Merge Candidate List Construction Under Redundancy Check Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of constructing the merge candidates list in hybrid video coding technologies is high, particularly in methods like non-adjacent merge candidate derivation and History-based Motion Vector Prediction, due to the lack of constraints on the number of redundancy checks.

Innovation Solution

Constrain the maximum number of potential merge candidates and redundancy checks during merge candidate list construction, and adaptively add proper candidates without redundancy checks based on their relative position and the number of performed checks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the number of merge candidates is increased to improve encoding precision, then the encoding precision is improved, but the complexity of construction and processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencoding precisionVSAvoidcomplexity of construction
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the merge candidate construction process into distinct stages: generating motion information for each block type (inter, intra, inter-component, intra-component), selecting candidates from each stage, and combining them into a final list. This segmentation allows systematic management of the construction process while maintaining comprehensive candidate coverage for high encoding precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic adaptation by determining the number of merge candidates to be constructed based on block characteristics (size, type) and adjusting the candidate list accordingly. The method dynamically selects from different candidate sources (co-located blocks, neighboring blocks, merged candidates) based on current encoding context, optimizing the balance between precision and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the number of merge candidates is increased to improve rate-distortion optimization, then the rate-distortion optimization is improved, but the processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverate-distortion optimizationVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes parameters dynamically by adjusting the number of merge candidates based on block characteristics and encoding conditions. It modifies the candidate selection process to include or exclude certain candidate types (e.g., merged candidates, intra-component candidates) based on block size, type, and current processing stage, optimizing rate-distortion performance while controlling processing complexity through parameter adaptation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the number of merge candidates is increased to improve video coding performance, then the video coding performance is improved, but the complexity of construction increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo coding performanceVSAvoidcomplexity of construction
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining candidate sources and selection criteria for different block types before the actual encoding process. Motion information is pre-generated for various block configurations, and candidate lists are pre-organized according to block characteristics, reducing the computational burden during actual encoding while maintaining high video coding performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3844953B1Complexity constraints on merge candidates list construction
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 TENCENT AMERICA LLC
  • EP3844953B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3844953B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3844953B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

A method of performing merge candidate list construction for video coding using at least one processor includes determining a plurality of potential merge candidates; selecting a first potential merge candidate from among the plurality of potential merge candidates; performing a redundancy check by checking the potential merge candidate against a merge candidate included in the merge candidate list; based on a result of the redundancy check, determining whether to insert the potential merge candidate into the merge candidate list; determining whether a redundancy check threshold is exceeded, wherein the redundancy check threshold relates to at least one from among a number of redundancy checks which have been performed, and a number of potential merge candidates which have been checked by the redundancy checks; and based on the redundancy check threshold being exceeded, determining not to perform additional redundancy checks during the merge candidate list construction.