External attention in neural network-based video coding

An apparatus for coding video data comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions upon execution by the processor cause the processor to:

• apply a neural network (NN) filter to an unfiltered sample of a video unit to generate a filtered sample, wherein the NN filter is based on an NN filter model configured to obtain an attention based on a coding parameter input;
• and
• convert between a video media file and a bitstream based on the filtered sample that was generated,
• wherein an intermediate feature map of the NN filter model is to be recalibrated by the attention, and wherein the attention is obtained by concatenating the coding parameter input with the intermediate feature map to provide a concatenated result, and feeding the concatenated result into convolutional layers of the NN filter.

A method for storing a bitstream of a video, comprising:

• applying a neural network (NN) filter to an unfiltered sample of a video unit to generate a filtered sample, wherein the NN filter is based on an NN filter model configured to obtain an attention based on a coding parameter input;
• generating the bitstream based on the filtered sample that was generated;
• and
• storing the bitstream in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium,
• wherein an intermediate feature map of the NN filter model is to be recalibrated by the attention, and wherein the attention is obtained by concatenating the coding parameter input with the intermediate feature map to provide a concatenated result, and feeding the concatenated result into convolutional layers of the NN filter.