# US 12,003,759 B2 · Encoding method, decoding method, and processing method

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- Number: US 12,003,759 B2
- Document ID: US12003759B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/316,944
- Filed: 2023-05-12
- Published: 2023-09-21
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-06
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
- Inventors: Tadamasa Toma; Takahiro Nishi; Kiyofumi Abe; Ryuichi Kanoh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003759B2

## 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 19/52: by predictive encoding
- H04N 19/103: Selection of coding mode or of prediction mode
- H04N 19/157: Assigned coding mode, i.e. the coding mode being predefined or preselected to be further used for selection of another element or parameter
- H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
- H04N 19/182: the unit being a pixel
- H04N 19/513: Processing of motion vectors
- H04N 19/577: Motion compensation with bidirectional frame interpolation, i.e. using B-pictures
- H04N 19/59: involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An encoding method includes: determining a merge mode to be applied to a current block, the merge mode including a sub-block merge mode and a first merge mode, wherein in the merge mode, inter-prediction parameters are inferred from a neighboring block neighboring the current block, and wherein in the sub-block merge mode, the current block includes a plurality of sub-blocks, and inter-prediction parameters are provided for each of the plurality of sub-blocks; in response to the merge mode being determined to be the first merge mode, generating a prediction image for the current block by performing a bi-directional optical flow prediction process, wherein the bi-directional optical flow prediction process uses a spatial gradient for the current block; and in response to the merge mode being determined to be the sub-block merge mode, generating a prediction image for the current block by not performing the bi-directional optical flow prediction process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An encoding method comprising:
determining a merge mode to be applied to a current block, the merge mode including a sub-block merge mode and a first merge mode different from the sub-block merge mode,
wherein in the merge mode, inter-prediction parameters are inferred from a neighboring block neighboring the current block, and
wherein in the sub-block merge mode, the current block includes a plurality of sub-blocks, and inter-prediction parameters are provided for each of the plurality of sub-blocks;
in response to the merge mode being determined to be the first merge mode, generating a prediction image for the current block by performing a bi-directional optical flow prediction process, wherein the bi-directional optical flow prediction process uses a spatial gradient for the current block; and
in response to the merge mode being determined to be the sub-block merge mode, generating a prediction image for the current block by not performing the bi-directional optical flow prediction process.

### Claim 2

A decoding method comprising:
determining a merge mode to be applied to a current block, the merge mode including a sub-block merge mode and a first merge mode different from the sub-block merge mode,
wherein in the merge mode, inter-prediction parameters are inferred from a neighboring block neighboring the current block, and
wherein in the sub-block merge mode, the current block includes a plurality of sub-blocks, and inter-prediction parameters are provided for each of the plurality of sub-blocks;
in response to the merge mode being determined to be the first merge mode, generating a prediction image for the current block by performing a bi-directional optical flow prediction process, wherein the bi-directional optical flow prediction process uses a spatial gradient for the current block; and
in response to the merge mode being determined to be the sub-block merge mode, generating a prediction image for the current block by not performing the bi-directional optical flow prediction process.

### Claim 3

A method of processing a bitstream that includes mode information and motion information, the method comprising:
using the mode information to determine a merge mode to be applied to a current block, the merge mode including a sub-block merge mode and a first merge mode different from the sub-block merge mode,
wherein in the merge mode, inter-prediction parameters are inferred from a neighboring block neighboring the current block, and
wherein in the sub-block merge mode, the current block includes a plurality of sub-blocks, and inter-prediction parameters are provided for each of the plurality of sub-blocks; and
using the motion information to generate a prediction image for the current block, wherein, in generating the prediction image,
wherein a bi-directional optical flow prediction process is performed in response to the merge mode being determined to be the first merge mode, wherein the bi-directional optical flow prediction process uses a spatial gradient for the current block; and
wherein the bi-directional optical flow prediction process is not performed in response to the merge mode being determined to be the sub-block merge mode.