Flexible Video Tile Partitioning for Lower Bit Costs

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video coding standards like HEVC restrict tile partitions to be rectangular and span across the entire picture, limiting flexibility and increasing bit costs due to unnecessary in-loop filtering restrictions and dependencies, which is inefficient for applications like 360-degree video and Multi-View coding.

Innovation Solution

Implement flexible tile partitioning methods that allow non-rectangular tiles and checkerboard patterns, enabling independent intra prediction and quantization parameter derivation within each segment, reducing bit costs and improving resource allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If rectangular tile partitions spanning the entire picture are used, then the picture can be divided into manageable segments, but flexibility is limited and bit costs increase due to unnecessary in-loop filtering restrictions and dependencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepartition flexibilityVSAvoidbit costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The picture is divided into multiple tiles, and each tile can be independently partitioned into picture segments. This segmentation allows flexible grouping of segments within tiles without requiring the entire picture to follow a uniform rectangular partition pattern, thereby reducing unnecessary filtering restrictions and lowering bit costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the picture can have different partitioning characteristics. Each tile can contain a custom arrangement of picture segments based on local content requirements, allowing adaptive partitioning that optimizes for specific regions rather than applying a rigid global rectangular partition structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If rectangular tile partitions are used, then the structure is simple and regular, but flexibility for applications like 360-degree video and Multi-View coding is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepartition structure simplicityVSAvoidapplication-specific flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The picture is divided into multiple tiles, and each tile can be independently partitioned into picture segments. This segmentation allows flexible grouping of segments within tiles without requiring the entire picture to follow a uniform rectangular partition pattern, thereby reducing unnecessary filtering restrictions and lowering bit costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the picture can have different partitioning characteristics. Each tile can contain a custom arrangement of picture segments based on local content requirements, allowing adaptive partitioning that optimizes for specific regions rather than applying a rigid global rectangular partition structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If in-loop filtering restrictions and dependencies are applied across tile boundaries, then decoding order is simplified, but bit costs increase and resource allocation efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding efficiencyVSAvoidbit costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The picture is divided into multiple tiles, and each tile can be independently partitioned into picture segments. This segmentation allows flexible grouping of segments within tiles without requiring the entire picture to follow a uniform rectangular partition pattern, thereby reducing unnecessary filtering restrictions and lowering bit costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the picture can have different partitioning characteristics. Each tile can contain a custom arrangement of picture segments based on local content requirements, allowing adaptive partitioning that optimizes for specific regions rather than applying a rigid global rectangular partition structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3811613B1Flexible tile partitions

Publication Date: 2025.11.12 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

Figure 1~3B
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~8

AI summary

An encoder (400), a decoder (450), and methods (230, 30) for partitioning a picture from a sequence of video pictures into a layout having a plurality of flexible tiles or segments is disclosed. Each tile or segment (T) comprises a single rectangular or square region. The encoder generates (22) a partition structure and encodes (28) the tiles according to the partition structure. The encoder also generates a bitstream (12) comprising a plurality of coded picture segments and information indicating the partition structure used to partition the picture into the plurality of flexible tiles or segments, and sends (29) the bitstream to the decoder. Upon receipt, the decoder uses the coded picture segments and information in the bitstream to decode (38) the plurality of coded picture segments.