoding unit can indicate. According to one embodiment, the splitting mode information may be expressed as a two-digit binary code, and a binary code may be assigned to each splitting mode. For example, when the encoding unit is not split, the splitting mode information may be expressed as (00)b, when the encoding unit is split in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, the splitting mode information may be expressed as (01)b, when the encoding unit is split in the horizontal direction, the splitting mode information may be expressed as (10)b, and when the encoding unit is split in the vertical direction, the splitting mode information may be expressed as (11)b.

[0202] According to one embodiment, when the image decoding device (100) splits a non-square coding unit in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, the type of split shape that the split shape mode information can indicate may be determined depending on the number of coding units into which the coding unit is split. Referring to FIG. 17, the image decoding device (100) may split a non-square coding unit into up to three according to one embodiment. The image decoding device (100) may split the coding unit into two coding units, in which case the split shape mode information may be expressed as (10)b. The image decoding device (100) may split the coding unit into three coding units, in which case the split shape mode information may be expressed as (11)b. The image decoding device (100) may determine not to split the coding unit, in which case the split shape mode information may be expressed as (0)b. That is, the image decoding device (100) can use variable length coding (VLC) rather than fixed length coding (FLC) to use a binary code representing segmentation mode information.

[0203] According to one embodiment, referring to FIG. 17, the binary code of the partition shape mode information indicating that the coding unit is not split may be expressed as (0)b. If the binary code of the partition shape mode information indicating that the coding unit is not split is set to (00)b, all binary codes of the 2-bit partition shape mode information must be used even if there is no partition shape mode information set to (01)b. However, as illustrated in FIG. 17, if three partition shapes for a non-square coding unit are used, the image decoding device (100) can determine that the coding unit is not split even if it uses a 1-bit binary code (0)b as the partition shape mode information, and thus can efficiently use the bitstream. However, the partition shapes of the non-square coding unit indicated by the partition shape mode information should not be interpreted as being limited to only the three shapes illustrated in FIG. 17, but should be interpreted as various shapes including the above-described embodiments.

[0204] FIG. 18 illustrates another form of a coding unit that can be determined based on segmentation mode information that can be expressed in binary code according to one embodiment.

[0205] Referring to FIG. 18, the image decoding device (100) can split a square-shaped encoding unit in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction based on the split shape mode information, and can split a non-square-shaped encoding unit in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction. That is, the split shape mode information can indicate that a square-shaped encoding unit is split in one direction. In this case, the binary code of the split shape mode information indicating that a square-shaped encoding unit is not split can be expressed as (0)b. If the binary code of the split shape mode information indicating that the encoding unit is not split is set to (00)b, all binary codes of the 2-bit split shape mode information must be used even though there is no split shape mode information set to (01)b. However, as illustrated in FIG. 18, if three types of division forms for a square-shaped encoding unit are used, the image decoding device (100) can determine that the encoding unit is not divided even if it uses a 1-bit binary code (0)b as the division form mode information, and thus can efficiently use the bitstream. However, the division forms of the square-shaped encoding unit indicated by the division form mode information should not be interpreted as being limited to only the three types illustrated in FIG. 18, but should be interpreted as various types including the embodiments described above.

[0206] In one embodiment, block shape information or segmentation shape mode information may be expressed using binary code, and such information may be directly generated as a bitstream. Furthermore, block shape information or segmentation shape mode information that may be expressed using binary code may not be directly generated as a bitstream, but may instead be used as a binary code input into CABAC (context adaptive binary arithmetic coding).

[0207] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) describes a process of obtaining syntax for block shape information or segmentation shape mode information through CABAC. A bitstream including a binary code for the syntax can be obtained through a bitstream obtaining unit (110). The image decoding device (100) can detect a syntax element indicating block shape information or segmentation shape mode information by de-binarizing a bin string included in the obtained bitstream. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can obtain a set of binary bin strings corresponding to syntax elements to be decoded, and decode each bin using probability information, and the image decoding device (100) can repeat the process until a bin string composed of the decoded bins becomes equal to one of the previously obtained bin strings. The image decoding device (100) can determine syntax elements by performing inverse binarization of an empty string.

[0208] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may perform a decoding process of adaptive binary arithmetic coding to determine a syntax for a bin string, and the image decoding device (100) may update a probability model for bins acquired through the bitstream acquisition unit (110). Referring to FIG. 17, the bitstream acquisition unit (110) of the image decoding device (100) may acquire a bitstream representing a binary code representing segmentation mode information according to one embodiment. Using the acquired binary code having a size of 1 or 2 bits, the image decoding device (100) may determine a syntax for the segmentation mode information. In order to determine the syntax for the segmentation mode information, the image decoding device (100) may update a probability for each bit of the 2-bit binary code. That is, the image decoding device (100) can update the probability of having a value of 0 or 1 when decoding the next bin, depending on whether the value of the first bin among the 2-bit binary codes is 0 or 1.

[0209] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may, in the process of determining the syntax, update the probability for the bins used in the process of decoding the bins of the empty string for the syntax, and the image decoding device (100) may determine that certain bits among the empty strings have the same probability without updating the probability.

[0210] Referring to FIG. 17, in the process of determining a syntax using an empty string indicating split shape mode information for a non-square coding unit, the image decoding device (100) may determine the syntax for the split shape mode information using one bin having a value of 0 when the non-square coding unit is not split. That is, when the block shape information indicates that the current coding unit is a non-square shape, the first bin of the empty string for the split shape mode information may be 0 when the non-square coding unit is not split, and may be 1 when it is split into 2 or 3 coding units. Accordingly, the probability that the first bin of the empty string of the split shape mode information for the non-square coding unit is 0 may be 1 / 3, and the probability that it is 1 may be 2 / 3. As described above, the image decoding device (100) can only express a 1-bit empty string having a value of 0 for the partition shape mode information indicating that a non-square-shaped encoding unit is not partitioned, so the image decoding device (100) can determine the syntax for the partition shape mode information by determining whether the second bin is 0 or 1 only when the first bin of the partition shape mode information is 1. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) can decode the bin by considering that the probability that the second bin is 0 or 1 when the first bin for the partition shape mode information is 1 is the same probability.

[0211] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may use various probabilities for each bin in the process of determining a bin of a bin string for the partition shape mode information. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the probability of a bin for the partition shape mode information differently depending on the direction of a non-square block. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the probability of a bin for the partition shape mode information differently depending on the area or the length of the long side of the current encoding unit. According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the probability of a bin for the partition shape mode information differently depending on at least one of the shape and the length of the long side of the current encoding unit.

[0212] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine that the bin probability for the segmentation shape mode information is the same for encoding units of a predetermined size or larger. For example, the bin probability for the segmentation shape mode information may be determined to be the same for encoding units of a size of 64 samples or larger based on the length of the long side of the encoding unit.

[0213] According to one embodiment, the image decoding device (100) may determine the initial probability for bins constituting the empty string of the segmentation shape mode information based on the slice type (e.g., I slice, P slice, or B slice).

[0214] Figure 19 is a block diagram of an image encoding and decoding system that performs loop filtering.

[0215] The encoding unit (1910) of the image encoding and decoding system (1900) transmits an encoded bitstream of an image, and the decoding unit (1950) receives the bitstream and decodes it to output a restored image. Here, the encoding unit (1910) may have a configuration similar to that of the image encoding device (200) described below, and the decoding unit (1950) may have a configuration similar to that of the image decoding device (100).

[0216] In the encoding unit (1910), the prediction encoding unit (1915) outputs prediction data through inter prediction and intra prediction, and the transformation and quantization unit (1920) outputs quantized transformation coefficients of residual data between the prediction data and the current input image. The entropy encoding unit (1925) encodes and transforms the quantized transformation coefficients and outputs them as a bitstream. The quantized transformation coefficients are restored to spatial domain data through the inverse quantization and inverse transformation unit (1930), and the restored spatial domain data are output as a restored image through the deblocking filtering unit (1935) and the loop filtering unit (1940). The restored image can be used as a reference image of the next input image through the prediction encoding unit (1915).

[0217] The encoded image data among the bitstreams received by the decoding unit (1950) is restored to residual data in the spatial domain through the entropy decoding unit (1955) and the inverse quantization and inverse transformation unit (1960). The prediction data and residual data output from the prediction decoding unit (1975) are combined to form image data in the spatial domain, and the deblocking filtering unit (1965) and the loop filtering unit (1970) can perform filtering on the image data in the spatial domain to output a restored image for the current original image. The restored image can be used as a reference image for the next original image by the prediction decoding unit (1975).

[0218] The loop filtering unit (1940) of the encoding unit (1910) performs loop filtering using filter information input according to user input or system settings. The filter information used by the loop filtering unit (1940) is output to the entropy encoding unit (1925) and transmitted to the decoding unit (1950) together with the encoded image data. The loop filtering unit (1970) of the decoding unit (1950) can perform loop filtering based on the filter information input from the decoding unit (1950).

[0219] The various embodiments described above describe operations related to the image decoding method performed by the image decoding device (100). Hereinafter, the operations of the image encoding device (200), which performs the image encoding method corresponding to the reverse process of the image decoding method, will be described through various embodiments.

[0220] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an image encoding device (200) capable of encoding an image based on at least one of block shape information and segmentation shape mode information according to one embodiment.

[0221] The video encoding device (200) may include an encoding unit (220) and a bitstream generation unit (210). The encoding unit (220) may receive an input image and encode the input image. The encoding unit (220) may encode the input image to obtain at least one syntax element. The syntax element may include at least one of a skip flag, a prediction mode, a motion vector difference, a motion vector prediction method (or index), a transform quantized coefficient, a coded block pattern, a coded block flag, an intra prediction mode, a direct flag, a merge flag, a delta QP, a reference index, a prediction direction, and a transform index. The encoding unit (220) may determine a context model based on block shape information including at least one of a shape, a direction, a ratio of width and height, or a size of an encoding unit.

[0222] The bitstream generation unit (210) can generate a bitstream based on an encoded input image. For example, the bitstream generation unit (210) can generate a bitstream by entropy encoding syntax elements based on a context model. In addition, the image encoding device (200) can transmit the bitstream to the image decoding device (100).

[0223] According to one embodiment, the encoding unit (220) of the image encoding device (200) can determine the shape of an encoding unit. For example, the encoding unit may be square or have a non-square shape, and information indicating such shape may be included in the block shape information.

[0224] According to one embodiment, the encoding unit (220) can determine the shape into which the encoding unit is to be split. The encoding unit (220) can determine the shape of at least one encoding unit included in the encoding unit, and the bitstream generation unit (210) can generate a bitstream including split shape mode information including information about the shape of such encoding unit.

[0225] According to one embodiment, the encoder (220) may determine whether the encoding unit is split or not. If the encoder (220) determines that the encoding unit includes only one encoding unit or that the encoding unit is not split, the bitstream generation unit (210) may generate a bitstream including split shape mode information indicating that the encoding unit is not split. In addition, the encoder (220) may split the encoding unit into a plurality of encoding units, and the bitstream generation unit (210) may generate a bitstream including split shape mode information indicating that the encoding unit is split into a plurality of encoding units.

[0226] According to one embodiment, information indicating the number of encoding units to be split into or the direction in which the encoding unit is to be split may be included in the splitting mode information. For example, the splitting mode information may indicate splitting in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions, or may indicate no splitting.

[0227] The video encoding device (200) determines information about the segmentation shape mode based on the segmentation shape mode of the encoding unit. The video encoding device (200) determines a context model based on at least one of the shape, direction, width, and height ratio or size of the encoding unit. Then, the video encoding device (200) generates information about the segmentation shape mode for segmenting the encoding unit based on the context model as a bitstream.

[0228] In order to determine a context model, the video encoding device (200) may obtain an array for matching at least one of the shape, direction, width and height ratio or size of the encoding unit with an index for the context model. The video encoding device (200) may obtain an index for the context model based on at least one of the shape, direction, width and height ratio or size of the encoding unit in the array. The video encoding device (200) may determine the context model based on the index for the context model.

[0229] The video encoding device (200) may further determine the context model based on block shape information including at least one of the shape, direction, width, and height ratio or size of a neighboring encoding unit adjacent to the encoding unit, in order to determine the context model. In addition, the neighboring encoding unit may include at least one of encoding units located on the lower left, left, upper left, upper right, right, or lower right of the encoding unit.

[0230] In addition, the video encoding device (200) may compare the length of the width of the upper peripheral encoding unit with the length of the width of the encoding unit to determine the context model. In addition, the video encoding device (200) may compare the length of the height of the left and right peripheral encoding units with the length of the height of the encoding unit. In addition, the video encoding device (200) may determine the context model based on the comparison results.

[0231] Since the operation of the video encoding device (200) includes similar contents to the operation of the video decoding device (100) described in FIGS. 3 to 19, a detailed description is omitted.

[0232] FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an image decoding device (2000) according to one embodiment.

[0233] Referring to FIG. 20, the image decoding device (2000) may include a memory (2010) and a processor (2030).

[0234] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory (2010) and the processor (2030) of the present disclosure may be implemented with at least one memory and at least one processor, respectively. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when instructions are stored in the memory (2010), the operations of the bitstream acquisition unit (110), the decoding unit (120) illustrated in FIG. 1, and the entropy decoding unit (1955) and the prediction decoding unit (1975) illustrated in FIG. 19 may be implemented according to instructions called by at least one process.

[0235] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may include a storage medium that stores input / output data of at least one of the bitstream acquisition unit (110), the decoding unit (120) illustrated in FIG. 1, and the entropy decoding unit (1955) and the prediction decoding unit (1975) illustrated in FIG. 19. The storage medium may be included in the memory (2010) or may be a storage medium different from the memory (2010).

[0236] Additionally, the image decoding device (2000) may include a storage medium control unit that controls data input / output of the storage medium. The storage medium control unit may be included in the processor (2030), or may be a control unit different from the processor (2030).

[0237] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image decoding device (2000) can obtain a bitstream generated as a result of encoding an image.

[0238] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the bitstream may include encoded data generated by encoding a current block. The encoded data included in the bitstream may be used to reconstruct the current block. The current block may be a maximum coding unit, coding unit, transformation unit, or prediction unit segmented from the current image to be decoded.

[0239] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) can determine a current block based on information associated with a block included in a bitstream corresponding to at least one level of a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a video parameter set, a slice header, and a slice segment header, and / or information about a block segmentation mode.

[0240] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can receive a bitstream from the image encoding device via a network.

[0241] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can obtain a bitstream from a data storage medium including a magnetic medium such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as a CD-ROM and a DVD, a magneto-optical medium such as a floptical disk, and the like.

[0242] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image decoding device (2000) can obtain syntax elements for decoding an image from a bitstream. Values ​​corresponding to the syntax elements can be included in the bitstream according to the hierarchical structure of the image.

[0243] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image decoding device (2000) can obtain bins of syntax elements by parsing bits included in a bitstream. The parsing process can include at least one of entropy decoding and inverse binarization.

[0244] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bitstream may include motion information of a current block. The motion information may include at least one of information about a prediction mode of a current block in a current image, information about a reference picture list used for inter prediction of the current block (e.g., information about an index indicating whether a first reference picture list (L0) is used, a second reference picture list (L1) is used, or bi-prediction (LO and L1) is used), information about a reference picture index, information about a motion vector predictor, and information about a motion vector difference. Meanwhile, without being limited to the disclosed example, the motion information may include all information for reconstructing the current block through inter prediction.

[0245] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the bitstream may include information indicating the prediction mode of the current block within the current image. The prediction mode of the current block may include an intra mode, an inter mode, etc. Intra mode is an operation of predicting a block based on spatial similarity, and is a mode in which the current block is predicted or restored based on spatial similarity within the current image, while inter mode is a mode in which the current block is predicted or restored based on a reference image to reduce temporal redundancy between images.

[0246] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform intra prediction or inter prediction on the current block according to the prediction mode of the current block to generate a prediction block of the current block, and restore the current block using the prediction block.

[0247] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the bitstream may include information about a reference picture list indicating which reference picture list among a plurality of reference picture lists to use for prediction of a current block.

[0248] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the image decoding device (2000) reconstructs the current block based on the reference image, it may use one reference image (e.g., unidirectional prediction) or two reference images (e.g., bi-prediction). This may be determined through information about the reference picture list, which indicates which reference picture list among a plurality of reference picture lists is to be used for prediction of the current block for inter prediction of the current block.

[0249] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) may determine one reference picture list used for inter prediction of the current block based on information about a reference picture list indicating which reference picture list among a plurality of reference picture lists is used for prediction of the current block for inter prediction of the current block. For example, the video decoding device (2000) may obtain information about an index indicating whether a first reference picture list (L0), a second reference picture list (L1), or bi-prediction (LO and L1) is used for inter prediction of the current block.

[0250] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bitstream may include a reference picture index indicating one of the reference pictures included in a reference picture list. For example, when unidirectional prediction is performed on a current block, the image decoding device (2000) may obtain a reference picture index indicating which reference picture among at least one reference picture included in the reference picture list to use from the bitstream. When pair prediction is performed on a current block, the image decoding device (2000) may obtain a first reference picture index indicating a reference picture included in a first reference picture list for the current block and a second reference picture index indicating a reference picture included in a second reference picture list, respectively.

[0251] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bitstream may include information for determining a motion vector. For example, the video decoding device (2000) may obtain, from the bitstream, a motion vector predictor index indicating one of the motion vector candidates included in a motion vector candidate list. For example, when unidirectional prediction is performed on a current block, the video decoding device (2000) may obtain, from the bitstream, a first motion vector predictor index indicating a first motion vector candidate among at least one motion vector candidate included in a first motion vector candidate list. When pair prediction is performed on a current block, the video decoding device (2000) may obtain, from the bitstream, a first index indicating a first motion vector candidate among at least one motion vector candidate included in the first motion vector candidate list, and a second index indicating a second motion vector candidate among at least one motion vector candidate included in a second motion vector candidate list.

[0252] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine the motion vector of the current block by using the motion vectors of previously decoded blocks spatially adjacent to the current block or blocks included in a previously decoded image as the motion vector predictor of the current block. The image decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine the motion vector of the current block by using information about the motion vector difference obtained from the bitstream.

[0253] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a reference block within a reference image using a motion vector of a current block. The image decoding device (2000) may point to the reference image using a reference index of a block pointed to by the motion vector of the current block, and determine the reference block using a motion vector of a block pointed to by the motion vector of the current block. The image decoding device (2000) may determine a motion vector predictor from a motion vector candidate list of the current block, and determine the motion vector of the current block using the determined motion vector predictor. The image decoding device (2000) may also determine the reference block by performing template matching with the current block using the motion vector of the current block. The image decoding device (2000) may determine a block pointed to by an initial motion vector of the current block as a first reference block, or may determine the first reference block by performing template matching with the current block based on a block pointed to by the initial motion vector of the current block.

[0254] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a first reference block within a first reference image using a motion vector of a current block. For example, the image decoding device (2000) can determine the first reference block using a motion vector of the current block, and can determine a second reference block by performing template matching with the current block for a block to which the motion vector of the first reference block points within a second reference image.

[0255] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, template matching with the current block may be an operation of determining a reference block of the current block by adjusting or correcting an initial motion vector by comparing the template of the current block with a template within a predetermined area including a block pointed to by a motion vector of the current block. Meanwhile, the template to be compared with the template of the current block may or may not be within a predetermined area including a block pointed to by the initial motion vector of the current block. For example, the template to be compared with the template of the current block may be a template within a predetermined area including a block pointed to by a motion vector of a first reference block. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed example.

[0256] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, motion information may be included in a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a slice header, or slice data of a bitstream.

[0257] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, information on whether to perform template matching with a current block or information related to template matching with the current block may be included in a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a slice header, or slice data of a bitstream. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed example, and information related to whether to perform template matching may not be included in the bitstream. Meanwhile, information related to template matching with the current block may include information on the number of times template matching is performed corresponding to the current block in the process of searching for and determining a reference block through template matching when an operation of using a motion vector of a block pointed to by a motion vector of the current block to determine a reference block of the current block and then using a motion vector of a block pointed to by the motion vector of the corresponding block is performed in a chain.

[0258] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can reconstruct the current block using a reference block. For example, the image decoding device (2000) can generate a prediction block using the reference block, and reconstruct or generate the current block using the prediction block and residual data.

[0259] Meanwhile, the reference block of the present disclosure may be a first reference block determined from a first reference image or a second reference block determined from a second reference image. The first reference image may be a reference image used for predicting a current block, and the first reference block may be a block within the first reference image. The second reference image may be a reference image used for predicting a predetermined block (e.g., the first reference block) within the first reference image, or may be an image included in a reference picture list for the current block, and the second reference block may be a block within the second reference image.

[0260] Meanwhile, specific operations for performing template matching to determine a reference block will be described later with reference to FIGS. 24 to 27.

[0261] In standards such as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) and VVC (Versatile video coding), prediction blocks are generated based on motion information obtained from a bitstream, which may increase the amount of data required for signaling in an inter prediction mode. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) determines a motion vector and performs template matching using a template within a search range based on a block indicated by the motion vector, thereby reducing the amount of data required for signaling. By performing template matching to reduce the amount of residual data, the amount of data required for signaling can be reduced.

[0262] Below, with reference to FIG. 21, the inter prediction performed on the current block is described.

[0263] FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating neighboring blocks temporally and / or spatially related to a current block according to one embodiment.

[0264] Referring to FIG. 21, a temporal neighboring block may include a collocated block (Col) (hereinafter referred to as a "collocated block") in a collocated image located at a point corresponding to the current block (2115) in a reference image having a different POC (Picture Order Count) from the POC of the current block (2115). The collocated block may be a block including a sample (Br) corresponding to a position of a sample diagonally adjacent to the lower right of the current block (2115) in the collocated image, or a block including a sample (Ctr) corresponding to a central position of the current block (2115). Meanwhile, without being limited to the disclosed example, the collocated block may be a block including a predetermined sample in the collocated image at a position corresponding to a predetermined sample included in a current block of the current image, and may be determined as any block in a block having a position and size corresponding to the current block in the collocated image, or a block adjacent to a block having a position and size corresponding to the current block.

[0265] A spatial neighboring block spatially adjacent to the current block (2115) may include at least one of blocks including a lower left outer sample (A0), a lower left sample (A1), an upper right outer sample (B0), an upper right sample (B1), and an upper left outer sample (B2).

[0266] The locations of the temporal neighboring blocks and spatial neighboring blocks illustrated in FIG. 21 are an example, and the locations and numbers of the temporal neighboring blocks and spatial neighboring blocks may vary depending on the implementation.

[0267] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when constructing a motion vector candidate list, the video decoding device (2000) may determine each motion vector candidate included in the motion vector candidate list through template matching based on the motion vectors of temporal neighboring blocks and / or spatial neighboring blocks. The motion vectors of the temporal neighboring blocks and / or spatial neighboring blocks may be adjusted through template matching based on the motion vectors of the temporal neighboring blocks and / or spatial neighboring blocks.

[0268] FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining a template of a template matching prediction mode according to one embodiment.

[0269] Referring to FIG. 22, the templates (2210, 2220, 2230, 2240, 2250) of the current block (2200) may have multiple shapes. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape of the template to be compared in the restored area may also be determined based on the template of the current block (2200). In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a template having a shape similar to that of the templates (2210, 2230) may be referred to as an L-shape.

[0270] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a template of the current block (2200) to include at least one of a first template located on the left side of the current block, a second template located on the upper side of the current block, and a third template located on the upper left side of the current block. For example, the template (2210) may include the first template located on the left side of the current block, the second template located on the upper side of the current block, and the third template located on the upper left side of the current block, and the template (2220) may include the first template and the second template excluding the third template. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the template may include a template located on the right side of the current block (2200).

[0271] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform template matching prediction using a template (2230) including at least some of a right reference sample, an upper reference sample, and an upper-right reference sample. The image decoding device (2000) can determine the template based on the coding order (or coding direction) of the block. For example, when coding of the block is performed from right to left, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a reference block of the current block (2200) or perform template matching prediction using the template (2230).

[0272] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a reference block of the current block (2200) or perform template matching prediction using a template (2240) including at least some of a right reference sample, an upper reference sample, a left reference sample, an upper-left reference sample, and an upper-right reference sample.

[0273] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the coding order (or coding direction) of a block changes, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a reference block of the current block (2200) or perform template matching prediction using a template (2240) including a referenceable sample.

[0274] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the template of the current block (2200) may include one or more reference lines. A first template may include m reference lines (wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 1), and a second template may include n reference lines (wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 1).

[0275] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may determine unrestored samples when some samples of a template corresponding to a reference block are not restored. For example, when some of the first template is not restored, the image decoding device (2000) may determine the values ​​of the unrestored samples and determine a template including the determined samples.

[0276] FIG. 22 is a drawing for explaining a template according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and is not limited thereto, and various forms of templates may be determined. In addition, although the present disclosure describes that the image decoding device (2000) performs template matching using a template (2210) including all of a left reference sample, an upper reference sample, and an upper-left reference sample, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and template matching prediction may be performed using templates of various shapes as described in FIG. 22.

[0277] FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block based on template matching according to one embodiment.

[0278] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a reference block within a reference image (2330) to perform prediction for a current block (2315) within a current image (2310). The image decoding device (2000) may determine a motion vector (2325) of the current block (2315) using motion information.

[0279] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a reference block of the current block (2315) by adjusting or correcting the initial motion vector (2325) by comparing the current template (2316) with a template within a predetermined area (2337) including a point indicated by the determined motion vector (2325). Meanwhile, the motion vector (2325) before being adjusted according to template matching may be referred to as the initial motion vector (2325). The predetermined area (2337) may be referred to as a search area, a search area, etc.

[0280] Meanwhile, since the operation of the image decoding device (2000) to determine a reference block using a motion vector predictor has been described in detail in FIG. 21, the operation of the image decoding device (2000) to determine a reference block by performing template matching around the location indicated by the initial motion vector (2325) will be described below.

[0281] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform template matching using the initial motion vector (2325) of the current block (2315), thereby determining the reference block of the current block (2315) as a block pointed to by the motion vector corrected or adjusted according to the template matching.

[0282] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) may obtain a motion vector of a block spatially adjacent to the current block (2315) to construct a motion vector candidate list, and may also obtain a motion vector of a block spatially non-adjacent to the current block (2315) as a motion vector candidate. The motion vector candidate list may obtain a motion vector of a block spatially adjacent to the current block (2315) or a motion vector of a block spatially non-adjacent to the current block (2315) as a motion vector candidate.

[0283] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may obtain motion vectors of a call block and neighboring blocks of the call block within the collocated image of the current block (2315) as motion vector candidates to construct a motion vector candidate list. The motion vector candidate list may include motion vectors of a call block and neighboring blocks of the call block within the collocated image of the current block (2315) as motion vector candidates.

[0284] Meanwhile, the motion vector determined from the motion vector candidate list may be referred to as the initial motion vector (2325).

[0285] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference image (2330) including a reference block is an image restored before the current image (2310) and may be an image included in a reference picture list.

[0286] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a set of neighboring samples restored before the current block (2315) may be used as a template in template matching. The current template (2316), which is the template of the current block (2315), may include at least some of the neighboring samples of the current block (2315). Hereinafter, the template of the current block (2315) may be referred to as the current template (2316), and the template of the reference block may be referred to as the reference template (2336).

[0287] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may search for a template that is most similar to the current template (2316) within a reference image (2330) using the current template (2316), and determine a block adjacent to the reference template (2336), which is the most similar template as a result of the search, as a reference block. In FIG. 23, since the current template (2316) is located to the left and above the current block (2315), a block located to the right and below the reference template (2336) that is most similar as a result of the search within the reference image (2330) may be determined as a reference block.

[0288] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation of searching for a template most similar to the current template (2316) may be an operation of performing template matching with the current block (2315) by determining a candidate template with the smallest difference as a reference template by using a difference between a pixel value of at least one pixel included in the current template (2316) of the current block (2315) and a pixel value of at least one pixel included in a candidate template corresponding to a candidate location for template matching.

[0289] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, template matching can be performed using various search patterns and search sizes based on the initial motion vector (2325). For example, template matching can search a predetermined area (2337) using a diamond pattern or a cross pattern, and can search the predetermined area (2337) in units of 4 pixels, 1 pixel, 1 / 2 pixel, 1 / 4 pixel, or 1 / 8 pixel. A candidate location for template matching can be a location for comparing a current template (2316) and a template determined according to the search pattern and search size within a predetermined range for template matching.

[0290] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, difference values ​​of sample values ​​may be used to search for and determine a template similar to the current template (2316). For example, a template including sample values ​​most similar to the sample values ​​included in the current template (2316) may be determined as a similar template within the reference image (2330). In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the template having the minimum Sum of Absolute Difference (SAD) value may be determined as the most similar template using the difference values ​​of the sample values, but this is only one example, and Sum of Absolute Transformed Difference (SATD), Sum of Squared Error (SSE), Mean Removed SAD (MR-SAD), Mean Removed SSE (MR-SSE), or Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HoG) may be used, and may be variously modified within a range apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0291] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) may determine an initial motion vector (2325) for determining a reference block for searching for a similar template. For example, a predetermined motion vector (e.g., a zero vector, a vector obtained from information obtained from a bitstream) may be determined as the initial motion vector (2325). The video decoding device (2000) may determine a motion vector candidate that indicates a template most similar to the current template (2316) among templates corresponding to a plurality of motion vector candidates included in a motion vector candidate list as a motion vector predictor of the current block (2315). In addition, the video decoding device (2000) may determine the initial motion vector (2325) of the current block (2315) using the motion vector predictor of the current block (2315).

[0292] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) can obtain a motion vector predictor index indicating one motion vector candidate included in a motion vector candidate list, and determine a motion vector predictor of the current block (2315). The video decoding device (2000) can determine the motion vector predictor of the current block (2315) itself as the initial motion vector (2325) of the current block (2315), or can determine the motion vector predictor as the initial motion vector (2325) of the current block (2315) by combining it with information about the motion vector difference of the current block (2315).

[0293] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template (2316) within a predetermined range centered on the point indicated by the motion vector (2325). In addition, a block adjacent to the reference template (2336), which is the template most similar to the current template (2316) within the reference image (2330), may be determined as a reference block.

[0294] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine an initial motion vector (2325) for determining a first reference block of the current block (2315) from a motion vector candidate list.

[0295] Meanwhile, the motion vector of the current block (2315) may be two or more (for example, two) when the current block (2315) is pair-predicted, but for the sake of convenience of explanation, a case where there is only one motion vector is described as an example, and even when the current block (2315) is pair-predicted, a block adjacent to a reference template determined as the template most similar to the current template (2316) within a predetermined range centered on the point indicated by each motion vector may be determined as the reference block corresponding to each motion vector.

[0296] FIG. 24 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0297] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine or obtain a motion vector (2425) of a current block (2415) in a current image (2410). The image decoding device (2000) can determine a reference block using the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) and the motion vector of the block pointed to by the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415).

[0298] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation of determining or obtaining the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) by the image decoding device (2000) is described in detail in FIGS. 21 to 23, and therefore, the same content is omitted.

[0299] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a first reference block (2435) within a first reference image (2430) using a motion vector (2425) of a current block (2415). The image decoding device (2000) can determine a block indicated by the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) as the first reference block (2435). The image decoding device (2000) can determine the first reference block (2435) by performing template matching with the current block (2415) within the first reference image (2430) using the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) as an initial motion vector.

[0300] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template (2416) within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by a motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415). In addition, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a block adjacent to a first reference template (2436), which is a template most similar to the current template (2416) within a first reference image (2430), as the first reference block (2435).

[0301] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine or obtain a second reference block (2455) using motion information of a first reference block (2435). The motion information of the first reference block (2435) can include information about a reference image used for decoding the first reference block (2435) and a motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435). Meanwhile, the motion information of the first reference block (2435) can be stored corresponding to the first reference image (2430) or the first reference block (2435).

[0302] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a second reference block (2455) using the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435). The image decoding device (2000) can determine a block pointed to by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) as the second reference block (2455).

[0303] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine the second reference block (2455) in the second reference image (2450) by performing template matching with a current block in the second reference image (2450) using the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435). The image decoding device (2000) can perform template matching in the second reference image (2450) that includes the block pointed to by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435). The image decoding device (2000) can determine the second reference block (2455) in the second reference image (2450) by performing template matching in the second reference image (2450).

[0304] For example, the video decoding device (2000) can determine the second reference block (2455) by correcting or adjusting the initial motion vector of the first reference block (2435) by performing template matching by searching the surroundings of the position indicated by the initial motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435). The video decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine the final motion vector (2465) of the current block (2415) by comprehensively considering the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) and the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435), and can determine the second reference block (2455) according to the final motion vector (2465).

[0305] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can search for and determine a template most similar to the current template (2416) within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by a motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435). The image decoding device (2000) can determine a block adjacent to a second reference template (2456), which is a template most similar to the current template (2416) within a second reference image (2450), as the second reference block (2455).

[0306] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine whether a second template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2416) and the second reference template (2456) is less than a first template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2416) and the first reference template (2436).

[0307] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may identify that the template matching cost corresponding to the point indicated by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) is less than the template matching cost of the first reference template (2436) corresponding to the first reference block (2435). In addition, if the image decoding device (2000) identifies that the template matching cost corresponding to the point indicated by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) is less, the image decoding device (2000) may determine to restore or decode the current block (2415) using the second reference block (2455).

[0308] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the template matching cost corresponding to the point pointed to by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) is greater than the template matching cost according to the template matching performed on the first reference image (2430), the template matching according to the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) may be terminated without being additionally performed.

[0309] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the template matching cost corresponding to the point pointed to by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) may be the template matching cost for the template of the point pointed to by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) or the template matching cost of the first template candidate position according to the point pointed to by the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435).

[0310] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost may be performed using at least one of the minimum Sum of Absolute Difference (SAD), Sum of Absolute Transformed Difference (SATD), Sum of Squared Error (SSE), Mean Removed SAD (MR-SAD), Mean Removed SSE (MR-SSE), or Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HoG) using difference values ​​of each template, and may be variously changed within a range apparent to those skilled in the art without being limited to the disclosed examples.

[0311] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may apply a weight to at least one of temporal distance information between each reference image and a current image (2410), and a quantization parameter corresponding to each reference block, in order to calculate a template matching cost. The image decoding device (2000) may perform template matching by calculating a template matching cost by applying weights according to the temporal distance information between the current image (2410) and the first reference image (2430) and the temporal distance information between the current image (2410) and the second reference image (2450). Alternatively, the image decoding device (2000) may perform template matching by applying weights according to the quantization parameter of the first reference block (2435) and the quantization parameter of the second reference block (2455). Additionally, the image decoding device (2000) may determine the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost using temporal distance information and quantization parameters.

[0312] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the temporal distance information may include a POC difference, and without limitation to the disclosed example, the temporal distance information may also be expressed in a manner other than a POC difference.

[0313] For example, the image decoding device (2000) can increase the probability of using an image having a relatively small POC difference by determining the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost by weighting the POC difference between the current image (2410) and the first reference image (2430) and the POC difference between the current image (2410) and the second reference image (2450). The image decoding device (2000) can increase the probability of using a block having a relatively small quantization parameter value by weighting the quantization parameter of the first reference block (2435) and the quantization parameter of the second reference block (2455) to determine the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost.

[0314] Meanwhile, the POC is a value associated with each image, such as the current image, the first reference image, and the second reference image, and can indicate the order of a given frame during the image encoding and decoding process. The POC can indicate the temporal order of images output from the decoded picture buffer (DPB). Therefore, the POC difference can correspond to the temporal distance between any two images.

[0315] Meanwhile, the operation of determining the second reference block (2455) using the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) may correspond to the operation of determining the reference block or the first reference block (2435) using the motion vector of the current block (2415) described in FIG. 23, and the same content is omitted.

[0316] Meanwhile, the first reference block (2435) may be a block included in the first reference image (2430), and the second reference block (2455) may be a block included in the second reference image (2450). In addition, the first reference image (2430) and the second reference image (2450) may be different. In addition, the first reference image (2430) and the second reference image (2450) may be images included in the reference picture list of the current image (2410). Lx represents a reference picture list, and IdxM and IdxN may represent an image having an index value of M and an image having an index value of N, respectively. However, M and N may each represent different positive integers greater than or equal to 0. Each image corresponding to IdxM and IdxN may be included in the reference picture list of List 0 or the reference picture list of List 1.

[0317] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first reference block (2435) used for the current block (2415) may have been reconstructed or decoded through pair prediction. If the first reference block (2435) included in the first reference image (2430) has been decoded through pair prediction, the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) used for the current block (2415) may be determined as a motion vector pointing to a reference block in a reference image included in the same reference picture list as the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415). For example, if the first reference image (2430) is included in the first reference picture list of the current block (2415) and the first reference block (2435) has been pair predicted, the second reference block (2455) may be determined using only a motion vector pointing to a predetermined block in a second reference image (2450) in the first reference picture list.

[0318] For example, if the POC of the current block (2415) is 5, the POC of the first reference block (2435) is 6, and the first reference block (2435) is pair-predicted using reference images having POC 4 and POC 8, the second reference block (2455) can be determined using only motion vectors corresponding to reference images having the same POC 8 in the reference picture list of the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415).

[0319] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a first reference block (2435) included in a first reference image (2430) is decoded through pair prediction, if a motion vector corresponding to the same reference picture list as the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) is not used for pair prediction of the first reference block (2435), the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) used for the current block (2415) may be determined as a motion vector having a lower template matching cost among the two motion vectors used for prediction of the first reference block (2435).

[0320] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a first reference block (2435) included in a first reference image (2430) is decoded through pair prediction, when two motion vectors corresponding to the same reference picture list as the motion vector (2425) of the current block (2415) are used for pair prediction of the first reference block (2435), the motion vector (2445) of the first reference block (2435) used for the current block (2415) can be determined as the motion vector with a lower template matching cost among the two motion vectors used for prediction of the first reference block (2435).

[0321] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) can identify whether the first reference image (2430) is an inter-image (e.g., P-Frame or B-Frame) and / or whether the first reference block (2435) has been decoded through inter prediction. For example, if the video decoding device (2000) identifies that the first reference image (2430) is an intra-image (I-Frame) or the first reference block (2435) has been decoded through intra prediction, the video decoding device (2000) may not determine the second reference block (2455). The video decoding device (2000) can determine or obtain the second reference block (2455) only when the first reference image (2430) is an inter-image and the first reference block (2435) has been decoded through inter prediction.

[0322] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can decode the current block (2415) using a second reference block (2455) determined using a motion vector (2445) of a first reference block (2435) as a reference block for the current block (2415).

[0323] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the process of decoding and encoding an image, the compression performance of the image can be improved, the bit rate can be reduced, the performance of motion prediction can be improved, and the decoding quality of the image can be improved.

[0324] FIG. 25 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0325] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can decode the current block (2515) in the current image (2510) using the second reference block (2555) determined using the motion vector (2545) of the first reference block (2535). The image decoding device (2000) can determine the third reference block (2575) using the motion vector (2565) of the second reference block (2555). For example, the image decoding device (2000) can determine the block indicated by the initial motion vector (2565) of the second reference block (2555) as the third reference block (2575).

[0326] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform template matching with a current block within a third reference image (2570) that includes a block pointed to by an initial motion vector (2565) of a second reference block (2555). The image decoding device (2000) can determine a third reference block (2575) within the third reference image (2570) by performing template matching within the third reference image (2570). For example, the image decoding device (2000) can determine the third reference block (2575) by correcting or adjusting the initial motion vector of the second reference block (2555) by performing template matching by searching the vicinity of the position pointed to by the initial motion vector (2565) of the second reference block (2555). The video decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine the final motion vector of the current block (2515) by comprehensively considering the motion vector of the current block (2515), the motion vector of the first reference block (2535), and the motion vector of the second reference block (2555), and can determine the third reference block (2575) to be used as the reference block of the current block (2515) according to the final motion vector (2585). Meanwhile, at least one of the motion vectors used to determine the final motion vector may be corrected or adjusted through template matching.

[0327] Meanwhile, the third reference image (2570) is different from the first reference image (2530) and the second reference image (2550), and may be an image included in the reference picture list of the current block (2515). Lx represents a reference picture list, and IdxO, IdxM, and IdxN may represent an image having an index value of O, an image having an index value of M, and an image having an index value of N, respectively. However, O, M, and N may each represent different positive integers greater than or equal to 0. Each image corresponding to IdxO, IdxM, and IdxN may all be included in the reference picture list of List 0 or the reference picture list of List 1.

[0328] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may search for and determine a template that is most similar to the current template (2516) within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by the initial motion vector (2565) of the second reference block (2555). The image decoding device (2000) may determine a block adjacent to a third reference template (2576), which is the template that is most similar to the current template (2516) within a third reference image (2570), as the third reference block (2575).

[0329] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) may determine whether a third template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2516) and the third reference template (2576) is less than a second template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2516) and the second reference template (2556). Meanwhile, previously, the second template matching cost may have been determined to be less than the first template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2516) and the first reference template (2536).

[0330] Meanwhile, the operation of determining the third reference block using the motion vector (2565) of the second reference block (2555) may correspond to the operation of determining the reference block or the first reference block (2535) using the motion vector (2525) of the current block (2515) described in FIGS. 23 and 24 or the operation of determining the second reference block (2555) using the motion vector (2545) of the first reference block (2535), and the same content is omitted.

[0331] Meanwhile, an operation of performing template matching with the current block (2515) using the motion vector of the reference block has been described with reference to FIGS. 24 and 25, and FIG. 24 has described an example of using the motion vector of the reference block only once, and FIG. 25 has described an example of performing template matching using the motion vector of the reference block twice, but is not limited to the disclosed examples. For example, template matching with the current block (2515) may be performed for each motion vector using the motion vector of the reference block N times (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3), and each template matching cost may be calculated each time, and may be performed only when the template matching cost is reduced.

[0332] FIG. 26 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0333] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a second reference block (2675) using a motion vector (2645) of a first reference block (2635). The first reference block (2635) may have been determined using a motion vector (2625) of a current block (2615).

[0334] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image (2650) including a block (2655) pointed to by a motion vector (2645) of a first reference block (2635) may be an image that is not included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615). When an image (2650) including a block (2655) pointed to by a motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635) is not included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615), the image decoding device (2000) may use the first reference block (2635) as a reference block of the current block (2615) without using the motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635).

[0335] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when an image (2650) including a block (2655) pointed to by a motion vector (2645) of a first reference block (2635) is not included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615), the image decoding device (2000) can convert and use the motion information of the first reference block (2635) to correspond to an image included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615).

[0336] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may perform scaling on a motion vector obtained using the motion vector of the current block (2615) and the motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635), based on a difference in POC (Picture Order Count) between the current image (2610) and an image (2650) including a block (2655) pointed to by the motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635), and a difference in POC between the current image (2610) and a second reference image (2670) included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615).

[0337] For example, the POC of the current image (2610) may be 7. The POC of the first reference image (2630) according to the motion information of the current block (2615) may be 7, and the motion vector may be (-16,-16). The POC of the reference image (2650) of the first reference block (2635) according to the motion information of the first reference block (2635) may be 0, and the motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635) may be (-32,-32). If the POC of the reference image included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615) is 4 and 6, the reference image (2650) of the first reference block (2635) with a POC of 0 may not be used as the reference image of the current block (2615), so the image with a POC of 4 included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615) may be used instead of the reference image (2650) of the first reference block (2635).

[0338] For example, the difference in POC (Picture Order Count) between the current image (2610) and the image (2650) including the block (2655) pointed to by the motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635) is 7, and the difference in POC between the current image (2610) and the image included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615) is 3. The image decoding device (2000) performs scaling on the motion vector (2665) of (-48,-48) that points to the reference image (2650) of the first reference block (2635) having a POC of 0 in the current block (2615) obtained by using the motion vector of the current block (2615) and the motion vector (2645) of the first reference block (2635), and performs scaling with the POC of the image included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615) to obtain (-48*3 / 7, -48*3 / 7) that is the motion vector (2685) that points to a scaled predetermined position in the second reference image (2670). You can get (-21,-21).

[0339] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image including a block pointed to by a motion vector that is included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615) and used instead of the reference image (2650) of the first reference block (2635) may be an image different from the first reference image (2630). A reference image included in the reference picture list of the current block (2615) and used instead of the reference image (2650) of the first reference block (2635) may be referred to as a second reference image (2670).

[0340] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can obtain a motion vector (2685) pointing to a predetermined position in a second reference image (2670) by performing scaling on a motion vector (2665) obtained using a motion vector (2625) of a current block (2615) and a motion vector (2645) of a first reference block (2635), and can perform template matching based on the motion vector (2685). The image decoding device (2000) can search for and determine a template that is most similar to the current template (2616) within a predetermined range centered on the point indicated by the motion vector. The image decoding device (2000) can determine a block adjacent to the second reference template (2676), which is the template that is most similar to the current template (2616) within the second reference image (2670), as the second reference block (2675).

[0341] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine whether a second template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2616) and the second reference template (2676) is less than a first template matching cost representing a difference between the current template (2616) and the first reference template (2636).

[0342] Meanwhile, since the specific operation of performing template matching is described in detail in FIGS. 23 to 25, the same content is omitted.

[0343] FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining an operation of determining a reference block by performing template matching according to one embodiment.

[0344] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when pair prediction is performed on a current block (2715) in a current image (2710), the image decoding device (2000) can obtain a first motion vector (2725) and a second motion vector (2745) for use in pair prediction of the current block (2715) from a motion vector candidate list for the current block (2715).

[0345] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can obtain a first reference block (2735) in a first reference image (2730) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) and a first reference block (2755) in a first reference image (2750) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745) by using a first motion vector (2725) of a current block (2715) and a second motion vector (2745) of the current block (2715).

[0346] For example, the video decoding device (2000) can determine the block pointed to by the first motion vector (2725) as the first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725). The video decoding device (2000) can determine the block adjacent to the first reference template (2736) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725), which is the template most similar to the current template (2716) within a predetermined range centered on the point pointed to by the first motion vector (2725), as the first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725).

[0347] For example, the video decoding device (2000) can determine the block pointed to by the second motion vector (2745) as the first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745). The video decoding device (2000) can determine the block adjacent to the first reference template (2756) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745), which is the template most similar to the current template (2716) within a predetermined range centered on the point pointed to by the second motion vector (2745), as the first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745).

[0348] Meanwhile, the first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) and the first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745) may be different. For example, the first reference image (2730) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) may be an image included in the first reference picture list (L0), and the first reference image (2750) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745) may be an image included in the second reference picture list (L1). However, without being limited to the disclosed example, the first reference images corresponding to each motion vector may be included in the same reference picture list. IdxM and IdxN may represent an image whose index value is M and an image whose index value is N, respectively. However, M and N may each represent different positive integers greater than or equal to 0. IdxO and IdxP may represent an image whose index value is O and an image whose index value is P, respectively. However, O and P can each represent different positive integers greater than or equal to 0.

[0349] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine second reference blocks (2775, 2795) corresponding to each other using the motion vector (2765) of the first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) and the motion vector (2785) of the first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745). The image decoding device (2000) can determine the second reference block (2775) in the second reference image (2770) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) and the second reference block (2795) in the second reference image (2790) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745).

[0350] For example, the video decoding device (2000) can determine a block pointed to by the motion vector (2765) of the first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) as the second reference block (2775) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725), and can determine a block adjacent to the second reference template (2776) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725), which is a template most similar to the current template (2716) within a predetermined range centered on the point pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725), as the second reference block (2775) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725).

[0351] For example, the video decoding device (2000) can determine a block pointed to by the motion vector (2785) of the first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745) as the second reference block (2795) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745), and can determine a block adjacent to the second reference template (2796) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745), which is the most similar template to the current template (2716) within a predetermined range centered on the point pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745), as the second reference block (2795) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745).

[0352] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform pair prediction for the current image using a second reference block (2775) corresponding to a first motion vector (2725) and a second reference block (2795) corresponding to a second motion vector (2745).

[0353] Meanwhile, in some cases, for pair prediction for the current image, pair prediction may be performed using a first reference block (2735) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) and a second reference block (2795) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745), or pair prediction may be performed using a second reference block (2775) corresponding to the first motion vector (2725) and a first reference block (2755) corresponding to the second motion vector (2745), and the operation of performing pair prediction for the current image (2710) is not limited to the disclosed example.

[0354] Figure 28 is a flowchart of an image decoding method according to one embodiment.

[0355] In step S2810, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a motion vector of the current block from a motion vector candidate list for the current block included in the current image.

[0356] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) may obtain a motion vector of a block spatially adjacent to the current block as a motion vector candidate to construct a motion vector candidate list, and may also obtain a motion vector of a block spatially non-adjacent to the current block as a motion vector candidate. The motion vector candidate list may obtain a motion vector of a block spatially adjacent to the current block or a motion vector of a block spatially non-adjacent to the current block as a motion vector candidate.

[0357] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may obtain motion vectors of a collocated block of a current block and neighboring blocks of the collocated block as motion vector candidates to construct a motion vector candidate list. The motion vector candidate list may include motion vectors of a collocated block of a current block and neighboring blocks of the collocated block as motion vector candidates.

[0358] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding device (2000) can obtain motion information of a current block to determine a motion vector. For example, the video decoding device (2000) can obtain a motion vector predictor index that points to one of the motion vector candidates included in a motion vector candidate list for the current block, and determine a motion vector predictor for the current block. The video decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine a motion vector for the current block using the motion vector predictor.

[0359] Meanwhile, the motion vector obtained or determined using the motion vector predictor may be an initial motion vector before performing template matching.

[0360] Meanwhile, since the contents related to the operation of obtaining or determining a motion vector from the motion vector candidate list are described in detail in FIGS. 21 to 27, the same contents are omitted.

[0361] In step S2820, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a first reference block within a first reference image using a motion vector of the current block.

[0362] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a first reference block using a motion vector of a current block. The image decoding device (2000) may determine a block pointed to by the motion vector of the current block as the first reference block. The image decoding device (2000) may determine the first reference block by performing template matching within a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block as an initial motion vector. The image decoding device (2000) may determine the first reference block by performing template matching with the current block within the first reference image. Performing template matching with the current block may mean performing template matching with a current template, which is a template of the current block.

[0363] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by the motion vector of the current block. In addition, the image decoding device (2000) may determine a block adjacent to the first reference template, which is the template most similar to the current template within the first reference image, as the first reference block.

[0364] In step S2830, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a second reference block within the second reference image by performing template matching with the current block within the second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image.

[0365] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine or obtain a second reference block using motion information of a first reference block. The motion information of the first reference block may include information about a reference image used for decoding the first reference block and a motion vector of the first reference block. Meanwhile, the motion information of the first reference block may be stored corresponding to the first reference image or the first reference block.

[0366] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can determine a second reference block using a motion vector of a first reference block. The image decoding device (2000) can determine a block pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block as the second reference block. The image decoding device (2000) can determine the second reference block in the second reference image by performing template matching with a current block in the second reference image around a predetermined point in the second reference image pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block.

[0367] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform template matching within a second reference image including a block pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block. The image decoding device (2000) can determine a second reference block within the second reference image by performing template matching within the second reference image. For example, the image decoding device (2000) can determine the second reference block by correcting or adjusting the initial motion vector of the first reference block by searching the vicinity of the position pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block and performing template matching. The image decoding device (2000) can obtain or determine the final motion vector of the current block by comprehensively considering the motion vector of the current block and the motion vector of the first reference block, and can determine the second reference block according to the final motion vector.

[0368] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by a motion vector of a first reference block. The image decoding device (2000) may determine a block adjacent to a second reference template, which is the template most similar to the current template within a second reference image, as the second reference block.

[0369] Meanwhile, the details related to the operation of the image decoding device (2000) to determine the second reference block are described in detail in FIGS. 21 to 27, and therefore the same details are omitted.

[0370] In step S2840, the image decoding device (2000) can restore the current block using the second reference block.

[0371] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can generate a prediction block of the current block by using the second reference block as a reference block for unidirectional prediction of the current block. The image decoding device (2000) can reconstruct or decode the current block by combining the prediction block of the current block and residual data of the current block. The image decoding device (2000) can generate a reconstructed current block by combining the residual data obtained from the bitstream and the prediction block.

[0372] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can decode the current block using a second reference block determined using the motion vector of the first reference block. The image decoding device (2000) can determine a third reference block using the motion vector of the second reference block. The image decoding device (2000) can determine a block indicated by the motion vector of the second reference block as the third reference block.

[0373] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can perform template matching within a third reference image including a block pointed to by the motion vector of the second reference block. The image decoding device (2000) can determine a third reference block within the third reference image by performing template matching within the third reference image. For example, the image decoding device (2000) can determine the third reference block by correcting or adjusting an initial motion vector of the second reference block by performing template matching by searching the vicinity of a position pointed to by the motion vector of the second reference block.

[0374] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding device (2000) can generate a prediction block of the current block by using the third reference block as a reference block for unidirectional prediction of the current block. The image decoding device (2000) can restore or decode the current block by combining the prediction block of the current block and residual data of the current block.

[0375] Fig. 29 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image encoding device according to one embodiment.

[0376] Referring to FIG. 29, the image encoding device (2900) may include a memory (2910) and a processor (2930).

[0377] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory (2910) and the processor (2930) may be implemented as at least one memory and at least one processor. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when instructions are stored in the memory (2910), the operations of the prediction encoding unit (1915) and the entropy encoding unit (1925) illustrated in FIG. 19 may be implemented according to instructions called by at least one process.

[0378] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may include a storage medium that stores input / output data of at least one of the prediction encoding unit (1915) and the entropy encoding unit (1925) illustrated in FIG. 19. The storage medium may be included in the memory (2910) or may be a different storage medium separate from the memory (2910).

[0379] Additionally, the image encoding device (2900) may include a storage medium control unit that controls data input / output of the storage medium. The storage medium control unit may be included in the processor (2930), or may be a control unit different from the processor (2930).

[0380] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image encoding device (2900) can determine a prediction mode of a current block within a current image. The prediction mode of the current block can include an inter mode. The inter mode is a mode that predicts or reconstructs the current block based on a reference image to reduce temporal redundancy between images. The current block can be a maximum coding unit, coding unit, transformation unit, or prediction unit split from a current image to be encoded.

[0381] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the prediction mode of the current block may be determined as an inter mode. The image encoding device (2900) may perform inter prediction on the current block according to the prediction mode of the current block, and may encode the current block using the prediction block generated as a result of performing the inter prediction. The bitstream may include information regarding the prediction mode of the current block.

[0382] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when encoding a current block based on a reference image, the image encoding device (2900) may use one reference image (e.g., unidirectional prediction) or two reference images (e.g., bidirectional prediction). Whether the current block is unidirectionally predicted or bidirectionally predicted may be determined based on a flag or index indicating which reference picture list among a plurality of reference picture lists in the bitstream is to be used.

[0383] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may determine an index indicating a reference picture list indicating which reference picture list among a plurality of reference picture lists is to be used for prediction of the current block. For example, the video encoding device (2900) may determine an index indicating a reference picture list including a reference picture used for prediction of the current block among the plurality of reference picture lists. When encoding the current block through pair prediction, the video encoding device (2900) may determine an index indicating that two reference picture lists are to be used.

[0384] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the bitstream may include information about a reference picture list indicating which reference picture list among a plurality of reference picture lists is to be used for prediction of the current block. The information about the reference picture list may include an index indicating a reference picture list among the plurality of reference picture lists that includes a reference image used for prediction of the current block.

[0385] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may identify or determine motion information used to determine a reference block of the current block when the current block is inter-predicted. The motion information of the current block may be included in a bitstream. The motion information of the current block may include at least one of information about a prediction mode of the current block in the current image, information about a reference picture list (for example, information about an index indicating whether a first reference picture list (L0), a second reference picture list (L1), or a bi-prediction (L0 and L1) is used for inter-prediction of the current block), information about a reference picture index, information about a motion vector predictor, and information about a motion vector difference, and may include all information for determining a motion vector of the current block without being limited to the disclosed examples.

[0386] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can encode the current block by obtaining or determining a motion vector predictor of the current block from a motion vector candidate list consisting of motion vectors of previously encoded blocks adjacent to the current block, previously encoded blocks not adjacent to the current block, blocks included in a collocated image, or neighboring blocks of the collocated image. The video encoding device (2900) can determine or obtain a motion vector predictor index indicating the determined motion vector candidate of the current block and store it in a bitstream.

[0387] For example, the image encoding device (2900) can determine a reference block within a reference image of the current block when the current block is inter-predicted. For example, the image encoding device (2900) can determine a reference block of the current block by performing template matching using a motion vector predictor of the current block.

[0388] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can determine a reference block of the current block by adjusting or correcting the initial motion vector of the current block by comparing the current template with a template within a predetermined area including the block indicated by the determined motion vector. Meanwhile, the motion vector before being adjusted by template matching may be referred to as an initial motion vector.

[0389] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, motion information may be included in a sequence parameter set, a picture parameter set, a slice header, or slice data of a bitstream.

[0390] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, encoding of a current block may refer to a process of generating information that enables an image decoding device (2000) to restore the current block. The information generated through encoding may be included in a bitstream after undergoing additional processing.

[0391] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a prediction block is generated through inter prediction or intra prediction for the current block, the image encoding device (2900) can encode the current block using the prediction block.

[0392] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may generate residual data corresponding to the difference between the predicted block and the current block. If the predicted block is determined to be the current block, residual data may not be generated.

[0393] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image encoding device (2900) may generate a bitstream including information generated according to the encoding of an image. The bitstream may include data generated as a result of encoding the current block. The bitstream may include motion information of the current block.

[0394] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image encoding device (2900) can transmit a bitstream to the image decoding device (2000) via a network.

[0395] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image encoding device (2900) can store a bitstream in a data storage medium including a magnetic medium such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as a CD-ROM and a DVD, a magneto-optical medium such as a floptical disk, and the like.

[0396] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image encoding device (2900) may generate a bitstream including syntax elements generated through encoding of an image. Values ​​corresponding to the syntax elements may be included in the bitstream according to the hierarchical structure of the image.

[0397] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a video encoding device (2900) can encode bins of syntax elements and include them in a bitstream. The encoding operation may include at least one of binarization and entropy encoding operations. Hereinafter, a step of determining a second reference block within a second reference image by performing template matching with a current block within a second reference image different from a first reference image including a block pointed to by a motion vector of the current block will be described.

[0398] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can determine a first reference block using a motion vector of a current block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a block pointed to by the motion vector of the current block as the first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine the first reference block by performing template matching with the current block within the first reference image using the motion vector of the current block as an initial motion vector.

[0399] Meanwhile, in template matching, a set of surrounding samples encoded before the current block can be used as a template.

[0400] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by the motion vector of the current block. In addition, the video encoding device (2900) may determine a block adjacent to the first reference template, which is the template most similar to the current template within the first reference image, as the first reference block.

[0401] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can determine or obtain a second reference block using motion information of a first reference block. The motion information of the first reference block may include information about a reference image used for encoding / decoding the first reference block and information about a motion vector of the first reference block. Meanwhile, the motion information of the first reference block may be stored corresponding to the first reference image or the first reference block.

[0402] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can determine a second reference block using the motion vector of the first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a block indicated by the motion vector of the first reference block as the second reference block.

[0403] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can perform template matching within a second reference image including a block pointed to by a motion vector of a first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a second reference block within the second reference image by performing template matching within the second reference image. For example, the video encoding device (2900) can determine the second reference block by correcting or adjusting an initial motion vector of the first reference block by performing template matching by searching the vicinity of a position pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block.

[0404] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can search for and determine a template most similar to the current template within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by a motion vector of a first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a block adjacent to a second reference template, which is the template most similar to the current template within a second reference image, as the second reference block.

[0405] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can determine whether a second template matching cost indicating a difference between the current template and the second reference template is less than a first template matching cost indicating a difference between the current template and the first reference template.

[0406] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may identify that the template matching cost corresponding to the point indicated by the motion vector of the first reference block is less than the template matching cost of the first reference template corresponding to the first reference block. In addition, if the video encoding device (2900) identifies that the template matching cost corresponding to the point indicated by the motion vector of the first reference block is less than the template matching cost of the first reference template, the video encoding device (2900) may determine to reconstruct or decode / decode the current block using the second reference block.

[0407] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the template matching cost corresponding to the point indicated by the motion vector of the first reference block is greater than the template matching cost according to the template matching performed on the first reference image, the template matching according to the motion vector of the first reference block may be terminated without being additionally performed.

[0408] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the template matching cost corresponding to the point pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block may be the template matching cost for the template of the point pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block or the template matching cost of the first template candidate position according to the point pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block.

[0409] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost may be performed using at least one of the minimum Sum of Absolute Difference (SAD), Sum of Absolute Transformed Difference (SATD), Sum of Squared Error (SSE), Mean Removed SAD (MR-SAD), Mean Removed SSE (MR-SSE), or Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HoG) using difference values ​​of each template, and may be variously changed within a range apparent to those skilled in the art without being limited to the disclosed examples.

[0410] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image encoding device (2900) may apply weights to the POC distance between each reference image and the current image, the quantization parameter corresponding to each reference block, etc., to calculate the template matching cost. The image encoding device (2900) may perform template matching using weights according to the POC difference between the current image and the first reference image and the POC difference between the current image and the second reference image. Alternatively, the image encoding device (2900) may perform template matching using weights according to the quantization parameter of the first reference block and the quantization parameter of the second reference block.

[0411] For example, the video encoding device (2900) can increase the probability of using an image having a relatively small POC difference by determining the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost by weighting the POC difference between the current image and the first reference image and the POC difference between the current image and the second reference image. The video encoding device (2900) can increase the probability of using a block having a relatively small quantization parameter value by determining the first template matching cost and the second template matching cost by weighting the quantization parameter of the first reference block and the quantization parameter of the second reference block.

[0412] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first reference block used for a current block may have been encoded through pair prediction. If the first reference block included in the first reference picture is encoded through pair prediction, the motion vector of the first reference block used for the current block may be determined as a motion vector pointing to a reference block in a reference picture included in the same reference picture list as the motion vector of the current block. For example, if the first reference picture is included in the first reference picture list of the current block and the first reference block is pair predicted, the second reference block may be determined using only a motion vector pointing to a predetermined block in a second reference picture included in the first reference picture list.

[0413] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if a first reference block included in a first reference image is encoded through pair prediction, and a motion vector corresponding to the same reference picture list as the motion vector of the current block is not used for pair prediction of the first reference block, the motion vector of the first reference block used for the current block may be determined as a motion vector having a lower template matching cost among the two motion vectors used for prediction of the first reference block.

[0414] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if a first reference block included in a first reference image is encoded through pair prediction, and two motion vectors corresponding to the same reference picture list as the motion vector of the current block are used for pair prediction of the first reference block, the motion vector of the first reference block used for the current block may be determined as a motion vector having a lower template matching cost among the two motion vectors used for prediction of the first reference block.

[0415] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can identify whether the first reference image is an inter-image (e.g., P-Frame or B-Frame) and / or whether the first reference block is encoded through inter prediction. For example, if the video encoding device (2900) identifies that the first reference image is an intra-image (I-Frame) or the first reference block is encoded through intra prediction, the video encoding device (2900) may not determine or obtain the second reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine or obtain the second reference block only when the first reference image is an inter-image and the first reference block is encoded through inter prediction.

[0416] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can encode the current block using a second reference block determined using a motion vector of a first reference block as a reference block for the current block.

[0417] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation of the image encoding device (2900) may be the same as the operation of the image decoding device (2000), and therefore, the same content is omitted.

[0418] Figure 30 is a flowchart of an image encoding method according to one embodiment.

[0419] In step S3010, the image encoding device (2900) can determine a motion vector of the current block from a motion vector candidate list for the current block included in the current image.

[0420] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may obtain motion vectors of blocks spatially adjacent to the current block to construct a motion vector candidate list, and may also obtain motion vectors of blocks that are not spatially adjacent to the current block. The motion vector candidate list may obtain motion vectors of blocks spatially adjacent to the current block or motion vectors of blocks that are not spatially adjacent to the current block as motion vector candidates.

[0421] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may obtain motion vectors of a collocated block of a current block and neighboring blocks of the collocated block in order to construct a motion vector candidate list. The motion vector candidate list may include motion vectors of a collocated block of a current block and neighboring blocks of the collocated block in the collocated image of the current block as motion vector candidates.

[0422] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may determine a motion vector of a current block. For example, the video encoding device (2900) may determine a motion vector predictor index that points to a motion vector candidate that points to a block similar to the current block among motion vector candidates included in a motion vector candidate list for the current block.

[0423] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can obtain or determine a motion vector for a current block using a motion vector candidate indicated by a motion vector predictor index.

[0424] Meanwhile, the motion vector obtained or determined using the motion vector predictor may be an initial motion vector before performing template matching.

[0425] In step S3020, the image encoding device (2900) can determine a first reference block in a first reference image using a motion vector of the current block.

[0426] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may determine a first reference block using a motion vector of a current block. The video encoding device (2900) may determine a block pointed to by the motion vector of the current block as the first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) may determine the first reference block by performing template matching within a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block as an initial motion vector. The video encoding device (2900) may determine the first reference block by performing template matching with the current block within the first reference image. Performing template matching with the current block may mean performing template matching with a current template, which is a template of the current block.

[0427] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by the motion vector of the current block. In addition, the video encoding device (2900) may determine a block adjacent to the first reference template, which is the template most similar to the current template within the first reference image, as the first reference block.

[0428] In step S3030, the image encoding device (2900) can determine a second reference block within the second reference image by performing template matching with the current block within the second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image.

[0429] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image encoding device (2900) can determine or obtain a second reference block using motion information of a first reference block. The motion information of the first reference block can include information about a reference image used for encoding the first reference block and a motion vector of the first reference block. Meanwhile, the motion information of the first reference block can be stored corresponding to the first reference image or the first reference block.

[0430] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can determine a second reference block using a motion vector of a first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a block pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block as the second reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine the second reference block in the second reference image by performing template matching with a current block in the second reference image around a predetermined point in the second reference image pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block.

[0431] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can perform template matching within a second reference image including a block pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a second reference block within the second reference image by performing template matching within the second reference image. For example, the video encoding device (2900) can determine the second reference block by correcting or adjusting the initial motion vector of the first reference block by searching the vicinity of the position pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block and performing template matching. The video encoding device (2900) can obtain or determine the final motion vector of the current block by comprehensively considering the motion vector of the current block and the motion vector of the first reference block, and can determine the second reference block according to the final motion vector.

[0432] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may search for and determine a template most similar to the current template within a predetermined range centered on a point indicated by a motion vector of a first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) may determine a block adjacent to a second reference template, which is the template most similar to the current template within a second reference image, as the second reference block.

[0433] Meanwhile, the operation of the image decoding device (2000) to determine the second reference block is described in detail in FIGS. 21 to 28, and since the operation of the image decoding device (2000) can correspond to the operation of the image encoding device (2900), the same content is omitted.

[0434] In step S3040, the image encoding device (2900) can encode the current block using the second reference block.

[0435] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may generate a prediction block of the current block by using the second reference block as a reference block for unidirectional prediction of the current block. The video encoding device (2900) may obtain or determine the difference between the original block of the current block and the prediction block generated using the second reference block as residual data of the current block. The video encoding device (2900) may include the obtained residual data in the bitstream.

[0436] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can encode the current block using a second reference block determined using the motion vector of the first reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a third reference block using the motion vector of the second reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a block indicated by the motion vector of the second reference block as the third reference block.

[0437] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) can perform template matching with a current block within a third reference image including a block pointed to by a motion vector of a second reference block. The video encoding device (2900) can determine a third reference block within the third reference image by performing template matching with the current block within the third reference image. For example, the video encoding device (2900) can determine the third reference block by correcting or adjusting an initial motion vector of the second reference block by performing template matching by searching the vicinity of a position pointed to by the motion vector of the second reference block within the third reference image.

[0438] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video encoding device (2900) may use the third reference block as a reference block for unidirectional prediction of the current block to generate a prediction block of the current block. The video encoding device (2900) may obtain or determine the difference between the original block of the current block and the prediction block obtained using the third reference block as residual data of the current block.

[0439] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a video decoding method is provided. The video decoding method may include a step of determining a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The video decoding method may include a step of determining a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The video decoding method may determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The video decoding method may include a step of reconstructing the current block using the second reference block. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the video decoding method may include a step of determining the first reference block using the motion vector of the current block.

[0440] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding method may include a step of determining a first reference block by performing template matching with a current block within a first reference image.

[0441] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding method may include, when the motion vector of the first reference block points to a block in an image that is not included in a reference picture list of a current image, performing scaling on a motion vector obtained using the motion vector of the first reference block based on a difference in Picture Order Count (POC) between the current image and an image including the block pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block and a difference in POC between the current image and a first reference image included in the reference picture list of the current block.

[0442] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding method may include performing template matching with the current block within a third reference image including a block pointed to by a motion vector of the second reference block.

[0443] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for decoding an image may include a step of obtaining a first motion vector and a second motion vector for use in pairwise prediction of a current block from a list of motion vector candidates for the current block.

[0444] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion vector of the first reference block can be determined as a motion vector in the same direction as the motion vector of the current block when the first reference block is decoded through pair prediction.

[0445] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion vector of the first reference block may be determined as a motion vector having a lower template matching cost among two motion vectors used for prediction of the first reference block, when a motion vector in the same direction as the motion vector of the current block is not used for pair prediction for the first reference block.

[0446] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the image decoding method may include a step of performing template matching with the current block by using a difference between a pixel value of at least one pixel included in a current template of the current block and a pixel value of at least one pixel included in a candidate template corresponding to a candidate location for template matching.

[0447] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, template matching can be performed by applying weights to temporal distance information POC differences between a current image including a current block and a first reference image and temporal distance information POC differences between the current image and a second reference image, or quantization parameters of the first reference block and quantization parameters of the second reference block.

[0448] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for decoding an image may include a step of identifying whether a first reference image is an inter image and whether the first reference block has been reconstructed through inter prediction.

[0449] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a video decoding method may include a step of identifying that a template matching cost corresponding to a point pointed to by a motion vector of a first reference block is less than a template matching cost of a first reference template corresponding to the first reference block.

[0450] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion vector candidate list for the current block may include at least one of motion vectors pointing to blocks adjacent to the current block, motion vectors pointing to non-adjacent blocks surrounding the current block, and motion vectors pointing to call blocks of the current block and neighboring blocks of the call block.

[0451] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an image decoding apparatus (2000) may be provided, including at least one memory storing at least one instruction and at least one processor operating according to the at least one instruction. The at least one processor may determine a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The at least one processor may determine a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The at least one processor may determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The at least one processor may reconstruct the current block using the second reference block.

[0452] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a video encoding method may be provided. The video encoding method may include a step of determining a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The video encoding method may include a step of determining a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The video encoding method may include a step of determining a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The video encoding method may include a step of encoding a current block using the reference block.

[0453] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the system may include at least one memory storing at least one instruction and at least one processor operating according to the at least one instruction. The at least one processor may determine a motion vector of a current block from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The at least one processor may determine a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block. The at least one processor may determine a second reference block in a second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block. The second reference image may be a different image from the first reference image. The at least one processor may encode the current block using the second reference block.

[0454] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream generated by a method for encoding an image may be provided. The bitstream may include motion information for determining a motion vector from a motion vector candidate list for a current block included in a current image. The motion vector is used to determine a first reference block in a first reference image, and a second reference block in a second reference image is determined by performing template matching with the current block in a second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block, and the second reference image may be an image different from the first reference image.

[0455] A device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term "non-transitory storage medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is permanently stored in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0456] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

Claims

1. In the video decryption method, A step (S2810) of determining a motion vector of the current block (2415) from a motion vector candidate list for the current block (2415) included in the current image (2410); A step (S2820) of determining a first reference block (2435) within a first reference image (2430) using the motion vector of the current block (2415); Step (S2830) of determining a second reference block (2455) in the second reference image (2450) by performing template matching with the current block in the second reference image (2450) using the motion vector of the first reference block, wherein the second reference image (2450) is a different image from the first reference image (2430); and A method comprising a step (S2840) of restoring the current block using the second reference block (2455).

2. In paragraph 1, The step of determining the first reference block is: A method comprising the step of determining a first reference block using a motion vector of the current block (2415).

3. In paragraph 1, The step of determining the second reference block is: A method comprising the step of determining a first reference block by performing template matching with the current block within the first reference image (2430).

4. In paragraph 1, The step of determining the second reference block is: A method comprising: performing scaling on a motion vector obtained using the motion vector of the first reference block based on a difference in POC (Picture Order Count) between the current image and an image including the block pointed to by the motion vector of the first reference block, and a difference in POC between the current image and a second reference image included in the reference picture list of the current block, when the motion vector of the first reference block points to a block in the image that is not included in the reference picture list of the current block.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, The step of restoring the current block using the second reference block is as follows: A method comprising the step of performing template matching with the current block within a third reference image including a block pointed to by the motion vector of the second reference block.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, The step of determining the first reference block is: A method comprising the step of obtaining a first motion vector and a second motion vector for use in pair prediction of the current block from a motion vector candidate list for the current block.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, The motion vector of the above first reference block (2435) is A method in which, when the first reference block is decoded through pair prediction, a motion vector is determined to have the same direction as the motion vector of the current block.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, The motion vector of the above first reference block (2435) is A method in which, when a motion vector in the same direction as the motion vector of the current block is not used for pair prediction for the first reference block, a motion vector having a lower template matching cost among the two motion vectors used for prediction of the first reference block is determined.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, The step of determining the second reference block is: A method comprising the step of performing template matching with the current block by using the difference between the pixel value of at least one pixel included in the current template of the current block and the pixel value of at least one pixel included in the candidate template corresponding to the candidate location for template matching.

10. In paragraph 9, The above template matching is, A method performed by applying weights to temporal distance information between the current image including the current block and the first reference image, temporal distance information between the current image and the second reference image, or quantization parameters of the first reference block and quantization parameters of the second reference block.

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 10, The step of determining the second reference block is: A method comprising the step of identifying whether the first reference image (2430) is an inter image and whether the first reference block (2435) has been reconstructed through inter prediction.

12. In any one of paragraphs 2 to 3, The step of determining the second reference block is: A method comprising a step of identifying that a template matching cost corresponding to a point pointed to by a motion vector of the first reference block is less than a template matching cost of a first reference template corresponding to the first reference block.

13. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, The motion vector candidate list for the current block is: A method comprising at least one of a motion vector pointing to a block adjacent to the current block, a motion vector pointing to a non-adjacent block surrounding the current block, and a motion vector pointing to a call block of the current block and a neighboring block of the call block.

14. In the video encoding method, A step (S3010) of determining a motion vector of the current block from a motion vector candidate list for the current block included in the current image; A step of determining a first reference block in a first reference image using the motion vector of the current block (S3020); Step (S3030) of determining a second reference block in the second reference image by performing template matching with the current block in the second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block, wherein the second reference image is a different image from the first reference image; and A method comprising a step (S3040) of encoding the current block using the second reference block.

15. A computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream generated by a video encoding method, The above bitstream is, Contains motion information for determining a motion vector from a list of motion vector candidates for the current block included in the current image, The above motion vector is, It is used to determine the first reference block within the first reference image, A second reference block in a second reference image is determined by performing template matching with the current block in the second reference image using the motion vector of the first reference block, The second reference image above is, A recording medium that is an image different from the first reference image above.

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