A method and apparatus for characteristic-based video processing include: in response to receiving a region of a picture of a video sequence, determining a characteristic in the region, the region being independent of other regions of the picture for video coding; determining a class associated with the region based on the characteristic, the class being selected from a plurality of classes; and encoding the region using a parameter set associated with the class, the parameter set being selected from a plurality of parameter sets for video coding at different quality levels.

A method and apparatus for characteristic-based video processing include: in response to receiving a region of a picture of a video sequence, determining a characteristic in the region, the region being independent of other regions of the picture for video coding; determining a class associated with the region based on the characteristic, the class being selected from a plurality of classes; and encoding the region using a parameter set associated with the class, the parameter set being selected from a plurality of parameter sets for video coding at different quality levels.

A method of encoding a video stream including an overlay is provided, including: capturing a first image; adding an overlay to the first image at a first position, and encoding the first image in a first frame of a video stream; capturing a second image of the scene; determining a desired position of the overlay in the second image; encoding the second image in a second frame marked as a no-display frame, and generating and encoding a third frame including temporally predicted macroblocks at the desired position of the overlay referencing the first frame with motion vectors based on a difference between the desired position and the first position, and skip-macroblocks outside of the desired position of the overlay referencing the first frame. A corresponding device, computer program and computer program product are also provided.

Provided are techniques for providing animation in electronic communications. An image is generated by capturing multiple photographs from a camera or video camera. The first photograph is called the “key photo.” Using a graphics program, photos subsequent to the key photo are edited to cut an element common to the subsequent photos. The cut images are pasted into the key photo as layers. The modified key photo including the layers, is stored as a web-enabled graphics file, which is then transmitted in conjunction with electronic communication. When the electronic communication is received, the key photo is displayed and each of the layers is displayed and removed in the order that each was taken with a short delay between photos. In this manner, a movie is generated with much smaller files than is currently possible.

Provided are techniques for providing animation in electronic communications. An image is generated by capturing multiple photographs from a camera or video camera. The first photograph is called the “key photo.” Using a graphics program, photos subsequent to the key photo are edited to cut an element common to the subsequent photos. The cut images are pasted into the key photo as layers. The modified key photo including the layers, is stored as a web-enabled graphics file, which is then transmitted in conjunction with electronic communication. When the electronic communication is received, the key photo is displayed and each of the layers is displayed and removed in the order that each was taken with a short delay between photos. In this manner, a movie is generated with much smaller files than is currently possible.

There is provided an encoding device, an encoding method, a decoding device, and a decoding method capable of generating a more accurate three-dimensional model. A three-dimensional model generating unit generates three-dimensional model information representing a three-dimensional model of a subject on the basis of a plurality of captured images and active depth information, and a conversion processing unit converts the three-dimensional model represented by the three-dimensional model information into a plurality of two-dimensional images by projecting the three-dimensional model from a plurality of directions, and generates depth information representing a depth from an arbitrary viewpoint to the three-dimensional model by using the plurality of two-dimensional images. Then, transmit data including the plurality of two-dimensional images, the depth information, and the active depth information is transmitted to the decoding device. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a free viewpoint video transmission system.

An example apparatus includes image processing circuitry to determine an uncovered region of a background image in a current video frame relative to the background image in a previous video frame, the uncovered region obscured in the previous video frame by a first foreground region of the previous video frame, and the uncovered region uncovered in the current video frame based on movement of a second foreground region in the current video frame relative to the first foreground region of the previous video frame, and encoder circuitry to generate an updated frame portion by encoding the second foreground region and dirty blocks of the background image corresponding to the uncovered region without encoding static blocks of the background image, the static blocks not corresponding to the uncovered region, and store the updated frame portion in the at least one memory.

An image encoding/decoding method and apparatus are provided. An image decoding method performed by an image decoding apparatus according to the present disclosure is an image decoding method performed by an image decoding apparatus which reconstructs a VCM bitstream generated by video coding for machine (VCM), and may comprise the steps of determining a purpose of the VCM bitstream; and reconstructing the VCM bitstream on the basis of the determined purpose of the VCM bitstream, wherein the purpose of the VCM bitstream comprises at least one of a machine task and a human task.

A method for encoding a picture of a video sequence in a bit stream that reduces slice header parsing overhead is provided. The method includes determining weighting factors that may be used for weighted prediction in encoding at least one slice of the picture, wherein a total number of the weighting factors is constrained to not exceed a predetermined threshold number of weighting factors, wherein the threshold number is less than a maximum possible number of weighting factors, and signaling weighted prediction parameters including the weighting factors in a slice header in the bit stream.

A method for encoding a picture of a video sequence in a bit stream that reduces slice header parsing overhead is provided. The method includes determining weighting factors that may be used for weighted prediction in encoding at least one slice of the picture, wherein a total number of the weighting factors is constrained to not exceed a predetermined threshold number of weighting factors, wherein the threshold number is less than a maximum possible number of weighting factors, and signaling weighted prediction parameters including the weighting factors in a slice header in the bit stream.