Point cloud compression using continuous surface codes

An encoding device for point cloud encoding, the encoding device comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• generate, for a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud, a first frame and a second frame that include pixels representing points in the 3D point cloud at different depths;
• generate an occupancy map frame indicating whether the pixels included in the first frame and the second frame at that position in the occupancy map frame are valid pixels and whether points of the 3D point cloud are positioned between the first frame and the second frame at that position in the occupancy map frame;
• and
• encode the first frame, the second frame and the occupancy map frame to generate a compressed bitstream;
• and
• a communication interface operably coupled to the processor, the communication interface configured to transmit the compressed bitstream.

A method for point cloud decoding comprising:

• receiving a compressed bitstream;
• decoding, from the compressed bitstream, a first frame and a second frame that include pixels representing points of a 3D point cloud at different depths;
• decoding, from the compressed bitstream, an occupancy map frame indicating whether the pixels included in the first frame and the second frame at that position in the occupancy map frame are valid pixels and whether points of the 3D point cloud are positioned between the first frame and the second frame at that position in the occupancy map frame;
• and
• generating the 3D point cloud using the first frame, the second frame, and the occupancy map frame.