Method and apparatus for video coding using prediction data refinement

A method, comprising:

• encoding an image region of a picture using a prediction refinement filter, operating in a coding loop on a prediction for an input image region and before a residual error is generated, to refine any of an intra prediction and an inter prediction for the image region,
• wherein said prediction refinement filter refines the inter prediction for the image region using at least one of previously decoded data and previously encoded data, the previously decoded data and the previously encoded data corresponding to pixel values in neighboring regions with respect to the image region,
• wherein said encoding step is performed in an encoder that includes the prediction refinement filter, the encoder further including an inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit and a combiner, the inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit having an output directly connected to a first input of the combiner, the combiner having a second input directly connected to an output of the prediction refinement filter,
• wherein the encoder further comprises a deblocking filter, and an output of the combiner is directly connected to both an input of the prediction refinement filter and an input of the deblocking filter.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a decoder for decoding an image region of a picture, said decoder having a prediction refinement filter, operating in a decoding loop on a prediction for an input image region and before a residual error is generated, for refining any of an intra prediction and an inter prediction for the image region,
• wherein said prediction refinement filter refines the inter prediction for the image region using previously decoded data corresponding to pixel values in neighboring regions with respect to the image region,
• wherein said decoder further includes an inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit and a combiner, the inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit having an output directly connected to a first input of the combiner, the combiner having a second input directly connected to an output of the prediction refinement filter,
• wherein the decoder further comprises a deblocking filter, and an output of the combiner is directly connected to both an input of the prediction refinement filter and an input of the deblocking filter.

A method, comprising:

• decoding an image region of a picture using a prediction refinement filter, operating in a decoding loop on a prediction for an input image region and before a residual error is generated, to refine any of an intra prediction and an inter prediction for the image region,
• wherein said prediction refinement filter refines the inter prediction for the image region using previously decoded data corresponding to pixel values in neighboring regions with respect to the image region,
• wherein said decoding step is performed in a decoder that includes the prediction refinement filter, the decoder further including an inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit and a combiner, the inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit having an output directly connected to a first input of the combiner, the combiner having a second input directly connected to an output of the prediction refinement filter,
• wherein the decoder further comprises a deblocking filter, and an output of the combiner is directly connected to both an input of the prediction refinement filter and an input of the deblocking filter.

A non-transitory storage media readable by a machine and having executable instructions encoded thereupon to perform an encoding method, the method steps comprising:

• encoding an image region of a picture using a prediction refinement filter, operating in a coding loop on a prediction for an input image region and before a residual error is generated, to refine any of an intra prediction and an inter prediction for the image region,
• wherein said prediction refinement filter refines the inter prediction for the image region using at least one of previously decoded data and previously encoded data, the previously decoded data and the previously encoded data corresponding to pixel values in neighboring regions with respect to the image region,
• wherein said encoding step is performed in an encoder that includes the prediction refinement filter, the encoder further including an inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit and a combiner, the inverse transformer and inverse quantizer unit having an output directly connected to a first input of the combiner, the combiner having a second input directly connected to an output of the prediction refinement filter,
• wherein the encoder further comprises a deblocking filter, and an output of the combiner is directly connected to both an input of the prediction refinement filter and an input of the deblocking filter.