Method and apparatus for encoding video based on scanning order of hierarchical data units, and method and apparatus for decoding video based on scanning order of hierarchical data units

An encoding method comprising:

• splitting a picture into a plurality of maximum coding units;
• hierarchically splitting at least one coding unit of depth including at least one of a current depth and a lower depth from a maximum coding unit among the plurality of maximum coding units;
• when a scan index of a minimum unit included in a current prediction unit is greater than a scan index of a minimum unit corresponding to a lower-left position, determining a neighboring unit corresponding to the lower-left position is available to use for the current prediction unit, wherein the minimum unit corresponding to the lower-left position is located below and to the left of the current prediction unit in the picture where the current prediction unit is located;
• generating encoding information regarding the picture based on the at least one coding unit of the depth;
• generating split information which indicates whether a coding unit of a first depth is split into coding units of a second depth lower than the first depth, wherein the split information is generated to be used to hierarchically split the maximum coding unit, among the plurality of maximum coding units, into the at least one coding unit of the depth including at least one of the current depth and the lower depth;
• generating partition information which indicates whether a partition type of asymmetrically splitting the current coding unit along at least one of a height and a width of the current coding unit when the current coding unit is a coding unit which is not split into coding units, wherein the partition information is generated to be used to obtain at least one prediction unit including the current prediction unit from the current coding unit to perform prediction;
• and
• generating a bitstream including encoding information regarding the picture, the split information and the partition information,
• wherein the scan index follows a raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units,
• wherein the scan index follows an upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right order between coding units included in the maximum coding unit and between minimum units in a coding unit included in the coding units, and
• wherein the maximum coding unit has a square shape.

An encoding method comprising:

• splitting a picture into a plurality of maximum coding units;
• hierarchically splitting at least one coding unit of depth including at least one of a current depth and a lower depth from a maximum coding unit among the plurality of maximum coding units;
• when a scan index of a minimum unit included in a current prediction unit is greater than a scan index of a minimum unit corresponding to a lower-left position, determining a neighboring unit corresponding to the lower-left position is available to use for the current prediction unit, wherein the minimum unit corresponding to the lower-left position is located below and to the left of the current prediction unit in the picture where the current prediction unit is located;
• generating encoding information regarding the picture based on the at least one coding unit of the depth;
• generating split information which indicates whether a coding unit of a first depth is split into coding units of a second depth lower than the first depth, wherein the split information is generated to be used to hierarchically split the maximum coding unit, among the plurality of maximum coding units, into the at least one coding unit of the depth including at least one of the current depth and the lower depth;
• generating partition information which indicates whether a partition type of asymmetrically splitting the current coding unit along at least one of a height and a width of the current coding unit when the current coding unit is a coding unit which is not split into coding units, wherein the partition information is generated to be used to obtain at least one prediction unit including the current prediction unit from the current coding unit to perform prediction;
• and
• generating a bitstream including encoding information regarding the picture, the split information and the partition information,
• wherein the scan index follows a raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units,
• wherein the scan index follows an upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right order between coding units included in the maximum coding unit and between minimum units in a coding unit included in the coding units, and
• wherein the at least one coding unit of depth in the maximum coding unit has a square shape.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a bitstream comprising:

• encoding information regarding a picture;
• split information which indicates whether a coding unit of a first depth is split into coding units of a second depth lower than the first depth, wherein the split information is generated to be used to hierarchically split a maximum coding unit, among a plurality of maximum coding units, into at least one coding unit of depth including at least one of a current depth and a lower depth;
• and
• partition information which indicates whether a partition type of asymmetrically splitting a current coding unit along at least one of a height and a width of the current coding unit when the current coding unit is a coding unit which is not split, wherein the partition information is generated to be used to obtain at least one prediction unit including a current prediction unit from the current coding unit to perform prediction,
• wherein the encoding information is generated based on the at least one coding unit,
• when a scan index of a minimum unit included in the current prediction unit is greater than a scan index of a minimum unit corresponding to a lower-left position, a neighboring unit corresponding to the lower-left position is determined to be available to use for the current prediction unit,
• wherein the minimum unit corresponding to the lower-left position is located below and to the left of the current prediction unit in the picture where the current prediction unit is located,
• wherein the scan index follows a raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units,
• wherein the scan index follows an upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right order between coding units included in the maximum coding unit and between minimum units in a coding unit included in the coding units, and
• wherein the maximum coding unit has a square shape.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a bitstream comprising:

• encoding information regarding a picture;
• split information which indicates whether a coding unit of a first depth is split into coding units of a second depth lower than the first depth, wherein the split information is generated to be used to hierarchically split a maximum coding unit, among a plurality of maximum coding units, into at least one coding unit of depth including at least one of a current depth and a lower depth;
• and
• partition information which indicates whether a partition type of asymmetrically splitting a current coding unit along at least one of a height and a width of the current coding unit when the current coding unit is a coding unit which is not split, wherein the partition information is generated to be used to obtain at least one prediction unit including a current prediction unit from the current coding unit to perform prediction,
• wherein the encoding information is generated based on the at least one coding unit,
• when a scan index of a minimum unit included in the current prediction unit is greater than a scan index of a minimum unit corresponding to a lower-left position, a neighboring unit corresponding to the lower-left position is determined to be available to use for the current prediction unit,
• wherein the minimum unit corresponding to the lower-left position is located below and to the left of the current prediction unit in the picture where the current prediction unit is located,
• wherein the scan index follows a raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units,
• wherein the scan index follows an upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right order between coding units included in the maximum coding unit and between minimum units in a coding unit included in the coding units, and
• wherein the at least one coding unit of depth in the maximum coding unit has a square shape.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a bitstream comprising:

• encoding information regarding a picture;
• split information which indicates whether a coding unit of a first depth is split into coding units of a second depth lower than the first depth, wherein the split information is generated to be used to hierarchically split a maximum coding unit, among a plurality of maximum coding units, into at least one coding unit of depth including at least one of a current depth and a lower depth;
• and
• partition information which indicates whether a partition type of asymmetrically splitting a current coding unit along at least one of a height and a width of the current coding unit when the current coding unit is a coding unit which is not split, wherein the partition information is generated to be used to obtain at least one prediction unit including a current prediction unit from the current coding unit to perform prediction,
• wherein the encoding information is generated based on the at least one coding unit,
• when a scan index of a minimum unit included in the current prediction unit is greater than a scan index of a minimum unit corresponding to a lower-left position, a neighboring unit corresponding to the lower-left position is determined to be available to use for the current prediction unit,
• wherein the minimum unit corresponding to the lower-left position is located below and to the left of the current prediction unit in the picture where the current prediction unit is located,
• wherein the scan index follows a raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units,
• wherein the scan index follows an upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right order between coding units included in the maximum coding unit and between minimum units in a coding unit included in the coding units,
• wherein the maximum coding unit has a square shape, and
• wherein the at least one coding unit of depth in the maximum coding unit has a square shape.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a bitstream comprising:

• encoding information regarding a picture;
• split information which indicates whether a coding unit of a first depth is split into coding units of a second depth lower than the first depth, wherein the split information is generated to be used to hierarchically split a maximum coding unit, among a plurality of maximum coding units, into at least one coding unit of depth including at least one of a current depth and a lower depth;
• and
• partition information which indicates whether a partition type of asymmetrically splitting a current coding unit along at least one of a height and a width of the current coding unit when the current coding unit is a coding unit which is not split, wherein the partition information is generated to be used to obtain at least one prediction unit including a current prediction unit from the current coding unit into to perform prediction,
• wherein the encoding information is generated based on the at least one coding unit,
• when a scan index of a minimum unit included in the current prediction unit is greater than a scan index of a minimum unit corresponding to a lower-left position, a neighboring unit corresponding to the lower-left position is determined to be available to use for the current prediction unit,
• wherein the minimum unit corresponding to the lower-left position is located below and to the left of the current prediction unit in the picture where the current prediction unit is located,
• wherein the scan index follows a raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units,
• wherein the scan index follows an upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right order between coding units included in the maximum coding unit and between minimum units in a coding unit included in the coding units, and
• wherein the scan index is increased with the raster scan order between the plurality of maximum coding units.