# US 11,910,026 B2 · Image processing apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,026 B2 - Document ID: US11910026B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/277,291 - Filed: 2019-09-13 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Koji Yano; Tsuyoshi Kato; Satoru Kuma; Ohji Nakagami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910026B2 ## CPC - H03M 7/70: {Type of the data to be coded, other than image and sound} - H04N 19/96: Tree coding, e.g. quad-tree coding - G06T 9/001: {Model-based coding, e.g. wire frame} - G06T 9/40: Tree coding, e.g. quadtree, octree - H03M 7/3077: {Sorting} - H03M 7/4006: {Conversion to or from arithmetic code} - H04N 19/21: with binary alpha-plane coding for video objects, e.g. context-based arithmetic encoding [CAE] - H04N 19/597: specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding - H04N 19/91: Entropy coding, e.g. variable length coding [VLC] or arithmetic coding - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and a method that enable decoding of encoded data of an octree in various processing orders. The octree corresponding to point cloud data is encoded after the context is initialized for each layer of the octree. Further, a breadth-first order or a depth-first order is selected as the decoding order for the encoded data of the octree corresponding to point cloud data, and the encoded data is decoded in the selected decoding order. The present disclosure can be applied to an image processing apparatus, an electronic apparatus, an image processing method, a program, or the like, for example. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus, comprising: circuitry configured to: slice at least one layer of an octree corresponding to point cloud data to acquire a first slice and a second slice including respective nodes of the octree to eliminate an encoding dependency relationship between the first slice and the second slice; and encode the octree. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to encode the first node of each layer of the octree, using a probability table of the first node of a layer one level higher. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to encode the first node of each layer of the octree, using a probability table of a predetermined node of a previous frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined node is the last node of the same layer as a processing target node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined node is the last node of the previous frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to encode the octree, using at least two of: a method of encoding a processing target layer independently of other layers; a method of encoding the first node of the processing target layer, using a probability table of the first node of a layer one level higher; and a method of encoding the first node of the processing target layer, using a probability table of a predetermined node of a previous frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to: select at least one of a plurality of candidates including at least one of: a method of encoding the respective layers of the octree independently of one another; a method of encoding the first node of each layer of the octree, using a probability table of the first node of a layer one level higher; and a method of encoding the first node of each layer of the octree, using a probability table of a predetermined node of a previous frame, and encode the octree, using the selected at least one method. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate a bitstream containing information indicating the selected at least one method and encoded data of the octree. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first slice and the second slice includes a plurality of layers of the octree. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate slice information related to the eliminated encoding dependency relationship. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the slice information indicates the number of slices included in an encoded frame of the point cloud data. ### Claim 12 An image processing method, comprising: slicing at least one layer of an octree corresponding to point cloud data to acquire a first slice and a second slice including respective nodes of the octree to eliminate an encoding dependency relationship between the first slice and the second slice, and encoding the octree. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein each of the first slice and the second slice includes a plurality of layers of the octree. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image processing method according to claim 13, further comprising generating slice information related to the eliminated encoding dependency relationship. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image processing method according to claim 14, wherein the slice information indicates the number of slices included in an encoded frame of the point cloud data. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute operations, the operations comprising: slicing at least one layer of an octree corresponding to point cloud data to acquire a first slice and a second slice including respective nodes of the octree to eliminate an encoding dependency relationship between the first slice and the second slice, and encoding the octree. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein each of the first slice and the second slice includes a plurality of layers of the octree. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, further comprising generating slice information related to the eliminated encoding dependency relationship. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the slice information indicates the number of slices included in an encoded frame of the point cloud data.