Occurrence based Intra Coding (OBIC) with weighted Intra Prediction Modes

Abstract

A coder selects a plurality of blocks to generate a histogram of occurrences (HoC) for coding a current block. Each of the plurality of blocks was previously reconstructed using respective intra prediction mode (IPM) information. For each block of the plurality of blocks, the coder obtains an IPM from IPM information used by the block, determines an adjustment weight of the IPM, and updates, based on a size of the block and the adjustment weight, an amplitude of a bin, corresponding to the IPM, in the HoC. The adjustment weight is determined based on: a position of the block relative to the current block, or a parameter, in the IPM information, corresponding to the IPM. The current block is coded based on the the HoC.

Description

Docket No.: 24-2023PCT TITLE Occurrence based Intra Coding (OBIC) with weighted Intra Prediction Modes CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.63 / 632,337, filed April 10, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Some features are shown by way of example, and not by limitation, in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like numerals reference similar elements.

[0003] FIG.1 shows an example video coding / decoding system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0004] FIG.2 shows an example encoder in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0005] FIG.3 shows an example decoder in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0006] FIG.4 shows an example quadtree partitioning of a coding tree block (CTB).

[0007] FIG.5 shows an example quadtree corresponding to the example quadtree partitioning of the CTB in FIG.4.

[0008] FIG.6 show examples of binary tree and ternary tree partitions.

[0009] FIG.7 shows an example of combined quadtree and multi-type tree partitioning of a CTB.

[0010] FIG.8 shows an example tree corresponding to the combined quadtree and multi-type tree partitioning of the CTB shown in FIG.7.

[0011] FIG.9 shows an example set of reference samples determined for intra prediction of a current block.

[0012] FIG.10A and FIG.10B show example intra prediction modes.

[0013] FIG.11 shows an example of a current block and corresponding reference samples.

[0014] FIG.12 shows an example of applying an intra prediction mode (e.g., an angular mode) for prediction of a current block.

[0015] FIG.13A shows an example of inter prediction performed for a current block in a current picture.

[0016] FIG.13B shows an example motion vector.

[0017] FIG.14 shows an example of bi-prediction performed for a current block.

[0018] FIG.15A shows example spatial candidate neighboring blocks relative to a current block being coded.

[0019] FIG.15B shows example locations of two temporal, co-located blocks relative to a current block.

[0020] FIG.16 shows an example of intra block copy (IBC).

[0021] FIG.17 shows an example of intra template matching prediction (IntraTMP) for predicting or determining a current block, according to some embodiments.

[0022] FIG.18 shows an example of decoder-side intra mode derivation (DIMD) for coding a current block, according to some embodiments.

[0023] FIG.19 shows an example of a template (e.g., template area) for computing a histogram of gradient (HoG) used in DIMD, according to some embodiments.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0024] FIG.20 shows an example flowchart of the DIMD predictor derivation process as described with respect to FIG.18, according to some embodiments.

[0025] FIG.21 shows an example of neighboring blocks of a current block, according to some embodiments.

[0026] FIG.22A shows an example of DIMD information from a plurality of (previously reconstructed) neighboring blocks of a block used to determine (e.g., generating, reconstructing, predicting) the block, according to some implementations.

[0027] FIG.22B shows an example graphical representation of the DIMD information from the plurality of neighboring blocks of FIG.22A to generate a histogram of occurrences (HoC) if the block was previously coded using the OBIC mode, according to some embodiments.

[0028] FIG.23 illustrates a flowchart of a method for generating a DIMD predictor for a current block, according to some implementations.

[0029] FIG.24 shows an example histogram of occurrences (HoC) based on the first DIMD HoG information, second DIMD HoG information, and third DIMD HoG information shown in FIG.22A and adjustment weights, in accordance with some implementations.

[0030] FIG.25 shows an example histogram of occurrences (HoC) based on the first DIMD HoG information, second DIMD HoG information, and third DIMD HoG information shown in FIG.22A and adjustment weights, in accordance with some implementations.

[0031] FIG.26 shows an example histogram of occurrences (HoC) based on the first DIMD HoG information, second DIMD HoG information, and third DIMD HoG information shown in FIG.22A and adjustment weights, in accordance with some implementations.

[0032] FIG.27 shows an example flowchart of the DIMD Merge List mode for deriving the list of DIMD merge candidates, according to some implementations.

[0033] FIG.28 shows a flowchart of an example process for generating a history-based table of DIMD merge candidates, according to some implementations.

[0034] FIG.29 shows an example flowchart of a DIMD Merge List mode for deriving a list of DIMD merge candidates, according to some implementations.

[0035] FIG.30 illustrates a flowchart of determining a histogram of occurrences (HoC) in accordance with some implementations.

[0036] FIG.31 illustrates a block diagram of an example computer system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosure, including structures, systems, and methods, may be practiced without these specific details. The description and representation herein are the common means used by those experienced or skilled in the art to most effectively convey theDocket No.: 24-2023PCT substance of their work to others skilled in the art. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the disclosure.

[0038] References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

[0039] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed, but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0040] The term “computer-readable medium” includes, but is not limited to, portable or non-portable storage devices, optical storage devices, and various other mediums capable of storing, containing, or carrying instruction(s) and / or data. A computer-readable medium may include a non-transitory medium in which data can be stored and that does not include carrier waves and / or transitory electronic signals propagating wirelessly or over wired connections. Examples of a non-transitory medium may include, but are not limited to, a magnetic disk or tape, optical storage media such as compact disk (CD) or digital versatile disk (DVD), flash memory, memory or memory devices. A computer-readable medium may have stored thereon code and / or machine-executable instructions that may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, or the like.

[0041] Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks (e.g., a computer-program product) may be stored in a computer-readable or machine-readable medium. A processor(s) may perform the necessary tasks.

[0042] A video sequence, comprising multiple pictures / frames, may be represented in digital form for storage and / or transmission. Representing a video sequence in digital form may require a large quantity of bits. Large data sizes thatDocket No.: 24-2023PCT may be associated with video sequences may require significant resources for storage and / or transmission. Video encoding may be used to compress a size of a video sequence for more efficient storage and / or transmission. Video decoding may be used to decompress a compressed video sequence for display and / or other forms of consumption.

[0043] FIG.1 shows an example video coding / decoding system 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. Video coding / decoding system 100 comprises a source device 102, a transmission medium 104, and a destination device 106. Source device 102 encodes a video sequence 108 into a bitstream 110 for more efficient storage and / or transmission. Source device 102 may store and / or send / transmit bitstream 110 to destination device 106 via transmission medium 104. Destination device 106 decodes bitstream 110 to display video sequence 108. Destination device 106 may receive bitstream 110 from source device 102 via transmission medium 104. Source device 102 and / or destination device 106 may be any of a plurality of different devices (e.g., a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smart phone, wearable device, television, camera, video gaming console, set-top box, video streaming device, etc.).

[0044] Source device 102 may comprise (e.g., for encoding video sequence 108 into bitstream 110) one or more of a video source 112, an encoder 114, and / or an output interface 116. Video source 112 may provide and / or generate video sequence 108 based on a capture of a natural scene and / or a synthetically generated scene. A synthetically generated scene may be a scene comprising computer generated graphics and / or screen content. Video source 112 may comprise a video capture device (e.g., a video camera), a video archive comprising previously captured natural scenes and / or synthetically generated scenes, a video feed interface to receive captured natural scenes and / or synthetically generated scenes from a video content provider, and / or a processor to generate synthetic scenes.

[0045] A video sequence, such as video sequence 108, may comprise a series of pictures (also referred to as frames). A video sequence may achieve an impression of motion based on successive presentation of pictures of the video sequence using a constant time interval or variable time intervals between the pictures. A picture may comprise one or more sample arrays of intensity values. The intensity values may be taken (e.g., measured, determined, provided) at a series of regularly spaced locations within a picture. A color picture may comprise (e.g., typically comprises) a luminance sample array and two chrominance sample arrays. The luminance sample array may comprise intensity values representing the brightness (e.g., luma component, Y) of a picture. The chrominance sample arrays may comprise intensity values that respectively represent the blue and red components of a picture (e.g., chroma components, Cb and Cr) separate from the brightness. Other color picture sample arrays may be possible based on different color schemes (e.g., a red, green, blue (RGB) color scheme). A pixel, in a color picture, may refer to / comprise / be associated with all intensity values (e.g., luma component, chroma components), for a given location, in the sample arrays (e.g., three sample arrays are used for one luma component and two chroma components, respectively) used to represent color pictures. A monochrome picture may comprise a single, luminance sample array. A pixel, in a monochrome picture, may refer to / comprise / be associated with the intensity value (e.g., luma component) at a given location in the single, luminance sample array used to represent monochrome pictures.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0046] Encoder 114 may encode video sequence 108 into bitstream 110. Encoder 114 may apply / use (e.g., to encode video sequence 108) one or more prediction techniques to reduce redundant information in video sequence 108. Redundant information is information that may be predicted at a decoder and need not be transmitted to the decoder for accurate decoding of video sequence 108. For example, encoder 114 may apply spatial prediction (e.g., intra-frame or intra prediction), temporal prediction (e.g., inter-frame prediction or inter prediction), inter-layer prediction, and / or other prediction techniques to reduce redundant information in video sequence 108. Encoder 114 may partition pictures comprising video sequence 108 into rectangular regions referred to as blocks, for example, before applying one or more prediction techniques. Encoder 114 may then encode a block using the one or more of the prediction techniques.

[0047] For temporal prediction, encoder 114 may search for a block similar to the block being encoded in another picture (e.g., referred to as a reference picture) of video sequence 108. The block determined during the search (e.g., referred to as a prediction block) may then be used to predict the block being encoded. For spatial prediction, encoder 114 may form a prediction block based on data from reconstructed neighboring samples of the block to be encoded within the same picture of video sequence 108. A reconstructed sample refers to a sample that was encoded and then decoded. Encoder 114 may determine a prediction error (e.g., also referred to as a residual) based on the difference between a block being encoded and a prediction block. The prediction error may represent non-redundant information that may be sent / transmitted to a decoder for accurate decoding of video sequence 108.

[0048] Encoder 114 may apply a transform to the prediction error (e.g. using a discrete cosine transform (DCT), or any other transform) to generate transform coefficients. Encoder 114 may form bitstream 110 based on the transform coefficients and other information used to determine prediction blocks using / based on prediction types, motion vectors, and / or prediction modes. Encoder 114 may perform one or more of quantization and entropy coding of the transform coefficients and / or the other information used to determine the prediction blocks, for example, before forming bitstream 110. The quantization and / or the entropy coding may further reduce the quantity of bits needed to store and / or transmit video sequence 108.

[0049] Output interface 116 may be configured to write and / or store bitstream 110 onto transmission medium 104 for transmission to destination device 106. In addition or alternatively, output interface 116 may be configured to send / transmit, upload, and / or stream bitstream 110 to destination device 106 via transmission medium 104. Output interface 116 may comprise a wired and / or a wireless transmitter configured to send / transmit, upload, and / or stream bitstream 110 in accordance with one or more proprietary, open-source, and / or standardized communication protocols (e.g., Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standards, Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standards, Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting (ISDB) standards, Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) standards, 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) standards, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards, Internet Protocol (IP) standards, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) standards, and / or any other communication protocol).Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0050] Transmission medium 104 may comprise wireless, wired, and / or computer readable medium. For example, transmission medium 104 may comprise one or more wires, cables, air interfaces, optical discs, flash memory, and / or magnetic memory. In addition or alternatively, transmission medium 104 may comprise one or more networks (e.g., the internet) or file servers configured to store and / or send / transmit encoded video data.

[0051] Destination device 106 may decode bitstream 110 into video sequence 108 for display. Destination device 106 may comprise one or more of an input interface 118, a decoder 120, and / or a video display 122. Input interface 118 may be configured to read bitstream 110 stored on transmission medium 104 by source device 102. In addition or alternatively, input interface 118 may be configured to receive, download, and / or stream bitstream 110 from source device 102 via transmission medium 104. Input interface 118 may comprise a wired and / or a wireless receiver configured to receive, download, and / or stream bitstream 110 in accordance with one or more proprietary, open- source, standardized communication protocols, and / or any other communication protocol (e.g., such as referenced herein).

[0052] Decoder 120 may decode video sequence 108 from encoded bitstream 110. The decoder 120 may generate prediction blocks for pictures of video sequence 108 in a similar manner as encoder 114 and determine the prediction errors for the blocks, for example, to decode video sequence 108. Decoder 120 may generate the prediction blocks using / based on prediction types, prediction modes, and / or motion vectors received in bitstream 110. Decoder 120 may determine the prediction errors using the transform coefficients received in bitstream 110. Decoder 120 may determine the prediction errors by weighting transform basis functions using the transform coefficients. Decoder 120 may combine the prediction blocks and the prediction errors to decode video sequence 108. Video sequence 108 at the destination device 106 may be, or may not necessarily be, the same video sequence sent, such as video sequence 108 as sent by the source device 102. Decoder 120 may decode a video sequence that approximates video sequence 108, for example, because of lossy compression of video sequence 108 by encoder 114 and / or errors introduced into encoded bitstream 110 during transmission to destination device 106.

[0053] Video display 122 may display video sequence 108 to a user. Video display 122 may comprise a cathode rate tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, and / or any other display device suitable for displaying video sequence 108.

[0054] Video coding / decoding system 100 is merely an example and video encoding / decoding systems different from the video coding / decoding system 100 and / or modified versions of the video coding / decoding system 100 may similarly perform the methods and processes as described herein. For example, the video coding / decoding system 100 may comprise other components and / or arrangements. For example, video source 112 may be external to source device 102. Similarly, video display 122 may be external to destination device 106 or omitted altogether (e.g., if video sequence 108 is intended for consumption by a machine and / or storage device). In an example, source device 102 may further comprise a video decoder and destination device 106 may further comprise a video encoder. For example, source device 102 may be configured to further receive an encoded bitstream from destination device 106 to support two-way video transmission between the devices.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0055] Encoder 114 and / or decoder 120 may operate according to one or more proprietary or industry video coding standards. For example, encoder 114 and / or decoder 120 may operate in accordance with one or more proprietary, open-source, and / or standardized protocols (e.g., International Telecommunications Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) H.263, ITU-T H.264 and Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG)-4 Visual (also known as Advanced Video Coding (AVC)), ITU-T H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2 (also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC)), ITU-T H.265 and MPEG-I Part 3 (also known as Versatile Video Coding (VVC)), the WebM VP8 and VP9 codecs, and / or AOMedia Video 1 (AV1), and / or any other video coding protocol).

[0056] FIG.2 shows an example encoder. Encoder 200 as shown in FIG.2 may implement one or more processes described herein. Encoder 200 may encode a video sequence 202 into a bitstream 204 for more efficient storage and / or transmission. Encoder 200 may be implemented in video coding / decoding system 100 as shown in FIG.1 (e.g., as encoder 114) or in any computing, communication, or electronic device (e.g., desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smart phone, wearable device, television, camera, video gaming console, set-top box, video streaming device, etc.). Encoder 200 may comprise one or more of an inter prediction unit 206, an intra prediction unit 208, combiners 210 and 212, a transform and quantization unit (TR + Q) 214, an inverse transform and quantization unit (iTR + iQ) 216, an entropy coding unit 218, one or more filters 220, and / or a buffer 222.

[0057] Encoder 200 may partition pictures (e.g., frames) of (e.g., comprising) video sequence 202 into blocks and encode video sequence 202 on a block-by-block basis. Encoder 200 may perform / apply a prediction technique on a block being encoded using either inter prediction unit 206 or intra prediction unit 208. Inter prediction unit 206 may perform inter prediction by searching for a block similar to the block being encoded in another, reconstructed picture (e.g., a reference picture) of video sequence 202. A reconstructed picture refers to a picture that was encoded and then decoded. The block determined during the search (e.g., referred to as a prediction block) may then be used to predict the block being encoded to remove redundant information. Inter prediction unit 206 may exploit temporal redundancy or similarities in scene content from picture to picture in video sequence 202 to determine the prediction block. For example, scene content between pictures of video sequence 202 may be similar except for differences due to motion and / or affine transformation of the screen content over time.

[0058] Intra prediction unit 208 may perform intra prediction by forming a prediction block based on data from reconstructed neighboring samples of the block to be encoded within the same picture of video sequence 202. A reconstructed sample refers to a sample that was encoded and then decoded. Intra prediction unit 208 may exploit spatial redundancy or similarities in scene content within a picture of video sequence 202 to determine the prediction block. For example, the texture of a region of scene content in a picture may be similar to the texture in the immediate surrounding area of the region of the scene content in the same picture.

[0059] Combiner 210 may determine a prediction error (e.g., referred to as a residual) based on the difference between the block being encoded and the prediction block. The prediction error may represent non-redundant information that may be sent / transmitted to a decoder for accurate decoding of video sequence 202.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0060] Transform and quantization unit (TR + Q) 214 may transform and quantize the prediction error. Transform and quantization unit 214 may transform the prediction error into transform coefficients by applying, for example, a DCT to reduce correlated information in the prediction error. Transform and quantization unit 214 may quantize the coefficients by mapping data of the transform coefficients to a predefined set of representative values. Transform and quantization unit 214 may quantize the coefficients to reduce irrelevant information in bitstream 204. The irrelevant information refers to information that may be removed from the coefficients without producing visible and / or perceptible distortion in video sequence 202 after decoding (e.g., at a receiving device).

[0061] Entropy coding unit 218 may apply one or more entropy coding methods to the quantized transform coefficients to further reduce the bit rate. For example, entropy coding unit 218 may apply context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), and / or syntax-based context-based binary arithmetic coding (SBAC). The entropy coded coefficients may be packed to form bitstream 204.

[0062] Inverse transform and quantization unit (iTR + iQ) 216 may inverse quantize and inverse transform the quantized transform coefficients to determine a reconstructed prediction error. Combiner 212 may combine the reconstructed prediction error with the prediction block to form a reconstructed block. Filter(s) 220 may filter the reconstructed block, for example, using a deblocking filter, a sample-adaptive offset (SAO) filter, constrained directional enhancement filters (CDEFs), and / or loop restoration (LR) filters. Buffer 222 may store the reconstructed block for prediction of one or more other blocks in the same and / or different picture of video sequence 202.

[0063] Encoder 200 may further comprise an encoder control unit. The encoder control unit may be configured to control one or more units of encoder 200 as shown in FIG.2. The encoder control unit may control the one or more units of encoder 200 such that bitstream 204 may be generated in conformance with the requirements of one or more proprietary coding protocols, industry video coding standards, and / or any other video cording protocol. For example, the encoder control unit may control the one or more units of encoder 200 such that bitstream 204 may be generated in conformance with one or more of ITU-T H.263, AVC, HEVC, VVC, VP8, VP9, AV1, and / or any other video coding standard / format.

[0064] The encoder control unit may be configured to attempt to minimize (or reduce) the bitrate of bitstream 204 and / or maximize (or increase) the reconstructed video quality (e.g., within the constraints of a proprietary coding protocol, industry video coding standard, and / or any other video cording protocol). For example, the encoder control unit may be configured to attempt to minimize or reduce the bitrate of bitstream 204 such that the reconstructed video quality does not fall below a certain level / threshold, and / or to maximize or increase the reconstructed video quality such that the bitrate of bitstream 204 does not exceed a certain level / threshold. The encoder control unit may determine / control one or more of: partitioning of the pictures of video sequence 202 into blocks, whether a block is inter predicted by inter prediction unit 206 or intra predicted by intra prediction unit 208, a motion vector for inter prediction of a block, an intra prediction mode among a plurality of intra prediction modes for intra prediction of a block, filtering performed by filter(s) 220, and / or one or more transform types and / or quantization parameters applied by transform and quantization unit 214. The encoder control unit may determine / control one or more of the aboveDocket No.: 24-2023PCT based on a rate-distortion measure for a block or picture being encoded. The encoder control unit may determine / control one or more of the above to reduce the rate-distortion measure for a block or picture being encoded.

[0065] The prediction type used to encode a block (intra or inter prediction), prediction information of the block (intra prediction mode if intra predicted, motion vector, etc.), and / or transform and / or quantization parameters, may be sent to entropy coding unit 218 to be further compressed (e.g., to reduce the bitrate). For example, entropy coding unit 218 may apply context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), syntax-based context-based binary arithmetic coding (SBAC), and / or symbol-to-symbol adaptive multi-symbol (non- binary) arithmetic coding to achieve further compression. The prediction type, prediction information, and / or transform and / or quantization parameters may be packed with the prediction error to form bitstream 204.

[0066] Encoder 200 is merely an example and encoders different from encoder 200 and / or modified versions of encoder 200 may perform the methods and processes as described herein. For example, encoder 200 may comprise other components and / or arrangements. One or more of the components shown in FIG.2 may be optionally included in encoder 200 (e.g., entropy coding unit 218 and / or filters(s) 220).

[0067] FIG.3 shows an example decoder. A decoder 300 as shown in FIG.3 may implement one or more processes described herein. Decoder 300 may decode a bitstream 302 into a decoded video sequence 304 for display and / or some other form of consumption. Decoder 300 may be implemented in video coding / decoding system 100 in FIG.1 and / or in a computing, communication, or electronic device (e.g., desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smart phone, wearable device, television, camera, video gaming console, set-top box, and / or video streaming device). Decoder 300 may comprise an entropy decoding unit 306, an inverse transform and quantization (iTR + iQ) unit 308, a combiner 310, one or more filters 312, a buffer 314, an inter prediction unit 316, and / or an intra prediction unit 318.

[0068] Decoder 300 may comprise a decoder control unit configured to control one or more units of decoder 300. The decoder control unit may control the one or more units of decoder 300 such that bitstream 302 is decoded in conformance with the requirements of one or more proprietary coding protocols, industry video coding standards, and / or any other communication protocol. For example, the decoder control unit may control the one or more units of decoder 300 such that the bitstream 302 is decoded in conformance with one or more of ITU-T H.263, AVC, HEVC, VVC, VP8, VP9, AV1, and / or any other video coding standard / format.

[0069] The decoder control unit may determine / control one or more of: whether a block is inter predicted by inter prediction unit 316 or intra predicted by intra prediction unit 318, a motion vector for inter prediction of a block, an intra prediction mode among a plurality of intra prediction modes for intra prediction of a block, filtering performed by filter(s) 312, and / or one or more inverse transform types and / or inverse quantization parameters to be applied by inverse transform and quantization unit 308. One or more of the control parameters used by the decoder control unit may be packed in bitstream 302.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0070] Entropy decoding unit 306 may entropy decode the bitstream 302. For example, entropy decoding unit 306 may apply context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), and syntax-based context-based binary arithmetic coding (SBAC) to decompress the prediction type used to encode a block (intra or inter prediction), prediction information of the block (intra prediction mode if intra predicted, motion vector, etc.), and transform and quantization parameters. Inverse transform and quantization unit 308 may inverse quantize and / or inverse transform the quantized transform coefficients to determine a decoded prediction error. Combiner 310 may combine the decoded prediction error with a prediction block to form a decoded block. The prediction block may be generated by intra prediction unit 318 or inter prediction unit 316 (e.g., as described above with respect to encoder 200 in FIG 2). Filter(s) 312 may filter the decoded block, for example, using a deblocking filter, a sample-adaptive offset (SAO) filter, constrained directional enhancement filters (CDEFs), and / or loop restoration (LR) filters. Buffer 314 may store the decoded block for prediction of one or more other blocks in the same and / or different picture of the video sequence in bitstream 302. Decoded video sequence 304 may be output from filter(s) 312 as shown in FIG.3.

[0071] Decoder 300 is merely an example and decoders different from decoder 300 and / or modified versions of decoder 300 may perform the methods and processes as described herein. For example, decoder 300 may have other components and / or arrangements. One or more of the components shown in FIG.3 may be optionally included in decoder 300 (e.g., entropy decoding unit 306 and / or filters(s) 312).

[0072] Although not shown in FIGS.2 and 3, each of encoder 200 and decoder 300 may further comprise an intra block copy unit in addition to inter prediction and intra prediction units. The intra block copy unit may perform / operate similar to an inter prediction unit but may predict blocks within the same picture. For example, the intra block copy unit may exploit repeated patterns that appear in screen content. The screen content may include computer generated text, graphics, animation, etc.

[0073] Video encoding and / or decoding may be performed on a block-by-block basis. The process of partitioning a picture into blocks may be adaptive based on the content of the picture. For example, larger block partitions may be used in areas of a picture with higher levels of homogeneity to improve coding efficiency.

[0074] A picture (e.g., in HEVC, or any other coding standard / format) may be partitioned into non-overlapping square blocks, which may be referred to as coding tree blocks (CTBs). The CTBs may comprise samples of a sample array. A CTB may have a size of 2nx2n samples, where n may be specified by a parameter of the encoding system. For example, n may be 4, 5, 6, or any other value. A CTB may have any other size. A CTB may be further partitioned by a recursive quadtree partitioning into coding blocks (CBs) of half vertical and half horizontal size. The CTB may form the root of the quadtree. A CB that is not split further as part of the recursive quadtree partitioning may be referred to as a leaf CB of the quadtree, and otherwise may be referred to as a non-leaf CB of the quadtree. A CB may have a minimum size specified by a parameter of the encoding system. For example, a CB may have a minimum size of 4x4, 8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64 samples, or any other minimum size. A CB may be further partitioned into one or more prediction blocks (PBs) for performing inter and / or intra prediction. A PB may be a rectangular block ofDocket No.: 24-2023PCT samples on which the same prediction type / mode may be applied. A CB may also be further partitioned into intra sub- partitions (ISP) where the reconstructed samples of each sub-partition are available to generate the prediction of the next sub-partition. For example, a CB may be split into 2 to 4 sub-partitions. For transformations, a CB may be partitioned into one or more transform blocks (TBs). A TB may be a rectangular block of samples that may determine / indicate an applied transform size.

[0075] FIG.4 shows an example quadtree partitioning of a CTB 400. FIG.5 shows an example quadtree 500 corresponding to the example quadtree partitioning of CTB 400 in FIG.4. As shown in the examples of FIGS.4 and 5, CTB 400 may first be partitioned into four CBs of half vertical and half horizontal size. Three of the resulting CBs of the first level partitioning of CTB 400 are leaf CBs. The three leaf CBs of the first level partitioning of CTB 400 are respectively labeled 7, 8, and 9 in FIGS.4 and 5. The non-leaf CB of the first level partitioning of CTB 400 is partitioned into four sub-CBs of half vertical and half horizontal size. Three of the resulting sub-CBs of the second level partitioning of CTB 400 are leaf CBs. The three leaf CBs of the second level partitioning of CTB 400 are respectively labeled 0, 5, and 6 in FIGS.4 and 5. Finally, The non-leaf CB of the second level partitioning of CTB 400 is partitioned into four leaf CBs of half vertical and half horizontal size. The four leaf CBs are respectively labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4 in FIGS.4 and 5.

[0076] The example CTB 400 of FIG.4 is partitioned into 10 leaf CBs respectively labeled 0-9, but may be partitioned into other quantities of leaf CBs. The 10 leaf CBs may correspond to 10 CB leaf nodes (e.g., 10 CB leaf nodes of quadtree 500 as shown in FIG.5). In other examples, a CTB may be partitioned into a different number of leaf CBs. The resulting quadtree partitioning of CTB 400 may be scanned using a z-scan (e.g., left-to-right, top-to- bottom) to form the sequence order for encoding / decoding the CB leaf nodes. A numeric label (e.g., indicator, index) of each CB leaf node in FIGS.4 and 5 may correspond to the sequence order for encoding / decoding. For example, CB leaf node 0 may be encoded / decoded first and CB leaf node 9 may be encoded / decoded last. Although not shown in FIGS.4 and 5, each CB leaf node may comprise one or more PBs and / or TBs.

[0077] A picture, in VVC (or in any other coding standard / format), may be partitioned in a similar manner (such as in HEVC). A picture may be first partitioned into non-overlapping square CTBs. The CTBs may then be partitioned, using a recursive quadtree partitioning, into CBs of half vertical and half horizontal size. A quadtree leaf node (e.g., in VVC) may be further partitioned by a binary tree or ternary tree partitioning (or any other partitioning) into CBs of unequal sizes.

[0078] FIG.6 shows example binary tree and ternary tree partitions. A binary tree partition may divide a parent block in half in either a vertical direction 602 or a horizontal direction 604. The resulting partitions may be half in size as compared to the parent block. In other examples, the resulting partitions may correspond to sizes that are less than and / or greater than half of the parent block size. A ternary tree partition may divide a parent block into three parts in either a vertical direction 606 or a horizontal direction 608. FIG.6 shows an example in which the middle partition may be twice as large as the other two end partitions in the ternary tree partitions. In other examples, partitions may be of other sizes relative to each other and to the parent block. Binary and ternary tree partitions areDocket No.: 24-2023PCT examples of multi-type tree partitioning. Multi-type tree partitions may comprise partitioning a parent block into other quantities of smaller blocks. The block partitioning strategy (e.g., in VVC) may be referred to as a combination of quadtree and multi-type tree partitioning (quadtree + multi-type tree partitioning) because of the addition of binary and / or ternary tree partitioning to quadtree partitioning.

[0079] FIG.7 shows an example of combined quadtree and multi-type tree partitioning of a CTB 700. FIG.8 shows an example tree 800 corresponding to the combined quadtree and multi-type tree partitioning of CTB 700 shown in FIG.7. In both FIGS.7 and 8, quadtree splits are shown in solid lines and multi-type tree splits are shown in dashed lines. For ease of explanation, CTB 700 is shown with the same quadtree partitioning as the CTB 400 described in FIG.4, and a description of the quadtree partitioning of CTB 700, which is similar to that for CTB 400, is omitted. The quadtree partitioning of the CTB 700 is merely an example and a CTB may be quadtree partitioned in a manner different from the CTB 700. Additional multi-type tree partitions of CTB 700 may be made relative to three leaf CBs shown in FIG.4. The three leaf CBs in FIG.4 that are shown in FIG.7 as being further partitioned may be leaf CBs 5, 8, and 9. The three leaf CBs may be further partitioned using one or more binary and / or ternary tree partitions.

[0080] The leaf CB 5 of FIG.4 may be partitioned into two CBs based on a vertical binary tree partitioning. The two resulting CBs may be leaf CBs respectively labeled 5 and 6 in FIGS.7 and 8. The leaf CB 8 of FIG.4 may be partitioned into three CBs based on a vertical ternary tree partition. Two of the three resulting CBs may be leaf CBs respectively labeled 9 and 14 in FIGS.7 and 8. The remaining, non-leaf CB may be partitioned first into two CBs based on a horizontal binary tree partition. One of the two CBs may be a leaf CB labeled 10. The other of the two CBs may be further partitioned into three CBs based on a vertical ternary tree partition. The resulting three CBs may be leaf CBs respectively labeled 11, 12, and 13 in FIGS.7 and 8. The leaf CB 9 of FIG.4 may be partitioned into three CBs based on a horizontal ternary tree partition. Two of the three CBs may be leaf CBs respectively labeled 15 and 19 in FIGS.7 and 8. The remaining, non-leaf CB may be partitioned into three CBs based on another horizontal ternary tree partition. The resulting three CBs may all be leaf CBs respectively labeled 16, 17, and 18 in FIGS.7 and 8.

[0081] Altogether, CTB 700 may be partitioned into 20 leaf CBs respectively labeled 0-19. The 20 leaf CBs may correspond to 20 leaf nodes (e.g., 20 leaf nodes of tree 800 shown in FIG.8). The resulting combination of quadtree and multi-type tree partitioning of the CTB 700 may be scanned using a z-scan (left-to-right, top-to-bottom) to form the sequence order for encoding / decoding the CB leaf nodes. A numeric label of each CB leaf node in FIGS.7 and 8 may correspond to the sequence order for encoding / decoding, with CB leaf node 0 encoded / decoded first and CB leaf node 19 encoded / decoded last. Although not shown in FIGS.7 and 8, it should be noted that each CB leaf node may comprise one or more PBs and / or TBs.

[0082] A coding standard / format (e.g., HEVC, VVC, or any other coding standard / format) may define various units (e.g., in addition to specifying various blocks (e.g., CTBs, CBs, PBs, TBs)). Blocks may comprise a rectangular area of samples in a sample array. Units may comprise the collocated blocks of samples from the different sample arrays (e.g., luma and chroma sample arrays) that form a picture as well as syntax elements and prediction data of theDocket No.: 24-2023PCT blocks. A coding tree unit (CTU) may comprise the collocated CTBs of the different sample arrays and may form a complete entity in an encoded bitstream. A coding unit (CU) may comprise the collocated CBs of the different sample arrays and syntax structures used to code the samples of the CBs. A prediction unit (PU) may comprise the collocated PBs of the different sample arrays and syntax elements used to predict the PBs. A transform unit (TU) may comprise TBs of the different samples arrays and syntax elements used to transform the TBs.

[0083] A block may refer to any of a CTB, CB, PB, TB, CTU, CU, PU, and / or TU (e.g., in the context of HEVC, VVC, or any other coding format / standard). A block may be used to refer to similar data structures in the context of any video coding format / standard / protocol. For example, a block may refer to a macroblock in the AVC standard, a macroblock or a sub-block in the VP8 coding format, a superblock or a sub-block in the VP9 coding format, and / or a superblock or a sub-block (coding block or transform block) in the AV1 coding format.

[0084] In intra prediction, samples of a block to be encoded (e.g., also referred to as a current block) may be predicted from samples in a line of samples immediately adjacent to the current block. For example, the line of samples may include samples of the column immediately adjacent to the left-most column of the current block and samples of the row immediately adjacent to the top-most row of the current block. The samples from the immediately adjacent column and row may be jointly referred to as reference samples. Each sample of the current block may be predicted (e.g., in an intra prediction mode) by projecting the position of the sample in the current block in a given direction to a point along the reference samples. The sample may be predicted by interpolating between the two closest reference samples of the projection point if the projection does not fall directly on a reference sample. A prediction error (e.g., referred to as a residual) may be determined for the current block based on differences between the predicted sample values and the original sample values of the current block.

[0085] Predicting samples and determining a prediction error based on a difference between the predicted samples and original samples may be performed (e.g., at an encoder) for a plurality of different intra prediction modes (e.g., including non-directional intra prediction modes). The encoder may select one of the plurality of intra prediction modes and its corresponding prediction error to encode the current block. The encoder may send an indication of the selected prediction mode and its corresponding prediction error to a decoder for decoding of the current block. The decoder may decode the current block by predicting the samples of the current block, using the intra prediction mode indicated by the encoder, and / or combining the predicted samples with the prediction error.

[0086] FIG.9 shows an example set of reference samples 902 determined for intra prediction of a current block 904. Current block 904 may correspond to a block being encoded and / or decoded. Current block 904 may correspond to block 3 of partitioned CTB 700 as shown in FIG.7. As described herein, the numeric labels 0-19 of the blocks of partitioned CTB 700 may correspond to the sequence order for encoding / decoding the blocks and may be used as such in the example of FIG.9.

[0087] In some embodiments, reference samples 902 may include a line of samples immediately adjacent to current block 904 and include samples from a column and a row immediately adjacent to current block 904. For example, the line of samples may include reference samples to the left and / or above current block 904. In some embodiments,Docket No.: 24-2023PCT reference samples 902 may be obtained (or selected) from a reference line of multiple reference lines (MRL), which may include a line of samples adjacent to current block 904 and also a line of non-adjacent samples. The MRL may include reference lines identified by corresponding reference line indices that indicate an i-th line of samples adjacent to current block 904 such that the 0-th line indicates the reference line immediate adjacent (or closest) to current block 904 and a higher numbered i-th line indicates a line of samples further away from current block 904. An encoder may select a reference line from a set of MRL and signal an MLR index in the bitstream to indicate the selected reference line. For example, the encoder may signal a codeword encoding the MRL index. The decoder may decode the codeword to determine the MRL index that identifies a specific reference line used in intra prediction of current block 904.

[0088] For current block 904 that is w x h samples in size, reference samples 902 may comprise: 2w samples (or any other quantity of samples) of an i-th row (e.g., indicated by an MRL index) adjacent to the top-most row of current block 904, 2h samples (or any other quantity of samples) of the i-th column adjacent to the left-most column of current block 904, and the top left neighboring corner sample(s) extending from the i-th column and i-th row with respect to current block 904. Current block 904 may be square, such that w = h = s. In other examples, a current block need not be square, such that w ≠ h. Available samples from neighboring blocks of current block 904 may be used for constructing the set of reference samples 902. Samples may not be available for constructing the set of reference samples 902, for example, if the samples lie outside the picture of the current block, the samples are part of a different slice of the current block (e.g., if the concept of slices is used), and / or the samples belong to blocks that have been inter coded and constrained intra prediction is indicated. Intra prediction may not be dependent on inter predicted blocks, for example, if constrained intra prediction is indicated.

[0089] Samples that may not be available for constructing the set of reference samples 902 may comprise samples in blocks that have not already been encoded and reconstructed at an encoder and / or decoded at a decoder based on the sequence order for encoding / decoding. Restriction of such samples from inclusion in the set of reference samples 902 may allow identical prediction results to be determined at both the encoder and decoder. In the example of FIG.9, samples from neighboring blocks 0, 1, 2, and 6 may be available to construct reference samples 902 given that these blocks are encoded and reconstructed at an encoder and decoded at a decoder prior to coding of current block 904. The samples from neighboring blocks 0, 1, 2, and 6 may be available to construct reference samples 902, for example, if there are no other issues (e.g., as mentioned above) preventing the availability of the samples from the neighboring blocks 0, 1, 2, and 6. The portion of reference samples 902 from neighboring block 6 may not be available due to the sequence order for encoding / decoding (e.g., because the block 6 may not have already been encoded and reconstructed at the encoder and / or decoded at the decoder based on the sequence order for encoding / decoding).

[0090] In some examples, unavailable samples from reference samples 902 may be filled with one or more of the available reference samples 902. For example, an unavailable reference sample may be filled with a nearest available reference sample. The nearest available reference sample may be determined by moving in a clock-wiseDocket No.: 24-2023PCT direction through reference samples 902 from the position of the unavailable reference. The reference samples 902 may be filled with the mid-value of the dynamic range of the picture being coded, for example, if no reference samples are available.

[0091] Samples of current block 904 may be intra predicted based on reference samples 902, for example, based on (e.g., after) determination and (optionally) filtering of reference samples 902. In some examples, a filtering scheme (e.g., a filtering algorithm) may be applied to reference samples 902 to improve prediction accuracy. The filtering scheme may be one of a plurality of filter types including at least: a smoothing filter (or reference sample smoothing filter) or an interpolation filter. In some examples, if reference samples of a given block are to be filtered, only one of the plurality of filter types is selected (e.g., activated) to be applied to the reference samples. For example, if the smoothing filter is selected (e.g., activated), the interpolation filter is not selected (e.g., disabled) or vice versa.

[0092] Many encoders / decoders may support a plurality of intra prediction modes in accordance with one or more video coding standards. For example, HEVC supports 35 intra prediction modes, including a planar mode, a direct current (DC) mode, and 33 angular modes. VVC supports 67 intra prediction modes, including a planar mode, a DC mode, and 65 angular modes. Planar and DC modes may be used to predict smooth and gradually changing regions of a picture. Angular modes may be used to predict directional structures in regions of a picture. Any quantity of intra prediction modes may be supported.

[0093] FIGS.10A-B show example intra prediction modes. FIG.10A shows 35 intra prediction modes, such as supported by HEVC. The 35 intra prediction modes may be indicated / identified by indices 0 to 34. Prediction mode 0 may correspond to planar mode. Prediction mode 1 may correspond to DC mode. Prediction modes 2-34 may correspond to angular modes. Prediction modes 2-18 may be referred to as horizontal prediction modes because the principal source of prediction is in the horizontal direction. Prediction modes 19-34 may be referred to as vertical prediction modes because the principal source of prediction is in the vertical direction.

[0094] FIG.10B shows 67 intra prediction modes, such as supported by VVC. The 67 intra prediction modes may be indicated / identified by indices 0 to 66. Prediction mode 0 may correspond to planar mode. Prediction mode 1 corresponds to DC mode. Prediction modes 2-66 may correspond to angular modes. Prediction modes 2-34 may be referred to as horizontal prediction modes because the principal source of prediction is in the horizontal direction. Prediction modes 35-66 may be referred to as vertical prediction modes because the principal source of prediction is in the vertical direction. Some of the intra prediction modes illustrated in FIG.10B may be adaptively replaced by wide-angle directions because blocks in VVC need not be squares.

[0095] FIG.11 shows a current block 904 and corresponding reference samples 902 from FIG.9. To further describe how intra prediction modes are applied to determine a prediction (e.g., a prediction block) of current block 904, FIG.11 shows current block 904 and reference samples 902, from a reference line among a set of multiple reference lines (MRL) 908-912, in a two-dimensional x, y plane, where a sample may be referenced as ^[^][^]. To simplify the prediction process, reference samples 902 may be placed in two, one-dimensional arrays. The referenceDocket No.: 24-2023PCT samples 902 belonging to a reference line ^ from the set of MRL 908-912, above the current block 904, may be placed in the one-dimensional array ^^^^[^]:^^^^[^] = ^[−^ + ^][−^], (^ ≥ 0). (1)The reference samples 902 belonging to reference line l, to the left of current block 904, may be placed in the one- dimensional array ^^^^[^]:^^^^[^] = ^[−^][−^ + ^], (^ ≥ 0). (2)The variable l represents how many lines away the selected reference line is from current block. For example, if reference line #0908 is selected, then l is set to 1 to indicate the reference line adjacent to current block 904. For example, if reference line #1910 is selected, then l is set to 2. For example, if reference line #2912 is selected, then l is set to 3.

[0096] In some examples, if MRL is not activated or selected, then reference samples 902 may be from reference line #0908 that is immediately adjacent to current block 904. In this example, the variable l in Equations (1) and (2) is set to 1.

[0097] The prediction process may comprise determination of a predicted sample ^[^][^] (e.g., a predicted value) at a location [^][^] in current block 904. For planar mode, a sample at the location [^][^] in current block 904 may be predicted by determining / calculating the mean of two interpolated values. The first of the two interpolated values may be based on a horizontal linear interpolation at the location [^][^] in current block 904. The second of the two interpolated values may be based on a vertical linear interpolation at location [^][^] in current block 904. The predicted sample ^[^][^] in current block 904 may be determined / calculated as: 1^[^][^] = ( [ ][ ] [ ][ ] ) (3)2 ∙ ^ ℎ ^ ^ + ^ ^ ^ + ^ ,whereℎ[^][^] = (^ − ^ − 1) ∙ ^^^^[^] + (^ + 1) ∙ ^^^^[^] (4)may be the horizonal linear interpolation at the location [^][^] in current block 904 and^[^][^] = (^ − ^ − 1) ∙ ^^^^[^] + (^ + 1) ∙ ^^^^[^] (5)may be the vertical linear interpolation at the location [^][^] in current block 904. ^ may be equal to a length of a side (e.g., a number of samples on a side) of the current block 904.

[0098] For DC mode, a sample at a location [^][^] in current block 904 may be predicted by the mean of the reference samples 902. The predicted sample ^[^][^] in current block 904 may be determined / calculated as: ^^^ ^^^ 1 (6)

[0099] For angular modes, alocation [^][^] in a direction specified by a given angular mode to a point on the horizontal or vertical line of samples comprising reference samples 902. The sample at the location [^][^] may be predicted by interpolating between theDocket No.: 24-2023PCT two closest reference samples of the projection point if the projection does not fall directly on a reference sample. The direction specified by the angular mode may be given by an angle φ defined relative to the y-axis for vertical prediction modes (e.g., modes 19-34 in HEVC and modes 35-66 in VVC). The direction specified by the angular mode may be given by an angle φ defined relative to the x-axis for horizontal prediction modes (e.g., modes 2-18 in HEVC and modes 2-34 in VVC).

[0100] FIG.12 shows an example of applying an intra prediction mode (e.g., an angular mode such as vertical prediction mode 906) for prediction of a current block 904. FIG.12 specifically shows prediction of a sample at a location [^][^] in current block 904 for a vertical prediction mode 906. Vertical prediction mode 906 may be given by an angle φ with respect to the vertical axis. The location [^][^] in current block 904, in vertical prediction modes, may be projected to a point (e.g., referred to as a projection point) on the horizontal line of reference samples^^^^[^]. The reference samples 902 are only partially shown in FIG.12 and shown as being from a reference linewith reference line index of 0 for ease of illustration. Reference samples 902 may be from another reference line of the set of MRL, as explained in FIG.9. As shown in FIG.12, the projection point on the horizontal line of reference samples ^^^^[^] may not be exactly on a reference sample. A predicted sample ^[^][^] in current block 904 may be determined / calculated by linearly interpolating between the two reference samples, for example, if the projection point falls at a fractional sample position between two reference samples. The predicted sample ^[^][^] may be determined / calculated as:^[^][^] = (1 − %&) ∙ ^^^^[^ + %' + 1] + %& ∙ ^^^^[^ + %' + 2]. (7)%' may be the integer part of the horizontal displacement of the projection point relative to the location [^][^]. %' maybe determined / calculated as a function of the tangent of the angle φ of the vertical prediction mode 906 as:%' = ⌊(^ + 1) ∙ tan ,⌋. (8)%& may be the fractional part of the horizontal displacement of the projection point relative to the location [^][^] andmay be determined / calculated as:%& = ((^ + 1) ∙ tan ,) − ⌊(^ + 1) ∙ tan ,⌋, (9)where⌊∙⌋is the integer floor function.

[0101] For horizontal prediction modes, a location [x][y] of a sample in current block 904 may be projected onto the vertical line of reference samples ^^^^[^]. A predicted sample ^[^][^]for horizontal prediction modes may be determined / calculated as:^[^][^] = (1 − %&) ∙ ^^^^[^ + %' + 1] + %& ∙ ^^^^[^ + %' + 2]. (10)%' may be the integer part of the vertical displacement of the projection point relative to the location [^][^]. %'may bedetermined / calculated as a function of the tangent of the angle φ of the horizontal prediction mode as:%' = ⌊(^ + 1) ∙ tan ,⌋. (11)%& may be the fractional part of the vertical displacement of the projection point relative to the location [^][^]. %& maybe determined / calculated as:Docket No.: 24-2023PCT %. = ((^ + 1) ∙ tan ,) − ⌊(^ + 1) ∙ tan ,⌋, (12)where ⌊ ∙ ⌋ is the integer floor function.

[0102] The interpolation functions given by Equations (7) and (10) may be implemented by an encoder and / or a decoder (e.g., encoder 200 in FIG.2 and / or decoder 300 in FIG.3). The interpolation functions may be implemented by finite impulse response (FIR) filters. For example, the interpolation functions may be implemented as a set of two- tap FIR filters. The coefficients of the two-tap FIR filters may be respectively given by (1-%&) and %&. The predicted sample ^[^][^], in angular intra prediction, may be calculated with some predefined level of sample accuracy (e.g., 1 / 32 sample accuracy, or accuracy defined by any other metric). For 1 / 32 sample accuracy, the set of two-tap FIR interpolation filters may comprise up to 32 different two-tap FIR interpolation filters — one for each of the 32 possible values of the fractional part of the projected displacement %&. In other examples, different levels of sample accuracy may be used.

[0103] In some examples, the FIR filters may be used for predicting chroma samples and / or luma samples. For example, the two-tap interpolation FIR filter may be used for predicting chroma samples and a same and / or a different interpolation technique / filter may be used for luma samples. For example, a four-tap FIR filter may be used to determine a predicted value of a luma sample. Coefficients of the four tap FIR filter may be determined based on %&(e.g., similar to the two-tap FIR filter). For 1 / 32 sample accuracy, a set of 32 different four-tap FIR filters may comprise up to 32 different four-tap FIR filters — one for each of the 32 possible values of the fractional part of the projected displacement %&. In other examples, different levels of sample accuracy may be used. The set of four-tap FIR filters may be stored in a look-up table (LUT) and referenced based on %&. A predicted sample ^[^][^], for vertical prediction modes, may be determined based on the four-tap FIR filter as: 2 (13) ^= ^ ∙ ^^^^ + +where fT[i], I = 0...3, may be, for horizontal prediction modes, may be determined based on the four-tap FIR filter as: 2 (14) ^[^][^] = ^ ^ / [%] ∙ ^^^^[^ + %01^ + %] .' !

[0104] Supplementary reference samples may be determined / constructed if the location [^][^] of a sample in current block 904 to be predicted is projected to a negative x coordinate. The location [^][^] of a sample may be projected to a negative x coordinate, for example, if negative vertical prediction angles φ are used. The supplementary reference samples may be determined / constructed by projecting the reference samples in ^^^^[^] in the vertical line of reference samples 902 to the horizontal line of reference samples 902 using the negative vertical prediction angle φ. Supplementary reference samples may be similarly determined / constructed, for example, if the location [^][^] of a sample in current block 904 to be predicted is projected to a negative y coordinate. The location[^][^] of a sample may be projected to a negative y coordinate, for example, if negative horizontal prediction anglesDocket No.: 24-2023PCT φ are used. The supplementary reference samples may be determined / constructed by projecting the reference samples in ^^^^[^] on the horizontal line of reference samples 902 to the vertical line of reference samples 902 using the negative horizontal prediction angle φ.

[0105] An encoder may determine / predict samples of a current block being encoded (e.g., current block 904) for a plurality of intra prediction modes (e.g., using one or more of the functions described herein). For example, an encoder may determine / predict samples of a current block for each of 35 intra prediction modes in HEVC and / or 67 intra prediction modes in VVC and / or including extended intra prediction modes from WAIP for rectangular blocks. The encoder may determine, for each intra prediction mode applied, a corresponding prediction error for the current block based on a difference (e.g., sum of squared differences (SSD), sum of absolute differences (SAD), or sum of absolute transformed differences (SATD)) between the prediction samples, generated from reference samples 902 of a reference line (e.g., from a set of MRL), determined for the intra prediction mode and the original samples of the current block. The encoder may determine / select one of the intra prediction modes to encode the current block based on the determined prediction errors. For example, the encoder may determine / select one of the intra prediction modes that results in the smallest prediction error for the current block. In some examples, the encoder may determine / select the intra prediction mode and the associated reference line to encode the current block based on a rate-distortion measure (e.g., Lagrangian rate-distortion cost) determined using the prediction errors. The encoder may signal, in the bitstream to a decoder for decoding of the current block, an indication of the determined / selected intra prediction mode and an indication of the associated MRL index (which may indicate a reference line index). The encoder may also signal in the bitstream to the decoder a corresponding prediction error (e.g., residual) of the intra prediction mode.

[0106] A decoder may determine / predict samples of a current block being decoded (e.g., current block 904) for an intra prediction mode. For example, a decoder may receive an indication of a reference line (e.g., a reference line index or an MRL index associated with the reference line index) and an intra prediction mode (e.g., an angular intra prediction mode) from an encoder for a current block. The decoder may retrieve a set of reference samples and perform intra prediction based on the MRL index and the intra prediction mode indicated by the encoder for the current block in a similar manner (e.g., as described above for the encoder). For example, the decoder may obtain the reference samples from a reference line indicated / identified by the decoded MRL index. In some examples, when MRL is not enabled / activated / selected, the reference line has reference line index 0 and is immediately adjacent to the current block. In these examples, no indication of MRL index is signaled.

[0107] The decoder may add predicted values of the samples (e.g., determined based on the intra prediction mode) of the current block to a residual of the current block to reconstruct the current block. In some examples, a decoder need not receive an indication of an angular intra prediction mode from an encoder for a current block. Instead, the decoder may determine an intra prediction mode through other decoder-side means (e.g., by applying template- based intra mode derivation (TIMD) tool / technique).Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0108] While various examples herein correspond to intra prediction modes in HEVC and VVC, the methods, devices, and systems as described herein may be applied to / used for other intra prediction modes (e.g., as used in other video coding standards / formats, such as VP8, VP9, AV1, etc.).

[0109] Intra prediction may exploit correlations between spatially neighboring samples in the same picture of a video sequence to perform video compression. Inter prediction is another coding tool that may be used to perform video compression. Inter prediction may exploit correlations in the time domain between blocks of samples in different pictures of a video sequence. For example, an object may be seen across multiple pictures of a video sequence. The object may move (e.g., by some translation and / or affine motion) or remain stationary across the multiple pictures. A current block of samples in a current picture being encoded may have / be associated with a corresponding block of samples in a previously decoded picture. The corresponding block of samples may accurately predict the current block of samples. The corresponding block of samples may be displaced from the current block of samples, for example, due to movement of the object, represented in both blocks, across the respective pictures of the blocks. The previously decoded picture may be a reference picture. The corresponding block of samples in the reference picture may be a reference block for motion compensated prediction. An encoder may use a block matching technique to estimate the displacement (or motion) of the object and / or to determine the reference block in the reference picture.

[0110] Similar to intra prediction, an encoder may determine a difference between a current block and a prediction for a current block. An encoder may determine a difference, for example, based on / after determining / generating a prediction for a current block (e.g., using inter prediction). The difference may be a prediction error (e.g., a residual). The encoder may store and / or send (e.g., signal), in / via a bitstream, the prediction error and / or other related prediction information. The prediction error and / or other related prediction information may be used for decoding and / or other forms of consumption. A decoder may decode the current block by predicting the samples of the current block (e.g., by using the related prediction information) and combining the predicted samples with the prediction error.

[0111] FIG.13A shows an example of inter prediction. The inter prediction may be performed for a current block 1300 in a current picture 1302 being encoded. An encoder (e.g., encoder 200 as shown in FIG.2) may perform inter prediction to determine and / or generate a reference block 1304 in a reference picture 1306. Reference block 1304 may be used to predict the current block 1300. Reference pictures (e.g., reference picture 1306) may be prior decoded pictures available at the encoder and / or a decoder. Availability of a prior decoded picture may depend / be based on whether the prior decoded picture is available in a decoded picture buffer, at the time, current block 1300 is being encoded and / or decoded. The encoder may search the one or more reference pictures 1306 for a block (e.g., a candidate reference block) that is similar (or substantially similar) to current block 1300. The encoder may determine the best matching block from the blocks (e.g., candidate reference blocks) tested during the searching process. The best matching block may be a reference block 1304. The encoder may determine that reference block 1304 is the best matching reference block based on one or more cost criteria. The one or more cost criteria may comprise a rate- distortion criterion (e.g., Lagrangian rate-distortion cost). The one or more cost criteria may be based on a differenceDocket No.: 24-2023PCT (e.g., SSD, SAD, and / or SATD) between prediction samples of reference block 1304 and original samples of current block 1300.

[0112] The encoder may search for reference block 1304 within a reference region (e.g., a search range 1308). The reference region (e.g., a search range 1308) may be positioned around a collocated block (or position) 1310, of current block 1300, in reference picture 1306. Collocated block 1310 may have a same position in the reference picture 1306 as the current block 1300 in the current picture 1302. The reference region (e.g., search range 1308) may at least partially extend outside of reference picture 1306. Constant boundary extension may be used, for example, if the reference region (e.g., search range 1308) extends outside of reference picture 1306. The constant boundary extension may be used such that values of the samples in a row or a column of reference picture 1306, immediately adjacent to a portion of the reference region (e.g., search range 1308) extending outside of reference picture 1306, may be used for sample locations outside of reference picture 1306. A subset of potential positions, or all potential positions, within the reference region (e.g., search range 1308) may be searched for reference block 1304. The encoder may utilize one or more search implementations to determine and / or generate the reference block 1304. For example, the encoder may determine a set of candidate search positions based on motion information of neighboring blocks (e.g., a motion vector 1312) to the current block 1300.

[0113] One or more reference pictures may be searched by the encoder during inter prediction to determine and / or generate the best matching reference block. The reference pictures searched by the encoder may be included in (e.g., added to) one or more reference picture lists. For example, in HEVC and VVC (and / or in one or more other communication protocols), two reference picture lists may be used (e.g., a reference picture list 0 and a reference picture list 1). A reference picture list may include one or more pictures. The reference picture 1306 of reference block 1304 may be indicated by a reference index pointing into a reference picture list comprising reference picture 1306. The reference frames can include different types of frames. For example, in some implementations (e.g., such as in AV1), up to seven frames can be used as reference frames and there are four types of frames, including LAST frame (a frame that was displayed in the near past), BWD frame ( a frame that will be displayed in the future), GOLDEN frame (a frame that was displayed in the distant past), and ARF frame (a frame from either the past or the future).

[0114] FIG.13B shows an example motion vector. A displacement between reference block 1304 and current block 1300 may be interpreted as an estimate of the motion between reference block 1304 and current block 1300 across their respective pictures. The displacement may be represented by a motion vector 1312. For example, motion vector 1312 may be indicated by a horizontal component (MVx) and a vertical component (MVy) relative to the position of current block 1300. A motion vector (e.g., motion vector 1312) may have fractional or integer resolution. A motion vector with fractional resolution may point between two samples in a reference picture to provide a better estimation of the motion of current block 1300. For example, a motion vector may have 1 / 2, 1 / 4, 1 / 8, 1 / 16, 1 / 32, or any other fractional sample resolution. Interpolation between the two samples at integer positions may be used to generate a reference block and its corresponding samples at fractional positions, for example, if a motion vector points to a non- integer sample value in the reference picture. The interpolation may be performed by a filter with two or more taps.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0115] The encoder may determine a difference (e.g., a corresponding sample-by-sample difference) between reference block 1304 and current block 1300. The encoder may determine the difference between reference block 1304 and current block 1300, for example, based on / after reference block 1304 is determined and / or generated, using inter prediction, for current block 1300. The difference may be a prediction error (e.g., a residual). The encoder may store and / or send (e.g., signal), in / via a bitstream, the prediction error and / or related motion information. The prediction error and / or the related motion information may be used for decoding (e.g., decoding current block 1300) and / or other forms of consumption. The motion information may comprise the motion vector 1312 and a reference indicator / index. The reference indicator may indicate the reference picture 1306 in a reference picture list. In other examples, the motion information may comprise an indication of motion vector 1312 and / or an indication of the reference indicator / index. The reference indicator may indicate reference picture 1306 in the reference picture list comprising reference picture 1306. A decoder may decode current block 1300 by determining and / or generating the reference block 1304, which may correspond to / form (e.g., be considered as) a prediction of the current block 1300. The decoder may determine and / or generate the reference block 1304, for example, based on the related motion information. The decoder may decode current block 1300 based on combining the prediction (e.g., a reference block) with the prediction error (e.g., a residual block).

[0116] Inter prediction, as shown in FIG.13A, may be performed using one reference picture 1306 as a source of a prediction for current block 1300. Inter prediction based on a prediction of a current block using a single picture may be referred to as uni-prediction or single reference inter prediction.

[0117] Inter prediction of a current block, using bi-prediction or compound prediction, may be based on two pictures (e.g., the source of prediction may be from the two pictures). Bi-prediction may be useful, for example, if a video sequence comprises fast motion, camera panning, zooming, and / or scene changes. Bi-prediction also may be useful to capture fade outs of one scene or fade outs from one scene to another, where two pictures may effectively be displayed simultaneously with different levels of intensity.

[0118] One or both of uni-prediction and bi-prediction may be available / used for performing inter prediction (e.g., at an encoder and / or at a decoder). Performing a specific type of inter prediction (e.g., uni-prediction / single reference prediction and / or bi-prediction / compound prediction) may depend on a slice type of current block. For example, for P slices, only uni-prediction may be available / used for performing inter prediction. For B slices, either uni-prediction or bi-prediction may be available / used for performing inter prediction. An encoder may determine and / or generate a reference block, for predicting a current block, from a reference picture list 0, for example, if the encoder is using uni- prediction. An encoder may determine and / or generate a first reference block, for predicting a current block, from a reference picture list 0 and determine and / or generate a second reference block, for predicting the current block, from a reference picture list 1, for example, if the encoder is using bi-prediction.

[0119] FIG.14 shows an example of bi-prediction / compound prediction. Two reference blocks 1402 and 1404 may be used to predict a current block 1400. For example, reference block 1402 may be in a reference picture of one of reference picture list 0 or reference picture list 1. Reference block 1404 may be in a reference picture of another oneDocket No.: 24-2023PCT of reference picture list 0 or reference picture list 1. As shown in FIG.14, reference block 1402 may be in a first picture that precedes (e.g., in time) a current picture of current block 1400, and the reference block 1404 may be in a second picture that succeeds (e.g., in time) the current picture of current block 1400. The first picture may precede the current picture in terms of a picture order count (POC) or a display order. The second picture may succeed the current picture in terms of the POC or the display order. In other examples, the reference pictures may both precede or both succeed the current picture in terms of POC or the display order. A POC may be / indicate an order in which pictures are output (e.g., from a decoded picture buffer). A POC may be / indicate an order in which pictures are generally intended to be displayed. Pictures that are output may not necessarily be displayed but may undergo different processing and / or consumption (e.g., transcoding). The two reference blocks determined and / or generated using / for bi-prediction may correspond to (e.g., be comprised in) a same reference picture. The reference picture may be included in both the reference picture list 0 and the reference picture list 1, for example, if the two reference blocks correspond to the same reference picture.

[0120] A configurable weight and / or offset value may be applied to one or more inter prediction reference blocks. An encoder may enable the use of weighted prediction using a flag in a picture parameter set (PPS) or a set of parameters at a similar level. The encoder may send / signal the weight and / or offset parameters in a slice segment header for current block 1400. Different weight and / or offset parameters may be sent / signaled for luma and / or chroma components.

[0121] The encoder may determine and / or generate the reference blocks 1402 and 1404 for the current block 1400 using inter prediction. The encoder may determine a difference between current block 1400 and each of reference blocks 1402 and 1404. The differences may be prediction errors or residuals. The encoder may store and / or send / signal, in / via a bitstream, the prediction errors and / or their respective related motion information. The prediction errors and their respective related motion information may be used for decoding and / or other forms of consumption.

[0122] The motion information for reference block 1402 may comprise a motion vector 1406 and / or a reference indicator / index. The reference indicator may indicate a reference picture, of the reference block 1402, in a reference picture list. In some examples, the motion information for reference block 1402 may comprise an indication of motion vector 1406 and / or an indication of the reference index. The reference index may indicate the reference picture, of reference block 1402, in the reference picture list.

[0123] The motion information for reference block 1404 may comprise a motion vector 1408 and / or a reference index / indicator. The reference indicator may indicate a reference picture, of the reference block 1404, in a reference picture list. The motion information for reference block 1404 may comprise an indication of motion vector 1408 and / or an indication of the reference index. The reference index may indicate the reference picture, of the reference block 1404, in the reference picture list.

[0124] A decoder may decode current block 1400 by determining and / or generating the reference blocks 1402 and 1404. The decoder may determine and / or generate the reference blocks 1402 and 1404, for example, based on the respective related motion information for the reference blocks 1402 and 1404. The reference blocks 1402 and 1404Docket No.: 24-2023PCT may correspond to / form (e.g., be considered as) the prediction (e.g., used to generate a prediction block) of the current block 1400. The decoder may decode the current block 1400 based on combining the prediction with the prediction errors.

[0125] Motion information may be predictively coded, for example, before being stored and / or sent / signaled in / via a bit stream (e.g., in HEVC, VVC, and / or other video coding standards / formats / protocols). The motion information for a current block may be predictively coded based on motion information of one or more blocks neighboring the current block. The motion information of the neighboring block(s) may often correlate with the motion information of the current block because the motion of an object represented in the current block is often the same as (or similar to) the motion of objects in the neighboring block(s). Motion information prediction techniques (such as those in HEVC and VVC) may comprise advanced motion vector prediction (AMVP) and / or inter prediction block merging (e.g., merge mode).

[0126] An encoder (e.g., encoder 200 as shown in FIG.2), may code a motion vector. The encoder may code the motion vector (e.g., using AMVP) as a difference between a motion vector of a current block being coded and a motion vector predictor (MVP). An encoder may determine / select the MVP from a list of candidate MVPs. The candidate MVPs may be / correspond to previously decoded motion vectors of neighboring blocks in the current picture of the current block, and / or blocks at or near the collocated position of the current block in other reference pictures. The encoder and / or a decoder may reciprocally generate and / or determine the list of candidate MVPs.

[0127] The encoder may determine / select an MVP from the list of candidate MVPs. Then, the encoder may send / signal, in / via a bitstream, an indication of the selected MVP and / or a motion vector difference (MVD). The encoder may indicate the selected MVP in the bitstream using an index / indicator. The index may indicate the selected MVP in the list of candidate MVPs. The MVD may be determined / calculated based on a difference between the motion vector of the current block and the selected MVP. For example, for a motion vector (e.g., comprising a horizontal component (MVx) and a vertical component (Mvy)) that indicates a position relative to a position of the current block being coded, the MVD may be represented by two components MVD^and MVD". MVD^and MVD"may be determined / calculated as:MVD^ = MV^ − MVP^ , (15)MVD" = MV" − MVP". (16)MVDx and MVDy may respectively represent horizontal and vertical components of the MVD. MVPx and MVPy may respectively represent horizontal and vertical components of the MVP.

[0128] A decoder (e.g., decoder 300 as shown in FIG.3) may decode the motion vector by adding the MVD to the MVP indicated in / via the bitstream. The decoder may decode the current block by determining and / or generating the reference block. The decoder may determine and / or generate the reference block, for example, based on the decoded motion vector. The reference block may correspond to / form (e.g., be considered as) the prediction of the current block (e.g., a prediction block). The decoder may decode the current block by combining the prediction with the prediction error.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0129] The list of candidate MVPs (e.g., in HEVC, VVC, and / or one or more other communication protocols), for AMVP, may comprise two or more candidates (e.g., candidates A and B). Candidates A and B may comprise: up to two (or any other quantity of) spatial candidate MVPs determined / derived from five (or any other quantity of) spatial neighboring blocks of a current block being coded; one (or any other quantity of) temporal candidate MVP determined / derived from two (or any other quantity of) temporal, co-located blocks (e.g., if both of the two spatial candidate MVPs are not available or are identical); and / or zero motion vector candidate MVPs (e.g., if one or both of the spatial candidate MVPs or temporal candidate MVPs are not available). Other quantities of spatial candidate MVPs, spatial neighboring blocks, temporal candidate MVPs, and / or temporal, co-located blocks may be used for the list of candidate MVPs.

[0130] FIG.15A shows example spatial candidate neighboring blocks for a current block. For example, five (or any other quantity of) spatial candidate neighboring blocks may be located relative to a current block 1500 being encoded. The five spatial candidate neighboring blocks may be A0, A1, B0, B1, and B2. FIG.15B shows temporal, co-located blocks for the current block. For example, two (or any other quantity of) temporal, co-located blocks may be located relative to current block 1500 being coded. The two temporal, co-located blocks may be C0 and C1. The two temporal, co-located blocks may be in one or more reference pictures that may be different from the current picture of current block 1500.

[0131] An encoder (e.g., encoder 200 as shown in FIG.2) may code a motion vector using inter prediction block merging (e.g., a merge mode). For example, the encoder (e.g., using merge mode) may reuse the same motion information of a neighboring block (e.g., one of neighboring blocks A0, A1, B0, B1, and B2) for inter prediction of a current block. For example, the encoder (e.g., using merge mode) may reuse the same motion information of a temporal, co-located block (e.g., one of temporal, co-located blocks C0 and C1) for inter prediction of a current block. An MVD need not be sent (e.g., Indicated, signaled) for the current block because the same motion information as that of a neighboring block or a temporal, co-located block may be used for the current block (e.g., at the encoder and / or a decoder). A signaling overhead for sending / signaling the motion information of the current block may be reduced because the MVD need not be indicated for the current block. The encoder and / or the decoder may reciprocally generate a candidate list of motion information from neighboring blocks or temporal, co-located blocks of the current block (e.g., in a manner similar to AMVP). The encoder may determine to use (e.g., inherit) motion information, of one neighboring block or one temporal, co-located block in the candidate list, for predicting motion information of the current block being coded. The encoder may signal / send, in / via a bitstream, an indication of the determined motion information from the candidate list. For example, the encoder may signal / send an indicator / index. The index may indicate the determined motion information in the list of candidate motion information. The encoder may signal / send the index to indicate the determined motion information.

[0132] A list of candidate motion information for merge mode (e.g., in HEVC, VVC, or any other coding formats / standards / protocols) may comprise: up to four (or any other quantity of) spatial merge candidates derived / determined from five (or any other quantity of) spatial neighboring blocks (e.g., as shown in FIG.15A); one (orDocket No.: 24-2023PCT any other quantity of) temporal merge candidate derived from two (or any other quantity of) temporal, co-located blocks (e.g., as shown in FIG.15B); and / or additional merge candidates comprising bi-predictive candidates and zero motion vector candidates. In some examples, the spatial neighboring blocks and the temporal, co-located blocks used for merge mode may be the same as the spatial neighboring blocks and the temporal, co-located blocks used for AMVP.

[0133] In some examples (e.g., AV1), a list of derived MV predictors may be generated by pooling the spatial and temporal MV candidates and ranking them based on weightings determined by evaluating each of the candidates. Up to four candidates may be added to the list of MV predictors, which may also be referred to as the dynamic reference list (DRL). The DRL may be used in dynamic MV prediction modes.

[0134] Inter prediction may be performed in other ways and variants than those described herein. For example, motion information prediction techniques other than AMVP and merge mode may be used. While various examples herein correspond to inter prediction modes, such as used in HEVC and VVC or AV1, the methods, devices, and systems as described herein may be applied to / used for other inter prediction modes (e.g., as used for other video coding standards / formats such as VP8, VP9, AV1, etc.). History-based motion vector prediction (HMVP), combined intra / inter prediction mode (CIIP) or compound inter-intra prediction, warped motion compensation, overlapped block motion compensation (OBMC), and / or merge mode with motion vector difference (MMVD) (e.g., as described in VVC) may be performed / used and are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0135] A block matching operation (or technique) may be applied / used (e.g., in inter prediction) to determine a reference block in a different picture than that of a current block being coded (e.g., encoded and / or decoded). A block matching operation also may be applied / used to determine a reference block in a same picture as that of a current block being coded. The reference block, in a same picture as that of the current block, as determined using block matching may often not accurately predict the current block (e.g., for camera captured videos). Prediction accuracy for screen content videos may not be similarly impacted, for example, if a reference block in the same picture as that of the current block is used for encoding. Screen content videos may comprise, for example, computer generated text, graphics, animation, etc. Screen content videos may comprise (e.g., may often comprise) repeated patterns (e.g., repeated patterns of text and / or graphics) within the same picture. Using a reference block (e.g., as determined using block matching), in a same picture as that of a current block being encoded, may provide efficient compression for screen content videos.

[0136] A prediction technique may be used (e.g., in HEVC, VVC, AV1, and / or any other coding standards / formats / protocols) to exploit correlation between blocks of samples within a same picture (e.g., of screen content videos). The prediction technique may be intra block copy (IBC or IntraBC) or current picture referencing (CPR). An encoder may apply / use a block matching technique (e.g., similar to inter prediction) to determine a displacement vector (e.g., a block vector (BV)). The BV may indicate a relative position of a reference block (e.g., in accordance with intra block compensated prediction), that best matches the current block, from a position of the current block. For example, the relative position of the reference block may be a relative position of a top-left cornerDocket No.: 24-2023PCT (or any other point / sample) of the reference block. The BV may indicate a relative displacement from the current block to the reference block that best matches the current block. The encoder may determine the best matching reference block from blocks tested during a searching process (e.g., in a manner similar to that used for inter prediction). The encoder may determine that a reference block is the best matching reference block based on one or more cost criteria. The one or more cost criteria may comprise a rate-distortion criterion (e.g., Lagrangian rate-distortion cost). The one or more cost criteria may be based on, for example, one or more differences (e.g., an SSD, an SAD, an SATD, and / or a difference determined based on a hash function) between the prediction samples of the reference block and the original samples of the current block. A reference block may correspond to / comprise prior decoded blocks of samples (e.g., reconstructed samples) of the current picture. The reference block may comprise decoded blocks of samples of the current picture prior to being processed by in-loop filtering operations (e.g., deblocking, SAO filtering, CDEFs, and / or LR filters). In some examples, the reference block may be restricted to a certain area. For example, in AV1, if the top-left pixel coordinate of a superblock is (x0, y0), IntraBC prediction is available at pixel position (x, y) only if the value of the vertical coordinate y is less than y0 and the value of the horizontal coordinate x is less x0 + 2(y0 − y). Further, due to hardware write-back delays, the immediate reconstructed area may not be accessible by IntraBC prediction.

[0137] FIG.16 shows an example of IBC (e.g., an IBC mode or an IntraBC mode). The example shown in FIG.16 may correspond to screen content. The rectangular portions / sections with arrows beginning at their boundaries may be the current blocks being encoded. The rectangular portions / sections that the arrows point to may be the reference blocks for predicting the respective current blocks.

[0138] A reference block may be determined and / or generated, for a current block, using IBC. The encoder may determine a difference (e.g., a corresponding sample-by-sample difference) between the reference block and the current block. The difference may be a prediction error or residual. The encoder may store and / or send / signal, in / via a bitstream the prediction error and / or related prediction information. The prediction error and / or the related prediction information may be used for decoding and / or other forms of consumption. The prediction information may comprise a BV. The prediction information may comprise an indication of the BV. A decoder (e.g., decoder 300 as shown in FIG. 3), may decode the current block by determining and / or generating the reference block. The decoder may determine and / or generate the current block, for example, based on the prediction information (e.g., the BV). The reference block may correspond to / form (e.g., be considered as) the prediction (e.g., a prediction block) of the current block. The decoder may decode the current block by combining the prediction (e.g., prediction block) with the prediction error (e.g., residual or residual block).

[0139] A BV may be predictively coded (e.g., in HEVC, VVC, and / or any other coding standards / formats / protocols) before being stored and / or sent / signaled in / via a bitstream. For example, the BV for a current block may be predictively coded based on a BV of one or more blocks neighboring the current block. For example, an encoder may predictively code a BV using the merge mode (e.g., in a manner similar to as described herein for inter prediction),Docket No.: 24-2023PCT AMVP (e.g., as described herein for inter prediction), or a technique similar to AMVP. The technique similar to AMVP may be BV prediction and difference coding (or AMVP for IBC).

[0140] An encoder (e.g., encoder 200 as shown in FIG.2) performing BV prediction and coding may code a BV as a difference between the BV of a current block being coded and a block vector predictor (BVP). An encoder may select / determine the BVP from a list of candidate BVPs. The candidate BVPs may comprise / correspond to previously decoded BVs of neighboring blocks in the current picture of the current block. The encoder and / or a decoder may reciprocally generate or determine the list of candidate BVPs.

[0141] The encoder may send / signal, in / via a bitstream, an indication of the selected BVP and a block vector difference (BVD). The encoder may indicate the selected BVP in the bitstream using an index / indicator. The index may indicate (e.g., point to) the selected BVP in the list of candidate BVPs. The BVD may be determined / calculated based on a difference between a BV of the current block and the selected BVP. For example, for a BV (e.g., represented by a horizontal component (BVx) and a vertical component (BVy)) that indicates a position relative to a position of the current block being coded, the BVD may be represented by two components BVD^and BVD". BVD^and BVD" may be determined / calculated as:BVD^ = BV^ − BVP^ , (17)BVD" = BV" − BVP" . (18)BVDx and BVDy may respectively represent horizontal and vertical components of the BVD. BVPx and BVPy may respectively represent horizontal and vertical components of the BVP. A decoder (e.g., decoder 300 as shown in FIG. 3), may decode the BV by adding the BVD to the BVP indicated in / via the bitstream. The decoder may decode the current block by determining and / or generating the reference block. The decoder may determine and / or generate the reference block, for example, based on the decoded BV. The reference block may correspond to / form (e.g., be considered as) the prediction (e.g., a prediction block) of the current block. The decoder may decode the current block by combining the prediction (e.g., the prediction block) with the prediction error (e.g., residual or residual block).

[0142] A same BV as that of a neighboring block may be used for the current block and a BVD need not be separately signaled / sent for the current block, such as in the merge mode. A BVP (in the candidate BVPs), which may correspond to a decoded BV of the neighboring block, may itself be used as a BV for the current block. Not sending the BVD may reduce the signaling overhead.

[0143] A list of candidate BVPs (e.g., in HEVC, VVC, and / or any other coding standard / format / protocol) may comprise two (or more) candidates. The candidates may comprise candidates A and B. Candidates A and B may comprise: up to two (or any other quantity of) spatial candidate BVPs determined / derived from five (or any other quantity of) spatial neighboring blocks of a current block being encoded; and / or one or more of last two (or any other quantity of) coded BVs (e.g., if spatial neighboring candidates are not available). Spatial neighboring candidates may not be available, for example, if neighboring blocks are encoded using intra prediction or inter prediction. Locations of the spatial candidate neighboring blocks, relative to a current block, being encoded using IBC may be illustrated in a manner similar to spatial candidate neighboring blocks used for coding motion vectors in inter prediction (e.g., asDocket No.: 24-2023PCT shown in FIG.15A). For example, five spatial candidate neighboring blocks of a current block being coded using IBC may be respectively denoted A0, A1, B0, B1, and B2 as shown in FIG.15A.

[0144] The most probable mode (MPM) refers to the intra prediction mode (IPM) that is most likely to be the best mode for the current block being encoded or decoded. In current intra prediction techniques, the MPM is determined by analyzing the intra prediction modes of the neighboring CUs (e.g., also referred to as blocks) of a current block (or CU) to be coded (e.g., encoded or decoded). For example, a list of 6 MPMs (referred to as the “MPM list”) may be constructed for intra prediction (e.g., for luma or chroma). The MPM list is derived from the intra prediction modes of the neighboring CUs, and is updated as the encoder progresses through the video frame. When encoding a block, the encoder may determine if the current block is a candidate for any of the MPMs in the MPM list. If it is, the encoder then compares the prediction errors of the respective MPMs to determine which MPM from the MPM list is the best mode for the current block. If the current block is not a candidate for any of the MPMs in the MPM list, the encoder may then evaluate remaining intra prediction modes (e.g., from a total of 67 intra prediction modes which may include a planar mode, a DC mode, and 65 angular directional modes) to determine the best mode for the current block.

[0145] The use of MPMs can significantly improve the coding efficiency because the encoder does not need to explicitly signal the intra prediction mode for the current block if it is one of the MPMs. Instead, the decoder can infer the intra prediction mode for the current block from the corresponding MPM list identically generated at the decoder. Thus, signaling overhead in the bitstream may be reduced.

[0146] In some examples, three types of intra modes may be considered to construct the MPM list: default intra modes; neighboring intra modes; and derived intra modes. A unified 6 MPM list may be used for intra blocks irrespective of whether Multiple Reference Lines (MRL) and Intra Sub-Partitions (ISP) coding tools are applied. The MPM list for the current block is constructed based on intra modes of the left neighbor block (e.g., block corresponding to A1 in FIG.15A) and the above neighbor block (e.g., block corresponding to B1 in FIG.15A) of the current block. Suppose the mode of the left neighbor block is denoted as Left and the mode of the above neighbor block is denoted as Above, the unified MPM list may be constructed as follows: when a neighboring block is not available, its intra mode is set to planar mode by default; if both modes Left and Above are non-angular modes, then the MPM list is set to include{planar, DC, V, H, V − 4, V + 4}, where “V” and “H” refer to vertical mode and horizontal mode, respectively; if one of modes Left and Above is an angular mode, and the other is non-angular, set a mode Max as the larger mode of Left and Above, and set MPM list to include {planar, Max, Max − 1, Max + 1, Max –– 2, Max + 2}; if Left and Above are both angular and they are different, set a mode Max and a mode Min as the larger mode in Left and Above and as the smaller mode in Left and Above, respectively, and thereafter, if Max – Min is equal to 1, then set MPM list to include {planar, Left, Above, Min – 1, Max + 1, Min – 2}, if Max – Min is greater than or equal to 62, then set MPM list to include {planar, Left, Above, Min + 1, Max – 1, Min + 2}, if Max – Min is equal to 2, set MPM list to include {planar, Left, Above, Min + 1, Min – 1, Max + 1}, or otherwise, set MPM list to include {planar, Left, Above, Min – 1, –Min + 1, Max – 1}; and if Left and Above are both angular and they are the same, set MPM list to include {planar, Left, Left − 1, Left + 1, Left – 2, Left + 2}.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0147] The encoder may encode an MPM index in the bitstream to indicate the position of the selected intra prediction mode in the MPM list to the decoder. The encoder may represent the MPM index as a codeword and entropy encode the codeword into the bitstream. The decoder may derive the MPM list in a manner identical to the encoder, and use the MPM index obtained from the codeword decoded from bitstream to obtain the intra prediction mode from the MPM list derived at the decoder. In some instances, the first bin of codeword, representing the MPM index, is context coded using an arithmetic coder (e.g., CABAC) so as to achieve additional coding efficiencies. For example, three contexts may be used, corresponding to whether the current intra block is MRL enabled, ISP enabled, or a normal intra block.

[0148] In some examples, during the 6 MPM list generation process, pruning may be used to remove duplicated intra modes so that the MPM list includes only unique intra modes. For entropy coding of the 61 non-MPM modes (that is, the 67 modes in VVC minus the 6 MPM), a truncated binary code (TBC) may be used.

[0149] In some implementations, the MPM list is extended to include 16 additional candidates, and is divided into two parts, the primary MPM (PMPM) (e.g., including 6 entries) and the secondary (SMPM) (e.g., including 16 entries). In some implementations, the first entry in the general MPM list is the planar mode. The remaining entries include the intra modes of the adjacent neighboring blocks corresponding to positions left (L), above (A), below-left (BL), above- right (AR), and above-left (AL) (e.g., shown in FIG.15A as A1, B1, A0, B0, and B2), and decoder-side intra mode derivation (DIMD) modes which are sorted in ascending order of a cost such as, for example, SAD, SSD, SATD, etc. In some examples, up to a preconfigured / predetermined number of modes (e.g., 5) with the smallest costs are added to the MPM list. The cost for a respective MPM (e.g., an IPM corresponding to an entry in the MPM list) may be computed between the prediction of the reconstructed samples of the template of the current block and the reconstructed samples. For example, the prediction may be generated by applying the respective MPM for the template. Sorted directional modes are added into the general MPM list, and then the default modes, until the general MPM list with 22 entries is constructed. In some examples, if a CU block is vertically oriented, the order of neighboring blocks corresponds to A, L, BL, AR, AL; otherwise, it is L, A, AL, AR, BL.

[0150] FIG.17 shows an example of intra template matching prediction (IntraTMP) for predicting or determining a current block 1700, according to some embodiments. IntraTMP is an intra prediction mode that copies a reference block, from a reconstructed part of a current picture 1702 (e.g., current frame), whose template (e.g., an L-shaped template, above-only template, or left-only template) is determined to best match current template 1708 (e.g., the L- shaped template, above only template, or left-only template) of current block 1700 to predict current block 1700. Current block 1700 comprises a rectangular block of samples, in a picture or video frame of current picture 1702, to be encoded by the encoder or decoded by the decoder. Current template 1708 may be determined based on samples in a reconstructed region neighboring current block 1700. For example, current template 1708 may comprise samples that are adjacent to current block 1700 such as including one or more rows of samples above current block 1700 and / or and one or more columns of samples to the left of current block 1700. In some examples, the current template 1708 may be an L-shaped template , a top-only template, or a left-only template of the current block 1700. ForDocket No.: 24-2023PCT example, the L-shaped template may include the top-only template and the left-only template. For example, the L- shaped template may further include an above-left template.

[0151] In IntraTMP, a plurality of reference templates of respective candidate reference blocks 1714, from a predefined TMP search region 1706, are matched with current template 1708 to determine or select a reference template 1712 that best matches or is most similar to current template 1708. A reference block (RB) 1710 from the candidate reference blocks 1714 and indicated by the selected reference template 1712 may be used as a prediction block to determine or predict current block 1700. Block vector (BV) 1730 indicates a displacement from current block 1700 (e.g., the top left sample of current block 1700) to reference block 1710 (e.g., the top left sample of reference block 1710).

[0152] In some examples, TMP search region 1706 comprises a portion of a reconstructed region of current picture 1702. TMP search region 1706 indicates the regions that the encoder or decoder may search for candidate templates (such as candidate templates of candidate reference blocks 1714) to determine reference template 1712 and corresponding reference block 1710. In some examples, TMP search region 1706, may include region 1706A (R1) from a current CTU 1704, region 1706B (R3) including a portion of the above CTU, region 1706C (R2) including a portion of the above-left CTU, and region 1706D (R4) including a portion of the left CTU. The CTUs are a result of picture partitioning operations described above. It is to be understood that TMP search region 1706 may include other regions of reconstructed samples of current picture 1702.

[0153] In some examples, the dimensions of TMP search region 1706 (SearchRange_w, SearchRange_h) may be set to be proportional to the dimensions of current block 1700 (BlkW, BlkH) to have a fixed number of cost comparisons (e.g., SAD) per pixel. For example, the dimensions of TMP search region 1706 may be calculated as follows:SearchRange_w = min (64, E ∗ BlkW) (19)SearchRange_h = min (64, E ∗ BlkH) (20)

[0154] α (or alpha) is a constant that controls a gain / complexity trade-off for the encoder or decoder. For example, α may be equal to 5. In FIG.17, it should further be noted that the dimensions of TMP search region 1706 are illustrated by example and not by limitation. In practical implementation, for example, the dimensions of the regions may vary, and / or one or more of the regions may not be present. In the example illustrated by FIG.17, portions of reconstructed region directly above and directly left of current block 1700 may not be available for prediction or determination and may be excluded from TMP search region 1706. For example, this may be because a reference block in these portions would overlap with current block 1700, which would be an invalid location for prediction or determination of current block 1700. A similar restriction may also be based on the unavailability of samples because of the sequence order of encoding or decoding, or because the samples may be outside of TMP search region or current picture 1702.

[0155] In some examples, the candidate templates of candidate reference blocks 1714 have the same shape and size as current template 1708. In an example, the candidate templates further have the same orientation as currentDocket No.: 24-2023PCT template 1708. In some examples, matching templates includes calculating a template matching (TM) cost between samples of a candidate reference template of a candidate RB (indicated by a respective candidate block vector) and corresponding samples of current template 1708. For example, the difference may be based on a sum of squared differences (SSD), a sum of absolute differences (SAD), a sum of absolute transformed differences (SATD), or a difference determined based on a hash function. The template matching cost represents a similarity between the templates with a smaller cost representing more similar templates.

[0156] In some examples, a position of each sample in TMP search region 1706 may be selected as a location of a candidate reference block whose respective reference template is compared against current template 1708 to determine a TM cost. The position may be indicated by a candidate block vector that represents a displacement from current block 1700A (e.g., a top-left sample of current block 1700A) to the position. To speed up the template matching process, one or more of TMP search region 1706 may be subsampled by a subsampling interval (e.g., 3) such that not every position is considered as a location of a candidate reference block. After finding a set of candidates (e.g., to generate the list of candidates), a refinement process may be performed to select additional candidate block vectors. The refinement process may be performed via a second template matching search in a search region around one or more of the set of candidates. The search region may be a reduced search range associated with the subsampling interval.

[0157] In some examples, based on the encoder selecting IntraTMP for coding the current block, the encoder may signal the usage of this mode, and the same prediction and matching operations are performed at the decoder.

[0158] In some examples, by performing template matching operations on candidate reference templates in TMP search regions 1706A-D, the decoder (and also encoder) may construct a candidate list of up to a predetermined maximum number (e.g., 19) of candidate block vectors (or candidate block vector predictors). These candidate block vectors may be in ascending order according to the template matching costs of respective reference templates of candidate reference blocks indicated by the candidate block vectors. In some examples, a prediction block (e.g., a predictor) of current block 1700 may be generated using one or more of the reference blocks (e.g., reference block 1710) determined using IntraTMP as well as applying one or more optional filters. For example, the following modes may be supported: single predictor, fusion of multiple predictors, sub-pel precision, and linear filter model. In the single predictor mode, a single predictor is selected from the candidate list such as selecting reference block 1710. In the fusion of multiple predictors mode, multiple predictors are blended to derive the final prediction block such as selecting two or more candidate reference blocks 1714. The blending weights may be either computed from the template matching cost of each predictor, or with a Wiener-filter based weight derivation method. In the sub-pel precision mode, when a single predictor is used, sub-pel precision can be used with 1 / 2-pel precision, 1 / 4-pel precision, or 3 / 4-pel precision, each with 8 possible directions. In the linear filter model mode, a linear filter can be learned (e.g., generated or derived) between the reference template and current template and be applied to the reference block. This mode can be used for the single predictor when sub-pel precision is not used.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0159] In the example illustrated in FIG.17, reference template 1712 of reference block 1710 may be determined to best match current template 1708 based on the template matching cost between reference template 1712 and current template 1708 being a minimum TM cost. In another example, the encoder may select reference block 1710 as a prediction of current block 1700 and signal an index of a candidate block vector, indicating reference block 1710, in the candidate list. The decoder may generate the same candidate list and determine reference block 1710 based on decoding the index from the bitstream. A block vector (BV) may indicate the displacement of a reference block (e.g., reference block 1710) relative to the current block 1700.

[0160] In some examples, the IntraTMP mode may be enabled for blocks (e.g., CUs) with a size (e.g., width times height) less than or equal to a threshold size (e.g., 64). In an example, the threshold size for IntraTMP is configurable. The IntraTMP prediction mode may be signaled at a block (e.g., per CU) level through a dedicated flag.

[0161] In some examples, an encoder may determine a difference (e.g., a corresponding sample-by-sample difference) between current block 1700 and reference block 1710 used to predict current block 1700. The difference may be referred to as a prediction error or residual. The encoder may store and / or signal in a bitstream the prediction error or residual for decoding by a decoder.

[0162] To perform TMP to code current block 1700, a decoder may perform the same operations as the encoder as described above. For example, based on receiving an indication from the encoder that IntraTMP is used to predict current block 1700 (e.g., via a flag), the decoder may similarly determine or construct current template 1708 of current block 1700. After determining or constructing current template 1708, the decoder may further similarly search TMP search region 1706 to generate a list of candidates from which reference block 1710 may be determined. Because, in some examples, the reference block may be indicated by a block vector candidate with the lowest cost in the list of candidates, the decoder may obtain the block vector candidate by decoding, from the bitstream, the index of the block vector candidate in the list of candidates. The decoder may combine the residual, decoded from the bitstream, with reference block 1710 to reconstruct current block 1700. In this way, the encoder does not need to encode BV 1730 that indicates reference block 1710 in the bitstream.

[0163] Various decoder-side techniques such as decoder-side intra mode derivation (DIMD) have been introduced. These techniques allow intra prediction of a current block to be performed without explicitly signaling any specific intra prediction modes (IPMs) in the bitstream. Such techniques are possible based on the encoder and decoder using previously encoded / decoded samples (e.g., reconstructed samples) and independently and identically deriving one or more of the same IPMs for coding the current block. Signaling of the IPMs can be omitted if the encoder and decoder identically determine / derive the same IPMs.

[0164] FIG.18 is a diagram 1800 showing an example of decoder-side intra mode derivation (DIMD) for coding a current block 1810, according to some embodiments. DIMD is an intra coding mode in which one or more IPMs used to generate a prediction block 1824 of current block 1810 are not transmitted in the bitstream. Instead, the one or more IPMs may be derived by the decoder using a gradient analysis of neighboring reconstructed pixels (or referenceDocket No.: 24-2023PCT samples) of current block 1810. In some examples, the one or more IPMs may be determined by the encoder, for example, by a rate distortion optimization (RDO) algorithm.

[0165] In DIMD, texture gradient analysis is performed on samples in template 1812 (e.g., reference template) associated with the current block 1810 to generate a histogram of gradient (HoG) 1820. From the HoG 1820, a number (e.g., 2) of DIMD modes such as one or more of DIMD modes 1818A-B may be derived. Each entry in HoG 1820 corresponds to a respective angular intra prediction mode (IPM) with amplitudes (or magnitudes) of the entries determined based on the gradient analysis.

[0166] In some examples, to derive the DIMD modes 1818A-B (and DIMD predictor 1822) for current block 1810, template 1812 including a set of reference samples (e.g., neighboring pixels) may be selected and used to perform a gradient analysis. These reference samples are part of the reconstructed portion of the picture containing current block 1810. Template 1812 may be a 3-samples wide (in width or height) template area (composed of left, above, and above-left areas) defined relative to a position of current block 1810.

[0167] In some examples, the gradient analysis may be performed using edge detection filters applied to 3×3 window positions centered on the reference samples / pixels selected from template 1812. The edge detection filters can determine the amplitude and the angle of luminance direction (e.g., orientation) for each reference sample. For example, the set of reference samples selected from template 1812 may include the samples in the middle line of template 1812. In some examples, the edge detection filters may include a horizontal Sobel gradient filter (Mhor) and / or a vertical Sobel gradient filter (Mver), represented by the following 3x3 matrices that will be convoluted with selected reference samples of template 1812: −1 −0 −1 −1 −2 −1KLMN = O−2 −0 −2P and KRSN = O−0 −0 −0P−1 −0 −1 −1 −2 −1

[0168] For each of selected reference samples (e.g., pixels) of template 1812, point-by-point multiply of each of these two matrices with a 3x3 Sobel filter window may be performed and the results are summed. The 3x3 Sobel filter window may be centered around the current reference sample and composed of its 8 direct neighbors. Thus, two values Ghor (from the multiplication with Mhor), and Gver (from the multiplication with Mver) are obtained corresponding to the gradient intensities at the current sample, in the horizontal and vertical direction, respectively. An angle may be calculated for the window as TUV^^ = arctan (WLMN / WRSN). The calculated angle may correspond to (e.g., beconverted into) one of the angular IPMs (e.g., one of the 65 angular IPMs), and an associated amplitude (i.e., the amplitude for the window position) TY^^%Z[1^ = |WRSN| + |WLMN| may be added to the HoG indexed by therespective IPM. After an amplitude and angle for each window position in template 1812 are processed, each entry in resulting HoG 1820 represents the accumulated amplitudes for a respective IPM.

[0169] FIG.19 shows an example of a template 1812 (e.g., template area) for computing a HoG used in DIMD, according to some embodiments. Reference template 1812 (e.g., an L-shaped template) of current block 1810 is shown to be in reconstructed area 1902 (or reconstructed region) of the picture frame. Examples of HoGs for different sizes of current block 1810 are shown. For example, for a 4×4 pixel square current block 1908, a 3×3 window 1910 inDocket No.: 24-2023PCT the template area is shown and a corresponding HoG 1912 may be generated for current block 1908. In another example, for a rectangular current block 1904 with a 3-pixel deep template area 1906, a HoG 1914 corresponding to rectangular current block 1904 may be generated by gradient analysis of reference samples based on a filter window. As illustrated, each coordinate position on the x-axis of the illustrated HoGs is a respective IPM, and the y-axis represents the cumulative amplitude (e.g., counts) for the respective IPMs.

[0170] Returning to FIG.18, a number of DIMD modes 1818A-B may be determined by selecting the IPMs from HoG 1820 based on amplitudes of the IPMs. For example, IPMs M1 and M2 with the highest respective amplitudes A1 and A2 in HoG 1820 may be selected and used to determine DIMD modes 1818A and 1818B, respectively. For example, up to a predetermined number (e.g., 4) angular intra modes with the highest amplitudes may be selected from HoG 1820. In some examples, the number of DIMD modes 1818A-B may be combined in a fusion / blending scheme to generate a DIMD predictor 1822.

[0171] In some examples, a plurality of IPMs such as DIMD modes 1818A-B may be determined and combined with a non-angular mode 1816 in the blending / fusion process corresponding to DIMD predictor 1822. DIMD predictor 1822 may comprise a linear combination (e.g., a weighted average) of DIMD modes 1818A-B and non-angular mode 1816 with weights 1828A-B and 1826, respectively. In some examples, weights 1828A-B for DIMD modes 1818A-B may be determined based on amplitudes (e.g., magnitudes) associated with DIMD modes 1818A-B, respectively. For example, weight 1828A for DIMD mode 1818A may correspond to DIMD weight 1832A (e.g., wDIMD1), which may be based on an amplitude A1, from HoG 1820, associated with DIMD mode 1818A (e.g., IPM M1) divided by a sum of amplitudes of DIMD modes 1818A-B. For example, weight 1828B for DIMD mode 1818B may correspond to DIMD weight 1832B (e.g., wDIMD2), which may be based on an amplitude A2, from HoG 1820, associated with DIMD mode 1818B (e.g., IPM M2) divided by the sum.

[0172] In some examples, non-angular mode 1816 (e.g., non-directional) may be, without limitation, a planar mode (or alternatively a DC mode). In other examples, non-angular mode 1816 may be a neural network-based intra prediction (NNIP) mode. For ease of illustration, the following descriptions may refer to non-angular mode 1816 as a planar mode, though it may be other types of non-angular / non-directional modes. Non-angular mode 1816 may have a weight 1826 corresponding to planar weight 1833 that may be a fixed weight f1(e.g., 1 / 4 or 16 / 64 in 6-bit integer precision). The remaining DIMD weights 1832A-B may include a fixed weight portion f2 (e.g., 3 / 4) that is based on the fixed weight of planar weight 1833. For example, the sum of fixed weights f1and f2may be equal to 1.

[0173] DIMD predictor 1822 may be applied to template 1812 (e.g., current template) to determine a prediction block 1824 for current block 1810. For example, each sample (x,y) 1814 of prediction block 1824, denoted as fusionPred, may be determined based on applying DIMD predictor 1822 comprising a weighted average (e.g., a linear combination) of applying DIMD modes 1818A-B and non-angular mode 1816 with corresponding weights (wi) as follows: ^aDocket No.: 24-2023PCT In some examples, the weights (wi) may be the DIMD weights 1832A-B (`b%Y1cfor mode i) for DIMD modes 1818A-B and the planar weight 1833 (wPlanar) for non-angular mode 1816. The weights (wi) may be constant and uniformly applied to determine each sample (x, y) 1814 of prediction block 1824. The predictor Predifor mode i may be a DIMD mode predictor (dimdPredi) for DIMD modes 1818A-B or a planar mode predictor (dimdPlanar) for non- angular mode 1816. Accordingly, DIMD predictor 1822 may be represented and computed equivalently as follows: ^[^%]U^^^1(^, ^) = d∑^' ! _`b%Y1' ∗ 1%Y1^^^1'(^, ^)a + `^^TUT^ ∗Note the shifting

[0174] The selection if the DIMD flag is true, the intra prediction mode is derived in the reconstruction process using the same previously encoded neighboring pixels. If not, the intra prediction mode is parsed from the bitstream as in classical intra coding mode.

[0175] In some examples, a location-dependent DIMD mode is introduced to adjust weights 1828A-B of angular IPMs (e.g., DIMD modes 1818A-B) in DIMD. During DIMD IPM derivation, a location-dependency process is applied to determine the impact that different template regions of template 1812 has in selecting each of the IPMs. To determine how specific samples in template 1812 contribute to inferring specific DIMD modes, template 1812 may be divided into three separate regions—including a region above current block 1810, a region to the left of current block 1810, and an above-left region of current block 1810. The gradient analysis computation may be performed separately for samples in each region, resulting in three histograms, HoG 1819C (hijMRS), HoG 1819A (hkS.l), and HoG 1819B (hijMRSmS.l), respectively. For a directional IPM Y, h'[Y] for region i (e.g., above, left, or above-left) represents the cumulative magnitude of all samples in region i at direction (or IPM) Y.

[0176] HoG 1820, corresponding to the full histogram of gradients for the whole template 1812, may be computed as the sum of the three separate HoGs 1819A-C. In some examples, the two directional IPMs with largest and second-largest cumulative amplitude (e.g., magnitude) in HoG 1820 may be selected as main and secondary DIMD modes, e.g., 1%Y1K]1^!and 1%Y1K]1^^, respectively.

[0177] In some examples, HoGs 1819C and 1819A corresponding to histograms hijMRSand hkS.lmay be used to determine whether 1%Y1K]1^!and / or 1%Y1K]1^^depend on a specific template region ABOVE or LEFT. In a first example, the location-dependency of 1%Y1K]1^', denoted as ^]nb^^'(e.g., shown in FIG.18 as Li= L(Mi, Hleft, Habove) for DIMD mode i), can be defined as: If: (hijMRS[1%Y1K]1^'] > 2hkS.l[1%Y1K]1^']), then:^]nb^^' = 1, that is 1%Y1K]1^' depends on region ABOVE.Else if: (hkS.l[1%Y1K]1^'] > 2hijMRS[1%Y1K]1^' ]), then:^]nb^^' = 2, that is 1%Y1K]1^' depends on region LEFT.Else:Docket No.: 24-2023PCT ^]nb^^' = 0, that is 1%Y1K]1^' is not location-dependent.

[0178] In a second example, the location-dependency of 1%Y1K]1^', denoted as ^]nb^^'(e.g., shown in FIG. 18 as Li = L(Mi, Hleft, Habove) for DIMD mode i), can be defined as: If : (hkS.l[1%Y1K]1^' ] <average of thkS.l[1%Y1K]1^'], hijMRS[1%Y1K]1^'], hijMRSmS.l[1%Y1K]1^']u), then:^]nb^^' = 1, that is 1%Y1K]1^' depends on region ABOVE.Else if : (hijMRS[1%Y1K]1^'] <average of (hkS.l[1%Y1K]1^'], hijMRS[1%Y1K]1^'], hijMRSmS.l[1%Y1K]1^'])), then:^]nb^^' = 2, that is 1%Y1K]1^' depends on region LEFT.Else: ^]nb^^' = 0, that is 1%Y1K]1^' is not location-dependent.In this example, the indication of location-dependency may be determined based on comparing an amplitude of a HoG corresponding to a specific template portion with the average amplitude of the HoGs of all the template portions of the template.

[0179] Thus location-dependency in DIMD may be determined based on the analysis of HoG peaks amplitudes of the selected angular IPM. For example, location-dependency indications 1830A-B may be determined for DIMD modes 1818A-B, respectively. Location-dependency indication for DIMD mode 1816, which may be a planar mode, may be determined as a value representing that it is not location dependent or that it is diagonally dependent.

[0180] In some embodiments, the fusion / blending scheme by which DIMD predictor 1822 is determined may be adjusted based on the location-dependent DIMD modes. For example, blending may be performed to fuse the main and secondary DIMD predictors, 1%Y1^^^1!and 1%Y1^^^1^, with the Planar predictor 1%Y1^^TUT^. If no DIMD mode is determined to be location-dependent (e.g., ^]nb^^! == ^]nb^^^ == 0), then blending / fusion withuniform weights `b%Y1!, `b%Y1^and `^^TUT^ may be applied as explained above.

[0181] In some embodiments, if at least one of the DIMD modes 1818A-B is inferred to be location-dependent, then sample-based blending may be used to determine DIMD predictor 1822. A location varying / dependent weight may be used to blend the predictors at each location of sample (^, ^).

[0182] In some examples, if ^]nb^^' ≠ 0, the sample-based weights `w]nb^^b%Y1'(^, ^) for predictor1%Y1^^^1' may be computed so that the average weight used within the block is approximately equal to theuniform weight `b%Y1'with higher weights being used in the portion of the block closer to the region (e.g., ABOVE or LEFT) corresponding to ^]nb^^'(e.g., indication Li). A fixed range ∆'may be determined and is predefined, (e.g.,∆'= 10) corresponding to the largest deviation of `w]nb^^b%Y1' (^, ^) from `b%Y1' . Higher values of ∆'result in a higher variation of the weights within the block. For a block of size h × z:If ^]nb^^' = 1, then:^`w]nb^^b%Y1'(^, ^) = `b%Y1' + ∆' − 2∆' (h − 1)Docket No.: 24-2023PCT Else if ^]nb^^' = 2, then:^`w]nb^^b%Y1' (^, ^) = `b%Y1' + ∆' − 2∆' (z − 1)If both DIMD modes 1818A-B (i=0 and i=1) are associated with location-dependency indications Li that indicate location dependency (i.e., ^]nb^^' ≠ 0 for modes % = 0,1), then the weights `w]nb^^b%Y1'(^, ^) may becomputed for both predictors depending on the value of ^]nb^^', as shown above.

[0183] In some examples, if only one of DIMD modes 1818A-B is associated with a location dependency indication Li indicating that it is location dependent, e.g., ^]nb^^' = 0 and ^]nb^^(^^') ≠ 0, then the weights for`w]nb^^b%Y1'(^, ^) may be computed as:`w]nb^^b%Y1(^^' (^, ^) − `b%Y1`w]nb^^b%Y1' (^, ^) = `b%Y1 ) (^^')' −2

[0184] =- ' ! a

[0185] In some examples, the final location-dependent DIMD predictor 1822 may be applied to generate each sample (x,y) of prediction block 1824 as follows: ^^ ^_`w]nb^^b%Y1'(^, ^) ∗ 1%Y1^^^1'(^, ^)a6In someprocess with a fixed weight f1 (e.g., ¼ or 21 / 64). Note the shifting operation is performed due to the 6-bits integer precision being used.

[0186] In some embodiments, based on current block 1810 being coded using DIMD, IPM information 1834 may include DIMD information such as DIMD parameters that are generated and stored in association with current block 1810. For example, the DIMD parameters may include indications of the selected DIMD modes 1818A-B (M1, M2, …, Mi), amplitudes from HoG 1820 (A1, A2, …, Ai) of the selected DIMD modes 1818A-B, and / or weights 1828A-B (w1, w2, …, wi) of the selected DIMD modes 1818A-B. For example, weights 1828A-B may be the DIMD weights 1832A-B corresponding to selected DIMD modes 1818A-B. In some examples, the DIMD parameters may further include location-dependency indications (L1, L2, …, Li) of the selected DIMD modes 1818A-B. In some examples, IPM information 1834 may include a plurality of lists (e.g., arrays) of DIMD parameters with each list corresponding to a different DIMD parameter type. For example, the plurality of lists may include a list of IPMs, a list of amplitudes, a list of weights, and / or a list of indications of location-dependency. Parameters at the same index across the plurality of lists correspond to the same DIMD mode or IPM indicated by the index to the list of IPMs. In this disclose, the weights 1828A-B (w1, w2, …, wi) are also referred to as “weights previously determined.”Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0187] In some embodiments, instead of non-angular mode 1816 being a non-angular / non-directional intra prediction mode, non-angular mode 1816 may be an intra coding mode that derives a block vector (BV) such as that obtained by the IntraTMP or IBC mode.

[0188] In some examples, the BV is obtained based on performing a TMP process for current block 1810, e.g., as explained in reference to FIG.17.

[0189] In some examples, the BV may be obtained based on one of the neighboring (previously-reconstructed) blocks of current block 1810. For example, the BV may be a candidate BV obtained via the IntraTMP or IBC for coding a neighboring block. The reference block pointed to by the BV, instead of the prediction block obtained using the non- angular intra prediction mode, can be used to blend with the prediction samples of the DIMD mode(s). Other DIMD- based modes can be modified in a similar way to use the reference block pointed to by the BV of a neighboring block for blending. In some examples, a template matching (TM) cost for each candidate BV of neighboring blocks coded based on a BV may be obtained and the candidate BV with the lowest TM cost may be selected. The process for computing TM costs based on a candidate BV are described above with respect to FIG.17.

[0190] Accordingly, in some embodiments, the DIMD mode (including any of the DIMD-based modes) may adaptively select between the prediction block obtained using the non-angular intra prediction mode (e.g., planar mode, DC, NNIP, etc.) and the reference block pointed to by the BV of the neighboring block (e.g., obtained via the IntraTMP or IBC mode) to blend with the prediction samples obtained from an angular intra prediction.

[0191] FIG.20 shows an example flowchart 2000 of a DIMD predictor derivation process as described with respect to FIG.18, according to some embodiments. Operations of flowchart 2000 may be performed identically at the encoder (e.g., encoder 200) and the decoder (e.g., decoder 300).

[0192] At block 2001, a histogram of intra prediction modes (IPMs) is determined for a current block (e.g., CU). The histogram is used by an intra-based coding mode for coding the current block. For example, the intra-based coding mode may be any of various DIMD related modes. For example, the intra-based coding mode may be a DIMD mode (e.g., default / regular DIMD mode), as described with respect to FIGS.18-19. For example, the intra-based coding mode may be an OBIC mode, an MIMD mode, or an intra merge mode (e.g., a DIMD Merge list mode), as further described below.

[0193] In some examples, when the intra-based coding mode is the DIMD mode, block 2001 may include blocks 2002-2004. At block 2002, neighboring samples of the current block (e.g., samples of a template of the current block / CU) are determined. For example, the availability of the neighboring samples may be determined based on, e.g., whether blocks (e.g., CUs) above, above right, left below, above left, and / or left of the current block have been determined or reconstructed. In some examples, the neighboring samples may be part of a template of the current block such as template 1812, as described with respect to FIGS.18-19.

[0194] At block 2004, the histogram is a histogram of gradients (HoG) generated for the neighboring samples, e.g., from the template of the current block. Specifically, the HoG may be generated based on available samples (e.g., from available template areas) of the template, as described with respect to FIGS.18-19.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0195] At block 2006, a number of IPMs are selected from the histogram (e.g., the HoG) based on amplitudes of the IPMs in the histogram. In some examples, the IPMs may be selected based on having the highest amplitudes in the histogram, and thus represents the most represented IPMs. The number of selected IPMs may be up to a predetermined number (e.g., 5).

[0196] At block 2008, an indication of location dependency of each respective IPM of the selected IPMs is determined.

[0197] For example, when the intra-based coding mode is the DIMD mode and the histogram is the HoG, the indication of location dependency per selected IPM may be determined based on amplitudes of template portions (e.g., template portions or template regions) of the template. For example, the template portions may include a left template portion and a top template portion of the template. As described with respect to FIG.18, two separate HoGs may be generated corresponding to processed samples in the left template portion and the right template portion, respectively. Then, the indication of location dependency for each selected IPM may be determined based on comparing amplitudes of the selected IPM between the above and left template portions. For example, the comparison may be related to a ratio of the IPM amplitudes in the template portions.

[0198] Specifically, in some examples, the indication of the location dependency of a selected IPM may be determined as follows: by default, the indication of location dependency may be set to 0 indicating no location dependency; if the IPM’s amplitude in the left template portion is less than the IPM’s average amplitude among all template portions (e.g., among three template portions such as the left template, above template, and above left template), then the indication of location-dependency may be set to a first value (e.g., 1) indicating vertical location- dependency; otherwise if the IPM’s amplitude in the above template portion is less than the IPM’s average amplitude among all template portions, then the indication of location-dependency may be set to a second value (e.g., 2) indicating horizontal location-dependency. As described with respect to FIG.18, to determine the indication of location-dependency and during generation of the HoG, the amplitudes may be accumulated in separate HoGs for each of the left template portion, above template portion, and above-left template portion. The amplitudes in the separate HoGs may be summed to determine the HoG representing combined amplitudes for the entire template.

[0199] At block 2010, it is determined whether mode blending (e.g., also referred to as mode combination or fusion) is enabled. If mode blending is disabled, then at block 2012, one of the selected IPMs at block 2006 is determined as the DIMD predictor used to generate a prediction block for coding the current block. For example, the IPM with the highest amplitude may be determined as the primary DIMD mode and selected as the DIMD predictor.

[0200] If at block 2010, it is determined that mode blending is enabled, then at block 2014, the number of angular IPMs to be blended is determined. In some examples, mode blending may be enabled, for example, when the first and second selected IPMs of the selected IPMs are both angular modes.

[0201] In some examples, an IPM in a first range of IPMs may be determined to be non-angular and / or in a second range of IPMs to be angular. For example, the range of IPMs may be one or more predetermined IPMs thatDocket No.: 24-2023PCT correspond to a range of angles including a diagonal direction (e.g., corresponding to Gver / Ghor being equal to or close to 1 or -1).

[0202] At block 2016, it is determined whether the number of angular IPMs to blend is greater than 1. If the number of angular IPMs to blend is not greater than 1, then at block 2018, the DIMD predictor is obtained (e.g., determined) based on blending the one selected angular IPM with a non-angular mode (e.g., non-angular mode 1816, planar mode, etc.). For example, the DIMD predictor may be determined as a linear combination of the selected angular IPM and the planar mode with each having a respective fixed weight. For example, the selected angular IPM may have a first fixed weight (e.g., 2 / 3) and the planar mode may have a second fixed weight (e.g., 1 / 3). The sum of the first and second fixed weights may be equal to one.

[0203] If at block 2016, it is determined that the number of angular IPMs to be blended is greater than 1, then at block 2020, weights of the selected IPMs are determined according to their amplitudes in the histogram. For example, a weight of a selected IPM may be based on a ratio of an amplitude of the selected IPM to amplitudes of the selected IPMs, e.g., as described with respect to FIG.18. In some examples, the planar mode can be used for the blending with, a first fixed weight, e.g., such as 1 / 4 or 16 / 64 with 6 bits integer precision. Weights of the angular IPMs may be further weighted (e.g., scaled) based on a second fixed weight. For example, the sum of the first and second fixed weights may sum to one. For example, if the first fixed weight is 1 / 4, then the second fixed weight may be set to 3 / 4 or 48 / 64 with 6 bits integer precision.

[0204] At block 2022, a DIMD predictor is obtained (e.g., generated or derived) based on blending (e.g., fusing or combining) the selected IPMs with a planar mode in accordance with respective weights, as described above with respect to FIG.18.

[0205] In some examples, the DIMD predictor may be obtained further based on using location-dependent blending modes. For example, the weights determined at block 2020 may be uniformly applied to determine all samples in the prediction block and may be referred to as uniform weights. For location-dependent blending, block 2022 may include blocks 2024-2028.

[0206] At block 2024, a blending weight for each respective location dependency of a plurality of location dependencies is determined. In some examples, the plurality of location dependencies may include a horizontal location dependency, a vertical location dependency, or no location dependency. The blending weight may be a sample-based weight for a predictor (e.g., for each selected IPM) that is determined so that the average weight used to generate prediction samples (of a prediction block) for the current block is approximately equal to the corresponding uniform weight (e.g., calculated at block 2020) and so that higher weights are used in the portion of the block closer to the left template region or the above template region depending on the indication of location dependency of the respective selected IPM being the horizontal or vertical location dependency, respectively. In some examples, a range used in the location-dependency blending may be a predefined value and corresponds to the maximum deviation of sample-based weights from the corresponding uniform weight. Higher values of the predefined range result in a higher variation of the weights within the prediction block.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0207] After the blending weights for each location dependency are determined at block 2024, at block 2026, a location-dependency predictor is determined per location dependency. For example, the predictions per each location dependency are blended. For example, for each of horizontal location dependency, vertical location dependency and no location dependency (i.e., diagonal location dependency) that is used by any of the selected IPMs of the DIMD predictor, the selected IPMs having the same location dependency are blended based on their respective amplitudes. At block 2028, the DIMD predictor may be obtained based on blending together the location -dependency predictors. For example, the location -dependency predictors may be blended in accordance with the respective sums of amplitudes of the selected IPMs in each location dependency. This may provide a directional sample-wise blending depending on location dependency and using fixed weight deviation as calculated at block 2024.

[0208] In some examples, the various DIMD parameters determined / derived in flowchart 2000 may be stored as IPM information (e.g., IPM information 1834 of FIG.18) used by the current block. For example, the DIMD parameters may include selected IPMs such as from block 2012 or block 2014. For example, the DIMD parameters may include weights of selected IPMs such as those from block 2020. For example, the DIMD parameters may include amplitudes of the selected IPMs such as amplitudes obtained at block 2006 from the histogram. For example, the DIMD parameters may include indications of location dependencies of the selected IPMs such as those determined at block 2008.

[0209] In some embodiments, a DIMD intra prediction mode (e.g., DIMD IPM), corresponding to the DIMD predictor determined at block 2022, may be added to an MPM list along with IPMs being considered for use on the current block. At the encoder, if the DIMD IPM is determined to be the best intra mode (e.g., based on a lowest RDO cost or the like), then the current block may be encoded using the DIMD IPM and only a flag indicating that the current block is encoded using DIMD is transmitted in the bitstream with the residual of the current block. The specific IPMs used in the DIMD IPM are not transmitted in the bitstream. The decoder may receive the flag indicating that DIMD is performed and perform operations of flowchart 2000 to determine DIMD predictor used to determine the prediction block for reconstructing the current block. Since derived intra modes are included into the MPM list, the DIMD process may be performed before the MPM list is constructed. The primary derived IPM of a DIMD block may be stored with a block and is used for MPM list construction of the neighboring blocks. In some examples, when DIMD is signaled, MPM and MRL are not signaled. The DIMD intra prediction mode described above may also referred to as the “regular DIMD intra prediction mode” or “regular DIMD mode.”

[0210] To enhance DIMD, a decoder-side technique has been proposed to merge DIMD information (e.g., IPM information 1834) from neighboring blocks of a current block to generate a prediction block for coding the current blocks. When neighboring blocks encoded with intra modes such as intra prediction mode or DIMD are available, the DIMD histograms of the selected neighboring blocks (e.g., neighboring CU blocks) are combined to form a merged histogram of gradients (MHoG) for the current block. DIMD modes and weights can be derived from this MHoG similar to how DIMD modes and weights are derived from a HoG generated for regular DIMD, as explained above with respect to FIGS.18-20. In some examples, the HoG of the current block is not used in the construction of theDocket No.: 24-2023PCT MHoG. This intra mode prediction technique of generating the MHoG may be referred to as Merged Intra Mode Derivation (MIMD).

[0211] The DIMD merge process is similar to the DIMD process described with respect to FIG.20 except for how the histogram of IPMs is determined (e.g., constructed or generated) for the current block at block 2001. For example, operations preceding block 2010 in FIG.20 may be replaced. Instead of generating the histogram from neighboring samples of a current block, such as from a reference template of the current block, the histogram may be an MHoG determined from at most a predetermined number (e.g., 13) of reconstructed neighboring blocks (e.g., neighboring CU blocks of the current block). For example, up to the predetermined number of neighboring blocks may be selected based on being coded using DIMD and that are spatially closest to the current block.

[0212] In some examples, a neighboring block may be from a family of spatial adjacent blocks as shown in FIG. 15A. For example, one or more intra / DIMD merge candidates may be added to the list according to an inclusion order of blocks corresponding to (e.g., including) the left sample (A1), above sample (B1), above left sample (B2), above right sample (B0), and bottom left sample (A0).

[0213] FIG.21 shows an example of neighboring blocks of a current block used to determine merge candidates for the current block or a histogram of IPMs used to code the current block, according to some embodiments. For example, the histogram may be an MHoG or an HoC. For example, the merge candidates may be part of an intra merge list (e.g., DIMD merge list) described below.

[0214] The family of spatial adjacent blocks neighboring the current block, as described with respect to FIG.15A, may correspond to sample locations 1-5 adjacent to the current block. In some examples, a neighboring block may be from a family of spatial non-adjacent neighboring blocks of the current block such as blocks corresponding to sample locations 6 and above. For example, blocks 2102-2016 may be selected as intra / DIMD merge candidates and added to the list of intra / DIMD merge candidates. For example, a first block 2102 associated with (e.g., contains) sample 11, a second block 2104 associated with (e.g., contains) sample 13, and a third block 2106 associated with (e.g., contains) sample 10 are spatial non-adjacent blocks with respect to the current block.

[0215] The DIMD information (e.g., representing the HoG or merged HoG) of each of the selected neighboring blocks (e.g., neighboring CU blocks) may be retrieved and combined to generate the MHoG. For example, amplitudes of the same IPM across DIMD information of the selected neighboring blocks may be accumulated in the MHoG. Similar to how a number of IPMs are selected based on a HoG in regular DIMD, as described in FIG.19 and block 2006 of FIG.20, the number of IPMs (e.g., up to a predetermined number such as 5) may be similar selected from the MHoG, e.g., based on the highest amplitudes in the MHoG. In some examples, if multiple IPMs are selected from the MHoG, the indication of location dependency is set to a value (e.g., 0) indicating diagonal. In an example, if only one IPM is selected from the MHoG, the indication of location dependency may be set to the selected IPMs’s location dependency. Accordingly, an MIMD predictor (e.g., DIMD predictor based on generating an MHoG) may be generated from selected IPMs and used to generate a prediction block for coding the current block.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0216] In some examples, to reduce computational complexity, the DIMD information of the selected neighboring blocks (e.g., neighbor CUs) may be limited to storing only a predetermined number (e.g., 5) of IPMs corresponding to the highest amplitudes and storing those highest amplitudes corresponding to the IPMs. In these examples, the MHoG may be generated by combining the predetermined number of pairs (IPM, amplitude of the IPM) of each selected neighboring block. The resulting MHoG may be used to derive the prediction modes and weights as described above.

[0217] Another decoder-side technique for enhancing DIMD is based on generating a histogram of occurrences (HoC) representing sample-wise occurrences of the IPMs in the neighborhood of the current block. This enhancement is referred to as occurrence-based intra coding (OBIC) and may be a sub-mode of DIMD. Similar to regular DIMD, OBIC may blend or combine up to a predetermined number (e.g., 5) of IPMs with highest occurrences from the HoC, along with planar mode to obtain a DIMD predictor. The weight for each mode may be determined based on amplitudes in the HoC similar to how a weight for an IPM is determined from the HoG in regular DIMD.

[0218] The OBIC process may be similar to the MIMD process (e.g., DIMD merge process) described above and, may only differ from this process by replacing the MHoG with a HoC. Accordingly, the OBIC process is similar to the DIMD process described with respect to FIG.20. However, the OBIC process includes a set of operations replacing the operations preceding block 2010 in FIG.20. In OBIC, to code a current block, at most a predetermined number (e.g., 13) of reconstructed neighboring blocks (e.g., neighboring CU blocks of the current block) that were previously coded based on DIMD may be selected from a list of DIMD merge candidates. For example, up to the predetermined number of neighboring blocks may be selected based on being coded using DIMD and spatially closest to the current block. Similar to MIMD, generating the list of DIMD merge candidates may include checking adjacent spatial neighboring blocks of the current block as shown in FIG.15A and non-adjacent spatial neighboring blocks as described above with respect to FIG.21.

[0219] A number (e.g., up to a predetermined number) of DIMD merge candidates in the list may be selected and DIMD information of the selected DIMD merge candidates may be combined into an HoC. For example, the HoC may include IPMs with accumulated sample-wise occurrences where each occurrence value for a respective IPM is calculated based on the number of samples that are coded with that IPM from the selected DIMD merge candidates. For example, if a selected DIMD candidate is a neighboring block of width w and a height h (with size w x h) and that is coded with an intra prediction mode IPM, the occurrence of the IPM in the associated block is computed asℎ%^Z]V^TY[0^K]+= ` × ℎ. The occurrence for this specific IPM is accumulated over all consideredneighboring blocks (e.g., adjacent spatial neighboring blocks and / or non-adjacent spatial neighboring blocks).

[0220] In some examples, up to a predetermined number (e.g., 5) of angular IPMs with the highest amplitudes (representing highest occurrences) in the HoC may be selected and blended together along with the planar mode to obtain an OBIC predictor (e.g. the DIMD predictor based on generating a HoC) used to generate a prediction block for coding the current block.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0221] In some examples, some IPMs used by the neighboring blocks comprise more than one intra mode for prediction such as DIMD, using up to 5 angular modes, template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD) using up to 2 modes, spatial geometric partitioning mode (SGPM) using 2 modes, or OBIC using up to 5 angular modes. In these examples, all intra modes of such blocks are considered in the histogram generation. However, neighboring blocks coded using non-angular modes such as IntraTMP, IBC, or Matrix-based Intra Prediction (MIP) are not selected and are not used to generate the HoC. In some examples, the weights used in the generation of the OBIC predictor may be computed similarly to the regular DIMD mode, and may only differ from this process by replacing gradient values from the template with occurrence values associated with the selected IPMs from the HoC. In some examples, if OBIC mode is selected by the encoder, the encoder may signal usage of the OBIC mode with a flag at the block or prediction unit level as a sub-mode of DIMD. The decoder may parse this flag from the bitstream and derive the OBIC predictor.

[0222] FIG.22A shows an example of DIMD information from a plurality of (previously reconstructed) neighboring blocks of a current block previously used to determine (e.g., generating, reconstructing, predicting) the current block, according to some implementations. In this example, the plurality of (previously reconstructed) neighboring blocks includes an adjacent neighboring block (block 1) and non-adjacent neighboring blocks (block 2 and block 3). FIG.22B shows a graphical representation of HoC generated based on combining the DIMD information from the plurality of neighboring blocks (block 1, block 2, and block 3 in this example) when the current block was coded using the OBIC mode.

[0223] In the OBIC mode, a coder (e.g., encoder in FIG.2, decoder in FIG.3) obtains (e.g., accesses, collects, receives) the DIMD information from a plurality of (previously reconstructed) neighboring blocks (e.g., adjacent neighboring blocks, non-adjacent neighboring blocks) and generates DIMD information, which includes HoC information, used to generate a prediction block to code the block. For example, as shown in FIG.22A, the coder obtains first DIMD information from block 1 including HoG information such as amplitudes for IPM 1, IPM 7, IPM 9, IPM 13, and IPM 17. For example, the coder obtains second DIMD information from block 2 including HoG information such as amplitudes for IPM 7, IPM 9, and IPM 13. For example, the coder obtains third DIMD information from block 3 including HoG information such as amplitudes for IPM 1, IPM 7, IPM 9, IPM 13, and IPM 17.

[0224] As shown in FIG.22B, if the block was coded using OBIC mode, the coder may combine the occurrences of like IPMs from the first DIMD information, the second DIMD information, and the third DIMD information corresponding to respective blocks 1-3 to generate HoC 2204. For example, the coder determines the amplitude (or occurrence value) of IPM 1 in the HoC 2204 by adding the sizes of blocks 1 and 3, each of which was coded using at least IPM 1. Similarly, the coder determines the amplitude (or occurrence value) of IPM 7 in the HoC 2204 by adding the sizes of blocks 1, 2, and 3. Similarly, the coder determines the amplitude (or occurrence value) of IPM 9 in the HoC 2204 by adding the sizes of blocks 1, 2, and 3. Also, the coder determines the amplitude (or occurrence value) of IPM 13 in the HoC 2204 by adding the sizes of blocks 1, 2, and 3. And, the coder determines the amplitude (or occurrence value) of IPM 17 in the HoC 2204 by adding the sizes of blocks 1 and 3. Here, since the second DIMDDocket No.: 24-2023PCT information does not indicate IPM 1 and IPM17, the size of block 2 is not used for determining IPMs 1 and 17. In some examples, using various technique disclosed above, the coder determines (e.g., generates, reconstructs, predicts) the block 0 based on the HoC 2204.

[0225] In some implementations, the coder selects up to a number of (e.g., 5) angular modes (IPMs) with the highest amplitude values (or highest occurrence values) from the HoC 2204 along with the Planar mode from the histogram and blends the selected angular modes (IPM) with the Planar mode to obtain the DIMD OBIC predictor.

[0226] As shown in FIG.22B, in this example, the coder determines the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 1 of HoC 2204 based on the block size of block 1 and the block size of block 3. As shown, the coder does not increase or decrease the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 1 of HoC 2204 based on the amplitude of IPM 1 of block 1 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A) and the amplitude of IPM 1 of block 3 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A). Additionally, when determining the amplitude for IPM 1 of HoC 2204, the coder does not consider weights previously determined for the amplitude of IPM 1 of the block 1 (1 / 9 in this example) and the amplitude of IPM 1 of the block 3 (4 / 13 in this example). As discussed, in some implementations, DIMD information (e.g., DIMD information 1834 in FIG.18) includes a weight previously assigned to each IPM. Further the coder does not consider the position of each block (e.g., distance between block 1 and the current block, distance between block 3 and the current block).

[0227] Likewise, as shown in FIG.22B, in this example, the coder determines the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 7 of HoC 2204 based on the block size of block 1, the block size of block 2, and the block size of block 3. As shown, the coder does not increase or decrease the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 7 of HoC 2204 based on the amplitude of IPM 7 of block 1 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A), the amplitude of IPM 7 of block 2 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A), and the amplitude of IPM 7 of block 3 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A). Additionally, when determining the amplitude for IPM 7 of HoC 2204, the coder does not consider weights previously determined for the amplitude of IPM 7 of the block 1 (3 / 9 in this example), the amplitude of IPM 7 of block 2 (3 / 6 in this example), and the amplitude of IPM 7 of the block 3 (4 / 13 in this example). As discussed, in some implementations, DIMD information (e.g., DIMD information 1834 in FIG.18) includes a weight previously assigned to each IPM. Further the coder does not consider the position of each block (e.g., distance between block 1 and the current block, distance between block 2 and the current block, distance between block 3 and the current block).

[0228] Likewise, as shown in FIG.22B, in this example, the coder determines the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 9 of HoC 2204 based on the block size of block 1, the block size of block 2, and the block size of block 3. As shown, the coder does not increase or decrease the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 9 of HoC 2204 based on the amplitude of IPM 9 of block 1 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A), the amplitude of IPM 9 of block 2 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A), and the amplitude of IPM 9 of block 3 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A). Additionally, when determining the amplitude for IPM 9 of HoC 2204, the coder does not consider weights previously determined for the amplitude of IPM 9 of the block 1 (2 / 9 in this example), the amplitude of IPM 9 of block 2 (2 / 6 in this example), and the amplitude of IPM 9 of the block 3 (2 / 13 in this example). As discussed, in some implementations, DIMD information (e.g., DIMD information 1834 in FIG.18) includes a weight previously assigned to each IPM. Further the coder does not considerDocket No.: 24-2023PCT the position of each block (e.g., distance between block 1 and the current block, distance between block 2 and the current block, distance between block 3 and the current block).

[0229] Likewise, as shown in FIG.22B, in this example, the coder determines the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 13 of HoC 2204 based on the block size of block 1, the block size of block 2, and the block size of block 3. As shown, the coder does not increase or decrease the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 13 of HoC 2204 based on the amplitude of IPM 13 of block 1 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A), the amplitude of IPM 13 of block 2 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A), and the amplitude of IPM 13 of block 3 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A). Additionally, when determining the amplitude for IPM 13 of HoC 2204, the coder does not consider weights previously determined for the amplitude of IPM 13 of the block 1 (1 / 9 in this example), the amplitude of IPM 13 of block 2 (1 / 6 in this example), and the amplitude of IPM 13 of the block 3 (2 / 13 in this example). As discussed, in some implementations, DIMD information (e.g., DIMD information 1834 in FIG.18) includes a weight previously assigned to each IPM. Further the coder does not consider the position of each block (e.g., distance between block 1 and the current block, distance between block 2 and the current block, distance between block 3 and the current block).

[0230] Likewise, as shown in FIG.22B, in this example, the coder determines the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 17 of HoC 2204 based on the block size of block 1 and the block size of block 3. As shown, the coder does not increase or decrease the amplitude (occurrence value) for IPM 17 of HoC 2204 based on the amplitude of IPM 17 of block 1 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A) and the amplitude of IPM 17 of block 3 (shown in HoG in FIG.22A). Additionally, when determining the amplitude for IPM 17 of HoC 2204, the coder does not consider weights previously determined for the amplitude of IPM 17 of the block 1 (2 / 9 in this example) and the amplitude of IPM 17 of the block 3 (1 / 13 in this example). As discussed, in some implementations, DIMD information (e.g., DIMD information 1834 in FIG.18) includes a weight previously assigned to each IPM. Further the coder does not consider the position of each block (e.g., distance between block 1 and the current block, distance between block 3 and the current block).

[0231] Although relying on the block size of each block (block 1, block 2, and block 3 in this example) for determining the amplitudes of HoC 2204 may reduce the computation burden of the coder. However, by neglecting the specific positions of the blocks from the current block, the amplitude details within the DIMD HoG information and the pre-assigned weights within the DIMD HoG information, the coder may introduce detrimental prediction inaccuracies. In other words, this approach (used to generate HoC 2204 in this example), solely focusing on block sizes, risks sacrificing useful information and could result in suboptimal outcomes. Thus, these drawbacks may result in compromising the reliability and competitiveness of DIMD compared to other intra modes.

[0232] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an approach for improved DIMD OBIC mode that can yield a more optimal intra mode more reliably. These and other features of the present disclosure are described further below.

[0233] The intra prediction processes, which were described above, provide 67 intra prediction modes (Planar, DC and 65 angular directions) for each prediction block. A luma intra prediction mode is selected for a luma prediction block and a chroma intra prediction mode is selected for the chroma prediction blocks. Mode-dependent referenceDocket No.: 24-2023PCT and prediction sample smoothing is applied to increase prediction efficiency and the intra prediction mode is coded using either one of the 6 most probable modes (MPM) or one of the 61 remaining modes. It is noted that 28 wide angular modes (for rectangular CU only) can be used in replacement of regular modes.

[0234] Example embodiments of this disclosure provide techniques for the decoder to efficiently derive the intra prediction mode to be applied to the current block without having it signaled from the encoder.

[0235] Besides, in some implementations, the occurrences of eligible candidate blocks, input in the histogram of occurrences, are weighted by a scaling factor (also referred to as weighting factor or adjustment weight).

[0236] In some implementations, the occurrences weighting factor depends on weights already computed in multi- angular intra prediction mode (e.g., DIMD, which can support up to 5 angular intra prediction modes). “Weights already computed in multi-angular intra prediction mode” are also referred to as “weights previously determined” above. The scaling factor increases with the importance of angular intra prediction modes in the generation of the blended predictor so that the most representative angular modes in a predictor have a more important weight in the histogram of occurrences.

[0237] In some other embodiments, the occurrences weighting factor depends on the distance between the current block and the candidate block. Candidate blocks modes closer to current block are more impactful on the histogram of occurrences i.e., have a higher occurrence weighting factor value than further candidate blocks.

[0238] FIG.23 illustrates a flowchart 2300 of an example arrangement of operations for a method for generating a DIMD predictor for a current block, according to some implementations. The method of flowchart 2300 may be implemented by a coder (e.g. encoder 200 shown in FIG.2, or a decoder, such as, for example, decoder 300 shown in FIG.3). The method of flowchart 2300 may be performed reciprocally by an encoder and a decoder such that an intra prediction mode need not be signaled by the encoder to the decoder to reconstruct current block using intra prediction techniques.

[0239] For simplicity of explanation, methods described herein are depicted and described as a series of acts. However, acts in accordance with this disclosure may occur in various orders and / or concurrently, and with other acts not presented and described herein. Further, not all illustrated acts may be used to implement the methods in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the methods may alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events. Additionally, the methods disclosed in this specification are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium, to facilitate transporting and transferring such methods to computing devices. Although illustrated as discrete blocks, various blocks may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation.

[0240] At operation 2302, for a block (e.g., available block) at each position for one or more iterations, in some implementations, the coder determines a position of the block in accordance with some implementations. In some implementations, the coder determines, based on DIMD being applied (e.g., enabled) for the current block, a position of the block (e.g., adjacent block position relative to the current block, non-adjacent block position relative to theDocket No.: 24-2023PCT current block). As shown, the coder is configured to repeat operation 2302 – operation 2314 for each block position (e.g., adjacent block position, non-adjacent block position) relative to the current block.

[0241] At operation 2304, in some implementations, the coder determines (e.g., identifies) the block at the determined position. For example, the coder identifies the block at the determined position as one of adjacent blocks or as one of the non-adjacent blocks.

[0242] At operation 2306, in some implementations, the coder determines whether DIMD information (or IPM information) is available with the block at the determined position. For example, DIMD information is not available when the block at the position is not yet reconstructed. In some instances, even if the block at the determined position is reconstructed, DIMD information is not available if the block was not predicted or reconstructed with DIMD or DIMD associated prediction mode, or if the DIMD information was not previously derived. If the block at the position is not yet reconstructed (or predicted), or DIMD information is not available with the block at the position, the coder loops back to operation 2302 to select the next position.

[0243] At operation 2308, in some implementations, the coder obtains DIMD information (or IPM information) from the block at the position. In some implementations, the coder determines (e.g., obtains) IPM information (such as angular mode information) from the DIMD information. In some implementations, the coder determines (e.g., obtains) “weights previously determined” for each IPM from the DIMD information.

[0244] At operation 2310, in some implementations, the coder determines an adjustment weight for each IPM (e.g., each angular mode). In some implementations, the coder determines the adjustment weight for each IPM based on a distance between a block associated with the IPMs and the current block. In some implementations, the coder determines the adjustment weight for each IPM based on “weights previously determined” for each IPM. In some implementations, the coder determines the adjustment weights for each IPM based on both the distance between the block associated with the IPMs and the current block and “weights previously determined” for each IPM. More detailed information on determining the adjustment weight will be disclosed later in the present disclosure.

[0245] At operation 2312, in some implementations, the coder applies the adjustment weight to each IPM. As a result, the amplitude (occurrence value) for each IPM is determined not only based on the block size but also based on other important information (e.g., distance, “weights previously determined”).

[0246] At operation 2314, in some implementations, the coder updates a HoC based on the amplitudes adjusted based on size of the block and other important information (e.g., distance, “weights previously determined”).

[0247] In some implementations, based on the HoC, the coder determines (e.g., generates) the DIMD predictor for the current block. In some implementations, the coder selects up to 5 angular modes (IPMs) with the highest amplitude values (or highest occurrence values) from the HoC 2204 along with the Planar mode from the histogram and blends the selected angular modes (IPM) with the Planar mode to obtain the DIMD predictor.

[0248] FIG.24 shows an example histogram of occurrences (HoC) 2404 based on the first DIMD HoG information, second DIMD HoG information, and third DIMD HoG information shown in FIG.22A and adjustment weights for IPMsDocket No.: 24-2023PCT of blocks (IPMs of block 1, IPMs of block2, and IPM of block 3 in this example), in accordance with some implementations.

[0249] As discussed, in some implementations, the adjustment weight (also referred to as weighting factor k) to IPMs of block1, the adjustment weight (also referred to as weighting factor k) to IPMs of block 2, and the adjustment weight (also referred to as weighting factor k) to IPMs of block 3 are determined based on a distance between block 1 and the current block, a distance between block 2 and the current block, and distance between block 3 and the current block, respectively. Put differently, in some implementations, the adjustment weight to IPMs of block1, the adjustment weight to IPMs of block 2, and the adjustment weight to block 3 are determined based on a position of block 1 from the current block, a position of block 2 from the current block, and a position of block 3 from the current block, respectively.

[0250] In some implementations, the weighting factor k depends on the distance between the current block and the block (block 1, block 2, and block 3 in this example). The further from the current block, the less the impact (or the less relevance) of the block mode (e.g., candidate block mode) on the HoC. In this example, the weighting factor~j(^,") depends on the distance (x, y) between the current block and the block (e.g., candidate block) and thefactor ~j(^,")is being used to adjust the size of the block (determined by multiplying the width of the block by the height of the block) described above. In other words, the weighting factor ~j(^,")adjusts the existing weighting factor which only depends on the size of the block. As a result, the HoC adjusted by the weighting factor ~j(^,")may provide an improved outcome when it comes to determining (e.g., generating, predicting) the current block. ^^^' = ^ × ×The distance between the current current block and block 1, distancebetween the current block and block 2, and distance between the current block and block 3 in this example) may be defined with different metrics. For example, in some implementations, the distance is a Manhattan distance between the top and / or left border of the current block and the top and / or left border of the candidate block, respectively. As an example, a distance 1^ for a given candidate block is defined as follows:1^(^, ^) = ^^^^^ − ^^ + ^^^^^ − ^^where (x, y) are the samplesof the candidate block, and (^^^^ , ^^^^ )represents the samples coordinates of the top-left sample of the current block.

[0251] In some implementations, the distance is a Euclidean distance (expressed as samples) between the top-left corner of the current block and the top-left (or bottom-right or top-right) corner of the candidate block. 1^(^, ^) = ^(^^^^ − ^)^ + (^^^^ − ^)^For example, the weighting factor k decreases a. me implementations, the weighting factor k decreases (e.g., ~j(^,"),^) as the distance increases. In some implementations, the weighting factor kDocket No.: 24-2023PCT decreases linearly (e.g., ~j(^,"),^) as the distance increases. In some implementations, the weighting factor k decreases non-linearly as the distance increases. In other words, in some implementations, the weighting factor k is in an inverse relation with the distance. In some implementations, the weighting factor k is in a linearly inverse relation with the distance. In some implementations, the weighting factor k is in a non-linearly inverse relation with the distance. Here are some of the non-limiting examples: 1~j(^,"),^ =1 + 1j(^, ^)In some implementations, the distance 1j(^,")to fall within the range of 0 to 1. Where 1 represents the maximum reachable distance (e.g., boarder of picture, CTU, slice, or tile), and 0 represents the closest reachable distance (e.g., distance to an adjacent block). For example, when the distance is at the maximum distance, the weight factor ~j(^,"),^equals to 0, and when the distance is at the closest distance (e.g., distance between the current block and an adjacent block), the weight factor ~j(^,"),^equals to 1. In some implementations, the coder adds an offset value to the distance between an adjacent block and the current block. For example, when a distance between an adjacent block (having a block size) and the current block is determined (or measured) based on the top left corner of the adjacent block and the top left corner of the current block, due to the size of the adjacent block, the distance between the top left corner of the adjacent block and the top left corner of the current block is not 0. By adding the offset value that offset the distance to 0, the distance 1j(^,")can be normalized (or arranged) to fall within the range of 0 to 1.

[0252] In some implementations, the weighting factor ~j,'(^,")is arranged to fall within the range of 0 to 1. Where 0 represents a weight factor k associated with the maximum reachable distance (e.g., boarder of picture, CTU, slice, or tile), and 1 represents a weight factor k associated with the closest reachable distance (e.g., distance to an adjacent block.

[0253] In some implementations, the distance may be normalized by the picture width and / or height or the CTU, slice, tile width and / or height so that when a border of the picture, CTU, slice or tile (the limit), is reached by a candidate block, the associated weighting factor ~j(^,")is set to a predetermined value lower than when the block (e.g., candidate block) is closer from the current block. For example, the predetermined value is equal to 0 when the block (e.g., candidate block) reaches its limit, rendering the contribution to the HoC of mode associated mode void.

[0254] In some implementations, the weighting factor k is directly mapped with the distance with predetermined values. For example, if the block (e.g., candidate block) is associated with the adjacent neighborhood of the current block (e.g., blocks 1-5 in FIG.21), the weighting factor k is set at 1. As a result, the mode occurrence weighting is left unchanged. However, for a block (e.g., candidate block) that is associated with the non-adjacent neighborhood of the current block, the weighting factor is less than 1. As an example, neighboring blocks belonging to the same i-th ring are determined such that the Manhattan distance between the current block and said neighboring blocks is a constant (indexed by index i). For example, for the first ring of neighboring blocks, depicted as blocks 6-8 in FIG.21, theDocket No.: 24-2023PCT weighting factor k is decreased by a ratio ^^. For the second ring neighboring blocks, depicted as blocks 9-13 in FIG. 21, the weighting factor is decreased by a ratio ^^. For the third ring neighboring blocks, depicted as blocks 14-18 in FIG.21, the weighting factor k is decreased by a ratio ^2. For the fourth ring neighboring blocks, depicted as 19-23 in Fig.21, the weight factor k is decreased by a ratio ^^. Based on the ratio ^^, ^^, ^2, and ^^, we can obtain:~' = ^^ ,^ ^' < ^'^^ TU1 ^' ≠ 0with floating point arithmetic. In some described metrics (Manhattan andEuclidean) may be used. For example, distance, as depicted in FIG.21, the following distance metric is defined for each candidate block b at position (x, y):^^ ^1j(^, ^) = ^^^ ^ − ^^^ − 1^and the weighting factor to be applied to of occurrences:~j =1 + (^, ^)where S is a quantization step (for example picture space in blocks of size of 16x16) thetop-left coordinate of the picture corresponds to right coordinate of the picture corresponds to (width – 1, height – 1), so that the adjacent blocks are being considered at a distance of 0, then blocks numbered from 1 to 5 are at a distance of 1 block size (ring 1), blocks numbered from 6 to 8 are at a distance of 2 block size (ring 2), blocks numbered from 9 to 13 are at a distance of 3 (ring 3), blocks numbered from 14 to 18 are at a distance of 4 (ring 4), blocks numbered from 19 to 23 are at a distance of 5 (ring 5).

[0255] As discussed, in some implementations, a weight factor k is 1 for blocks associated with blocks 1-5 and a weight factor k is less than 1 for blocks associated with 9-13. In this example, the weight factor k is 0.5 for blocks associated with 9-13 for the sake of simplicity in illustration.

[0256] As shown in FIG.24, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 1 is 4 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (0 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 3) = 4 In this example, 1 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 1 of block 1, and 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 1 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k. Since block 1 is an adjacent block, the adjustment weight (based on the distance) for block 1 is 1. As a result, IPMs of block 1 are unchanged in this example.

[0257] As shown in FIG.24, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 7 is 4.5 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 3) = 4.5 In this example, 1 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 7 of block 1, 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 7 of block 2, and 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 1 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0258] As shown in FIG.24, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 9 is 4.5 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 3) = 4.5 In this example, 1 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 9 of block 1, 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 9 of block 2, and 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 9 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0259] As shown in FIG.24, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 13 is 4.5 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 3) = 4.5 In this example, 1 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 13 of block 1, 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 13 of block 2, and 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 13 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0260] As shown in FIG.24, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 17 is 4 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (0 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (1 × size of block 3) = 4 In this example, 1 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 17 of block 1, 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 17 of block 2, and 0.5 is an adjustment weight (based on the distance) for IPM 17 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0261] FIG.25 shows an example histogram of occurrences (HoC) 2504 based on the first DIMD HoG information, second DIMD HoG information, and third DIMD HoG information shown in FIG.22A and adjustment weights for IPMs of blocks (IPMs of block 1, IPMs of block2, and IPM of block 3 in this example), in accordance with some implementations.

[0262] In some implementations, each of amplitudes (or occurrence values) of angular modes (e.g., IPMs) of the blocks (also referred to as candidate blocks, blocks neighboring the current block, or neighboring blocks) is weighted (e.g., determining the adjustment weight and applying the adjustment weight to each of the amplitudes) prior to being added in the HoC. That is to say, the amplitude (or occurrence value) of an angular intra prediction mode (e.g., IPM) is multiplied by a weighting factor k: ^^^where h]^'represents occurrencesmode (e.g., IPM) in the histogram of gradients HoC, NB is the number of candidate blocks, `j,'is the width of the b-th candidate block coded with the i-th intra prediction mode, ℎj,'is the height of the b-th candidate block coded with the i-th intra prediction mode, ~ is a weighting factor that may depend on several parameters as explicated further below. In the existing technology, k is fixed to 1 (considering floating point arithmetic).Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0263] In some implementations, the weighting factor k corresponds to a derivation of weights associated with angular intra prediction modes (e.g., IPMs) used in the fusion of intra predictors (or multi intra prediction mode) to generate an intra predictor. In some implementations, the total contribution of the current multi intra prediction mode to the HoC corresponds to w×h. Thus, each weight of the angular intra prediction mode kiof the multi angular intra prediction mode is normalized by the sum of the angular intra prediction mode weight: ^. ~~U '' = INT ^∑^ ^' ^ ~'under the following constraint: ^^ ~U' = Pwhere ~U'is the new i-th normalized weight, N represents of angular intra prediction modes in the considered multi angular intra prediction mode (e.g. DIMD), P is the weight precision, ~'is the i-th weight of the angular intra prediction. INT[.] represents the integer function i.e., rounding to the closest integer value.

[0264] For example, let’s consider a block (e.g., candidate block) coded with DIMD which predictors comprise 3 angular modes, Y^, Y^, and Y2weighted by weights ~^, ~^, and ~2, respectively. In that case, N = 3. Let’s consider weight precision set to 6 bits (the sum of weights is represented by 64 with integer precision) and the selected DIMD angular modes are blended with Planar mode where the Planar weight is set to one quarter of the sum of the weights i.e., ~^ = 16. So, the remaining weights sum shall be equal to 48 (64 – 16). Let’s set ~^ = 24, ~^ =16, ~ = ^^ ^^ ^^2 8. We obtain ~U^ = ^24 × ^^^ = 32, ~U^ = ^16 × ^^^ = 21, ~U2 = ^8 × ^^^ = 11.

[0265] This may be interpreted as follows: for a total budget of w×h occurrences to be distributed in the HoC, the first DIMD mode Y^contributes for2^^^of the total, Y^for^^^^and, Y2for^^^^. For a given candidate block of width w and height h, h]^'+= ` × ℎ × ~U' .

[0266] In some implementations, the scaling (i.e., weighting) of occurrences is operated from the second angular intra prediction mode of the multi angular intra prediction mode i.e., the normalization factor is computed from the most represented angular intra prediction mode i.e., the weighting factor of the first mode (e.g., the intra prediction mode with the highest amplitude in the HoG for DIMD or the mode with the lowest SATD for TIMD…) is set to 1 with floating arithmetic (i.e., the contribution of the first mode is left unchanged as w×h. in the histogram of occurrence) and the weights of other intra prediction modes of the multi intra prediction modes are normalized by said first mode weight. ^× ~= IN '' T ^ ^Docket No.: 24-2023PCT with former notations and ~^equal to the angular intra prediction weight of the most represented mode. Thus, the mostrepresented angular mode contributes with w×h and other less represented modes with ` × ℎ × ~U' where ~U' isthe i-th angular mode weight with less importance than the most represented mode. Thus, in some implementations, the contribution of each angular intra prediction mode of multi intra prediction modes in the histogram of occurrences is directly related to the contribution of said angular intra prediction mode in the generated multi intra prediction mode predictor.

[0267] As shown in FIG.25, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 1 is 1.937 based on following calculation: (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + (0 × 64 / 48) × (0 × size of block 2) + (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 1.937 Here, as shown in FIG.22A, 1 / 9 is a previously determined weight for IPM 1, as per DIMD information of block 1, and 4 / 13 is a previously determined weight for IPM 1, as per DIMD information of block 3.64 / 48 is the weight precision described above. In this example, (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 1 of block 1, and (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 1 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0268] As shown in FIG.25, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 7 is 3.197 based on following calculation: (3 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + (3 / 6 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 2) + (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 3.197 Here, as shown in FIG.22A, 3 / 9 is a previously determined weight for IPM 7, as per DIMD information of block 1, 3 / 6 is a previously determined weight for IPM 7, as per DIMD information of block 2, and 4 / 13 is a previously determined weight for IPM 7, as per DIMD information of block 3.64 / 48 is the weight precision described above. In this example, (3 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 7 of block 1, (3 / 6 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 7 of block 2, and (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 7 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0269] As shown in FIG.25, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 9 is 1.858 based on following calculation: (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + (2 / 6 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 2) + (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 1.858 Here, as shown in FIG.22A, 2 / 9 is a previously determined weight for IPM 9, as per DIMD information of block 1, 2 / 6 is a previously determined weight for IPM 9, as per DIMD information of block 2, and 2 / 13 is a previously determined weight for IPM 9, as per DIMD information of block 3.64 / 48 is the weight precision described above. In this example, (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 9 of block 1, (2 / 6 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 9 of block 2, and (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) anDocket No.: 24-2023PCT adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 9 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0270] As shown in FIG.25, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 13 is 1.339 based on following calculation: (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + (1 / 6 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 2) + (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 1.339 Here, as shown in FIG.22A, 1 / 9 is a previously determined weight for IPM 13, as per DIMD information of block 1, 1 / 6 is a previously determined weight for IPM 13, as per DIMD information of block 2, and 2 / 13 is a previously determined weight for IPM 9, as per DIMD information of block 3.64 / 48 is the weight precision described above. In this example, (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 13 of block 1, (1 / 6 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 13 of block 2, and (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 13 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0271] As shown in FIG.25, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 17 is 1.003 based on following calculation: (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + (0 × 64 / 48) × (0 × size of block 2) + (1 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 1.003 Here, as shown in FIG.22A, 2 / 9 is a previously determined weight for IPM 17, as per DIMD information of block 1, and 1 / 13 is a previously determined weight for IPM 17, as per DIMD information of block 3.64 / 48 is the weight precision described above. In this example, (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 17 of block 1, and (1 / 13 × 64 / 48) an adjustment weight (based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 17 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0272] FIG.26 shows an example histogram of occurrences (HoC) 2604 based on the first DIMD HoG information, second DIMD HoG information, and third DIMD HoG information shown in FIG.22A and adjustment weights for IPMs of blocks (IPMs of block 1, IPMs of block 2, and IPM of block 3 in this example), in accordance with some implementations. In this example, the adjustment weights are based on both the weight based on the distances (shown in FIG.24) and weights based on the previously determined weights (shown in FIG.25).

[0273] As shown in FIG.26, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 1 is 1.117 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (0 × 64 / 48) × (0 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 1.117 In this example, 1 × (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 1 of block 1, and 0.5 × (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 1 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0274] As shown in FIG.26, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 7 is 2.043 based on following calculation: 1 × (3 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (3 / 6 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 2.043 In this example, 1 × (3 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 7 of block 1, 0.5 × (3 / 6 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 7 of block 2, and 0.5 × (4 / 13 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 7 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0275] As shown in FIG.26, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 9 is 1.225 based on following calculation: 1 × (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (2 / 6 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 1.225 In this example, 1 × (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 9 of block 1, 0.5 × (2 / 6 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 9 of block 2, and 0.5 × (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 9 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0276] As shown in FIG.26, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 13 is 0.818 based on following calculation: 1 × (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (1 / 6 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 0.818 In this example, 1 × (1 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 13 of block 1, 0.5 × (1 / 6 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 13 of block 2, and 0.5 × (2 / 13 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 13 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0277] As shown in FIG.26, in some implementations, the coder determines that the amplitude (occurrence value) of IPM 17 is 0.796 based on following calculation: 1 × (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 1) + 0.5 × (0 × 64 / 48) × (0 × size of block 2) + 0.5 × (1 / 13 × 64 / 48) × (1 × size of block 3) = 0.796Docket No.: 24-2023PCT In this example, 1 × (2 / 9 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 17 of block 1, and 0.5 × (1 / 13 × 64 / 48) is an adjustment weight (including an adjustment weight based on the distance and an adjustment weight based on the previously determined weight) for IPM 17 of block 3. In this disclosure, the adjustment weight is also referred to as weight factor k.

[0278] As shown in FIG.22A, the size of the block 1 is 2, the size of the block 2 is 1, and the size of the block 3 is 4. These apply to examples in FIGS.22B, 24, 25, and 26.

[0279] FIG.27 shows an example flowchart 2700 of the DIMD Merge List mode for deriving the list of DIMD merge candidates, according to some embodiments. Flowchart 2700 includes an operation 2702 in which a DIMD merge list is derived and an operation 2704 in which DIMD parameters for a selected DIMD merge candidate from the list are derived. For example, these DIMD parameters may include blended modes (e.g., DIMD modes), weights, and indications of location dependency. Operations of flowchart 2700 may be performed by an encoder, such as, for example, encoder 200 in FIG.2, or by a decoder, such as, for example, decoder 300 in FIG.3.

[0280] Operation 2702 may include several operations shown as operations 2706-2714, each of which may add to the list of DIMD merge candidates a family of DIMD merge candidates obtained from spatial neighbor blocks (e.g., intra blocks) of the current block that are selected based on a different selection criterion, from combinations of DIMD information already in the list, or from configured default DIMD information. In example implementations, the DIMD merge candidates in the list of DIMD merge candidates is arranged as a list or table, but embodiments may not be limited by a specific arrangement structure of the DIMD merge candidates.

[0281] At operation 2706, DIMD merge candidates from a family of spatial adjacent blocks are considered for adding DIMD merge candidates to the list of DIMD merge candidates. For example, as explained with respect to FIG. 15A, this family of blocks may include the spatial adjacent blocks corresponding to adjacent neighbor samples of the current block. In some examples, the DIMD merge candidates from spatial adjacent blocks can be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates according to the inclusion order of blocks corresponding to left sample (L), above sample (A), above left sample (AL), above right sample (AR), and bottom left sample (BL). In some examples, another inclusion order such as, L, A, AR, BL, and AL, or yet another different inclusion order may be used. The blocks in the family of spatial adjacent blocks are also considered in the derivation of the MPM list. Between 1 and 5 (all spatial adjacent neighbors) candidates may be added to the DIMD merge candidate list at operation 2706. For the DIMD information of a particular spatial block to be included in the DIMD merge candidate list, that block must at least already have had (e.g., during the reconstruction of blocks in the current frame) DIMD information derived for that block. DIMD information may be derived for a block that uses the DIMD parameters such as, for example, MIMD mode (e.g., DIMD HoG merge mode), DIMD Merge List mode, DIMD mode, OBIC mode, intra prediction mode, or MPM list derivation. In some examples, a merge candidate is added to the list of DIMD merge candidates only if the corresponding neighbor block was encoded or decoded based on DIMD or another intra prediction mode that uses the DIMD parameters. In some instances, such as when none of the adjacent spatial adjacent blocks areDocket No.: 24-2023PCT reconstructed using a mode that uses DIMD parameters (e.g., DIMD mode, MIMID mode, DIMD Merge List mode, OBIC mode, intra prediction mode, MPM list derivation, etc.), at operation 2706, no spatial adjacent candidates are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates.

[0282] At operation 2708, DIMD merge candidates from a family of spatial non-adjacent blocks of the current block are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. The positions and inclusion order of the DIMD merge candidates of non-adjacent candidates in the same frame as the current block may be in accordance with a predetermined sequence, such as that shown in FIG.21. The pattern and sequence of blocks indicated in FIG.21 is the same as that defined in some implementations for inter-merge prediction candidates.

[0283] The numbers 1-5 shown in FIG.21 refer to spatially adjacent neighbors of the current block (shown shaded) in the inclusion order L, A, AR, BL, and AL, that were already added to, or otherwise considered for inclusion in, the merge candidate list at operation 2706 and thus may not be considered at operation 2708. The sequence of blocks indicated by the sample locations 6-23 may be considered for inclusion of the corresponding DIMD information in the list of DIMD merge candidates at operation 2308. As shown in FIG.21, the non-adjacent neighbor blocks corresponding to (e.g., including) sample locations 6-23 considered for inclusion in the list of DIMD merge candidates may be arranged in the frame along the left horizontal direction, the above vertical direction, the above left diagonal direction, the above right diagonal direction, and the below left diagonal direction.

[0284] Similar to determining whether to include a spatial adjacent block in the list of DIMD merge candidates, for the DIMD information of a particular spatial non-adjacent block to be included in the list of DIMD merge candidates, that block must have had DIMD used for encoding / decoding or at least have had DIMD information derived for that block. In some examples, a DIMD merge candidate is added to the list of DIMD merge candidates only if the corresponding neighbor block was reconstructed based on DIMD or another intra prediction mode that uses the DIMD parameters. In some instances, such as when none of the spatial non-adjacent blocks are reconstructed using a mode that uses DIMD parameters, at operation 2308, no spatial non-adjacent candidates are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates.

[0285] At operation 2710, a family of merge candidates from a history-based table of DIMD information is added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. For example, one or more DIMD merge candidates (e.g., a predetermined number) from the history-based table may be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. For example, a predetermined number of the most recently coded blocks in the history-based table may be selected.

[0286] The history-based table may be maintained to include a predetermined number of the latest intra coded blocks that used DIMD information. In some examples, this history-based table may be updated each time an intra block (e.g., CU) is coded using the DIMD process such as when the DIMD information is derived (e.g., a block using the DIMD mode, or an MPM-based mode, or based on a direction derived from DIMD, or a MIMD mode, or DIMD Merge List mode, or OBIC mode). This table includes a limited number of entries of DIMD information from previously coded blocks and does not include any duplicate DIMD information.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0287] For the DIMD information of a particular spatial block to be included in the history-based table, that block must have had DIMD used for encoding / decoding or at least have had DIMD information derived for that block. DIMD information may be derived for a block for encoding / decoding based on DIMD or another intra prediction mode that uses the DIMD parameters. In some examples, an entry of DIMD information is added to the history-based table only if the corresponding neighbor block was reconstructed based on DIMD or another intra prediction mode that uses the DIMD parameters.

[0288] In some embodiments, spatial adjacent blocks and spatial non-adjacent blocks of the current block may have been already considered in accordance with a predetermined inclusion order (e.g., based on operations 2306 and 2308), only DIMD information of spatial blocks that are neither spatial adjacent blocks nor spatial non-adjacent blocks according to the predetermined inclusion pattern are added to the history-based table.

[0289] In some examples, when inserting a new entry of DIMD information into the history-based table, a constrained first-in-first-out (FIFO) rule may be applied where a redundancy check is first applied to determine whether there is identical DIMD information in the table. If found, the entry with the identical DIMD information is removed from the table and all entries following that in the table are moved forward in the FIFO order, and the new DIMD information is inserted as the last entry. The table may be reset at intervals, such as, for example, at the beginning of each CTU row. Such resetting may be performed due to hardware constraints. Such resetting may also help ensure that only the most recent neighbor blocks are in the table. In some implementations, the history-based table of DIMD information may be similar to the history-based table of motion vectors (HMVP) in the whole-block- based Advanced Motion Vector Predictor (AMVP) mode for inter prediction in VVC.

[0290] FIG.28 shows a flowchart 2800 of an example process for generating a history-based table of DIMD merge candidates, according to some embodiments. Operations of flowchart 2800 may be performed reciprocally at the encoder (e.g., encoder 200) and the decoder (e.g., decoder 300). Flowchart 2800 starts at operation 2802 when a current block is considered as a DIMD candidate. The current block may be considered as a DIMD candidate based on the current block being coded using DIMD or another intra mode in which DIMD information is derived. At operation 2802, it is determined whether the DIMD information (of the DIMD candidate) to be added already exists in the table. If, at operation 2802, it is determined that the DIMD information to be added is not in the table, then at operation 2806, it may be determined whether the table is full. This determination may be based on a preconfigured maximum size threshold for the history-based table. If the table is not full, at operation 2810, the DIMD information of the DIMD candidate may be added to the history-based table.

[0291] If at operation 2802, it is determined that the DIMD information to be added is in the table, then at operation 2804, the duplicate DIMD information of an existing DIMD candidate in the history-based table is already in the table and is removed from the table.

[0292] If at operation 2806, it is determined that the history-based table is full, at operation 2808, the oldest entry in the table is removed.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0293] After either operation 2804 or operation 2808, at operation 2812, the entries that follow the removed entry in the table are shifted up or moved up in sequence (e.g., in the FIFO sequence). After the rearrangement of table entries at operation 2812, at operation 2810, the new DIMD information of the DIMD candidate is added as the last entry in the table.

[0294] According to the example inclusion order, DIMD merge candidates derived from DIMD information in the history-based table are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates after considering DIMD merge candidates derived from spatial adjacent blocks and spatial non-adjacent blocks of the current block.

[0295] Returning to FIG.27, in some embodiments, at operation 2712, a set of combined DIMD merge candidates are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. In some examples, one or more combined DIMD merge candidates may be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates based on existing DIMD merge candidates (and respective DIMD information) in the list such as DIMD merge candidates considered and selected from one or more of the DIMD merge candidate families described above with respect to operations 2706-2710. In some examples, a combined DIMD merge candidate may be generated based on combining DIMD information from the DIMD information of DIMD merge candidates that are already in the list of DIMD merge candidates. In some examples, DIMD merge candidates that are already in the list, but which are based on a combination of other DIMD merge candidates in the list, are not used to derive further combined DIMD merge candidates.

[0296] In some examples, DIMD information corresponding to HoGs from at least two DIMD merge candidates in the list of DIMD merge candidates are combined to create a new combined HoG, from which the blending modes and weights are derived to obtain the DIMD information of a new DIMD merge candidate. For example, the DIMD information (e.g., amplitudes of like IPMs) of at least two merge candidates may be averaged to generate an MHoG, and the blending modes and weights are derived from this MHoG in a manner similar to that in the blending mode derivation in DIMD and MIMD, as described, for example, in relation to FIGS.19-20. In some examples, considering the new combined DIMD merge candidate, location dependency may be set for example to diagonal (e.g., indicated by a predetermined value of 0) as a default value, or can be set accordingly to the blending modes, i.e., that a vertical location dependency is set for a vertical blended mode, or a horizontal location dependency is set for a horizontal blended mode.

[0297] In some examples, a plurality of combined DIMD merge candidates may be derived and include two or more of the following: a candidate derived from the first and second DIMD merge candidates in the list of DIMD merge candidates; a candidate derived from the first and third DIMD merge candidates in the list of DIMD merge candidates; a candidate derived from the second and third DIMD merge candidates of the list of DIMD merge candidates; a candidate derived from the two first DIMD merge candidates of the list of DIMD merge candidates with a vertical location dependency; a candidate derived from the two first DIMD merge candidates of the list of DIMD merge candidates with a horizontal location dependency; and / or a candidate derived from combining DIMD information of all spatial adjacent blocks of the current block.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0298] In some implementations, a combined DIMD merge candidate is not added to the list if it cannot be derived. For example, if there are only two candidates in the list of DIMD merge candidates before adding combined DIMD candidates, the second combined candidate, derived from the first and third candidates, may be skipped as there is no third DIMD candidate.

[0299] At block 2714, a set of default DIMD merge candidates are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates, according to some embodiments.

[0300] In some examples, one or more default DIMD information entries are added as DIMD merge candidates to the list of DIMD merge candidates. For example, DIMD parameters of two example default DIMD information entries are shown in Table 1 below. Blending Modes 0 (Planar) 34 (Diag) 18 (Hor) Default Mode 0 Blendin Wei hts 16 24 24 T [030 ] e tabe s ows deaut mode 0 and deaut mode , t at eac spec y a set o predetermned parameters. One or more DIMD merge candidates having predetermined default DIMD information (e.g., the DIMD parameters specified in Table 1 above) may be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates as one or more default DIMD candidates.

[0302] In some examples, the addition, if any, of combined DIMD merge candidates optionally followed by the default DIMD merge candidates completes the addition of merge candidates to the list of DIMD merge candidates.

[0303] Operation 2702, which includes operations 2706-2714 and which generates the list of DIMD merge candidates, may be identical at both the encoder and decoder. After operation 2702 is completed (i.e., the list of DIMD merge candidates is constructed), at operation 2704, blended modes, weights and location dependency are derived. At the encoder, this may include determining the best DIMD merge candidate in the list of DIMD merge candidates based on a cost (e.g., SAD, SATD, etc.) difference between a predicted block obtained using the DIMD predictor and the current block and / or based on rate distortion optimization (RDO cost) of each of the DIMD merge candidates starting from the top (e.g., the lowest SAD, SATD cost) of the list of DIMD merge candidates. The index to the position of the best (selected) DIMD merge candidate in the list of DIMD merge candidates is determined. Subsequently, in some examples, the selected predictor may be added to the MPM list. If the current block is predicted by the DIMD predictor and encoded for transmission based on the DIMD prediction, then a DIMD enabled flag and the index can be transmitted in the bitstream.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0304] At the decoder, operation 2704 may include parsing the bitstream for one or both of a DIMD enabled flag or index to the list of DIMD merge candidates. The index can be used to obtain the selected DIMD merge candidate from which to derive the DIMD predictor.

[0305] The DIMD merge mode has the benefit of the use of available neighbor information (e.g., in particular, the DIMD information derived for the spatial neighbor blocks) to better suit the signal characteristics of the current block to be predicted.

[0306] As explained above, various competing decoder-side techniques such as regular DIMD mode, MIMD mode, OBIC mode, and DIMD Merge List mode have been proposed as possible intra modes to code a current block. These techniques propose different mechanisms to select one or more IPMs after which similar operations as those in regular DIMD mode may be applied to generate a DIMD predictor for coding the current block. However, for multiple of these techniques to be implemented, signaling overhead in the bitstream will be incurred to indicate which one of these DIMD-related modes (e.g., DIMD sub-modes) as being selected for coding the current block.

[0307] For example, if all four DIMD-related modes are implemented, an encoder may apply each of these DIMD- related modes to generate respective prediction blocks for coding the current block and calculate respective costs (e.g., an RDO cost or cost differences (e.g., SATD, SAD, etc.) between each prediction block and the current block) to select a DIMD mode from the DIMD-related modes for coding the block. Then, the encoder may need to signal at least one flag to indicate that DIMD is used and at least two flags to indicate which of the four DIMD-related modes is selected.

[0308] Example embodiments of this disclosure harmonizes the various decoder-side techniques by enhancing the DIMD Merge List mode to include one or more DIMD merge candidates derived by applying MIMD mode and / or OBIC mode to the current block. As explained above, in the DIMD Merge List mode, a list of DIMD merge candidates and corresponding DIMD information may be generated and one DIMD merge candidate in the list may be selected to reconstruct the current block. By not only considering DIMD information of previously reconstructed neighbor blocks of the current block as DIMD merge candidates, but also by deriving MIMD-based or OBIC-made DIMD merge candidates to add to the list of DIMD merge candidates in the DIMD Merge List mode, diversity of DIMD information may be increased. Accordingly, some of the compression gains provided by implementing the OBIC mode and / or the MIMD mode may be captured using derived MIMD-based or OBIC-made DIMD merge candidates and the MIMD mode and / or OBIC mode do not necessarily need to be implemented or signaled in the bitstream.

[0309] In some examples, when deriving at least one OBIC-based DIMD merge candidate, a histogram of intra prediction mode occurrences (HoC) as described above is determined using neighboring blocks such adjacent and non-adjacent spatial neighboring blocks of the current block. The derived HoC is then used to derive the DIMD information of the DIMD merge candidate, that is added to the DIMD merge list. For example, the OBIC-based DIMD merge candidate may be added under the condition that the DIMD merge list max size is not exceeded and the DIMD information of the OBIC-based DIMD merge candidate not being duplicated in the list, i.e., by preserving DIMD merge candidate unicity in the list of DIMD merge candidates.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0310] As the OBIC mode derives DIMD parameters, they can be used to derive candidates from existing DIMD merge candidates’ families. In some embodiments, DIMD information from OBIC mode may be used to update the history-based DIMD information table, and may be used as a history-based candidate by another block (e.g., CU).

[0311] FIG.29 shows an example flowchart 2900 of a DIMD Merge List mode for deriving a list of DIMD merge candidates, according to some embodiments. Flowchart 2900 includes operation 2902 in which a DIMD merge list is derived and includes an operation 2904 in which DIMD parameters for a selected DIMD merge candidate from the list are derived. For example, these DIMD parameters may include blended modes (e.g., DIMD modes), weights, and indications of location dependency. Operations of flowchart 2900 may be performed by an encoder, such as, for example, encoder 200 in FIG.2, or by a decoder, such as, for example, decoder 300 in FIG.3.

[0312] Operation 2902 may include several operations such as operations 2906-2910 previously described with respect to FIG.27 as well as operations 2904-2908. In addition to the DIMD merge candidates with DIMD information retrieved from previously coded (e.g., reconstructed) neighboring blocks of the current block as described with respect to operations 2706-2710, operations 2904-2908 may add one or more DIMD merge candidates that derive DIMD information from neighboring spatial blocks.

[0313] At operation 2904, one or more DIMD merge candidate derived using the MHoG derivation process and referred to as MHoG-based candidates may be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. In some examples, a list of MHoG merge candidates may be generated from which two or more MHoG merge candidates are selected to derive each of the one or more MHoG-based candidates. For example, the MHoG derivation process described above with respect to FIGS.21, 22A, and 22B may be applied to selected MHoG merge candidates.

[0314] In some examples, the list of MHoG merge candidates may include DIMD information (e.g., DIMD parameters related to an MHoG or an HoG) of spatial neighbor blocks (e.g., CUs) of the current block such as the spatial adjacent neighbor blocks and the spatial non-adjacent blocks that was coded based on DIMD or another intra prediction mode using DIMD parameters, as described above with respect to FIG.15A and FIG.21. In an example, redundant DIMD information is removed or not added to the list of MHoG merge candidates. In some examples, the list of MHoG merge candidates may further include one or more DIMD candidates from a history-based table of DIMD information.

[0315] In some examples, a plurality of different subsets of the list of MHoG merge candidates may be selected to generate a plurality of different DIMD merge candidates to add to the list of DIMD merge candidates.

[0316] In some examples, the one or more MHoG-based candidates are added to the list of DIMD merge candidates before other families of merge candidates are considered. For example, the one or more MHoG-based candidates have the lowest indices in the list of DIMD merge candidates.

[0317] At operation 2906, one or more DIMD merge candidate derived using the OBIC derivation process and referred to as OBIC-based candidates may be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. In some examples, a list of OBIC merge candidates may be generated from which two or more OBIC merge candidates are selected to derive each of the one or more OBIC-based candidates. For example, the OBIC derivation process described above withDocket No.: 24-2023PCT respect to FIGS.21, 22A, and 22B may be applied to selected OBIC merge candidates. In some implementations, OBIC-based candidates are determined based on the method described in FIG.23. In some implementations, OBIC- based candidates are determined based on the method which will be described in FIG.30.

[0318] In some examples, the list of OBIC merge candidates may include DIMD information (e.g., DIMD parameters related to an MHoG, HoG, or HoC) of spatial neighbor blocks (e.g., CUs) of the current block such as the spatial adjacent neighbor blocks and the spatial non-adjacent blocks that was coded based on DIMD or another intra prediction mode using DIMD parameters, as described above with respect to FIG.15A and FIG.21. In an example, redundant DIMD information is removed or not added to the list of OBIC merge candidates. In some examples, the list of OBIC merge candidates may further include one or more DIMD candidates from a history-based table of DIMD information.

[0319] In some examples, a HoC may be derived from the DIMD information of two or more neighbor block corresponding to the selected OBIC merge candidates. The derived HoC may be used to derive the DIMD merge candidate to be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. The derived OBIC-based DIMD merge candidate may have a location dependency that is set for example to diagonal (0) as a default value, or can be set accordingly to the blending modes, i.e., that a vertical location dependency is set for a vertical blended mode, or a horizontal location dependency is set for a horizontal blended mode.

[0320] In some examples, a plurality of different subsets of the list of OBIC merge candidates may be selected to generate a plurality of different DIMD merge candidates to add to the list of DIMD merge candidates.

[0321] At operation 2908, once the potential DIMD merge candidates, or more particularly their respective DIMD information, of all MHoG-based, spatial adjacent, spatial non-adjacent, OBIC-based, and history-based neighbors have been considered for inclusion in the list of DIMD merge candidates, one or more combined DIMD candidates may be added to the list of DIMD merge candidates. Similar to operation 2712, DIMD information from the DIMD information of DIMD merge candidates that are already in the list of DIMD merge candidates may be combined to generate one or more combined DIMD candidates. DIMD merge candidates that are already in the list, but which are based on a combination of other DIMD merge candidates in the list, are not used to derive further combined DIMD merge candidates.

[0322] In some embodiments, alternatively or additionally, the output DIMD information of the MIMD mode may be added as a combined candidate to the list of DIMD merge candidates. For example, instead of adding MHoG-based candidates at operation 2904, one or more MHoG-based candidates may be added as combined DIMD candidates at operation 2908 where two or more DIMD merge candidates existing in the list of DIMD merge candidates are combined to generate the one or more combined DIMD candidates.

[0323] In some examples, a merge candidate is not added to the list if it cannot be derived. For example, if there are only two candidates in the list of DIMD merge candidates before adding combined candidates, the second combined candidate, derived from the first and third candidates is skipped as there is no third candidate.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0324] In some examples, the spatial adjacent candidates, spatial non-adjacent candidates, and history-based candidates may include a spatial block such as block 0 of FIG.22A that was coded using MIMD mode or OBIC mode.

[0325] Like operation 2802, operations of operation 2902 may be performed identically at the encoder and the decoder. At the encoder, determining the one DIMD merge candidate may include determining the best DIMD merge candidate in the list of DIMD merge candidates based on a cost (e.g., SAD, SATD, etc.) difference between a prediction block obtained using the DIMD predictor and the current block and / or based on rate distortion optimization (RDO) of each of the DIMD merge candidates starting from the top (e.g., the lowest SAD, SATD cost) of the list of DIMD merge candidates. The index to the position of the best (selected) DIMD merge candidate in the list of DIMD merge candidates is determined. Subsequently, in some examples, the selected predictor may be added to the MPM list. If the current block is predicted by the DIMD predictor and encoded for transmission based on the DIMD prediction, then a DIMD enabled flag and the index can be transmitted on the bitstream.

[0326] At the decoder, the DIMD enabled flag and / or the index to the identically generated list of DIMD merge candidates may be parsed from the bitstream. The decoder may use the index to obtain the selected DIMD merge candidate and associated DIMD information from which to derive the DIMD predictor without the DIMD information being explicitly signaled in the bitstream.

[0327] FIG.30 illustrates a flowchart 3000 of an example arrangement of operations for determining (e.g., generating) a histogram of occurrences (HoC) in accordance with some implementations.

[0328] For simplicity of explanation, methods described herein are depicted and described as a series of acts. However, acts in accordance with this disclosure may occur in various orders and / or concurrently, and with other acts not presented and described herein. Further, not all illustrated acts may be used to implement the methods in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the methods may alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events. Additionally, the methods disclosed in this specification are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium, to facilitate transporting and transferring such methods to computing devices. Although illustrated as discrete blocks, various blocks may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation.

[0329] At operation 3002, in some implementations, a coder (e.g., encoder 200, decoder 300) selects a plurality of blocks to determine (e.g., to generate) the histogram of occurrences (HoC). In some implementations, the coder selects blocks (e.g., reconstructed blocks) adjacent to a current block (also referred to as adjacent blocks or adjacent neighboring blocks in this disclosure). In some implementations, the coder selects blocks (e.g., reconstructed blocks) non-adjacent to the current block (also referred to as non-adjacent blocks or non-adjacent neighboring blocks in this disclosure). In some implementations, the coder selects blocks (e.g., reconstructed) non-adjacent to the current block and adjacent to the current block.Docket No.: 24-2023PCT

[0330] At operation 3004, in some implementations, for each block of the plurality of blocks, the coder obtains intra prediction modes (IPMs) from DIMD information used by the block. As discussed, the DIMD information may include information (IPM information) on the IPMs and parameters (e.g., weight previously assigned to each of the IPMs).

[0331] At operation 3006, in some implementations, for each block of the plurality of blocks, the coder determines an adjustment weight (e.g., scaling weight) of each of the IPMs based on a position of the block relative to the current block (e.g., distance between the current block and the position of the block). As discussed, the weight (based on the distance) decreases as the block is further from the current block. In other words, the weight (based on the distance) is in inverse relationship with the distance between the block and the current block. In some implementations, the weight (based on the distance) is in linear inverse relationship with the distance between the block and the current block. In some implementations, the weight (based on the distance) is in non-linear inverse relationship with the distance between the block and the current block.

[0332] In some implementations, the position of the block comprises a distance between a top-left position of the current block and a top-left position of the block. In some implementations, the position comprises a number of blocks, of the same sizes as the current block, between the block and the current block.

[0333] At operation 3006, in some implementations, for each block of the plurality of blocks, the coder determines an adjustment weight (e.g., scaling weight) for each of the IPMs based on the parameters (e.g., previously determined weights) from the DIMD information. As discussed above, for example, the coder determines the adjustment weight for each of the IPMs of a block based on the weight previously assigned to each of the IPMs of the block. The coder obtains the weight previously assigned to each of the IPMs of the block from DIMD information of the block.

[0334] At operation 3006, in some implementations, for each block of the plurality of blocks, the coder determines an adjustment weight of each of the IPM based on both the position of the block relative to the current block and the parameters (e.g., previously determined weights) from the DIMD information.

[0335] At operation 3008, in some implementations, for each block of the plurality of blocks, the coder updates an amplitude of a bin, in the HoC, that corresponds to the IPM, based on a size of the block and the adjustment weight adjusting the impact of the size of the block to the amplitude. When the adjustment weight is 1, the adjustment weight does not change the impact of the size of block to the amplitude. When the adjustment weight is less than 1, the adjustment weight reduces the impact of the size of block to the amplitude.

[0336] In some implementations, the HoC is represented by an array of values, wherein each index of indices of the array corresponds to a respective bin of bins of the HoC, and each of the values at a respective index of the indices represents a respective magnitude of the bin corresponding to the index.

[0337] In some implementations, the updating the amplitude comprises adding a result of the size scaled by the adjustment weight to a previous value stored for the bin.

[0338] At operation 3010, in some implementations, the coder codes the current block based on the HoC. In some implementations, the coder selects a plurality of IPMs from the HoC based on amplitudes (occurrence values) of IPMsDocket No.: 24-2023PCT in the HoC. In some implementations, the coder determines a plurality of weights corresponding to the plurality of IPMs. In some implementations, the coder determines a DIMD predictor based on combining (e.g., blending, fusing) the plurality of IPMs in accordance with the plurality of respective weights. In some implementations, the coding the current block includes decoding, from a bitstream, a residual block of the current block and reconstructing the current block based on combining the DIMD predictor and the residual block.

[0339] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware using analog and / or digital circuits, in software, through the execution of instructions by one or more general purpose or special-purpose processors, or as a combination of hardware and software. Consequently, embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented in the environment of a computer system or other processing system. An example of such a computer system 3100 is shown in FIG.31. Blocks depicted in the figures above, such as the blocks in FIGS.1, 2, and 3, may execute on one or more computer systems 3100. Furthermore, each of the steps of the flowcharts depicted in this disclosure may be implemented on one or more computer systems 3100.

[0340] Computer system 3100 includes one or more processors, such as processor 3104. Processor 3104 may be, for example, a special purpose processor, general purpose processor, microprocessor, or digital signal processor. Processor 3104 may be connected to a communication infrastructure 3102 (for example, a bus or network). Computer system 3100 may also include a main memory 3106, such as random-access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory 3108.

[0341] Secondary memory 3108 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 3110 and / or a removable storage drive 3112, representing a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, or the like. Removable storage drive 3112 may read from and / or write to a removable storage unit 3116 in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit 3116 represents a magnetic tape, optical disk, or the like, which is read by and written to by removable storage drive 3112. As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the relevant art(s), removable storage unit 3116 includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer software and / or data.

[0342] In alternative implementations, secondary memory 3108 may include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer system 3100. Such means may include, for example, a removable storage unit 3118 and an interface 3114. Examples of such means may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and associated socket, a thumb drive and USB port, and other removable storage units 3118 and interfaces 3114 which allow software and data to be transferred from removable storage unit 3118 to computer system 3100.

[0343] Computer system 3100 may also include a communications interface 3120. Communications interface 3120 allows software and data to be transferred between computer system 3100 and external devices. Examples of communications interface 3120 may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, etc. Software and data transferred via communications interface 3120 are in the form of signals which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by communicationsDocket No.: 24-2023PCT interface 3120. These signals are provided to communications interface 3120 via a communications path 3122. Communications path 3122 carries signals and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link, and other communications channels.

[0344] As used herein, the terms “computer program medium” and “computer readable medium” are used to refer to tangible storage media, such as removable storage units 3116 and 3118 or a hard disk installed in hard disk drive 3110. These computer program products are means for providing software to computer system 3100. Computer programs (also called computer control logic) may be stored in main memory 3106 and / or secondary memory 3108. Computer programs may also be received via communications interface 3120. Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system 3100 to implement the present disclosure as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable processor 3104 to implement the processes of the present disclosure, such as any of the methods described herein. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the computer system 3100.

[0345] In another embodiment, features of the disclosure may be implemented in hardware using, for example, hardware components such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and gate arrays. Implementation of a hardware state machine to perform the functions described herein will also be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Claims

Docket No.: 24-2023PCT CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising: selecting a plurality of blocks to generate a histogram of occurrences (HoC) for coding a current block, wherein each of the plurality of blocks was previously reconstructed using respective intra prediction mode (IPM) information; for each block of the plurality of blocks: obtaining an IPM from IPM information used by the block; determining an adjustment weight of the IPM based on: a position of the block relative to the current block; or a parameter, in the IPM information, corresponding to the IPM; and updating, based on a size of the block and the adjustment weight, an amplitude of a bin, corresponding to the IPM, in the HoC; and coding the current block based on the HoC.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more IPMs are obtained from the IPM information used by the block, and wherein amplitudes of bins, in the HoC, corresponding to each of the one or more IPMs are updated based on the size of the block and the adjustment weight.

3. The method of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the updating the amplitude of the bin comprises adding a result of the size scaled by the adjustment weight to a previous value of the amplitude stored in the HoC.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the HoC is represented by an array of values, wherein each index of indices of the array corresponds to a respective bin of bins of the HoC, and wherein each of the values at a respective index of the indices represents a respective amplitude of the bin corresponding to the index.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, further comprising: selecting a plurality of IPMs from the HoC based on amplitudes of IPMs in the HoC; and determining a predictor, of the current block, based on combining the plurality of selected IPMs.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: determining, based on amplitudes of the plurality of selected IPMs, a plurality of weights corresponding to the plurality of selected IPMs, wherein the predictor is determined based on combining the plurality of selected IPMs in accordance with the plurality of respective weights.

7. The method of any one of claims 5-6, wherein the plurality of selected IPMs have the highest amplitudes in the HoC.

8. The method of any one of claims 5-7, wherein the coding the current block comprises: decoding, from a bitstream, a residual block of the current block; and reconstructing the current block based on the DIMD predictor and the residual block.

9. The method of any one of claims 5-7, wherein the coding the current block comprises:Docket No.: 24-2023PCT determining a residual block, of the current block, based on the DIMD predictor and the current block; and encoding the residual block in a bitstream.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the determining the adjustment weight of the IPM based on the position comprises determining a distance between the position of the block and a position of the block.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the adjustment weight is determined based on the parameter, and wherein the parameter is a weight, obtained from the IPM information, of the IPM previously used in reconstructing the block.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment weight for the IPM of the block is further determined based on the distance and a weight, obtained from the IPM information of the block, corresponding to the IPM and previously used in reconstructing the block.

13. The method of any one of claims 11-12, wherein the adjustment weight increases as the obtained weight increases.

14. The method of any one of claims 10-13, wherein the distance is between a top-left position of the current block and a top-left position of the block.

15. The method of any one of claims 10-14, wherein the distance is one of a Euclidean distance or a Manhattan distance.

16. The method of any one of claims 10-13, wherein the distances comprises a number of blocks, of the same size as the current block, between the block and the current block.

17. The method of any one of claims 10-15, wherein the distance is normalized to determine the adjustment weight of the IPM.

18. The method of any one of claims 10-17, wherein the adjustment weight for the each block increases as the distance of the each block decreases.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the adjustment weight increases linearly as the distance of the each block decreases.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the adjustment weight increases non-linearly as the distance of the each block decreases.

21. The method of any one of claims 10-20, wherein the adjustment weight of the IPM is determined based on a weight factor corresponding to the position of the block.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein IPMs obtained from first blocks of the plurality of blocks to generate the HoC are weighted by a first weight factor larger than a second weight factor further weighting IPMs obtained from second blocks of the plurality of blocks to generate the HoC, and wherein the first blocks are closer to the current block than the second blocks.

23. The method of any one of claims 21-22, wherein the weight factor is set to a predetermined value for the block being positioned at a specific distance away from the current block.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined value is:Docket No.: 24-2023PCT a first predetermined value based on the specific distance being a first distance; and a second predetermined value based on the specific distance being a second distance, wherein the first predetermined value is greater or equal to the second predetermined value based on the first distance being smaller than the second distance.

25. The method of any one of claims 23-24, wherein the specific distance comprises a number of blocks, with the size of the current block, between the position of the block and the current block.

26. The method of any one of claims 1-25, wherein the plurality of blocks are selected as the closest previously- reconstructed neighboring blocks, of the current block, having respective IPM information.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 1-26.

28. An encoder comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the encoder to perform the method of any one of claims 1-7 or 9-26.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream generated by the method for encoding a video according to any one of claims 1-7 or 9-26.

30. A decoder comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the decoder to perform the method of any one of claims 1-8 or 10-26.

31. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a bitstream, which, when decoded by a decoder, causes the decoder to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-8 or 10-26.

32. A bitstream generated according to any one of claims 1-7 or 9-26.

Images