Layer ID signaling using extension mechanism

The device according to 1, wherein the multi-layered data stream has the video coded thereinto at the plurality of layers using the inter-layer prediction such that any layer inter-layer predicted from another layer adds one or more of further views;

• depth information;
• alpha blending information;
• color component information;
• spatial resolution refinement;
• and SNR resolution refinement.

A method for processing a multi-layered data stream, the method comprising:

• receiving the multi-layered data stream that represents a video coded into a plurality of layers, each layer corresponding to a different level of video information amount using inter-layer prediction, the multi-layered data stream comprising a plurality of packets, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of layers;
• for each of the plurality of packets of the multi-layered data stream,
• reading a base layer-ID field from the multi-layered data stream, the base layer-ID field comprising a first sub-field and a second sub-field;
• checking as to whether the first sub-field of the base layer-ID field fulfills a predetermined criterion;
• responsive to a determination that the first sub-field of the base layer-ID field fulfills the predetermined criterion, reading an extension layer-ID field from the multi-layered data stream, deriving an extension value using the extension layer-ID field so that the extension value lies within a first subset of a domain of extension values, and deriving a cluster value from the second sub-field by mapping from a domain of possible values of the second sub-field onto a domain of cluster values;
• responsive to a determination that the first sub-field of the base layer-ID field does not fulfill the predetermined criterion, refraining from reading an extension layer-ID field from the multi-layered data stream, setting the extension value to a value disjoint to the first subset of the domain of extension values, and deriving the cluster value from the second sub-field by mapping from the domain of possible values of the second sub-field onto the domain of cluster values;
• determining an index value for the layer with which the respective packet is associated using the cluster and extension values;
• and
• reconstructing at least a portion of the video based on the inter-layer prediction using inter-layer prediction dependencies according to the index values of the plurality of layers and prediction residual extracted from the plurality of packets.

An encoder configured to encode a video into a multi-layered data stream, the encoder comprising:

• a processor, which when executes instructions, is configured to:
• encode at least a portion of the video into a plurality of layers based on inter-layer prediction using inter-layer prediction dependencies according to index values associated with the plurality of layers and generate prediction residual, wherein each of the plurality of layers corresponds to a different level of information amount, the multi-layered data stream comprising a plurality of packets, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of layers, wherein the layer which the respective packet is associated with is uniquely determined by a cluster value and an extension value;
• for each of the plurality of packets of the multi-layered data stream,
• responsive to a determination that the extension value is within a first subset of a domain of extension values, insert a base layer-ID field into the multi-layered data stream, the base layer-ID field comprising a first sub-field and a second sub-field, with using the cluster value to set the second sub-field and setting the first sub-field so as to fulfill a predetermined criterion, and insert an extension layer-ID into the multi-layered data stream, with using the extension value to set the extension layer-ID;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the extension value equals a value disjoint to the first subset of the domain of extension values, refrain from inserting an extension layer ID field and insert a base layer-ID field into the multi-layered data stream, the base layer-ID field comprising a first sub-field and a second sub-field, with using the cluster value to set the second sub-field and setting the first sub-field so as to not fulfill the predetermined criterion.

A method for encoding a video into a multi-layered data stream, the method comprising:

• encoding at least a portion of the video into a plurality of layers based on inter-layer prediction using inter-layer prediction dependencies according to index values associated with the plurality of layers and generate prediction residual, wherein each of the plurality of layers corresponds to a different level of information amount, the multi-layered data stream comprising a plurality of packets, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of layers, wherein the layer which the respective packet is associated with is uniquely determined by a cluster value and an extension value;
• for each of the plurality of packets of the multi-layered data stream,
• responsive to a determination that the extension value is within a first subset of a domain of extension values, inserting a base layer-ID field into the multi-layered data stream, the base layer-ID field comprising a first sub-field and a second sub-field, with using the cluster value to set the second sub-field and setting the first sub-field so as to fulfill a predetermined criterion, and inserting an extension layer-ID into the multi-layered data stream, with using the extension value to set the extension layer-ID;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the extension value equals a value disjoint to the first subset of the domain of extension values, refraining from inserting an extension layer ID field and inserting a base layer-ID field into the multi-layered data stream, the base layer-ID field comprising a first sub-field and a second sub-field, with using the cluster value to set the second sub-field and setting the first sub-field so as to not fulfill the predetermined criterion.