# US 12,010,326 B2 · Image encoding/decoding method and apparatus, and recording medium for storing bitstream

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- Number: US 12,010,326 B2
- Document ID: US12010326B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/961,114
- Filed: 2022-10-06
- Published: 2023-02-16
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-29
- Assignees: Lx Semicon Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Lx Semicon Co., Ltd
- Inventors: Dong San Jun; Jung Won Kang; Hyun Suk Ko; Sung Chang Lim; Jin Ho Lee; Ha Hyun Lee; Hui Yong Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010326B2

## CPC

- H04N 19/147: according to rate distortion criteria (rate-distortion as a criterion for motion estimation H04N19/567)
- H04N 19/52: by predictive encoding
- H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image encoding/decoding method may comprise deriving at least one merge candidate of a current block, generating an initial merge candidate list of the current block by using the derived at least one merge candidate and generating a reconfigured merge candidate list by using the initial merge candidate list.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of decoding an image, the method comprising:
deriving a first merge candidate and a second merge candidate of a current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block;
deriving a combined merge candidate of the current block based on a combination of the first merge candidate and the second merge candidate;
generating a merge candidate list based on the combined merge candidate of the current block; and
deriving a motion vector for the current block based on the merge candidate list,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including an L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including an L0 motion vector, an L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on an average of the L0 motion vector of the first merge candidate and the L0 motion vector of the second merge candidate,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including an L1 motion vector, the L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L0 motion vector of the first merge candidate, and
wherein based on the first merge candidate including an L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L0 motion vector, the L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L0 motion vector of the second merge candidate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L1 motion vector,
an L1 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on an average of the L1 motion vector of the first merge candidate and the L1 motion vector of the second merge candidate,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L0 motion vector, the L1 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L1 motion vector of the first merge candidate, and
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L1 motion vector, the L1 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L1 motion vector of the second merge candidate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein
the combined merge candidate is inserted into the merge candidate list after the insertion of the first merge candidate and the second merge candidate.

### Claim 4

An image encoding method performed by an encoding apparatus, the method comprising:
deriving a first merge candidate and a second merge candidate of a current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block;
deriving a combined merge candidate of the current block based on a combination of the first merge candidate and the second merge candidate;
generating a merge candidate list based on the combined merge candidate of the current block;
deriving motion vector information for the current block based on the merge candidate list; and
encoding image information including prediction related information for the current block,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including an L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including an L0 motion vector, an L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on an average of the L0 motion vector of the first merge candidate and the L0 motion vector of the second merge candidate,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including an L1 motion vector, the L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L0 motion vector of the first merge candidate, and
wherein based on the first merge candidate including an L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L0 motion vector, the L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L0 motion vector of the second merge candidate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L1 motion vector,
an L1 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on an average of the L1 motion vector of the first merge candidate and the L1 motion vector of the second merge candidate,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L0 motion vector, the L1 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L1 motion vector of the first merge candidate, and
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L1 motion vector, the L1 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L1 motion vector of the second merge candidate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein
the combined merge candidate is inserted into the merge candidate list after the insertion of the first merge candidate and the second merge candidate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that cause a computer component to perform the image encoding method of claim 4.

### Claim 8

A transmission method for image data, the method comprising:
obtaining a bitstream of encoded image information, wherein the encoded image information is generated based on deriving a first merge candidate and a second merge candidate of a current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block, deriving a combined merge candidate of the current block based on a combination of the first merge candidate and the second merge candidate, generating a merge candidate list based on the combined merge candidate of the current block, deriving motion vector information for the current block based on the merge candidate list, and encoding the image information including prediction related information for the current block; and
transmitting the image data comprising the bitstream,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including an L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including an L0 motion vector, an L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on an average of the L0 motion vector of the first merge candidate and the L0 motion vector of the second merge candidate,
wherein based on the first merge candidate including the L0 motion vector and the second merge candidate including an L1 motion vector, the L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L0 motion vector of the first merge candidate, and
wherein based on the first merge candidate including an L1 motion vector and the second merge candidate including the L0 motion vector, the L0 motion vector of the combined merge candidate is derived based on the L0 motion vector of the second merge candidate.