Methods, apparatuses, computer programs and computer-readable media for scalable video coding and transmission

A method of processing configuration data, the method comprising:

• receiving a configuration message comprising a header part and a payload part, the payload part comprising a first payload portion and a second, subsequent payload portion, the first payload portion comprising first configuration data and the second payload portion comprising second configuration data, the first and the second configuration data relating to processing of residual data useable to reconstruct a first representation of an image at a first level of quality in a tiered hierarchy having multiple levels of quality using a second representation of the image at the first level of quality, the second representation being based on a representation of the image at a second, lower level of quality in the tiered hierarchy, the first configuration data relating to a first set of decoders having a first operating characteristic and the second configuration data relating a second set of decoders having a second operating characteristic, wherein the header part comprises a payload size parameter indicative of a total size of the first and the second payload portions;
• processing the configuration message to obtain one or both of the first configuration data and the second configuration data;
• and
• reconstructing the first representation using the one or both of the first configuration data and the second configuration data.

A configuration message for instructing a decoder, comprising a header part and a payload part, the payload part comprising:

• a first payload portion and
• a second, subsequent payload portion;
• wherein the first payload portion comprises first configuration data;
• wherein the second payload portion comprises second configuration data;
• wherein the first and the second configuration data relate to processing of residual data useable to reconstruct a first representation of an image at a first level of quality in a tiered hierarchy having multiple levels of quality using a second representation of the image at the first level of quality, the second representation being based on a representation of the image at a second, lower level of quality in the tiered hierarchy,
• wherein the first configuration data relates to a first set of decoders having a first operating characteristic and the second configuration data relating to a second set of decoders having a second operating characteristic, and
• wherein the header part comprises a payload size parameter indicative of a total size of the first and the second payload portions.