Non-binary occupancy map for video based point cloud coding

An apparatus for encoding a video stream using video point cloud coding, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one memory configured to store program code;
• and
• at least one processor configured to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code comprising:
• first obtaining code configured to cause the at least one processor to obtain a source point cloud;
• first generating code configured to cause the at least one processor to generate an occupancy map based on the source point cloud;
• encoding code configured to cause the at least one processor to encode the occupancy map to generate an encoded occupancy map, wherein a block of the encoded occupancy map corresponds to a plurality of pixels of the occupancy map;
• selecting code configured to cause the at least one processor to select an occupancy value of the block based on the plurality of pixels, wherein the occupancy value is a non-binary value, wherein each bit of the occupancy value indicates an occupancy pattern of a corresponding subset of two or more pixels of the plurality of pixels, wherein a number of the plurality of pixels is 16 and a number of bits of the non-binary value is 4, and wherein each bit of the non-binary value corresponds to an occupancy status of 4 pixels;
• and
• second generating code configured to cause the at least one processor to generate an encoded video stream based on the selected occupancy value.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions encoding a video stream using video point cloud coding that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

• obtain a source point cloud;
• generate an occupancy map based on the source point cloud;
• encode the occupancy map to generate an encoded occupancy map, wherein a block of the encoded occupancy map corresponds to a plurality of pixels of the occupancy map;
• select an occupancy value of the block based on the plurality of pixels, wherein the occupancy value is a non-binary value, wherein each bit of the occupancy value indicates an occupancy pattern of a corresponding subset of two or more pixels of the plurality of pixels, wherein a number of the plurality of pixels is 16 and a number of bits of the non-binary value is 4, and wherein each bit of the non-binary value corresponds to an occupancy status of 4 pixels;
• and
• generate an encoded video stream based on the selected occupancy value.