Point Cloud Transform Coefficient Ordering for Smoother Entropy Coding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing point cloud compression technologies face inefficiencies in entropy coding due to abrupt transitions in coefficient envelopes when blocks are divided, leading to suboptimal compression ratios and performance in real-time applications.

Innovation Solution

The proposed method arranges transform coefficients in alternating orders of increasing and decreasing frequency within and across blocks, utilizing region-adaptive hierarchical transforms (RAHT) to enhance entropy coding efficiency by smoothing transitions and improving context adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If transform coefficients are arranged in a conventional order for point cloud compression, then the encoding process is simple, but compression efficiency is reduced due to abrupt transitions in coefficient envelopes between blocks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression efficiencyVSAvoidcoefficient arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by arranging transform coefficients differently in different blocks based on their position. Specifically, odd-numbered blocks use increasing frequency order while even-numbered blocks use decreasing frequency order, creating locally optimized coefficient arrangements that smooth transitions at block boundaries and improve entropy coding efficiency without requiring complete reorganization of all coefficients

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs inversion by alternating the frequency order direction between adjacent blocks. Instead of using the same increasing frequency order for all blocks, the patent inverts the order for even-numbered blocks (decreasing frequency), which creates smooth transitions at block boundaries and improves the overall coefficient envelope continuity, thereby enhancing compression efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Speed

If blocks are divided for parallel processing, then processing speed increases, but abrupt transitions at block boundaries reduce entropy coding performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidentropy coding performance
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains the ability to process blocks independently in parallel while improving entropy coding performance by applying local quality optimization at block boundaries. Each block can be processed separately with its own frequency order (increasing for odd blocks, decreasing for even blocks), preserving parallel processing capabilities while smoothing transitions and reducing information loss during entropy coding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4672751A1Ordering the coefficients of a local attribute transform for point cloud compression
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS SAS
  • EP4672751A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4672751A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4672751A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In an example point cloud decoding method, at least a portion of a bitstream is entropy decoded to obtain an ordered sequence of transform coefficients. The transform coefficients are arranged such that a first set of the transform coefficients for a first block in a point cloud is followed consecutively by a second set of the transform coefficients for a second block in the point cloud; the transform coefficients in the first set are arranged in order of increasing frequency; and the transform coefficients in the second set are arranged in order of decreasing frequency. The first and second blocks in the point cloud are reconstructed using the entropy decoded transform coefficients.