A video coding mechanism for viewpoint dependent video coding is disclosed. The mechanism includes mapping a spherical video sequence into a plurality of sub-picture video sequences. The mechanism further includes encoding the plurality of sub-picture video sequences as sub-picture bitstreams to support merging of the plurality of sub-picture bitstreams, the encoding ensuring that each sub-picture bitstream is self-referenced and two or more of the sub-picture bitstreams can be merged to generate a single video bitstream using a lightweight bitstream rewriting process that does not involve changing of any block-level coding results. A mergable indication is encoded to indicate that the sub-picture bitstream containing the indication is compatible with a multi-bitstream merge function for reconstruction of the spherical video sequence. A set of the sub-picture bitstreams and the mergable indication are transmitted toward the decoder to support decoding and displaying a virtual reality video viewport.

A video coding mechanism for viewpoint dependent video coding is disclosed. The mechanism includes mapping a spherical video sequence into a plurality of sub-picture video sequences. The mechanism further includes encoding the plurality of sub-picture video sequences as sub-picture bitstreams to support merging of the plurality of sub-picture bitstreams, the encoding ensuring that each sub-picture bitstream is self-referenced and two or more of the sub-picture bitstreams can be merged to generate a single video bitstream using a lightweight bitstream rewriting process that does not involve changing of any block-level coding results. A mergable indication is encoded to indicate that the sub-picture bitstream containing the indication is compatible with a multi-bitstream merge function for reconstruction of the spherical video sequence. A set of the sub-picture bitstreams and the mergable indication are transmitted toward the decoder to support decoding and displaying a virtual reality video viewport.

The entropy coding of a current part of a predetermined entropy slice is based on, not only, the respective probability estimations of the predetermined entropy slice as adapted using the previously coded part of the predetermined entropy slice, but also probability estimations as used in the entropy coding of a spatially neighboring, in entropy slice order preceding entropy slice at a neighboring part thereof. Thereby, the probability estimations used in entropy coding are adapted to the actual symbol statistics more closely, thereby lowering the coding efficiency decrease normally caused by lower-delay concepts. Temporal interrelationships are exploited additionally or alternatively.

The entropy coding of a current part of a predetermined entropy slice is based on, not only, the respective probability estimations of the predetermined entropy slice as adapted using the previously coded part of the predetermined entropy slice, but also probability estimations as used in the entropy coding of a spatially neighboring, in entropy slice order preceding entropy slice at a neighboring part thereof. Thereby, the probability estimations used in entropy coding are adapted to the actual symbol statistics more closely, thereby lowering the coding efficiency decrease normally caused by lower-delay concepts. Temporal interrelationships are exploited additionally or alternatively.

An image encoding/decoding method and apparatus are provided. An image decoding method performed by an image decoding apparatus may comprise identifying a current chroma block by splitting an image, identifying whether a matrix based intra prediction mode applies to a first luma sample position corresponding to the current chroma block, identifying whether a predetermined prediction mode applies to a second luma sample position corresponding to the current chroma block, based on the matrix based intra prediction mode doing not apply, and determining an intra prediction mode candidate of the current chroma block based on an intra prediction mode applying to a third luma sample position corresponding to the current chroma block, based on the predetermined prediction mode doing not apply.

An image encoding/decoding method and apparatus are provided. An image decoding method performed by an image decoding apparatus may comprise identifying a current chroma block by splitting an image, identifying whether a matrix based intra prediction mode applies to a first luma sample position corresponding to the current chroma block, identifying whether a predetermined prediction mode applies to a second luma sample position corresponding to the current chroma block, based on the matrix based intra prediction mode doing not apply, and determining an intra prediction mode candidate of the current chroma block based on an intra prediction mode applying to a third luma sample position corresponding to the current chroma block, based on the predetermined prediction mode doing not apply.

A variable length coding method is comprised of: a coefficient value scanning step in which an RL sequence generation unit, a reordering unit, and a binarization unit scan coefficient values within a block in a predetermined scanning order starting at a higher-frequency component toward a lower-frequency component; and an arithmetic coding step in which an arithmetic coding unit and a table storage unit perform arithmetic coding on the absolute values of the coefficient values according to the scanning order used in the coefficient value scanning step, by switching between probability tables for use, wherein, in the arithmetic coding step, a probability table to be used is switched to another probability table in one direction, when the arithmetic-coded absolute values of the coefficient values include an absolute value exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

Downsampled video content is generated in a subsampling color space from linearized video content in the subsampling color space. The linearized video content represents a first spatial dimension, whereas the downsampled video content represents a second spatial dimension lower than the first spatial dimension. Opponent channel data is derived in a transmission color space from the downsampled video content. Output video content is generated from luminance data in the linearized video content and the opponent channel data in the transmission color space. The output video content may be decoded by a downstream recipient device to generate video content in an output color space.

Downsampled video content is generated in a subsampling color space from linearized video content in the subsampling color space. The linearized video content represents a first spatial dimension, whereas the downsampled video content represents a second spatial dimension lower than the first spatial dimension. Opponent channel data is derived in a transmission color space from the downsampled video content. Output video content is generated from luminance data in the linearized video content and the opponent channel data in the transmission color space. The output video content may be decoded by a downstream recipient device to generate video content in an output color space.

The present disclosure relates to an image processing device and an image processing method for generating a celestial sphere image such that the pixels near the poles of the sphere are kept from increasing in density when the image is mapped to the sphere surface.

An encoder encodes, with respect to an omnidirectional image generated by equidistant cylindrical projection to include a top image, a middle image, and a bottom image in a vertical direction, the middle image into an encoded stream at a high resolution, and the top image and the bottom image into encoded streams at a resolution lower than the high resolution. This disclosure is applicable to image display systems, among others.