For each image in a set of images, a representation of the image at a first level of quality is derived using a first representation of the image at a second, higher level of quality and is output for processing by a decoder. Configuration data is output for processing by the decoder to enable the decoder to detect whether or not the first representation of a given image in the set of images is to be reconstructed using residual data for the given image, the residual data: (i) being useable to reconstruct the first representation using a second representation of the image at the second level of quality, the second representation being based on the representation of the image at the first level of quality, and (ii) being derived based on the first representation and the second representation.

Systems and methods for providing imaging content using spatially varying encoding quality. Imaging content may be acquired using spherical lenses (e.g., fisheye). When viewing spherical imaging content, spherical to planar image transformations may be utilized. Such transformations (e.g., equirectangular) may be characterized by spatially varying image distortion. Transformed images may be encoded. Encoding process may be configured based on spatially varying encoding quality. Encoding quality may be configured based on the transformation such that portions of the transformed image characterized by greater distortion may be encoded using lower quality (e.g. greater QP values); portions of the transformed image characterized by lower distortion may be encoded using greater quality (e.g. lower QP values). Such encoding may produce a bitstream characterized by a lower bitrate for a given quality and/or better quality for a given bitrate as compared to an encoding process that may apply a uniform encoding quality.

According to the present invention, an image decoding method for supporting a plurality of layers includes the steps of: receiving and parsing layer-dependent information for reference layers that can be referenced by a current layer in an entire bitstream; when interlayer prediction is used in decoding a current picture in the current layer, receiving and parsing layer information for a reference layer referenced by the current picture among the reference layers; and decoding the current picture on the basis of the layer information.

According to the present invention, an image decoding method for supporting a plurality of layers includes the steps of: receiving and parsing layer-dependent information for reference layers that can be referenced by a current layer in an entire bitstream; when interlayer prediction is used in decoding a current picture in the current layer, receiving and parsing layer information for a reference layer referenced by the current picture among the reference layers; and decoding the current picture on the basis of the layer information.

Disclosed are a methods and/or systems for hybrid video coding. A hybrid video coding method may include generating scaled-down video frames by scaling down frames of an original video, generating a stream of a first layer by encoding the scaled-down video frames using a first encoder of a software codec, and generating a stream of a second layer using the frames of the original video and a second encoder of a hardware codec.

Disclosed are a methods and/or systems for hybrid video coding. A hybrid video coding method may include generating scaled-down video frames by scaling down frames of an original video, generating a stream of a first layer by encoding the scaled-down video frames using a first encoder of a software codec, and generating a stream of a second layer using the frames of the original video and a second encoder of a hardware codec.

There is provided an image processing apparatus including circuitry configured to predict an image of a second layer from an image of a first layer using a lookup table which maps combinations of a luminance component, a first color difference component, and a second color difference component of the first layer to predicted pixel values of the second layer corresponding to the combinations. The second layer has a different color gamut from the first layer. The circuitry uses the lookup table in which granularities of the first and second color difference components are lower than a granularity of the luminance component.

There is provided an image processing apparatus including circuitry configured to predict an image of a second layer from an image of a first layer using a lookup table which maps combinations of a luminance component, a first color difference component, and a second color difference component of the first layer to predicted pixel values of the second layer corresponding to the combinations. The second layer has a different color gamut from the first layer. The circuitry uses the lookup table in which granularities of the first and second color difference components are lower than a granularity of the luminance component.

There are provided an image processing device and a processing method thereof. The image processing method includes obtaining an interference signal using a sample beam and a reference beam, transforming the interference signal by using a numerical signal processing method or an intensity mixing method to generate a transformed interference signal, and obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) phase image by using the interference signal and the transformed interference signal.

There are provided an image processing device and a processing method thereof. The image processing method includes obtaining an interference signal using a sample beam and a reference beam, transforming the interference signal by using a numerical signal processing method or an intensity mixing method to generate a transformed interference signal, and obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) phase image by using the interference signal and the transformed interference signal.