Picture coding supporting block merging and skip mode

A method for decoding a data stream having a video encoded therein, comprising:

• extracting, from the data stream, first information associated with a coding block of the video, wherein the first information has first and second states, the first state indicates that (1) the coding block is to be reconstructed based on a coding parameter of a first merge candidate coding block and (2) the coding block is to be reconstructed without residual data;
• based on the first information being in the first state,
• extracting, from the data stream, second information associated with the coding block, the second information specifying the first merge candidate coding block, and
• reconstructing the coding block based on the coding parameter of the first merge candidate coding block;
• based on the first information being in the second state,
• extracting, from the data stream, third information associated with the coding block, the third information indicating either an intra mode or an inter mode;
• based on the third information being in the intra mode,
• extracting, from the data stream, an intra coding parameter associated with the coding block, and
• reconstructing the coding block based on the intra coding parameter;
• and based on the third information being in the inter mode,
• extracting, from the data stream, an inter coding parameter associated with the coding block having fourth information indicating a second merge candidate coding block,
• obtaining a set of coding parameters associated with the second merge candidate coding block, and
• reconstructing the coding block based on residual data and the set of coding parameters associated with the second merge candidate coding block.

An encoder configured to encode a video into a data stream, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• an encoding apparatus communicatively coupled with the memory configured to:
• code, into the data stream, first information associated with a coding block, wherein the first information has first and second states, the first state indicates that (1) the coding block is to be reconstructed based on a coding parameter of a first merge candidate coding block and (2) the coding block is to be reconstructed without residual data,
• determine, based on the first information being in the first state, second information which specifies the first merge candidate coding block,
• code, into the data stream based on the first information being in the first state, the second information and the coding parameter associated with the first merge candidate coding block, wherein the coding parameter of the first merge candidate coding block is used to reconstruct the coding block without residual data when the first information is in the first state,
• code, into the data stream based on the first information being in the second state, third information associated with the coding block, the third information indicating either an intra mode or an inter mode,
• code, into the data stream based on the third information being in the intra mode, an intra coding parameter, wherein the intra coding parameter is used to reconstruct the coding block, and
• code, into the data stream based on the third information being in the inter mode, an inter coding parameter associated with the coding block having fourth information indicating a second merge candidate coding block, and a set of coding parameters associated with the second merge candidate coding block, which are used along with residual data to reconstruct the coding block when the third information being in the inter mode.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a data stream having a video encoded therein, the data stream comprising:

• first information associated with a coding block, wherein the first information has first and second states, the first state indicates that (1) the coding block is to be reconstructed based on a coding parameter of a first merge candidate coding block and (2) the coding block is to be reconstructed without residual data;
• based on the first information being in the first state, second information specifying the first merge candidate coding block and the coding parameter associated with the first merge candidate coding block, wherein the coding parameter of the first merge candidate coding block is used to reconstruct the coding block without residual data when the first information is in the first state;
• based on the first information being in the second state, third information associated with the coding block, the third information indicating either an intra mode or an inter mode;
• based on the third information being in the intra mode, an intra coding parameter, wherein the intra coding parameter is used to reconstruct the coding block;
• and
• based on the third information being in the inter mode, an inter coding parameter associated with the coding block including fourth information indicating a second merge candidate coding block, and a set of coding parameters associated with the second merge candidate coding block, which are used along with residual data to reconstruct the coding block when the third information being in the inter mode.