# US 12,120,298 B2 · Encoder and decoder, encoding method and decoding method for versatile spatial partitioning of coded pictures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,298 B2 - Document ID: US12120298B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/449,562 - Filed: 2023-08-14 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-09 - Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung derangewandten Forschung e.V. - Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung derangewandten Forschung e.V. - Inventors: Valeri George; Tobias Hinz; Jackie Ma; Yago Sánchez De La Fuente; Robert Skupin; Thomas Schierl; Jens Brandenburg; Christian Lehmann; Adam Wieckowski; Heiko Schwarz; Detlev Marpe; Thomas Wiegand - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120298B2 ## CPC - H04N 19/119: Adaptive subdivision aspects, e.g. subdivision of a picture into rectangular or non-rectangular coding blocks - H04N 19/96: Tree coding, e.g. quad-tree coding - H04N 19/129: Scanning of coding units, e.g. zig-zag scan of transform coefficients or flexible macroblock ordering [FMO] - H04N 19/172: the region being a picture, frame or field - H04N 19/174: the region being a slice, e.g. a line of blocks or a group of blocks - H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock - H04N 19/1883: {the unit relating to sub-band structure, e.g. hierarchical level, directional tree, e.g. low-high [LH], high-low [HL], high-high [HH]} - H04N 19/70: characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards - H04N 19/46: Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process (H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A video decoder for decoding an encoded video signal including encoded picture data and indication data of a picture of a video to reconstruct the picture of the video is provided. The video decoder includes an interface configured for receiving the encoded video signal, and a data decoder configured for reconstructing the picture of the video by decoding the encoded picture data using the indication data. The picture is partitioned into a plurality of coding areas. One or more coding areas of the plurality of coding areas include two or more coding tree units of the plurality of coding tree units, wherein each coding area of the one or more coding areas which includes two or more coding tree units exhibits a coding order for the two or more coding tree units of the coding area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for encoding a picture into a bitstream, the apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising: partitioning the picture with one or more horizontal boundaries and one or more vertical boundaries to obtain a plurality of first coding areas, wherein a first coding area of the plurality of first coding areas comprises a sequence of coding tree units (CTUs) that cover a rectangular region of the picture; further partitioning the first coding area with at least one additional horizontal boundary to obtain a plurality of second coding areas that are included within the first coding area, wherein a second coding area of the plurality of second coding areas comprises a rectangular portion of the sequence of CTUs; encoding a rectangular second coding area flag that indicates a presence of second coding area information; and encoding the second coding area information, which indicates: an amount of the plurality of second coding areas within the first coding area; and a second coding area height that is specified as an amount of CTUs arranged in a vertical direction within the second coding area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more horizontal boundaries extend the width of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile rows, wherein the one or more vertical boundaries extend the height of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile columns, and wherein the plurality of first coding areas comprise a plurality of tiles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second coding area is bounded on its left and right by vertical boundaries of the one or more vertical boundaries corresponding to the first coding area, and wherein the second coding area is bounded on its top or bottom by the at least one additional horizontal boundary. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the second coding area information comprises syntax elements that are included in a picture parameter set (PPS). ### Claim 5 A method for encoding a picture into a bitstream, comprising: partitioning the picture with one or more horizontal boundaries and one or more vertical boundaries to obtain a plurality of first coding areas, wherein a first coding area of the plurality of first coding areas comprises a sequence of coding tree units (CTUs) that cover a rectangular region of the picture; further partitioning the first coding area with at least one additional horizontal boundary to obtain a plurality of second coding areas that are included within the first coding area, wherein a second coding area of the plurality of second coding areas comprises a rectangular portion of the sequence of CTUs; encoding a rectangular second coding area flag that indicates a presence of second coding area information; and encoding the second coding area information, which indicates: an amount of the plurality of second coding areas within the first coding area; and a second coding area height that is specified as an amount of CTUs arranged in a vertical direction within the second coding area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more horizontal boundaries extend the width of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile rows, wherein the one or more vertical boundaries extend the height of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile columns, and wherein the plurality of first coding areas comprise a plurality of tiles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the second coding area is bounded on its left and right by vertical boundaries of the one or more vertical boundaries corresponding to the first coding area, and wherein the second coding area is bounded on its top or bottom by the at least one additional horizontal boundary. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein, the second coding area information comprises syntax elements that are included in a picture parameter set (PPS). ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method of claim 5. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for decoding a picture from a bitstream, the apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising: deriving one or more horizontal boundaries and one or more vertical boundaries corresponding to the picture to obtain a plurality of first coding areas, wherein a first coding area of the plurality of first coding areas comprises a sequence of coding tree units (CTUs) that cover a rectangular region of the picture; decoding a rectangular second coding area flag that indicates a presence of second coding area information; decoding the second coding area information, which indicates: an amount of a plurality of second coding areas that are included within the first coding area, wherein a second coding area of the plurality of second coding areas comprises a rectangular portion of the sequence of CTUs; and a second coding area height that is specified as an amount of CTUs arranged in a vertical direction within the second coding area; and deriving, based on the second coding area information, at least one additional horizontal boundary corresponding to the first coding area to obtain the plurality of second coding areas that are included within the first coding area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more horizontal boundaries extend the width of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile rows, wherein the one or more vertical boundaries extend the height of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile columns, and wherein the plurality of first coding areas comprise a plurality of tiles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second coding area is bounded on its left and right by vertical boundaries of the one or more vertical boundaries corresponding to the first coding area, and wherein the second coding area is bounded on its top or bottom by the at least one additional horizontal boundary. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, the second coding area information comprises syntax elements that are included in a picture parameter set (PPS). ### Claim 14 A method for decoding a picture from a bitstream, comprising: deriving one or more horizontal boundaries and one or more vertical boundaries corresponding to the picture to obtain a plurality of first coding areas, wherein a first coding area of the plurality of first coding areas comprises a sequence of coding tree units (CTUs) that cover a rectangular region of the picture; decoding a rectangular second coding area flag that indicates a presence of second coding area information; decoding the second coding area information, which indicates: an amount of a plurality of second coding areas that are included within the first coding area, wherein a second coding area of the plurality of second coding areas comprises a rectangular portion of the sequence of CTUs; and a second coding area height that is specified as an amount of CTUs arranged in a vertical direction within the second coding area; and deriving, based on the second coding area information, at least one additional horizontal boundary corresponding to the first coding area to obtain the plurality of second coding areas that are included within the first coding area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more horizontal boundaries extend the width of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile rows, wherein the one or more vertical boundaries extend the height of the picture and divide the picture into one or more tile columns, and wherein the plurality of first coding areas comprise a plurality of tiles. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second coding area is bounded on its left and right by vertical boundaries of the one or more vertical boundaries corresponding to the first coding area, and wherein the second coding area is bounded on its top or bottom by the at least one additional horizontal boundary. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, the second coding area information comprises syntax elements that are included in a picture parameter set (PPS). ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method of claim 14.