Scalability using temporal sublayers

A method for decoding at least two lower spatial resolution pictures, picture A0 and picture A1, and two corresponding higher spatial resolution pictures, picture B0 and picture B1, from a bitstream, wherein the pictures A0 and B0 share the same content timestamp and pictures A1 and B1 share the same content timestamp, the method comprising:

• decoding the picture A0 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to A and an output order or timestamp value equal to T0 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture A0;
• decoding the picture B0 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to B and an output order or timestamp value equal to T1 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture B0, wherein the value B represents a higher temporal layer than the value A, and wherein the value T1 represents a later output than the value TO, and wherein the picture B0 uses the picture A0 for inter prediction;
• decoding the picture A1 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to A and an output order or timestamp value equal to T2 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture A1, wherein the value T2 represents a later output than the value T1, and wherein the picture A1 uses the picture A0 for inter prediction;
• decoding the picture B1 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to B and an output order or timestamp value equal to T3 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture B1, wherein the value T3 represents a later output than the value T2, and wherein the picture B1 uses the picture A1 and the picture B0 for inter prediction;
• and
• outputting the pictures B0 and B1 but not outputting the pictures A0 or A1.

An apparatus comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• a memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry cause the apparatus to:
• obtain an indication I1 that indicates whether or not a decoder should output pictures associated with a temporal layer with temporal layer identifier value T1;
• decode at least one picture P1 from a bitstream, wherein picture(s) P1 is (are) associated with the temporal layer with temporal layer identifier value T1;
• decode at least one picture P2 from the bitstream, wherein picture(s) P2 is (are) associated with a temporal layer with temporal layer identifier value T2 not equal to T1;
• responsive to the indication I1 having a first value, suppress output of the at least one picture P1;
• responsive to the indication I1 having a second value, not suppress output of the at least one picture P1;
• and
• output the at least one picture P2.

An apparatus comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• a memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry cause the apparatus to decode at least two lower spatial resolution pictures, picture A0 and picture A1, and two corresponding higher spatial resolution pictures, picture B0 and picture B1, from a bitstream, wherein the pictures A0 and B0 share the same content timestamp and the pictures A1 and B1 share the same content timestamp, by:
• decoding the picture A0 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to A and an output order or timestamp value equal to T0 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture A0;
• decoding the picture B0 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to B and an output order or timestamp value equal to T1 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture B0, wherein the value B represents a higher temporal layer than the value A, and wherein the value T1 represents a later output than the value TO, and wherein the picture B0 uses the picture A0 for inter prediction;
• decoding the picture A1 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to A and an output order or timestamp value equal to T2 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture A1, wherein the value T2 represents a later output than the value T1, and wherein the picture A1 uses the picture A0 for inter prediction;
• decoding the picture B1 from the bitstream, wherein a temporal ID value equal to B and an output order or timestamp value equal to T3 are decoded from the bitstream for the picture B1, wherein the value T3 represents a later output than the value T2, and wherein the picture B1 uses the picture A1 and the picture B0 for inter prediction;
• and
• outputting the pictures B0 and B1 but not outputting the pictures A0 or A1.