# US 11,909,968 B2 · Encoder, decoder, encoding method, and decoding method

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,909,968 B2
- Document ID: US11909968B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/726,133
- Filed: 2022-04-21
- Published: 2022-08-11
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-30
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
- Inventors: Kiyofumi Abe; Takahiro Nishi; Tadamasa Toma; Ryuichi Kanoh; Chong Soon Lim; Ru Ling Liao; Hai Wei Sun; Sughosh Pavan Shashidhar; Han Boon Teo; Jing Ya Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909968B2

## CPC

- H04N 19/119: Adaptive subdivision aspects, e.g. subdivision of a picture into rectangular or non-rectangular coding blocks
- H04N 19/137: Motion inside a coding unit, e.g. average field, frame or block difference
- H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
- H04N 19/52: by predictive encoding
- H04N 19/537: Motion estimation other than block-based
- H04N 19/96: Tree coding, e.g. quad-tree coding
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Provided is an encoder which includes circuitry and memory. Using the memory, the circuitry splits an image block into a plurality of partitions, obtains a prediction image for a partition, and encodes the image block using the prediction image. When the partition is not a non-rectangular partition, the circuitry obtains (i) a first prediction image for the partition, (ii) a gradient image for the first prediction image, and (iii) a second prediction image as the prediction image using the first prediction image and the gradient image. When the partition is a non-rectangular partition, the circuitry obtains the first prediction image as the prediction image without using the gradient image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An encoder, comprising:
circuitry; and
memory, wherein
using the memory, the circuitry:
obtains an image block from a coding tree unit (CTU);
determines to perform first inter prediction or second inter prediction based on information on inter prediction, the first inter prediction including a bi-directional optical flow (BIO) process, the second inter prediction including a motion compensation process, the second inter prediction not including the BIO process; and
encodes the image block based on the determined inter prediction process, wherein,
when the BIO process is determined to be performed, the circuitry (i) obtains first prediction images for the image block, (ii) obtains gradient images for the first prediction images, and (iii) generates a prediction image for the image block using the first prediction images and the gradient images, and
when the motion compensation process is determined to be performed, the circuitry (i) determines a plurality of partitions in the image block, (ii) obtains a second prediction image for each of the plurality of partitions, and (iii) generates a prediction image for the image block using the second prediction images, wherein,
the information includes a flag.

### Claim 2

A decoder, comprising:
circuitry; and
memory, wherein
using the memory, the circuitry:
obtains an image block from a coding tree unit (CTU);
determines to perform first inter prediction or second inter prediction based on information on inter prediction, the first inter prediction including a bi-directional optical flow (BIO) process, the second inter prediction including a motion compensation process, the second inter prediction not including the BIO process; and
decodes the image block based on the determined inter prediction process, wherein,
when the BIO process is determined to be performed, the circuitry (i) obtains first prediction images for the image block, (ii) obtains gradient images for the first prediction images, and (iii) generates a prediction image for the image block using the first prediction images and the gradient images, and
when the motion compensation process is determined to be performed, the circuitry (i) determines a plurality of partitions in the image block, (ii) obtains a second prediction image for each of the plurality of partitions, and (iii) generates a prediction image for the image block using the second prediction images, wherein,
the information includes a flag.

### Claim 3

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a bitstream, the bitstream including information on inter prediction according to which a decoder determines to perform first inter prediction or second inter prediction, the first inter prediction including a bi-directional optical flow (BIO) process, the second inter prediction including a motion compensation process, the second inter prediction not including the BIO process, wherein
an image block is obtained from a coding tree unit (CTU), and
in response to a determination, based on the information on inter prediction, to perform the BIO process,
(i) first prediction images for the image block are obtained;
(ii) gradient images for the first prediction images are obtained; and
(iii) a prediction image for the image block is generated using the first prediction images and the gradient images, and
in response to a determination, based on the information on inter prediction, to perform the motion compensation process,
(i) a plurality of partitions are determined in the image block;
(ii) a second prediction image is obtained for each of the plurality of partitions; and
(iii) a prediction image for the image block is generated using the second prediction images, wherein,
the information includes a flag.