Skip macroblock coding

One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computing system, when programmed thereby, to perform operations, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are selected from the group consisting of volatile memory, non-volatile memory, magnetic disk, CD-ROM, and DVD, the operations comprising:

• encoding plural video pictures of a video sequence to produce encoded data, the plural video pictures including plural predicted macroblocks, wherein each block of the plural predicted macroblocks is predicted from no more than one reference video picture, including:
• selecting a coding mode from among plural available coding modes;
• processing one or more skipped macroblocks among the plural predicted macroblocks, wherein each of the one or more skipped macroblocks uses predicted motion for the skipped macroblock based upon motion of one or more other predicted macroblocks around the skipped macroblock, and wherein each of the one or more skipped macroblocks lacks residual information;
• encoding skipped macroblock information for the one or more skipped macroblocks for signaling at a layer in bitstream syntax, wherein the skipped macroblock information indicates skipped/not skipped status, and wherein the encoding includes encoding the skipped macroblock information according to the coding mode selected from among the plural available coding modes;
• and
• outputting the encoded data in a bitstream.

One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computing system, when programmed thereby, to perform operations, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are selected from the group consisting of volatile memory, non-volatile memory, magnetic disk, CD-ROM, and DVD, the operations comprising:

• receiving encoded data in a bit stream for plural video pictures of a video sequence, the plural video pictures including plural predicted macroblocks, wherein each block of the plural predicted macroblocks is predicted from no more than one reference video picture;
• and
• decoding the plural video pictures, including:
• selecting a coding mode from among plural available coding modes;
• for one or more skipped macroblocks among the plural predicted macroblocks, decoding skipped macroblock information signaled at a layer in bitstream syntax, the skipped macroblock information having been encoded according to the coding mode selected from among the plural available coding modes, wherein the skipped macroblock information indicates skipped/not skipped status;
• and
• processing the one or more skipped macroblocks, wherein each of the one or more skipped macroblocks uses predicted motion for the skipped macroblock based upon motion of one or more other predicted macroblocks around the skipped macroblock, and wherein each of the one or more skipped macroblocks lacks residual information.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon encoded data in a bitstream for plural video pictures of a video sequence, the plural video pictures including plural predicted macroblocks, wherein each block of the plural predicted macroblocks is predicted from no more than one reference video picture, and wherein the computer-readable medium is volatile memory, non-volatile memory, a magnetic disk, a CD-ROM, or a DVD, the encoded data being organized for decoding operations that include

• selecting a coding mode from among plural available coding modes;
• for one or more skipped macroblocks among the plural predicted macroblocks, decoding skipped macroblock information signaled at a layer in bitstream syntax, the skipped macroblock information having been encoded according to the coding mode selected from among the plural available coding modes, wherein the skipped macroblock information indicates skipped/not skipped status;
• and
• processing the one or more skipped macroblocks, wherein each of the one or more skipped macroblocks uses predicted motion for the skipped macroblock based upon motion of one or more other predicted macroblocks around the skipped macroblock, and wherein each of the one or more skipped macroblocks lacks residual information.