Signaling whether to use a first merge list or a second merge list in video coding

A device for decoding video data, the device comprising:

• one or more memories for storing the video data;
• and
• one or more processors implemented in circuitry and communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured to:
• determine to decode a current block of the video data using a merge mode;
• generate a first merge list for the current block, wherein as part of generating the first merge list for the current block, the one or more processors are configured to determine a plurality of merge candidates, each of the plurality of merge candidates in the first merge list having a respective local illumination compensation (LIC) flag;
• generate, based on the first merge list for the current block, a second merge list for the current block, wherein as part of generating the second merge list for the current block, the one or more processors are configured to copy the plurality of merge candidates from the first merge list to the second merge list and changing a respective LIC flag value for each of the plurality of merge candidates to an opposite value;
• obtain a flag from a bitstream;
• determine, based on a value of the flag, to use the second merge list for the current block;
• and
• decode the current block based on the second merge list.

Non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions, which when executed, cause one or more processors to:

• determine to decode a current block of video data using a merge mode;
• generate a first merge list for the current block, wherein as part of generating the first merge list for the current block, the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine a plurality of merge candidates, each of the plurality of merge candidates in the first merge list having a respective local illumination compensation (LIC) flag;
• generate, based on the first merge list for the current block, a second merge list for the current block, wherein as part of generating the second merge list for the current block, the instructions cause the one or more processors to copy the plurality of merge candidates from the first merge list to the second merge list and changing a respective LIC flag value for each of the plurality of merge candidates to an opposite value;
• obtain a flag from a bitstream;
• determine, based on a value of the flag, to use the second merge list for the current block;
• and
• decode the current block based on the second merge list.