Inherited Coding Parameters in Sample Array Multitree Subdivision

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image and video coding standards are limited in their ability to sub-divide pictures into blocks, leading to inefficient use of bit rate for signaling prediction parameters and increased encoding complexity due to the need to transmit similar parameters for arbitrarily shaped objects.

Innovation Solution

Implement a multi-tree subdivision scheme that allows for spatially dividing an array of information samples into tree root regions, which are further subdivided into smaller simply connected regions, sharing coding parameters among collocated leaf blocks, and using depth-first traversal for efficient signaling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a picture is divided into many small blocks to adapt to arbitrarily shaped objects, then the adaptability of coding parameters improves, but the side information rate increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability of coding parametersVSAvoidside information rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the picture into a hierarchical structure with a first set of blocks at a coarser level and a second set of blocks at a finer level. This multi-level segmentation allows coding parameters to be adapted to arbitrarily shaped objects while avoiding the need to transmit parameters for every small block, thus reducing side information rate while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If the number of blocks is increased to improve coding precision, then the rate-distortion ratio improves, but the encoding complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoding precisionVSAvoidencoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic block structure where the division into blocks is not fixed but adapts to the content being encoded. The hierarchical block system allows the encoder to dynamically select which blocks to further subdivide based on local image characteristics, improving coding precision without requiring a uniformly high number of blocks everywhere, thus reducing overall encoding complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If separate coding parameters are transmitted for each block, then the coding precision improves, but the bit rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoding precisionVSAvoidbit rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the coding parameter transmission for multiple blocks by establishing a hierarchical relationship where a first block and a second block share common parameters. The second block inherits parameters from the first block, and only differences need to be transmitted. This merging approach maintains coding precision for each block while significantly reducing the total bit rate required to transmit all parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4422182B1Inheritance in sample array multitree subdivision
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 DOLBY VIDEO COMPRESSION LLC
  • EP4422182B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4422182B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4422182B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles - leaf regions - locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.