Methods of encoding and decoding for video data are described in which multi-level significance maps are used in the encoding and decoding processes. The significant-coefficient flags that form the significance map are grouped into contiguous groups, and a significant-coefficient-group flag signifies for each group whether that group contains no non-zero significant-coefficient flags. A multi-level scan order may be used in which significant-coefficient flags are scanned group-by-group. The group scan order specifies the order in which the groups are processed, and the scan order specifies the order in which individual significant-coefficient flags within the group are processed. The bitstream may interleave the significant-coefficient-group flags and their corresponding significant-coefficient flags, if any.

Methods of encoding and decoding for video data are described in which multi-level significance maps are used in the encoding and decoding processes. The significant-coefficient flags that form the significance map are grouped into contiguous groups, and a significant-coefficient-group flag signifies for each group whether that group contains no non-zero significant-coefficient flags. A multi-level scan order may be used in which significant-coefficient flags are scanned group-by-group. The group scan order specifies the order in which the groups are processed, and the scan order specifies the order in which individual significant-coefficient flags within the group are processed. The bitstream may interleave the significant-coefficient-group flags and their corresponding significant-coefficient flags, if any.

A method of encoding an image in a merge mode, the method including determining motion information of a current prediction unit, and generating a prediction block using the motion information; generating a residual block using an original block and the prediction block, transforming the residual block to generating a transformed block, quantizing the transformed block using a quantization parameter to generate a quantized block, and scanning the quantized block to entropy-code the quantized block; and encoding the motion information using effective spatial and temporal merge candidates of the current prediction unit. Further, a motion vector of the temporal merge candidate is a motion vector of a temporal merge candidate within a temporal merge candidate picture, and the quantization parameter is encoded using an average of two effective quantization parameters among a left quantization parameter, an upper quantization parameter and a previous quantization parameter of a current coding unit, also when the quantized block is larger than a predetermined size, the quantized block is divided into a plurality of subblocks to be scanned, and a scan pattern for scanning the plurality of subblocks is the same as a scan pattern for scanning quantized coefficients within each subblock. In addition, information indicating a position of a last non-zero quantized coefficient in a transform unit is transmitted to a video decoder.

A method of encoding an image in a merge mode, the method including determining motion information of a current prediction unit, and generating a prediction block using the motion information; generating a residual block using an original block and the prediction block, transforming the residual block to generating a transformed block, quantizing the transformed block using a quantization parameter to generate a quantized block, and scanning the quantized block to entropy-code the quantized block; and encoding the motion information using effective spatial and temporal merge candidates of the current prediction unit. Further, a motion vector of the temporal merge candidate is a motion vector of a temporal merge candidate within a temporal merge candidate picture, and the quantization parameter is encoded using an average of two effective quantization parameters among a left quantization parameter, an upper quantization parameter and a previous quantization parameter of a current coding unit, also when the quantized block is larger than a predetermined size, the quantized block is divided into a plurality of subblocks to be scanned, and a scan pattern for scanning the plurality of subblocks is the same as a scan pattern for scanning quantized coefficients within each subblock. In addition, information indicating a position of a last non-zero quantized coefficient in a transform unit is transmitted to a video decoder.

Coding using efficient context handling in arithmetic coding is disclosed. A method for decoding a current block in a scan order includes identifying a current entropy coded transform coefficient from the current block, and entropy decoding the current entropy coded transform coefficient. Entropy decoding the current entropy coded transform coefficient may include determining, based on the scan order, a first scan order distance between a scan order location corresponding to the current entropy coded transform coefficient and a scan order location corresponding to a first context coefficient, identifying a first context coefficient value from a first location in a context coefficient register, the first location corresponding to the first scan order distance, and entropy decoding the current entropy coded transform coefficient based on the first context coefficient value. The method also includes including the entropy decoded current transform coefficient in an output bitstream.

Coding using efficient context handling in arithmetic coding is disclosed. A method for decoding a current block in a scan order includes identifying a current entropy coded transform coefficient from the current block, and entropy decoding the current entropy coded transform coefficient. Entropy decoding the current entropy coded transform coefficient may include determining, based on the scan order, a first scan order distance between a scan order location corresponding to the current entropy coded transform coefficient and a scan order location corresponding to a first context coefficient, identifying a first context coefficient value from a first location in a context coefficient register, the first location corresponding to the first scan order distance, and entropy decoding the current entropy coded transform coefficient based on the first context coefficient value. The method also includes including the entropy decoded current transform coefficient in an output bitstream.

A general entropy coding method for source symbols is disclosed. This method determines a prefix part and any suffix part for the current symbol. The method divides prefix of the source symbol into at least two parts by comparing a test value related to the prefix part against a threshold. If the test value is greater than or equal to the threshold, the method derives a first binary string by binarizing a first prefix part related to the prefix part using a first variable length code. If the test value related to the prefix part is less than the threshold, the method derives a second binary string by binarizing a second prefix part related to the prefix part using a second variable length code or a first fixed-length code. The method then encodes at least one of the first binary string and the second binary string using a CABAC mode.

A general entropy coding method for source symbols is disclosed. This method determines a prefix part and any suffix part for the current symbol. The method divides prefix of the source symbol into at least two parts by comparing a test value related to the prefix part against a threshold. If the test value is greater than or equal to the threshold, the method derives a first binary string by binarizing a first prefix part related to the prefix part using a first variable length code. If the test value related to the prefix part is less than the threshold, the method derives a second binary string by binarizing a second prefix part related to the prefix part using a second variable length code or a first fixed-length code. The method then encodes at least one of the first binary string and the second binary string using a CABAC mode.

Adaptive stochastic entropy encoding may include identifying a current portion of an input video stream, and identifying a current probability distribution, which may be an adapted probability distribution associated with a previously encoded portion of the video stream. Adaptive stochastic entropy encoding may include identifying a forward update probability distribution based on the current portion, generating a modified probability distribution for the current portion based on the forward update probability distribution and the current probability distribution, generating an encoded portion based on the current portion and the modified probability distribution, and generating an adapted probability distribution based on the current probability distribution and the forward update probability distribution.

Adaptive stochastic entropy encoding may include identifying a current portion of an input video stream, and identifying a current probability distribution, which may be an adapted probability distribution associated with a previously encoded portion of the video stream. Adaptive stochastic entropy encoding may include identifying a forward update probability distribution based on the current portion, generating a modified probability distribution for the current portion based on the forward update probability distribution and the current probability distribution, generating an encoded portion based on the current portion and the modified probability distribution, and generating an adapted probability distribution based on the current probability distribution and the forward update probability distribution.