# US 12,003,702 B2 · Methods of video picture coding with sub-block merge simplification and related apparatuses > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,702 B2 - Document ID: US12003702B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/846,123 - Filed: 2022-06-22 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-21 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Ruoyang Yu; Kenneth Andersson; Du Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003702B2 ## 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 19/109: among a plurality of temporal predictive coding modes - H04N 19/11: among a plurality of spatial predictive coding modes - H04N 19/159: Prediction type, e.g. intra-frame, inter-frame or bidirectional frame prediction - H04N 19/172: the region being a picture, frame or field - H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock - H04N 19/513: Processing of motion vectors - H04N 19/52: by predictive encoding - H04N 19/70: characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract There are provided mechanisms for temporal motion vector prediction of a current picture in a series of pictures of a video sequence. The method comprises determining, for a current block of the current picture, whether any one of: left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring blocks of the current block in the current picture uses a collocated picture as a reference picture. The method further comprises, when the determination is that one of the left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring block uses a collocated picture as a reference picture, using a motion vector of the one of the spatial neighboring blocks as a temporal vector of the current block. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for temporal motion vector prediction of a current picture in a series of pictures of a video sequence, the method comprising: determining, for a current block of the current picture, whether any one of: left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring blocks of the current block in the current picture uses a collocated picture as a reference picture; using a motion vector of the one of the spatial neighboring blocks as a temporal vector of the current block, when the determination is that one of the left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring block uses a collocated picture as a reference picture; and wherein the determining whether any one of: left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring blocks of the current block in the current picture uses a collocated picture as a reference picture is performed by checking only the left spatial neighboring block of the current block in the current picture without reference to any listing of spatial neighboring blocks in any merge list. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that the motion vectors from the spatial neighboring blocks of the current block are invalid for prediction of the temporal vector and ceasing the temporal motion vector prediction of the current block of the current picture, when the determination is that the left spatial neighboring block of the current block in the current picture does not use a collocated picture as a reference picture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing a motion vector scaling operation that scales the motion vector from one of the spatial neighboring candidates to associate with the collocated picture and using the scaled motion vector for prediction of the temporal vector, when the determination is that the left spatial neighboring block of the current block in the current picture does not use a collocated picture as a reference picture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a video decoder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a video encoder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A device for temporal motion vector prediction of a current picture in a series of pictures of a video sequence, the device comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform operations according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 A device for temporal motion vector prediction of a current picture in a series of pictures of a video sequence, configured to: determine, for a current block of the current picture, whether any one of: left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring blocks of the current block in the current picture uses a collocated picture as a reference picture; use a motion vector of the one of the spatial neighboring blocks as a temporal vector of the current block, when the determination is that one of the left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring block uses a collocated picture as a reference picture; wherein the device is further configured to perform the determination for only a single spatial neighboring block of the current block in the current picture without reference to any listing of spatial neighboring blocks in any merge list; and wherein the single spatial neighboring block is a left neighboring block of the current block in the current picture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, further configured to: determine that the motion vectors from the spatial neighboring blocks of the current block are invalid for prediction of the temporal vector and cease the temporal motion vector prediction of the current block of the current picture, when the determination is that none of the left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring blocks of the current block in the current picture uses a collocated picture as a reference picture. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, further configured to: perform a motion vector scaling operation that scales the motion vector from one of the spatial neighboring candidates to associate with the collocated picture and use the scaled motion vector for prediction of the temporal vector, when the determination is that none of the left, top, top-right and left-bottom spatial neighboring blocks of the current block in the current picture uses a collocated picture as a reference picture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7 wherein the device is a video decoder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7 wherein the device is a video encoder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) A network node comprising the device according to claim 6.