A video encoder includes: a restriction block identification unit that determines a valid prediction mode with a reference range not overlapping an unrefreshed region, for each size of a first sub-block, which is a unit for generating a prediction block, when a coding-target block in a refreshed region is to be encoded by intra prediction coding; and a coding mode determination unit that identifies a combination of the size of the first sub-block, the size of a second sub-block, which is a unit for application of a prediction mode, and a valid prediction mode with the smallest estimation value of the amount of code for encoding a third block, which is a unit for application of an intra prediction coding mode, as a combination to be used for intra prediction coding of the third sub-block.

Innovations are provided for encoding and/or decoding video and/or image content using transform coefficient level gradual updating. Transform coefficient level gradual updating can be applied by encoding (or decoding) different subsets of the transform coefficients for the blocks, macroblocks, or other coding unit for each of a sequence of pictures. For example, a first subset of the transform coefficients of the blocks of a first picture can be encoded with the first picture, a second subset of the transform coefficients of the blocks of a second picture can be encoded with the second picture, and so on. A decoder can reconstruct pictures with increasing quality by receiving additional subsets of the transform coefficients.

Innovations are provided for encoding and/or decoding video and/or image content using transform coefficient level gradual updating. Transform coefficient level gradual updating can be applied by encoding (or decoding) different subsets of the transform coefficients for the blocks, macroblocks, or other coding unit for each of a sequence of pictures. For example, a first subset of the transform coefficients of the blocks of a first picture can be encoded with the first picture, a second subset of the transform coefficients of the blocks of a second picture can be encoded with the second picture, and so on. A decoder can reconstruct pictures with increasing quality by receiving additional subsets of the transform coefficients.

A system for processing a masking region includes a transmitter configured to detect an object region, on which masking is to be performed, from an input image through a camera, convert the detected object region into a block region to perform masking, and encode and transmit an input image on which the masking is completed and a receiver configured to decode an image transmitted from the transmitted to extract a frame therefrom, detect a masked block region by units of extracted frames, and unmask the detected block region to restore the masked image to an original image.

Embodiments of this disclosure provide a coding unit partitioning method, image coding/decoding method and apparatuses thereof. The coding unit partitioning method is by performing down-sampling on a processing unit to be partitioned to obtain a block to be partitioned of a predetermined size; inputting a first vector transformed from the block to be partitioned into a trained neural network model to acquire an output result of the trained neural network model. The output result is a partition probability in a horizontal direction and a partition probability in a vertical direction. The method includes performing a horizontal partition on the processing unit to be partitioned when the partition probability in a horizontal direction is greater than or equal to a threshold, and performing a vertical partition on the processing unit to be partitioned when the partition probability in a vertical direction is greater than or equal to the threshold.

Embodiments of this disclosure provide a coding unit partitioning method, image coding/decoding method and apparatuses thereof. The coding unit partitioning method is by performing down-sampling on a processing unit to be partitioned to obtain a block to be partitioned of a predetermined size; inputting a first vector transformed from the block to be partitioned into a trained neural network model to acquire an output result of the trained neural network model. The output result is a partition probability in a horizontal direction and a partition probability in a vertical direction. The method includes performing a horizontal partition on the processing unit to be partitioned when the partition probability in a horizontal direction is greater than or equal to a threshold, and performing a vertical partition on the processing unit to be partitioned when the partition probability in a vertical direction is greater than or equal to the threshold.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for delivering extended payloads with composite watermarks. Examples disclosed herein embed a first watermark into a media stream in accordance with a first watermark technology, where the first watermark includes a first indicator bit and a first payload. Disclosed examples also embed a second watermark into the media stream in accordance with a second watermark technology, where the second watermark includes a second indicator bit and a second payload. In some disclosed examples, the first indicator bit and the second indicator bit are to indicate whether the first payload and the second payload are to be combined when the first watermark and the second watermark are decoded.

Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for video processing. In some examples, an apparatus for video processing includes processing circuitry. For example, processing circuitry determines a frame interval for a current block in a current frame within a sequence of frames. The frame interval indicates a group of frames in the sequence of frames with collocated blocks of the current block that satisfy an error metric requirement comparing to the current block. Further, the processing circuitry determines a replacement block based on the collocated blocks in the group of frames, and replaces the current block in the current frame with the replacement block.

Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for video processing. In some examples, an apparatus for video processing includes processing circuitry. For example, processing circuitry determines a frame interval for a current block in a current frame within a sequence of frames. The frame interval indicates a group of frames in the sequence of frames with collocated blocks of the current block that satisfy an error metric requirement comparing to the current block. Further, the processing circuitry determines a replacement block based on the collocated blocks in the group of frames, and replaces the current block in the current frame with the replacement block.

A deblocking method is provided for deblocking a sub-partition boundary within a coding block during image encoding and/or image decoding process. The coding block is coded in an intra prediction mode and the coding block is partitioned into sub-partitions comprising a first sub-partition and a second sub-partition that is adjacent to the first sub-partition. The method comprises: determining a maximum filter length to be 1 for a first/second sub-partition when a width of the first or second sub-partition is 4 samples, or when a height of the first or second sub-partition is 4 samples; modifying a value of up to one sample of the first or second sub-partition, wherein the value of the up to one sample is obtained from a row or a column of the first or second sub-partition that is perpendicular to and adjacent to the sub-partitions boundary between the first sub-partition and the second sub-partition.