# US 11,445,174 B2 · Method and apparatus for video coding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,445,174 B2 - Document ID: US11445174B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/859,968 - Filed: 2020-04-27 - Published: 2020-11-12 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-06 - Assignees: Tencent America LLC - Applicants: Tencent America LLC - Inventors: Liang Zhao; Xiang Li; Xin Zhao; Shan Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445174B2 ## CPC - H04N 19/105: Selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g. adaptive choice of position and number of pixels used for prediction - H04N 19/132: Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking - H04N 19/159: Prediction type, e.g. intra-frame, inter-frame or bidirectional frame prediction - H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock - H04N 19/182: the unit being a pixel - H04N 19/82: involving filtering within a prediction loop - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for video encoding/decoding. In some examples, an apparatus for video decoding includes receiving circuitry and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry decodes prediction information of a current block from a coded video bitstream. The prediction information is indicative of an inter prediction mode and a usage of a position dependent prediction combination (PDPC) in the inter prediction mode. Then, the processing circuitry calculates an intermediate value for a sample in the current block based on neighboring samples of the current block that are selected based on a position of the sample, and combines the intermediate value for the sample with an inter prediction value of the sample to reconstruct the sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for video decoding in a decoder, comprising: decoding, by a processor, prediction information of a current block from a coded video bitstream, the prediction information being indicative of an inter prediction mode and a usage of a position dependent prediction combination (PDPC) process in the inter prediction mode, the PDPC process being configured to calculate a weighted combination of selected neighboring samples of a target block selected based on a position of a target sample in the target block and a prediction value for the target sample; calculating, by performing the PDPC process for a current sample in the current block by the processor, an intermediate value for the current sample, a configuration of the PDPC process for the current sample including setting the current block as the target block, setting the current sample as the target sample, and simplifying the PDPC process by setting the prediction value for the target sample to zero; and combining, by the processor, the intermediate value for the current sample with an inter prediction value of the current sample to reconstruct the current sample, wherein the PDPC process for the current sample is performed by using a calculation module for PDPC of an intra prediction mode, the intermediate value calculated by the simplified PDPC process is independent of the prediction value of the target sample, and the simplified PDPC process does not include a shift operation of the PDPC process. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating, by the processor, the intermediate value independent of a process for calculating the inter prediction value of the current sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing, in a memory device, at least a weight value used in the PDPC process for the current sample; and calculating, by the processor, weights for combining the intermediate value for the current sample and the inter prediction value of the current sample based on the stored weight value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating, by the processor, the intermediate value for the current sample in the current block based on selected neighboring samples of the current block from at least a neighboring block that is coded according to an inter prediction mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: excluding, by the processor, at least a neighboring block of the current block from being used in the PDPC process for the current sample when the neighboring block is coded according to at least one of an intra prediction mode and an intra block copy mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: excluding, by the processor, the usage of the PDPC process on the current block when a block size of the current block fails to meet a block size requirement. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating, by the processor, the intermediate value for the current sample in the current block based on first neighboring samples of the current block on a left side of the current block when the current block is located at one of a top CTU boundary and a top virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU) boundary. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating, by the processor, the intermediate value for the current sample in the current block based on first neighboring samples of the current block on a top side of the current block when the current block is located at one of a left CTU boundary and a left virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU) boundary. ### Claim 9 An apparatus for video decoding, comprising: processing circuitry configured to: decode prediction information of a current block from a coded video bitstream, the prediction information being indicative of an inter prediction mode and a usage of a position dependent prediction combination (PDPC) process in the inter prediction mode, the PDPC process being configured to calculate a weighted combination of selected neighboring samples of a target block selected based on a position of a target sample in the target block and a prediction value for the target sample; calculate, by performing the PDPC process for a current sample in the current block, an intermediate value for the current sample in the current block, a configuration of the PDPC process for the current sample including setting the current block as the target block, setting the current sample as the target sample, and simplifying the PDPC process by setting the prediction value for the target sample to zero; and combine the intermediate value for the current sample with an inter prediction value of the current sample to reconstruct the current sample, wherein the PDPC process for the current sample is performed by using a calculation module for PDPC of an intra prediction mode, the intermediate value calculated by the simplified PDPC process is independent of the prediction value of the target sample, and the simplified PDPC process does not include a shift operation of the PDPC process. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate the intermediate value independent of a process for calculating the inter prediction value of the current sample. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: cause a memory to store at least a weight value used in the PDPC process for the current sample; and calculate weights for combining the intermediate value for the current sample and the inter prediction value of the current sample based on the stored weight value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate the intermediate value for the current sample in the current block based on selected neighboring samples of the current block from at least a neighboring block that is coded according to an inter prediction mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: exclude at least a neighboring block of the current block from being used in the PDPC process for the current sample when the neighboring block is coded according to at least one of an intra prediction mode and an intra block copy mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: exclude the usage of the PDPC process on the current block when a block size of the current block fails to meet a block size requirement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate the intermediate value for the current sample in the current block based on first neighboring samples of the current block on a left side of the current block when the current block is located at one of a top CTU boundary and a top virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU) boundary. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: calculate the intermediate value for the current sample in the current block based on first neighboring samples of the current block on a top side of the current block when the current block is located at one of a left CTU boundary and a left virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU) boundary. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer for video decoding cause the computer to perform: decoding prediction information of a current block from a coded video bitstream, the prediction information being indicative of an inter prediction mode and a usage of a position dependent prediction combination (PDPC) process in the inter prediction mode, the PDPC process being configured to calculate a weighted combination of selected neighboring samples of a target block selected based on a position of a target sample in the target block and a prediction value for the target sample; calculating, by performing the PDPC process for a current sample in the current block, an intermediate value for the current sample, a configuration of the PDPC process for the current sample including setting the current block as the target block, setting the current sample as the target sample, and simplifying the PDPC process by setting the prediction value for the target sample to zero; and combining the intermediate value for the current sample with an inter prediction value of the current sample to reconstruct the current sample, wherein the PDPC process for the current sample is performed by using a calculation module for PDPC of an intra prediction mode, the intermediate value calculated by the simplified PDPC process is independent of the prediction value of the target sample, and the simplified PDPC process does not include a shift operation of the PDPC process. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the intermediate value is calculated independent of a process for calculating the inter prediction value of the current sample.