With the introduction of the H.264/AVC video coding standard, significant improvements have recently been demonstrated in video compression capability. The Joint Video Team of the ITU-T VCEG and the ISO/IEC MPEG has now also standardized a Scalable Video Coding (SVC) extension of the H.264/AVC standard. SVC enables the transmission and decoding of partial bit streams to provide video services with lower temporal or spatial resolutions or reduced fidelity while retaining a reconstruction quality that is high relative to the rate of the partial bit streams. Hence, SVC provides functionalities such as graceful degradation in lossy transmission environments as well as bit rate, format, and power adaptation. These functionalities provide enhancements to transmission and storage applications. SVC has achieved significant improvements in coding efficiency with an increased degree of supported scalability relative to the scalable profiles of prior video coding standards. This paper provides an overview of the basic concepts for extending H.264/AVC towards SVC. Moreover, the basic tools for providing temporal, spatial, and quality scalability are described in detail and experimentally analyzed regarding their efficiency and complexity.

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Overview of the Scalable Video Coding Extension of the H.264/AVC Standard

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The Scalable Video Coding Extension of the H.264/AVC Standard

A method of decoding a video signal is disclosed. The present invention includes obtaining identification information indicating whether a coded picture of a current NAL unit is an inter-view picture group, obtaining interview reference information of the inter-view picture group, and constructing a reference picture list for inter-view prediction using the inter-view reference information according to the identification information, wherein the inter-view reference information includes view identification information of an inter-view reference picture.

Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal

A method comprises receiving a first sequence of access units and a second sequence of access units; decoding at least one access unit of the first sequence of access units; decoding a first decodable access unit of the second sequence of access units; determining whether a next decodable access unit in the second sequence of access units can be decoded before an output time of the next decodable access unit in the second sequence of access units; and skipping decoding of the next decodable access unit based on determining that the next decodable access unit cannot be decoded before the at least one of the decoding time and the output time of the next decodable access unit.

Method and apparatus for video coding and decoding

Due to the increased popularity of augmented and virtual reality experiences, the interest in capturing the real world in multiple dimensions and in presenting it to users in an immersible fashion has never been higher. Distributing such representations enables users to freely navigate in multi-sensory 3D media experiences. Unfortunately, such representations require a large amount of data, not feasible for transmission on today’s networks. Efficient compression technologies well adopted in the content chain are in high demand and are key components to democratize augmented and virtual reality applications. Moving Picture Experts Group, as one of the main standardization groups dealing with multimedia, identified the trend and started recently the process of building an open standard for compactly representing 3D point clouds, which are the 3D equivalent of the very well-known 2D pixels. This paper introduces the main developments and technical aspects of this ongoing standardization effort.

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Emerging MPEG Standards for Point Cloud Compression

The High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard has recently been extended to support efficient representation of multiview video and depth-based 3D video formats. The multiview extension, MV-HEVC, allows efficient coding of multiple camera views and associated auxiliary pictures, and can be implemented by reusing single-layer decoders without changing the block-level processing modules since block-level syntax and decoding processes remain unchanged. Bit rate savings compared with HEVC simulcast are achieved by enabling the use of inter-view references in motion-compensated prediction. The more advanced 3D video extension, 3D-HEVC, targets a coded representation consisting of multiple views and associated depth maps, as required for generating additional intermediate views in advanced 3D displays. Additional bit rate reduction compared with MV-HEVC is achieved by specifying new block-level video coding tools, which explicitly exploit statistical dependencies between video texture and depth and specifically adapt to the properties of depth maps. The technical concepts and features of both extensions are presented in this paper.

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Overview of the Multiview and 3D Extensions of High Efficiency Video Coding

The increasing proportion of video traffic in telecommunication networks puts an emphasis on efficient video compression technology. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is the forthcoming video coding standard that provides substantial bit rate reductions compared to its predecessors. In the HEVC standardization process, technologies such as picture partitioning, reference picture management, and parameter sets are categorized as “high-level syntax.” The design of the high-level syntax impacts the interface to systems and error resilience, and provides new functionalities. This paper presents an overview of the HEVC high-level syntax, including network abstraction layer unit headers, parameter sets, picture partitioning schemes, reference picture management, and supplemental enhancement information messages.

Overview of HEVC High-Level Syntax and Reference Picture Management

In the last 17 years, since the finalization of the first version of the now-dominant H.264/Moving Picture Experts Group-4 (MPEG-4) Advanced Video Coding (AVC) standard in 2003, two major new generations of video coding standards have been developed. These include the standards known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and Versatile Video Coding (VVC). HEVC was finalized in 2013, repeating the ten-year cycle time set by its predecessor and providing about 50% bit-rate reduction over AVC. The cycle was shortened by three years for the VVC project, which was finalized in July 2020, yet again achieving about a 50% bit-rate reduction over its predecessor (HEVC). This article summarizes these developments in video coding standardization after AVC. It especially focuses on providing an overview of the first version of VVC, including comparisons against HEVC. Besides further advances in hybrid video compression, as in previous development cycles, the broad versatility of the application domain that is highlighted in the title of VVC is explained. Included in VVC is the support for a wide range of applications beyond the typical standard- and high-definition camera-captured content codings, including features to support computer-generated/screen content, high dynamic range content, multilayer and multiview coding, and support for immersive media such as 360° video.

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Developments in International Video Coding Standardization After AVC, With an Overview of Versatile Video Coding (VVC)

With the emerging applications such as online gaming and Wi-Fi display, screen content video, including computer generated text, graphics and animations, becomes more popular than ever. Traditional video coding technologies typically were developed based on models that fit into natural, camera-captured video. The distinct characteristics exhibited between these two types of contents necessitate the exploration of coding efficiency improvement given that new tools can be developed specially for screen content video. The HEVC Screen Content Coding Extensions (HEVC SCC) have been developed to incorporate such new coding tools in order to achieve better compression efficiency. In this paper, intra block copy (IBC, or intra picture block compensation), also named current picture referencing (CPR) in HEVC SCC, is introduced and discussed. This tool is very efficient for coding of screen content video in that repeated patterns in text and graphics rich content occur frequently within the same picture. Having a previously reconstructed block with equal or similar pattern as a predictor can effectively reduce the prediction error and therefore improve coding efficiency. Simulation results show that up to 50% BD rate reduction in all intra coding can be achieved with intra block copy enabled, compared to the HEVC reference encoder without this tool. Significant BD rate reductions for other coding configurations are also observed.

Intra Block Copy in HEVC Screen Content Coding Extensions

The transport of scalable media, and in particular of scalable video conforming to the forthcoming Scalable Video Coding (SVC) technology, presents challenges not only in the video compression technology, but also in transport and signaling. This paper discusses the current status of standardization of the support for scalable media, and SVC in particular, over IP based networks. Both the transport of SVC over the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), and the signaling support-namely the additional mechanisms in the Session Description Protocol (SDP)-are covered. As it turns out, the support of SVC over RTP is not quite as straightforward as that of nonscalable video bit streams. Specifically, the signaling architecture requires an almost complete overhaul, and new protocol mechanisms need to be introduced into the packetization.

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Ye-Kui Wang

Papers

Overview of the Multiview and 3D Extensions of High Efficiency Video Coding

Overview of HEVC High-Level Syntax and Reference Picture Management

Developments in International Video Coding Standardization After AVC, With an Overview of Versatile Video Coding (VVC)

Intra Block Copy in HEVC Screen Content Coding Extensions

Transport and Signaling of SVC in IP Networks