U.S. patent application number 14/611630 was filed with the patent office on 2015-05-28 for method and apparatus for encoding video by using transformation index, and method and apparatus for decoding video by using transformation index.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Min-su CHEON, Woo-jin HAN, Il-koo KIM, Tammy LEE, Jung-hye MIN.
Application Number | 20150146791 14/611630 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44709667 |
Filed Date | 2015-05-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150146791 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MIN; Jung-hye ; et
al. |
May 28, 2015 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENCODING VIDEO BY USING TRANSFORMATION
INDEX, AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECODING VIDEO BY USING
TRANSFORMATION INDEX
Abstract
Encoding and decoding a video using transformation index that
indicates information that indicates a structure of a
transformation unit transforming data of a current coding unit.
Inventors: |
MIN; Jung-hye; (Suwon-si,
KR) ; HAN; Woo-jin; (Suwon-si, KR) ; LEE;
Tammy; (Seoul, KR) ; KIM; Il-koo; (Osan-si,
KR) ; CHEON; Min-su; (Suwon-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
44709667 |
Appl. No.: |
14/611630 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13079983 |
Apr 5, 2011 |
8982961 |
|
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14611630 |
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61320826 |
Apr 5, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
375/240.18 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 19/96 20141101;
H04N 19/44 20141101; H04N 19/46 20141101; H04N 19/122 20141101;
H04N 19/60 20141101; H04N 19/176 20141101; H04N 19/635 20141101;
H04N 19/172 20141101 |
Class at
Publication: |
375/240.18 |
International
Class: |
H04N 19/635 20060101
H04N019/635 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 5, 2010 |
KR |
10-2010-0096920 |
Claims
1. A video decoding apparatus comprising: a receiver which receives
a bitstream of an encoded video; an extractor which extracts from
the bitstream split information indicating whether a coding unit is
split and transformation index information indicating whether a
transformation unit of a current level included in a coding unit
among at least one coding unit is split; and a decoder which
determines the at least one coding unit by using the split
information, splits the transformation unit of the current level
into transformation units of a lower level when the transformation
index information indicates a split of the transformation unit of
the current level, and performs an inverse transformation on the
transformation unit of the current level to generate residual data
corresponding to the transformation unit of the current level when
the transformation index information indicates a non-split of the
transformation unit of the current level.
2. The video decoding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the
transformation unit of the current level is included in the coding
unit, and a size of the transformation unit of the current level is
smaller than or equal to a size of the coding unit.
3. The video decoding apparatus of claim 2, wherein the
transformation unit of the current level is obtained by halving a
height and a width of the coding unit.
4. The video decoding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coding unit
is a data unit in which a picture of the encoded video is encoded
and the transformation unit of the current level is a data unit in
which the data of the coding unit is transformed.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a Continuation application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/079,983, filed on Apr. 5, 2011, in
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/320,826, filed on Apr.
5, 2010, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and priority from
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0096920, filed on Oct. 5,
2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures
of which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The exemplary embodiments relate to video encoding and video
decoding in which transformation between a spatial domain and a
transformation domain is performed.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] As hardware for reproducing and storing high resolution or
high quality video content is being developed and supplied, a need
for a video codec for effectively encoding or decoding the high
resolution or high quality video content is increasing. In a
conventional video codec, a video is encoded according to a limited
encoding method based on a macroblock having a predetermined size.
In the conventional video codec, video data is encoded and decoded
by performing transformation and inverse transformation on
macroblocks by using blocks each having the same size.
SUMMARY
[0006] According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there is
provided a method of encoding a video including: determining a
transformation unit that is a data unit in which a current coding
unit is transformed, the coding unit being a data unit in which a
current picture of the video is encoded; transforming data of the
current coding unit based on the determined transformation unit to
encode the data of the current coding unit; and outputting the
encoded data of the current coding unit, encoding mode information
that indicates an encoding mode of the encoded data of the current
coding unit, and transformation index information that indicates a
structure of the transformation unit transforming the data of the
current coding unit, as a bitstream.
[0007] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a method of decoding an encoded video including:
receiving a bitstream of the encoded video and parsing the received
bitstream; extracting encoded data of a current coding unit that is
a data unit in which a current picture of the encoded video is
encoded, encoding mode information that indicates an encoding mode
of the encoded data of the current coding unit, and transformation
index information that indicates a structure of a transformation
unit that is a data unit in which the data of the current coding
unit is transformed, from the parsed bitstream; and performing
inverse transformation on the encoded data of the current coding
unit based on the transformation index information to decode the
encoded data of the current coding unit transformed in the
transformation unit.
[0008] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a video encoding apparatus including a processor,
the apparatus including: a transformation unit determiner which
determines a transformation unit that is a data unit in which a
current coding unit is transformed, the coding unit being a data
unit in which a current picture of a received video is encoded; an
encoding unit which transforms data of the current coding unit
based on the determined transformation unit to encode the data of
the current coding unit; and an encoded data output unit which
outputs the encoded data of the current coding unit, encoding mode
information that indicates an encoding mode of the encoded data of
the current coding unit, and transformation index information that
indicates a structure of the transformation unit transforming the
data of the current coding unit.
[0009] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a video decoding apparatus including a processor,
the apparatus including: a receiver which receives a bitstream of
an encoded video and parses the received bitstream; an extractor
which extracts encoded data of a current coding unit that is a data
unit in which a current picture of the encoded video is encoded,
encoding mode information that indicates an encoding mode of the
encoded data of the current coding unit, and transformation index
information that indicates a structure of a transformation unit
that is a data unit in which the current coding unit is
transformed, from the parsed bitstream; and a decoder which
performs inverse transformation on the encoded data of the current
coding unit based on the transformation index information to decode
the encoded data of the current coding unit transformed in the
transformation unit.
[0010] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a video encoding apparatus including a processor,
the apparatus including: a maximum coding unit splitter which
splits a current picture into at least one maximum coding unit; a
coding unit determiner which determines coding units having a tree
structure that include coding units of a coded depth that are
hierarchical according to depths in a same region of the at least
one maximum coding unit and independent in different regions, by
independently determining a coding unit of a coded depth to output
an encoding result for each deeper coding unit, from among all
deeper coding units hierarchically constructed according to depths
that indicate numbers of times the at least one maximum coding unit
is spatially split, for each of the at least one maximum coding
unit, and determining a transformation unit being a data unit in
which a current coding unit from among the coding units having the
tree structure is transformed, to encode the current coding unit by
including transformation based on the transformation unit; and an
output unit which encodes and outputs encoded data of the current
picture, information about a coded depth of the coding units having
the tree structure and an encoding mode, and transformation index
information about a structure of transformation units of the coding
units of the coded depth, for each of the maximum coding units.
[0011] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a video decoding apparatus including a processor,
the apparatus including: a receiver which receives a bitstream of
an encoded video and parses the received bitstream; an image data
and encoded information extractor which extracts encoded data of a
picture, information about a coded depth and an encoding mode, and
transformation index information about a structure of
transformation units of the coding units of the coded depth,
according to coding units having a tree structure included in each
of a plurality of maximum coding units into which the picture is
split, from the parsed bitstream; and an image data decoder that
decodes the encoded data by performing inverse transformation on
the coding units of the coded depth, based on transformation units
obtained based on the transformation index information, for each of
the plurality of maximum coding units, wherein the coding units
having the tree structure comprise coding units corresponding to a
coded depth determined to output an encoding result from among
deeper coding units hierarchically constructed according to depths
that indicate numbers of times the maximum coding unit is spatially
split, when at least one of the plurality of maximum coding units
is encoded.
[0012] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a computer readable recording medium having
recorded thereon a program for executing the method of encoding a
video.
[0013] According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment,
there is provided a computer readable recording medium having
recorded thereon a program for executing the method of decoding a
video.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above and/or other aspects will become more apparent by
describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference
to the attached drawings in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a
transformation unit and a transformation index, according to an
exemplary embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a
transformation unit and a transformation index, according to an
exemplary embodiment;
[0019] FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating examples of use of
the transformation index according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a video encoding method
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a video decoding method
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus
using coding units having a tree structure and a transformation
index, according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus
using coding units having a tree structure and a transformation
index, according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing a concept of coding
units according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an image encoder based on
coding units according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an image decoder based on
coding units according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating deeper coding units
according to depths, and partitions according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 15 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a
coding unit and transformation units, according to an exemplary
embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 16 is a diagram for describing encoding information of
coding units corresponding to a coded depth, according to an
exemplary embodiment;
[0030] FIG. 17 is a diagram of deeper coding units according to
depths, according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0031] FIGS. 18 through 20 are diagrams for describing a
relationship between coding units, prediction units, and
transformation units, according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 21 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a
coding unit, a prediction unit or partition, and a transformation
unit, according to encoding mode information of Table 1;
[0033] FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a video encoding method
that uses a transformation index on the basis of coding units and
transformation units having a tree structure, according to an
exemplary embodiment; and
[0034] FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating a video decoding method
that use a transformation index on the basis of the coding units
and the transformation units having a tree structure, according to
an exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0035] Hereinafter, the exemplary embodiments will be described
more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
THE exemplary embodiments are shown. In the exemplary embodiments,
"unit" may or may not refer to a unit of size, depending on its
context, and an `image` may denote a still image for a video or a
moving image, that is, the video itself.
[0036] Hereinafter, a `coding unit` is an encoding data unit in
which the image data is encoded at an encoder side and an encoded
data unit in which the encoded image data is decoded at a decoder
side, according to exemplary embodiments. Also, a `coded depth`
indicates a depth where a coding unit is encoded.
[0037] Encoding and decoding of a video by using a transformation
index on the basis of transformation units having a tree structure,
according to an exemplary embodiment, will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 through 8. Encoding and decoding of a video by
using a transformation index on the basis of coding units and
transformation units having a tree structure, according to an
exemplary embodiment, be described with reference to FIGS. 9
through 23.
[0038] First, a method and apparatus for encoding video by using a
transformation index and a method and apparatus for decoding video
by using a transformation index according to an exemplary
embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus 10
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, the video encoding apparatus 10 using a
transformation index includes a transformation unit determiner 12,
an encoding unit 14, and an encoded data output unit 16. For
convenience of explanation, the video encoding apparatus using a
transformation index will be referred to as a video encoding
apparatus 10. The operations of the transformation unit determiner
12, the encoding unit 14, and the encoded data output unit 16 of
the video encoding apparatus 10 may be organically controlled by a
(not shown) video encoding processor, a central processing unit
(CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or the like.
[0041] The video encoding apparatus 10 splits a current picture of
a received video into data units, each unit having a predetermined
size, and performs encoding on each of the data units, to encode
the current picture. Hereinafter, a data unit in which the current
picture is encoded is referred to as a `coding unit`. The video
encoding apparatus 10 may encode the current picture by performing
predictive encoding including inter-prediction and
intra-prediction, transformation and quantization, and entropy
encoding on each coding unit.
[0042] The transformation unit determiner 12 determines a
transformation unit, that is, a data unit in which a current coding
unit, from among the coding units of the current picture, is
transformed. The transformation unit may be included in the current
coding unit, and may be determined to be a data unit having a size
smaller than or equal to the current coding unit. The
transformation unit determiner 12 may generate the transformation
unit by halving the height and width of the current coding unit,
i.e., quartering the current coding unit.
[0043] The transformation unit determiner 12 may generate
transformation units of a lower level by halving the height and
width of the transformation unit. The transformation unit
determiner 12 may split the current coding unit into transformation
units each having the same size by splitting all transformation
units into transformation units of a lower level. Since the height
and width of each transformation unit are halved, the current
coding unit may be split into transformation units each having the
same size, and the total number of transformation units of a lower
level is 4 to the power of a positive integer.
[0044] The transformation unit determiner 12 may determine
transformation units having a tree structure, to transform the
current coding unit. The transformation units having a tree
structure include final transformation units whose transformation
results are determined to be output, from among the transformation
units of the current coding unit.
[0045] In order to determine the transformation units having a tree
structure, the transformation unit determiner 12 may generate
transformation units of a lower level by repeatedly halving the
height and width of a transformation unit from among the
transformation units of the current coding unit. The transformation
unit determiner 12 may determine whether to split each
transformation unit into transformation units of lower level,
independently from the other transformation units on the same level
as that of the each transformation unit.
[0046] The transformation unit determiner 12 may select
transformation units of a level where a transformation error is
minimized, by repeatedly transforming transformation units of each
of all levels having a hierarchical structure in the current coding
unit. The transformation unit of the level allowing for a minimum
transformation error may be determined to be a final transformation
unit whose transformation result is to be output. Accordingly, the
transformation unit determiner 12 may determine transformation
units having a tree structure according to an exemplary embodiment
in which the final transformation units whose transformation
results are determined to be output are included.
[0047] The encoding unit 14 encodes the current coding unit by
generating residual data of the current coding unit and
transforming the residual data based on the transformation units
determined by the transformation unit determiner 12.
`Transformation` for video encoding according to an exemplary
embodiment denotes a data processing technique for transforming the
data of a spatial domain of a video into the data of a
transformation domain thereof. Examples of the transformation
performed for video encoding by the encoding unit 14 may include
frequency transformation, orthogonal transformation, integer
transformation, and the like.
[0048] The encoded data output unit 16 outputs encoded data of the
current coding unit, information that indicates an encoding mode,
and transformation index information, as a bitstream.
[0049] The information about an encoding mode may include
information about various methods and the like used to encode the
current coding unit.
[0050] The transformation index information may be information
about the structure of a transformation unit used to transform the
current coding unit. For example, the transformation index
information may include the number of times the current coding unit
is split to turn into transformation units of a final level, and
information about the sizes and shapes of the transformation
units.
[0051] The transformation index information may represent whether a
current transformation unit is split into transformation units of a
lower level. For example, a transformation unit split bit
corresponding to 1-bit data, that indicates whether a current
transformation unit is split into transformation units of a lower
level, may be used as the transformation index information.
[0052] Transformation index information according to a first
exemplary embodiment may indicate whether the current
transformation unit is split into transformation units each having
the same size. For example, the transformation index information
according to the first exemplary embodiment may indicate whether
the height and width of the current coding unit are each halved
once to obtain four transformation units or are each halved twice
to obtain 16 transformation units. In other words, the
transformation index information according to the first exemplary
embodiment may represent the number of 4 to the power of a positive
integer of the transformation units each having the same size, into
which the current coding unit is split.
[0053] Transformation index information according to a second
exemplary embodiment may indicate whether the current coding unit
is split into transformation units having various sizes according
to a tree structure, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0054] The size of a transformation unit may be determined based on
the transformation index and a prediction unit type or a partition
type of a current coding unit. For example, the size of a
transformation unit corresponding to the transformation index may
vary according to a prediction unit type or a partition type of a
coding unit.
[0055] If the current transformation unit is split into
transformation units each having the same size, the current size of
the transformation unit may be determined based on the
transformation index and a prediction unit type or a partition type
of a corresponding coding unit. Also, if a current coding unit is
split into transformation units having various sizes according to a
tree structure, the size of a current transformation unit may be
determined based on the transformation index and a prediction unit
type or a partition type of the current coding unit.
[0056] According to an exemplary embodiment, the maximum size of a
transformation unit may be equal to the size of a current coding
unit. According to other exemplary embodiment, the maximum size of
a transformation unit may be determined base on a prediction unit
type or a partition type of a current prediction unit or partition.
For example, the maximum size of the current transformation unit
size may indicate the size of a maximum square included in the
current prediction unit or partition.
[0057] For example, the transformation index information according
to the second exemplary embodiment may be represented as a
bitstring obtained by arranging transformation unit split bits of
transformation units of respective levels that are obtained until
the current coding unit is split into transformation units having
the tree structure. The transformation index information according
to the second exemplary embodiment may include a bitstring obtained
by arranging transformation unit split bits of adjacent
transformation units of the same level in a sequence where the
transformation units are scanned in a zigzag manner. When a
predetermined transformation unit may be split into transformation
units of a lower level having a hierarchical structure, the
transformation index information according to the second exemplary
embodiment may include a bitstring obtained by arranging
transformation unit split bits of the transformation units of the
lower level in a sequence where the transformation units are
scanned in a zigzag manner.
[0058] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment
[0059] Referring to FIG. 2, the video decoding apparatus 20 using a
transformation index includes a receiver 22, an extractor 24, and a
decoder 26. For convenience of explanation, the video decoding
apparatus 20 using a transformation index will be referred to as a
video decoding apparatus 20. The operations of the receiver 22, the
extractor 24, and the decoder 26 of the video decoding apparatus 20
may be controlled by a (not shown) video decoding processor, a CPU,
a GPU, or the like.
[0060] To decode a current picture of a received video, the video
decoding apparatus 20 may decode the current picture by performing
entropy decoding, dequantization, inverse transformation, and
predictive decoding, including inter-prediction/compensation and
intra-prediction/compensation, on each coding unit of the current
picture.
[0061] The receiver 22 receives and parses a bitstream for an
encoded video. The extractor 24 extracts encoded data of each
coding unit of the current picture, information about an encoding
mode, and transformation index information of a current coding
unit, from the bitstream parsed by the receiver 22.
[0062] The decoder 26 decodes the encoded data by generating
transformation units of the current coding unit according to the
transformation index information extracted by the extractor 24 and
performing inverse transformation on the current coding unit on the
basis of the transformation units. As a result of the decoding of
coding units, the current picture may be restored.
[0063] The concept of the transformation unit is similar to that
described above with reference to the video encoding apparatus 10
of FIG. 1. In other words, a transformation unit according to an
exemplary embodiment may be a transformation unit obtained by
halving the height and width of the current coding unit or a
transformation unit of an upper level. All of the transformation
units included in the current coding unit according to an exemplary
embodiment may have the same size. A transformation unit according
to another exemplary embodiment is a transformation unit of one
level from among the transformation units of the current coding
unit that have a tree structure, and may be split into
transformation units of a lower level through repetitive splitting
for each level of transformation unit or into transformation units
of a lower level through independent splitting between adjacent
transformation units.
[0064] The decoder 26 may read information that indicates the
number of times the current coding unit is split to turn into
transformation units of a final level, information about the sizes
and shapes of the transformation units, and the like, from the
transformation index information.
[0065] The decoder 26 may read information that indicates whether a
current transformation unit is split into transformation units of a
lower level, from the transformation index information.
[0066] The decoder 26 may read information that indicates the level
of a transformation unit from a transformation index according to a
first exemplary embodiment. In this case, since the current coding
unit is split into transformation units of the same sizes for each
level until transformation units of a final level are obtained, the
decoder 26 may determine the transformation units of the final
level having the same size by determining the final level of
transformation units according to the transformation index and
halving the heights and widths of all of the transformation units
of an upper level when the current coding unit is split into the
transformation units of the final level.
[0067] The decoder 26 may determine the size of a transformation
unit based on the transformation index and a prediction unit type
or a partition type of a current coding unit. For example, the size
of a transformation unit corresponding to the transformation index
may vary according to a prediction unit type or a partition type of
a coding unit.
[0068] If the decoder 26 may split a current coding unit and then
determine the current transformation units having the same size,
the size of the current transformation unit may be determined based
on the transformation index and a prediction unit type or a
partition type of the current coding unit. Also, if a current
coding unit is split into transformation units having various sizes
according to a tree structure, a size of a current transformation
unit may be determined based on the transformation index and a
prediction unit type or a partition type of the current coding
unit.
[0069] The decoder 26 may determine transformation units obtained
according to a tree structure, based on transformation index
information according to a second exemplary embodiment. For
example, a bitstring of the transformation index information
according to the second exemplary embodiment may be a bitstring
obtained by arranging transformation unit split bits for
transformation units of each level. The decoder 26 may determine
transformation units into which the current coding unit is split
according to a tree structure, by reading the bitstring of the
transformation index information according to the second exemplary
embodiment and splitting the current coding unit so that
independent splitting is performed between transformation units on
the same level and that repetitive splitting is performed between
levels.
[0070] At this time, the decoder 26 may read transformation unit
split bits of the transformation units on the same level from the
transformation index information according to the second exemplary
embodiment and may split transformation units on an upper level
into transformation units on a lower level in a zigzag scan
sequence. When a transformation unit of an upper level is split
into transformation units of a lower level, the decoder 26 may read
the transformation unit split bits of the transformation units of
the lower level, which are included in the transformation unit of
the upper level, in a zigzag scan sequence.
[0071] The inverse transformation performed for video decoding by
the decoder 26 may be referred to as a process of transforming data
of a transformation domain into data of a spatial domain. Examples
of the inverse transformation performed by the decoder 26 may
include frequency inverse-transformation, orthogonal
inverse-transformation, integer inverse-transformation, and the
like.
[0072] The video encoding apparatus 10 and the video decoding
apparatus 20 may efficiently encode and decode information used to
determine various sizes and shapes of transformation units having a
tree structure, which are necessary for performing transformation
and inverse transformation during video encoding and decoding based
on various sizes and shapes of coding units, by using the
transformation index according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0073] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a
transformation unit and a transformation index, according to a
first exemplary embodiment.
[0074] A transformation unit group 32 of level 0, a transformation
unit group 34 of level 1, and a transformation unit group 36 of
level 2 are illustrated according to a transformation index, as the
transformation unit structure according to the first embodiment
that includes transformation units of the same sizes in order to
transform a coding unit CU0 30. The transformation index according
to the first exemplary embodiment may represent the number of times
the coding unit CU0 30 is split to turn into a transformation unit
group of a current level, that is, a level number.
[0075] In other words, the transformation unit group 32 of level 0
includes a transformation unit TU0 that has the same size as the
coding unit CUO 30 by splitting the height and width of the coding
unit CUO 30 zero times. In this case, the transformation index of
the transformation unit group 32 of level 0 is 0.
[0076] The transformation unit group 34 of level 1 includes
transformation units TU10, TU11, TU12, and TU13 each having a
height and a width being half of those of the coding unit CUO 30,
by splitting the height and width of the coding unit CUO 30 once.
In this case, the transformation index of the transformation unit
group 34 of level 1 is 1.
[0077] The transformation unit group 36 of level 2 includes
transformation units TU20, TU21, TU22, TU23, TU24, TU25, TU26,
TU27, TU28, TU29, TU2A, TU2B, TU2C, TU2D, TU2E, and TU2F each
having a height and size being a quarter of those of the coding
unit CUO 30, by splitting the height and width of the coding unit
CUO 30 twice. In this case, the transformation index of the
transformation unit group 36 of level 2 is 2.
[0078] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a
transformation unit and a transformation index, according to a
second exemplary embodiment.
[0079] A transformation unit group 40 is illustrated as the
transformation unit structure according to the second exemplary
embodiment that includes transformation units having a tree
structure in order to transform the coding unit CU0 30. The
transformation index according to the second exemplary embodiment
may be represented as a bitstring of transformation unit split bits
for each level that is used until the transformation units having a
tree structure are obtained from the coding unit CU0 30.
[0080] In other words, since a transformation unit of level 0
having the same size as the coding unit CU0 30 is divided into
transformation units TU40, TU41, TU42, and TU43 of level 1, a
transformation unit split bit 1 for level 1 may be generated and
included in the transformation index. Since transformation unit
split bits for transformation units on the same level are arranged
in a zigzag scanning sequence, transformation unit split bits for
level 0 may be arranged in a sequence of transformation unit split
bits for the transformation units TU40, TU41, TU42, and TU43. Since
the transformation units TU40 and TU41 are not split,
transformation unit split bits 0 and 0 for the transformation units
TU40 and TU41 may be sequentially generated and included in the
transformation index.
[0081] The transformation unit TU42 of level 1 is further split
into transformation units TU50, TU51, TU52, and TU53 of level 2.
Accordingly, a transformation unit split bit 1 for the
transformation unit TU42 of level 1 may be generated. When a
transformation unit of a current level is split into transformation
units of a lower level, transformation unit split bits for the
transformation units of the lower level may be included in the
transformation index. Accordingly, a transformation unit split bit
0 for the transformation unit TU50 of level 2, a transformation
unit split bit 1 for the transformation unit TU51 of level 2, a
transformation unit split bit 0 for the transformation unit TU52 of
level 2, and a transformation unit split bit 0 for the
transformation unit TU53 of level 2 may be sequentially included in
the transformation index. The transformation unit TU51 of level 2
is further split into transformation units TU60, TU61, TU62, and
TU63 of level 3. A transformation unit of level 3 is a minimum
transformation unit or a minimum unit, and the transformation unit
of level 3 is not further split.
[0082] In other words, if a transformation unit split bit for a
transformation unit of a current level is 1 and transformation
units of a lower level are not the minimum transformation unit or
the minimum unit, transformation unit split bits for the
transformation units of the lower level may be consecutively
arranged after the transformation unit split bit for the
transformation unit of the current level.
[0083] Lastly, since the transformation unit TU43 of level 1 is not
split, the transformation unit split bit 0 may be included in the
transformation index.
[0084] Accordingly, the transformation index according to the
second exemplary embodiment for the coding unit CUO 30 may be
determined to be 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0. If transformation unit
split bits for transformation units of a lower level are
consecutively 0, it may be understood that the transformation units
of the lower level are not further split.
[0085] The transformation unit split bits generated in this way are
arranged, starting from the transformation unit of level 0 having
the same size as the coding unit, in such a way that transformation
unit split bits of transformation units on the same level are
arranged in a zigzag scanning sequence and that if a transformation
unit of a predetermined level is split into transformation units of
a lower level having a hierarchical structure, transformation unit
split bits for the transformation units of the lower level are
arranged in a zigzag scanning sequence, whereby the transformation
index according to the second exemplary embodiment may be
determined.
[0086] FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating examples of use of
the transformation index according to the second exemplary
embodiment.
[0087] As described above with reference to FIG. 4, if a
transformation unit is not further split, transformation unit split
bits are not further generated. Thus, the transformation index
according to the second exemplary embodiment may be set according
to the size of the minimum transformation unit or the minimum
unit.
[0088] When a minimum transformation unit 52 of a coding unit 50 of
a 2N.times.2N size has a size of N.times.N, the coding unit 50 may
be only split until N.times.N transformation units are obtained,
and thus a transformation index of the coding unit 50 for a
transformation unit group 54 may be set to be 1.
[0089] On the other hand, when a minimum transformation unit 62 of
a coding unit 60 of a 2N.times.2N size has a size of
(N/2).times.(N/2), transformation units of a N.times.N size in a
transformation unit group 64 may be each split one more time.
Accordingly, a transformation index of the coding unit 60 for the
transformation unit group 64 may include, not only a transformation
unit split bit 1 for a transformation unit of level 0, but also
transformation unit split bits 0, 0, 0, and 0 for the
transformation units of level 1 in the transformation unit group
64.
[0090] The transformation units described above with reference to
FIGS. 3 through 6 may be determined by the transformation unit
determiner 12 of the video encoding apparatus 10, and the
transformation index may be encoded by the encoded data output unit
14. The extractor 24 of the video decoding apparatus 20 may extract
transformation index information, and the decoder 26 thereof may
form a transformation unit by reading the transformation index, and
perform inverse transformation on the transformation unit.
[0091] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a video encoding method
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
[0092] In operation 72, a transformation unit, that is, a data unit
in which a current coding unit from among coding units of a current
picture is transformed, is determined. The transformation unit may
be determined to be a data unit having a size smaller than or equal
to the current coding unit so that the transformation unit is
included in the current coding unit, and the transformation unit
may be generated by halving the height and width of the coding
unit. Since the transformation unit may form a hierarchical
structure, transformation units of a lower level may be generated
by halving the height and width of a transformation unit of an
upper level. For example, all transformation units of a
predetermined level within a current coding unit may be split into
transformation units of a lower level, so that as many
transformation units of the same size as the number of 4 to the
power of a positive integer may be generated.
[0093] The transformation unit may include final transformation
units whose transformation results are determined to be output,
from among the transformation units of the current coding unit.
[0094] The hierarchical structure of transformation units according
to an exemplary embodiment may be a tree structure. While the
height and width of a current transformation unit from among the
transformation units of the current coding unit are repeatedly
halved, it is determined whether the halving is performed
independently from the other transformation units, and thus
transformation units of a lower level are generated. The
transformation units on each level within the same region may form
a hierarchical structure. Final transformation units are determined
from among the transformation units generated in this way so that
transformation results are output, so that transformation units
having a tree structure according to an exemplary embodiment may be
obtained.
[0095] Transformation units of a level where an error, due to
transformation for each transformation unit, is minimized may be
selected as the final transformation units whose transformation
results are output, by repeatedly performing transformation on each
level for transformation units having a hierarchical structure in
the current coding unit and comparing the results of the
transformations with each other.
[0096] In operation 74, the current coding unit is encoded,
including transformation based on the transformation unit. In
operation 76, encoded data of the current coding unit, information
about an encoding mode, and transformation index information are
output.
[0097] The transformation index information about the structure of
a transformation unit according to an exemplary embodiment may
indicate whether a current transformation unit is split into
transformation units of a lower level. The transformation index
information about the structure of a transformation unit according
to an exemplary embodiment may include the number of times the
current coding unit is split to turn into transformation units of a
final level, and information about the sizes and shapes of the
transformation units.
[0098] Transformation index information according to a first
exemplary embodiment may indicate a level that identifies the total
number of splitting times from a current coding unit to a coding
unit of a final level. The transformation units of each level may
have the same sizes.
[0099] Transformation index information according to a second
exemplary embodiment may indicate whether the current coding unit
is repeatedly split to obtain transformation units having a tree
structure. The transformation index information according to the
second exemplary embodiment may be in the shape of a bitstring
obtained by arranging transformation unit split bits that indicate
whether a transformation unit of each level is split into
transformation units of a lower level. The bitstring of the
transformation index information may be obtained by arranging
transformation unit split bits of adjacent transformation units of
the same level in a sequence where the transformation units are
scanned in a zigzag manner. When a current transformation unit
includes transformation units of a lower level having a
hierarchical structure, a bitstring of the transformation index
information may be determined so that transformation unit split
bits of the transformation units of a lower level are arranged in a
sequence where the transformation units are scanned in a zigzag
manner.
[0100] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a video decoding method
using a transformation index, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
[0101] In operation 82, a bitstream for an encoded video is
received and parsed.
[0102] In operation 84, encoded data of a current coding unit of a
current picture, information about an encoding mode, and
transformation index information are extracted from the parsed
bitstream.
[0103] In operation 86, inverse transformation is performed on the
current coding unit, based on transformation units obtained
according to the transformation index information, and thus the
encoded data is decoded. As a result of the decoding of each coding
unit, the current picture may be restored. Whether a current
transformation unit is split into transformation units of a lower
level may be read based on the transformation index information
about the structure of a transformation unit according to an
exemplary embodiment, and the transformation units may be
determined. The inverse transformation on the current coding unit
may be performed based on the transformation units.
[0104] The number of times the current coding unit is split until
transformation units of a final level is obtained, and information
about the sizes, shapes, and the like, of the transformation units
may be read from the transformation index information about the
structure of a transformation unit according to an exemplary
embodiment.
[0105] A level that indicates the total number of splitting times
from the current coding unit to a transformation unit of a final
level may be read from the transformation index information
according to the first exemplary embodiment. The level of a
transformation unit indicates the number of times the current
coding unit is split to obtain 4 transformation units each having
the same size. Accordingly, a structure of transformation units in
which the current coding unit is split into transformation units
each having the same size may be determined.
[0106] A bitstring of transformation unit split bits that indicates
whether a transformation unit of each level is split into
transformation units of a lower level is read from the
transformation index information according to the second exemplary
embodiment, until the current coding unit is repeatedly split to
obtain transformation units having the tree structure. Thus, a
structure of transformation units into which the current coding
unit is split according to the tree structure may be determined
[0107] For example, transformation unit split bits of adjacent
transformation units on the same level, from among the
transformation index information according to the second exemplary
embodiment, may be read in a sequence where the transformation
units are scanned in a zigzag manner. Moreover, transformation unit
split bits of transformation units of a lower level having a
hierarchical structure included in a transformation unit of a
predetermined level, from among transformation index information
according to another exemplary embodiment, may be read in a
sequence where the transformation units of the lower level are
scanned in a zigzag manner.
[0108] First, a method and apparatus for encoding video by using a
coding unit having a tree structure and a transformation index, and
a method and apparatus for decoding video by using a coding unit
having a tree structure and a transformation index, according to an
exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to
23.
[0109] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus 100,
which uses a transformation index on the basis of coding units and
transformation units having a tree structure, according to an
exemplary embodiment.
[0110] The video encoding apparatus 100, which uses the
transformation index based on coding units and transmission units
having a tree structure, includes a maximum coding unit splitter
110, a coding unit determiner 120, and an output unit 130. For
convenience of explanation, the video encoding apparatus 100, which
uses the transformation index based on coding units and
transmission units having a tree structure, is referred to as a
video encoding apparatus 100.
[0111] The maximum coding unit splitter 110 may split a current
picture based on a maximum coding unit for the current picture of
an image. If the current picture is larger than the maximum coding
unit, image data of the current picture may be split into the at
least one maximum coding unit. The maximum coding unit according to
an exemplary embodiment may be a data unit having a size of
32.times.32, 64.times.64, 128.times.128, 256.times.256, etc.,
wherein a shape of the data unit is a square having a width and
height in squares of 2. The image data may be output to the coding
unit determiner 120 according to the at least one maximum coding
unit.
[0112] A coding unit according to an exemplary embodiment may be
characterized by a maximum size and a depth. The depth denotes a
number of times the coding unit is spatially split from the maximum
coding unit, and as the depth deepens or increases, deeper encoding
units according to depths may be split from the maximum coding unit
to a minimum coding unit. A depth of the maximum coding unit is an
uppermost depth and a depth of the minimum coding unit is a
lowermost depth. Since a size of a coding unit corresponding to
each depth decreases as the depth of the maximum coding unit
deepens, a coding unit corresponding to an upper depth may include
a plurality of coding units corresponding to lower depths.
[0113] As described above, the image data of the current picture is
split into the maximum coding units according to a maximum size of
the coding unit, and each of the maximum coding units may include
deeper coding units that are split according to depths. Since the
maximum coding unit according to an exemplary embodiment is split
according to depths, the image data of a spatial domain included in
the maximum coding unit may be hierarchically classified according
to depths.
[0114] A maximum depth and a maximum size of a coding unit, which
limit the total number of times a height and a width of the maximum
coding unit are hierarchically split may be predetermined.
[0115] The coding unit determiner 120 encodes at least one split
region obtained by splitting a region of the maximum coding unit
according to depths, and determines a depth to output a finally
encoded image data according to the at least one split region. In
other words, the coding unit determiner 120 determines a coded
depth by encoding the image data in the deeper coding units
according to depths, according to the maximum coding unit of the
current picture, and selecting a depth having the least encoding
error. Thus, the encoded image data of the coding unit
corresponding to the determined coded depth is finally output.
Also, the coding units corresponding to the coded depth may be
regarded as encoded coding units.
[0116] The determined coded depth and the encoded image data
according to the determined coded depth are output to the output
unit 130.
[0117] The image data in the maximum coding unit is encoded based
on the deeper coding units corresponding to at least one depth
equal to or below the maximum depth, and results of encoding the
image data are compared based on each of the deeper coding units. A
depth having the least encoding error may be selected after
comparing encoding errors of the deeper coding units. At least one
coded depth may be selected for each maximum coding unit.
[0118] The size of the maximum coding unit is split as a coding
unit is hierarchically split according to depths, and as the number
of coding units increases. Also, even if coding units correspond to
same depth in one maximum coding unit, it is determined whether to
split each of the coding units corresponding to the same depth to a
lower depth by measuring an encoding error of the image data of the
each coding unit, separately. Accordingly, even when image data is
included in one maximum coding unit, the image data is split to
regions according to the depths and the encoding errors may differ
according to regions in the one maximum coding unit, and thus the
coded depths may differ according to regions in the image data.
Thus, one or more coded depths may be determined in one maximum
coding unit, and the image data of the maximum coding unit may be
divided according to coding units of at least one coded depth.
[0119] Accordingly, the coding unit determiner 120 may determine
coding units having a tree structure included in the maximum coding
unit. The `coding units having a tree structure` according to an
exemplary embodiment include coding units corresponding to a depth
determined to be the coded depth, from among all deeper coding
units included in the maximum coding unit. A coding unit of a coded
depth may be hierarchically determined according to depths in the
same region of the maximum coding unit, and may be independently
determined in different regions. Similarly, a coded depth in a
current region may be independently determined from a coded depth
in another region.
[0120] A maximum depth according to an exemplary embodiment is an
index related to the number of splitting times from a maximum
coding unit to a minimum coding unit. A first maximum depth
according to an exemplary embodiment may denote the total number of
splits from the maximum coding unit to the minimum coding unit. A
second maximum depth according to an exemplary embodiment may
denote the total number of depth levels from the maximum coding
unit to the minimum coding unit. For example, when a depth of the
maximum coding unit is 0, a depth of a coding unit, in which the
maximum coding unit is split once, may be set to 1, and a depth of
a coding unit, in which the maximum coding unit is split twice, may
be set to 2. Here, if the minimum coding unit is a coding unit in
which the maximum coding unit is split four times, 5 depth levels
of depths 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 exist, and thus the first maximum depth
may be set to 4, and the second maximum depth may be set to 5.
[0121] Prediction encoding and transformation may be performed
according to the maximum coding unit. The prediction encoding and
the transformation are also performed based on the deeper coding
units according to a depth equal to or depths less than the maximum
depth, according to the maximum coding unit. Transformation may be
performed according to method of orthogonal transformation or
integer transformation.
[0122] Since the number of deeper coding units increases whenever
the maximum coding unit is split according to depths, encoding
including the prediction encoding and the transformation is
performed on all of the deeper coding units generated as the depth
deepens. For convenience of description, the prediction encoding
and the transformation will now be described based on a coding unit
of a current depth, in a maximum coding unit.
[0123] The video encoding apparatus 100 may variably select a size
or shape of a data unit for encoding the image data. In order to
encode the image data, operations, such as prediction encoding,
transformation, and entropy encoding, are performed, and at this
time, the same data unit may be used for all operations or
different data units may be used for each operation.
[0124] For example, the video encoding apparatus 100 may select not
only a coding unit for encoding the image data, but also a data
unit different from the coding unit to perform the prediction
encoding on the image data in the coding unit.
[0125] In order to perform prediction encoding in the maximum
coding unit, the prediction encoding may be performed based on a
coding unit corresponding to a coded depth, i.e., based on a coding
unit that is no longer split to coding units corresponding to a
lower depth. Hereinafter, the coding unit that is no longer split
and becomes a basis unit for prediction encoding will be referred
to as a `prediction unit`. A partition obtained by splitting the
prediction unit may include a prediction unit or a data unit
obtained by splitting at least one of a height and a width of the
prediction unit.
[0126] For example, when a coding unit of 2N.times.2N (where N is a
positive integer) is no longer split and becomes a prediction unit
of 2N.times.2N, and a size of a partition may be 2N.times.2N,
2N.times.N, N.times.2N, or N.times.N. Examples of a partition type
include symmetrical partitions that are obtained by symmetrically
splitting a height or width of the prediction unit, partitions
obtained by asymmetrically splitting the height or width of the
prediction unit, such as 1:n or n:1, partitions that are obtained
by geometrically splitting the prediction unit, and partitions
having arbitrary shapes.
[0127] A prediction mode of the prediction unit may be at least one
of an intra mode, a inter mode, and a skip mode. For example, the
intra mode or the inter mode may be performed on the partition of
2N.times.2N, 2N.times.N, N.times.2N, or N.times.N. Also, the skip
mode may be performed only on the partition of 2N.times.2N. The
encoding is independently performed on one prediction unit in a
coding unit, thereby selecting a prediction mode having a least
encoding error.
[0128] The video encoding apparatus 100 may also perform the
transformation on the image data in a coding unit based not only on
the coding unit for encoding the image data, but also based on a
data unit that is different from the coding unit.
[0129] As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 8, in
order to perform the transformation in the coding unit, the
transformation may be performed based on a data unit having a size
smaller than or equal to the coding unit. For example, the data
unit for the transformation may include a data unit for an intra
mode and a data unit for an inter mode.
[0130] A data unit used as a base of the transformation will be
referred to as a `transformation unit`. A transformation depth that
indicates the number of splits to reach the transformation unit by
splitting the height and width of the coding unit may also be set
in the transformation unit. For example, in a current coding unit
of 2N.times.2N, a transformation depth may be 0 when the size of a
transformation unit is also 2N.times.2N, may be 1 when each of the
height and width of the current coding unit is split into two equal
parts, totally split into 4.sup.1 transformation units, and the
size of the transformation unit is thus N.times.N, and may be 2
when each of the height and width of the current coding unit is
split into four equal parts, totally split into 4.sup.2
transformation units and the size of the transformation unit is
thus N/2.times.N/2. For example, the transformation unit may be set
according to a hierarchical tree structure, in which a
transformation unit of an upper transformation depth is split into
four transformation units of a lower transformation depth according
to the hierarchical characteristics of a transformation depth.
[0131] Similar to the coding unit, the transformation unit in the
coding unit may be recursively split into smaller sized regions, so
that the transformation unit may be determined independently in
units of regions. Thus, residual data in the coding unit may be
divided according to the transformation having the tree structure
according to transformation depths.
[0132] Encoding information according to coding units corresponding
to a coded depth requires not only information about the coded
depth, but also about information related to prediction encoding
and transformation. Accordingly, the coding unit determiner 120 not
only determines a coded depth having a least encoding error, but
also determines a partition type in a prediction unit, a prediction
mode according to prediction units, and a size of a transformation
unit for transformation.
[0133] Coding units according to a tree structure in a maximum
coding unit and a method of determining a partition, according to
exemplary embodiments, will be described in detail later with
reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.
[0134] The coding unit determiner 120 may measure an encoding error
of deeper coding units according to depths by using Rate-Distortion
Optimization based on Lagrangian multipliers.
[0135] The output unit 130 outputs the image data of the maximum
coding unit, which is encoded based on the at least one coded depth
determined by the coding unit determiner 120, and information about
the encoding mode according to the coded depth, in bitstreams.
[0136] The encoded image data may be obtained by encoding residual
data of an image.
[0137] The information about the encoding mode according to coded
depth may include information about the coded depth, about the
partition type in the prediction unit, the prediction mode, and the
size of the transformation unit.
[0138] The information about the coded depth may be defined by
using split information according to depths, which indicates
whether encoding is performed on coding units of a lower depth
instead of a current depth. If the current depth of the current
coding unit is the coded depth, image data in the current coding
unit is encoded and output, and thus the split information may be
defined not to split the current coding unit to a lower depth.
Alternatively, if the current depth of the current coding unit is
not the coded depth, the encoding is performed on the coding unit
of the lower depth, and thus the split information may be defined
to split the current coding unit to obtain the coding units of the
lower depth.
[0139] If the current depth is not the coded depth, encoding is
performed on the coding unit that is split into the coding unit of
the lower depth. Since at least one coding unit of the lower depth
exists in one coding unit of the current depth, the encoding is
repeatedly performed on each coding unit of the lower depth, and
thus the encoding may be recursively performed for the coding units
having the same depth.
[0140] Since the coding units having a tree structure are
determined for one maximum coding unit, and information about at
least one encoding mode is determined for a coding unit of a coded
depth, information about at least one encoding mode may be
determined for one maximum coding unit. Also, a coded depth of the
image data of the maximum coding unit may be different according to
locations since the image data is hierarchically split according to
depths, and thus information about the coded depth and the encoding
mode may be set for the image data.
[0141] Accordingly, the output unit 130 may assign encoding
information about a corresponding coded depth and an encoding mode
to at least one of the coding unit, the prediction unit, and a
minimum unit included in the maximum coding unit.
[0142] The minimum unit according to an exemplary embodiment is a
rectangular data unit obtained by splitting the minimum coding unit
constituting the lowermost depth by 4. Alternatively, the minimum
unit may be a maximum rectangular data unit that may be included in
all of the coding units, prediction units, partition units, and
transformation units included in the maximum coding unit.
[0143] For example, the encoding information output through the
output unit 130 may be classified into encoding information
according to coding units, and encoding information according to
prediction units. The encoding information according to the coding
units may include the information about the prediction mode and
about the size of the partitions. The encoding information
according to the prediction units may include information about an
estimated direction of an inter mode, about a reference image index
of the inter mode, about a motion vector, about a chroma component
of an intra mode, and about an interpolation method of the intra
mode. Also, information about a maximum size of the coding unit
defined according to pictures, slices, or GOPs, and information
about a maximum depth may be inserted into SPS (Sequence Parameter
Set) or a header of a bitstream. Furthermore, the encoding
information output through the output unit 130 may include
transformation index information about a structure of a
transformation unit according to an exemplary embodiment, as
described above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 8.
[0144] In the video encoding apparatus 100, the deeper coding unit
may be a coding unit obtained by dividing a height or width of a
coding unit of an upper depth, which is one layer above, by two. In
other words, when the size of the coding unit of the current depth
is 2N.times.2N, the size of the coding unit of the lower depth is
N.times.N. Also, the coding unit of the current depth having the
size of 2N.times.2N may include a maximum of 4 coding units of the
lower depth.
[0145] Accordingly, the video encoding apparatus 100 may form the
coding units having the tree structure by determining coding units
having an optimum shape and an optimum size for each maximum coding
unit, based on the size of the maximum coding unit and the maximum
depth determined considering characteristics of the current
picture. Also, since encoding may be performed on each maximum
coding unit by using any one of various prediction modes and
transformations, an optimum encoding mode may be determined
considering characteristics of the coding unit of various image
sizes.
[0146] Thus, if an image having high resolution or large data
amount is encoded in a conventional macroblock, a number of
macroblocks per picture excessively increases. Accordingly, a
number of pieces of compressed information generated for each
macroblock increases, and thus it is difficult to transmit the
compressed information and data compression efficiency decreases.
However, by using the video encoding apparatus 100, image
compression efficiency may be increased since a coding unit is
adjusted while considering characteristics of an image while
increasing a maximum size of a coding unit while considering a size
of the image.
[0147] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus 200
using coding units having a tree structure and a transformation
index, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0148] The video decoding apparatus 200 includes a receiver 210, an
image data and encoding information extractor 220, and an image
data decoder 230. Various terms, such as a coding unit, a depth, a
prediction unit, a transformation unit, and information about
various encoding modes, for various operations of the video
decoding apparatus 200 are identical to those described with
reference to FIG. 9 and the video encoding apparatus 100.
[0149] The receiver 210 receives and parses a bitstream of an
encoded video. The image data and encoding information extractor
220 extracts encoded image data for each coding unit from the
parsed bitstream, wherein the coding units have a tree structure
according to each maximum coding unit, and outputs the extracted
image data to the image data decoder 230. The image data and
encoding information extractor 220 may extract information about a
maximum size of a coding unit of a current picture, from a header
about the current picture or SPS.
[0150] Also, the image data and encoding information extractor 220
extracts information about a coded depth and an encoding mode for
the coding units having a tree structure according to each maximum
coding unit, from the parsed bitstream. The extracted information
about the coded depth and the encoding mode is output to the image
data decoder 230. In other words, the image data in a bit stream is
split into the maximum coding unit so that the image data decoder
230 decodes the image data for each maximum coding unit.
[0151] The information about the coded depth and the encoding mode
according to the maximum coding unit may be set for information
about at least one coding unit corresponding to the coded depth,
and information about an encoding mode may include information
about a partition type of a corresponding coding unit corresponding
to the coded depth, about a prediction mode, and a size of a
transformation unit. Also, splitting information according to
depths may be extracted as the information about the coded depth.
Furthermore, the image data and encoding information extractor 220
may extract transformation index information about a structure of a
transformation unit according to an embodiment as described above
with reference to FIGS. 1 through 8 as the extracted information
about the coded depth and the encoding mode.
[0152] The information about the coded depth and the encoding mode
according to each maximum coding unit extracted by the image data
and encoding information extractor 220 is information about a coded
depth and an encoding mode determined to generate a minimum
encoding error when an encoder, such as the video encoding
apparatus 100, repeatedly performs encoding for each deeper coding
unit according to depths according to each maximum coding unit.
Accordingly, the video decoding apparatus 200 may restore an image
by decoding the image data according to a coded depth and an
encoding mode that generates the minimum encoding error.
[0153] Since encoding information about the coded depth and the
encoding mode may be assigned to a predetermined data unit from
among a corresponding coding unit, a prediction unit, and a minimum
unit, the image data and encoding information extractor 220 may
extract the information about the coded depth and the encoding mode
according to the predetermined data units. The predetermined data
units to which the same information about the coded depth and the
encoding mode is assigned may be inferred to be the data units
included in the same maximum coding unit.
[0154] The image data decoder 230 restores the current picture by
decoding the image data in each maximum coding unit based on the
information about the coded depth and the encoding mode according
to the maximum coding units. In other words, the image data decoder
230 may decode the encoded image data based on the extracted
information about the partition type, the prediction mode, and the
transformation unit for each coding unit from among the coding
units having the tree structure included in each maximum coding
unit. A decoding process may include a prediction including intra
prediction and motion compensation, and an inverse transformation.
Inverse transformation may be performed according to method of
inverse orthogonal transformation or inverse integer
transformation.
[0155] The image data decoder 230 may perform intra prediction or
motion compensation according to a partition and a prediction mode
of each coding unit, based on the information about the partition
type and the prediction mode of the prediction unit of the coding
unit according to coded depths.
[0156] Also, the image data decoder 230 may perform inverse
transformation according to each transformation unit in the coding
unit, based on the information about the size of the transformation
unit of the coding unit according to coded depths, to perform the
inverse transformation according to maximum coding units.
[0157] The image data decoder 230 may determine at least one coded
depth of a current maximum coding unit by using split information
according to depths. If the split information indicates that image
data is no longer split in the current depth, the current depth is
a coded depth. Accordingly, the image data decoder 230 may decode
encoded data of at least one coding unit corresponding to the each
coded depth in the current maximum coding unit by using the
information about the partition type of the prediction unit, the
prediction mode, and the size of the transformation unit for each
coding unit corresponding to the coded depth, and output the image
data of the current maximum coding unit.
[0158] In other words, data units containing the encoding
information that indicates the same split information may be
gathered by observing the encoding information set assigned for the
predetermined data unit from among the coding unit, the prediction
unit, and the minimum unit, and the gathered data units may be
considered to be one data unit to be decoded by the image data
decoder 230 in the same encoding mode.
[0159] The video decoding apparatus 200 may obtain information
about at least one coding unit that generates the minimum encoding
error when encoding is recursively performed for each maximum
coding unit, and may use the information to decode the current
picture. In other words, the coding units having the tree structure
determined to be the optimum coding units in each maximum coding
unit may be decoded. Also, the maximum size of coding unit is
determined considering resolution and an amount of image data.
[0160] Accordingly, even if image data has high resolution and a
large amount of data, the image data may be efficiently decoded and
restored by using a size of a coding unit and an encoding mode,
which are adaptively determined according to characteristics of the
image data, by using information about an optimum encoding mode
received from an encoder.
[0161] A method of determining coding units having a tree
structure, a prediction unit, and a transformation unit, according
to an exemplary embodiment, will now be described with reference to
FIGS. 11 through 21.
[0162] FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing a concept of
hierarchical coding units according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0163] A size of a coding unit may be expressed in
width.times.height, and may be 64.times.64, 32.times.32,
16.times.16, and 8.times.8. A coding unit of 64.times.64 may be
split into partitions of 64.times.64, 64.times.32, 32.times.64, or
32.times.32, and a coding unit of 32.times.32 may be split into
partitions of 32.times.32, 32.times.16, 16.times.32, or
16.times.16, a coding unit of 16.times.16 may be split into
partitions of 16.times.16, 16.times.8, 8.times.16, or 8.times.8,
and a coding unit of 8.times.8 may be split into partitions of
8.times.8, 8.times.4, 4.times.8, or 4.times.4.
[0164] In video data 310, a resolution is 1920.times.1080, a
maximum size of a coding unit is 64, and a maximum depth is 2. In
video data 320, a resolution is 1920.times.1080, a maximum size of
a coding unit is 64, and a maximum depth is 3. In video data 330, a
resolution is 352.times.288, a maximum size of a coding unit is 16,
and a maximum depth is 1. The maximum depth shown in FIG. 11
denotes a total number of splits from a maximum coding unit to a
minimum decoding unit.
[0165] If a resolution is high or a data amount is large, a maximum
size of a coding unit may be large to not only increase encoding
efficiency but also to accurately reflect characteristics of an
image. Accordingly, the maximum size of the coding unit of the
video data 310 and 320 having the higher resolution than the video
data 330 may be 64.
[0166] Since the maximum depth of the video data 310 is 2, coding
units 315 of the video data 310 may include a maximum coding unit
having a long axis size of 64, and coding units having long axis
sizes of 32 and 16 since depths are deepened to two layers by
splitting the maximum coding unit twice. Meanwhile, since the
maximum depth of the video data 330 is 1, coding units 335 of the
video data 330 may include a maximum coding unit having a long axis
size of 16, and coding units having a long axis size of 8 since
depths are deepened to one layer by splitting the maximum coding
unit once.
[0167] Since the maximum depth of the video data 320 is 3, coding
units 325 of the video data 320 may include a maximum coding unit
having a long axis size of 64, and coding units having long axis
sizes of 32, 16, and 8 since the depths are deepened to 3 layers by
splitting the maximum coding unit three times. As a depth deepens,
detailed information may be precisely expressed.
[0168] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an image encoder 400 based on
coding units, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0169] The image encoder 400 performs operations of the coding unit
determiner 120 of the video encoding apparatus 100 to encode image
data. In other words, an intra predictor 410 performs intra
prediction on coding units in an intra mode, from among a current
frame 405, and a motion estimator 420 and a motion compensator 425
performs inter estimation and motion compensation on coding units
in an inter mode from among the current frame 405 by using the
current frame 405, and a reference frame 495.
[0170] Data output from the intra predictor 410, the motion
estimator 420, and the motion compensator 425 is output as a
quantized transformation coefficient through a transformer 430 and
a quantizer 440. The quantized transformation coefficient is
restored as data in a spatial domain through an inverse quantizer
460 and an inverse transformer 470, and the restored data in the
spatial domain is output as the reference frame 495 after being
post-processed through a deblocking unit 480 and a loop filtering
unit 490. The quantized transformation coefficient may be output as
a bitstream 455 through an entropy encoder 450.
[0171] In order for the image encoder 400 to be applied in the
video encoding apparatus 100, all elements of the image encoder
400, i.e., the intra predictor 410, the motion estimator 420, the
motion compensator 425, the transformer 430, the quantizer 440, the
entropy encoder 450, the inverse quantizer 460, the inverse
transformer 470, the deblocking unit 480, and the loop filtering
unit 490 perform operations based on each coding unit from among
coding units having a tree structure while considering the maximum
depth of each maximum coding unit.
[0172] Specifically, the intra predictor 410, the motion estimator
420, and the motion compensator 425 determines partitions and a
prediction mode of each coding unit from among the coding units
having a tree structure while considering the maximum size and the
maximum depth of a current maximum coding unit, and the transformer
430 determines the size of the transformation unit in each coding
unit from among the coding units having a tree structure.
[0173] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an image decoder 500 based on
coding units, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0174] A parser 510 parses encoded image data to be decoded and
information about encoding required for decoding from a bitstream
505. The encoded image data is output as inverse quantized data
through an entropy decoder 520 and an inverse quantizer 530, and
the inverse quantized data is restored to image data in a spatial
domain through an inverse transformer 540.
[0175] An intra predictor 550 performs intra prediction on coding
units in an intra mode with respect to the image data in the
spatial domain, and a motion compensator 560 performs motion
compensation on coding units in an inter mode by using a reference
frame 585.
[0176] The image data in the spatial domain, which passed through
the intra predictor 550 and the motion compensator 560, may be
output as a restored frame 595 after being post-processed through a
deblocking unit 570 and a loop filtering unit 580. Also, the image
data that is post-processed through the deblocking unit 570 and the
loop filtering unit 580 may be output as the reference frame
585.
[0177] In order to decode the image data in the image data decoder
230 of the video decoding apparatus 200, the image decoder 500 may
perform operations that are performed after the parser 510.
[0178] In order for the image decoder 500 to be applied in the
video decoding apparatus 200, all elements of the image decoder
500, i.e., the parser 510, the entropy decoder 520, the inverse
quantizer 530, the inverse transformer 540, the intra predictor
550, the motion compensator 560, the deblocking unit 570, and the
loop filtering unit 580 perform operations based on coding units
having a tree structure for each maximum coding unit.
[0179] Specifically, the intra predictor 550 and the motion
compensator 560 perform operations based on partitions and a
prediction mode for each of the coding units having a tree
structure, and the inverse transformer 540 perform operations based
on a size of a transformation unit for each coding unit.
[0180] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating deeper coding units
according to depths, and partitions, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
[0181] The video encoding apparatus 100 and the video decoding
apparatus 200 use hierarchical coding units to consider
characteristics of an image. A maximum height, a maximum width, and
a maximum depth of coding units may be adaptively determined
according to the characteristics of the image, or may be
individually set according to an input of a user. Sizes of deeper
coding units according to depths may be determined according to the
predetermined maximum size of the coding unit.
[0182] In a hierarchical structure 600 of coding units, according
to an exemplary embodiment, the maximum height and the maximum
width of the coding units are each 64, and the maximum depth is 4.
Since a depth deepens along a vertical axis of the hierarchical
structure 600, a height and a width of the deeper coding unit are
each split. Also, a prediction unit and partitions, which are bases
for prediction encoding of each deeper coding unit, are shown along
a horizontal axis of the hierarchical structure 600.
[0183] In other words, a coding unit 610 is a maximum coding unit
in the hierarchical structure 600, wherein a depth is 0 and a size,
i.e., a height by width, is 64.times.64. The depth deepens along
the vertical axis, and a coding unit 620 having a size of
32.times.32 and a depth of 1, a coding unit 630 having a size of
16.times.16 and a depth of 2, a coding unit 640 having a size of
8.times.8 and a depth of 3, and a coding unit 650 having a size of
4.times.4 and a depth of 4 exist. The coding unit 650 having the
size of 4.times.4 and the depth of 4 is a minimum coding unit.
[0184] The prediction unit and the partitions of a coding unit are
arranged along the horizontal axis according to each depth. In
other words, if the coding unit 610 having the size of 64.times.64
and the depth of 0 is a prediction unit, the prediction unit may be
split into partitions include in the encoding unit 610, i.e. a
partition 610 having a size of 64.times.64, partitions 612 having
the size of 64.times.32, partitions 614 having the size of
32.times.64, or partitions 616 having the size of 32.times.32.
[0185] Similarly, a prediction unit of the coding unit 620 having
the size of 32.times.32 and the depth of 1 may be split into
partitions included in the coding unit 620, i.e. a partition 620
having a size of 32.times.32, partitions 622 having a size of
32.times.16, partitions 624 having a size of 16.times.32, and
partitions 626 having a size of 16.times.16.
[0186] Similarly, a prediction unit of the coding unit 630 having
the size of 16.times.16 and the depth of 2 may be split into
partitions included in the coding unit 630, i.e., a partition
having a size of 16.times.16 included in the coding unit 630,
partitions 632 having a size of 16.times.8, partitions 634 having a
size of 8.times.16, and partitions 636 having a size of
8.times.8.
[0187] Similarly, a prediction unit of the coding unit 640 having
the size of 8.times.8 and the depth of 3 may be split into
partitions included in the coding unit 640, i.e. a partition having
a size of 8.times.8 included in the coding unit 640, partitions 642
having a size of 8.times.4, partitions 644 having a size of
4.times.8, and partitions 646 having a size of 4.times.4.
[0188] The coding unit 650 having the size of 4.times.4 and the
depth of 4 is the minimum coding unit and a coding unit of the
lowermost depth. A prediction unit of the coding unit 650 is only
assigned to a partition having a size of 4.times.4. Also, a
prediction unit of the coding unit 650 may be split into partitions
652 having a size of 4.times.2, partitions 654 having a size of
2.times.4, and partitions 656 having a size of 2.times.2.
[0189] In order to determine the at least one coded depth of the
coding units constituting the maximum coding unit 610, the coding
unit determiner 120 of the video encoding apparatus 100 performs
encoding for coding units corresponding to each depth included in
the maximum coding unit 610.
[0190] A number of deeper coding units according to depths
including data in the same range and the same size increases as the
depth deepens. For example, four coding units corresponding to a
depth of 2 are required to cover data that is included in one
coding unit corresponding to a depth of 1. Accordingly, in order to
compare encoding results of the same data according to depths, the
coding unit corresponding to the depth of 1 and four coding units
corresponding to the depth of 2 are each encoded.
[0191] In order to perform encoding for a current depth from among
the depths, a least encoding error may be selected for the current
depth by performing encoding for each prediction unit in the coding
units corresponding to the current depth, along the horizontal axis
of the hierarchical structure 600. Alternatively, the minimum
encoding error may be searched for by comparing the least encoding
errors according to depths, by performing encoding for each depth
as the depth deepens along the vertical axis of the hierarchical
structure 600. A depth and a partition having the minimum encoding
error in the coding unit 610 may be selected as the coded depth and
a partition type of the coding unit 610.
[0192] FIG. 15 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a
coding unit 710 and transformation units 720, according to an
exemplary embodiment.
[0193] The video encoding apparatus 100 or 200 encodes or decodes
an image according to coding units having sizes smaller than or
equal to a maximum coding unit for each maximum coding unit. Sizes
of transformation units for transformation during encoding may be
selected based on data units that are not larger than a
corresponding coding unit.
[0194] For example, in the video encoding apparatus 100 or 200, if
a size of the coding unit 710 is 64.times.64, transformation may be
performed by using the transformation units 720 having a size of
32.times.32.
[0195] Also, data of the coding unit 710 having the size of
64.times.64 may be encoded by performing the transformation on each
of the transformation units having the size of 32.times.32,
16.times.16, 8.times.8, and 4.times.4, which are smaller than
64.times.64, and then a transformation unit having the least coding
error may be selected.
[0196] FIG. 16 is a diagram for describing encoding information of
coding units corresponding to a coded depth, according to an
exemplary embodiment.
[0197] The output unit 130 of the video encoding apparatus 100 may
encode and transmit information 800 about a partition type,
information 810 about a prediction mode, and information 820 about
a size of a transformation unit for each coding unit corresponding
to a coded depth, as information about an encoding mode.
[0198] The information 800 indicates information about a shape of a
partition obtained by splitting a prediction unit of a current
coding unit, wherein the partition is a data unit for prediction
encoding the current coding unit. For example, a current coding
unit CU.sub.--0 having a size of 2N.times.2N may be split into any
one of a partition 802 having a size of 2N.times.2N, a partition
804 having a size of 2N.times.N, a partition 806 having a size of
N.times.2N, and a partition 808 having a size of N.times.N. Here,
the information 800 about a partition type is set to indicate one
of the partition 804 having a size of 2N.times.N, the partition 806
having a size of N.times.2N, and the partition 808 having a size of
N.times.N
[0199] The information 810 indicates a prediction mode of each
partition. For example, the information 810 may indicate a mode of
prediction encoding performed on a partition indicated by the
information 800, i.e., an intra mode 812, an inter mode 814, or a
skip mode 816.
[0200] The information 820 indicates a transformation unit to be
based on when transformation is performed on a current coding unit.
For example, the transformation unit may be a first intra
transformation unit 822, a second intra transformation unit 824, a
first inter transformation unit 826, or a second intra
transformation unit 828. Also, the encoding information may include
transformation index information about a structure of a
transformation unit according.
[0201] The image data and encoding information extractor 220 of the
video decoding apparatus 200 may extract and use the information
800, 810, and 820 for decoding, according to each deeper coding
unit.
[0202] FIG. 17 is a diagram of deeper coding units according to
depths, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0203] Split information may be used to indicate a change of a
depth. The spilt information indicates whether a coding unit of a
current depth is split into coding units of a lower depth.
[0204] A prediction unit 910 for prediction encoding a coding unit
900 having a depth of 0 and a size of 2N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0
may include partitions of a partition type 912 having a size of
2N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0, a partition type 914 having a size of
2N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0, a partition type 916 having a size of
N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0, and a partition type 918 having a size
of N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0. FIG. 9 only illustrates the partition
types 912 through 918 which are obtained by symmetrically splitting
the prediction unit 910, but a partition type is not limited
thereto, and the partitions of the prediction unit 910 may include
asymmetrical partitions, partitions having a predetermined shape,
and partitions having a geometrical shape.
[0205] Prediction encoding is repeatedly performed on one partition
having a size of 2N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0, two partitions having
a size of 2N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0, two partitions having a size
of N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0, and four partitions having a size of
N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0, according to each partition type. The
prediction encoding in an intra mode and an inter mode may be
performed on the partitions having the sizes of
2N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0, N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0,
2N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0, and N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0. The
prediction encoding in a skip mode is performed only on the
partition having the size of 2N.sub.--0.times.2N.sub.--0.
[0206] Errors of encoding including the prediction encoding in the
partition types 912 through 918 are compared, and the least
encoding error is determined among the partition types. If an
encoding error is smallest in one of the partition types 912
through 916, the prediction unit 910 may not be split into a lower
depth.
[0207] If the encoding error is the smallest in the partition type
918, a depth is changed from 0 to 1 to split the partition type 918
in operation 920, and encoding is repeatedly performed on coding
units 930 having a depth of 2 and a size of
N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0 to search for a minimum encoding
error.
[0208] A prediction unit 940 for prediction encoding the coding
unit 930 having a depth of 1 and a size of
2N.sub.--1.times.2N.sub.--1 (=N.sub.--0.times.N.sub.--0) may
include partitions of a partition type 942 having a size of
2N.sub.--1.times.2N.sub.--1, a partition type 944 having a size of
2N_l.times.N.sub.--1, a partition type 946 having a size of
N.sub.--1.times.2N.sub.--1, and a partition type 948 having a size
of N_l.times.N.sub.--1.
[0209] If an encoding error is the smallest in the partition type
948, a depth is changed from 1 to 2 to split the partition type 948
in operation 950, and encoding is repeatedly performed on coding
units 960, which have a depth of 2 and a size of
N.sub.--2.times.N.sub.--2 to search for a minimum encoding
error.
[0210] When a maximum depth is d, split operation according to each
depth may be performed up to when a depth becomes d-1, and split
information may be encoded as up to when a depth is one of 0 to
d-2. In other words, when encoding is performed up to when the
depth is d-1 after a coding unit corresponding to a depth of d-2 is
split in operation 970, a prediction unit 990 for prediction
encoding a coding unit 980 having a depth of d-1 and a size of
2N_(d-1).times.2N_(d-1) may include partitions of a partition type
992 having a size of 2N_(d-1).times.2N_(d-1), a partition type 994
having a size of 2N_(d-1).times.N_(d-1), a partition type 996
having a size of N_(d-1).times.2N_(d-1), and a partition type 998
having a size of N_(d-1).times.N_(d-1).
[0211] Prediction encoding may be repeatedly performed on one
partition having a size of 2N_(d-1).times.2N_(d-1), two partitions
having a size of 2N_(d-1).times.N_(d-1), two partitions having a
size of N_(d-1).times.2N_(d-1), four partitions having a size of
N_(d-1).times.N_(d-1) from among the partition types 992 through
998 to search for a partition type having a minimum encoding
error.
[0212] Even when the partition type 998 has the minimum encoding
error, since a maximum depth is d, a coding unit CU_(d-1) having a
depth of d-1 is no longer split to a lower depth, and a coded depth
for the coding units constituting a current maximum coding unit 900
is determined to be d-1 and a partition type of the current maximum
coding unit 900 may be determined to be N_(d-1).times.N_(d-1).
Also, since the maximum depth is d and a minimum coding unit 980
having a lowermost depth of d-1 is no longer split to a lower
depth, split information for the minimum coding unit 980 is not
set.
[0213] A data unit 999 may be a `minimum unit` for the current
maximum coding unit. A minimum unit according to an exemplary
embodiment may be a rectangular data unit obtained by splitting a
minimum coding unit 980 by 4. By performing the encoding
repeatedly, the video encoding apparatus 100 may select a depth
having the least encoding error by comparing encoding errors
according to depths of the coding unit 900 to determine a coded
depth, and set a corresponding partition type and a prediction mode
as an encoding mode of the coded depth.
[0214] As such, the minimum encoding errors according to depths are
compared in all of the depths of 1 through d, and a depth having
the least encoding error may be determined as a coded depth. The
coded depth, the partition type of the prediction unit, and the
prediction mode may be encoded and transmitted as information about
an encoding mode. Also, since a coding unit is split from a depth
of 0 to a coded depth, only split information of the coded depth is
set to 0, and split information of depths excluding the coded depth
is set to 1.
[0215] The image data and encoding information extractor 220 of the
video decoding apparatus 200 may extract and use the information
about the coded depth and the prediction unit of the coding unit
900 to decode the partition 912. The video decoding apparatus 200
may determine a depth, in which split information is 0, as a coded
depth by using split information according to depths, and use
information about an encoding mode of the corresponding depth for
decoding.
[0216] FIGS. 18, 19, and 20 are diagrams for describing a
relationship between coding units 1010, prediction units 1060, and
transformation units 1070, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
[0217] The coding units 1010 are coding units having a tree
structure, corresponding to coded depths determined by the video
encoding apparatus 100, in a maximum coding unit. The prediction
units 1060 are partitions of prediction units of each of the coding
units 1010, and the transformation units 1070 are transformation
units of each of the coding units 1010.
[0218] When a depth of a maximum coding unit is 0 in the coding
units 1010, depths of coding units 1012 and 1054 are 1, depths of
coding units 1014, 1016, 1018, 1028, 1050, and 1052 are 2, depths
of coding units 1020, 1022, 1024, 1026, 1030, 1032, and 1048 are 3,
and depths of coding units 1040, 1042, 1044, and 1046 are 4.
[0219] In the prediction units 1060, some encoding units 1014,
1016, 1022, 1032, 1048, 1050, 1052, and 1054 are obtained by
splitting the coding units in the encoding units 1010. In other
words, partition types in the coding units 1014, 1022, 1050, and
1054 have a size of 2N.times.N, partition types in the coding units
1016, 1048, and 1052 have a size of N.times.2N, and a partition
type of the coding unit 1032 has a size of N.times.N. Prediction
units and partitions of the coding units 1010 are smaller than or
equal to each coding unit.
[0220] Transformation or inverse transformation is performed on
image data of the coding unit 1052 in the transformation units 1070
in a data unit that is smaller than the coding unit 1052. Also, the
coding units 1014, 1016, 1022, 1032, 1048, 1050, and 1052 in the
transformation units 1070 are different from those in the
prediction units 1060 in terms of sizes and shapes. In other words,
the video encoding and decoding apparatuses 100 and 200 may perform
intra prediction, motion estimation, motion compensation,
transformation, and inverse transformation individually on a data
unit in the same coding unit.
[0221] Accordingly, encoding is recursively performed on each of
coding units having a hierarchical structure in each region of a
maximum coding unit to determine an optimum coding unit, and thus
coding units having a recursive tree structure may be obtained.
Encoding information may include split information about a coding
unit, information about a partition type, information about a
prediction mode, and information about a size of a transformation
unit. Table 1 shows the encoding information that may be set by the
video encoding and decoding apparatuses 100 and 200.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Split Information 0 (Encoding on Coding Unit
having Size of 2N .times. 2N and Current Depth of d) Size of
Transformation Unit Split Split Partition Type Information 0
Information 1 Symmetrical Asymmetrical of of Prediction Partition
Partition Transformation Transformation Split Mode Type Type Unit
Unit Information 1 Intra 2N .times. 2N 2N .times. nU 2N .times. 2N
N .times. N Repeatedly Inter 2N .times. N 2N .times. nD
(Symmetrical Encode Skip N .times. 2N nL .times. 2N Type) Coding
Units (Only N .times. N nR .times. 2N N/2 .times. N/2 having 2N
.times. 2N) (Asymmetrical Lower Depth Type) of d + 1
[0222] The output unit 130 of the video encoding apparatus 100 may
output the encoding information about the coding units having a
tree structure, and the image data and encoding information
extractor 220 of the video decoding apparatus 200 may extract the
encoding information about the coding units having a tree structure
from a received bitstream.
[0223] Split information indicates whether a current coding unit is
split into coding units of a lower depth. If split information of a
current depth d is 0, a depth, in which a current coding unit is no
longer split into a lower depth, is a coded depth, and thus
information about a partition type, prediction mode, and a size of
a transformation unit may be defined for the coded depth. If the
current coding unit is further split according to the split
information, encoding is independently performed on four split
coding units of a lower depth.
[0224] A prediction mode may be one of an intra mode, an inter
mode, and a skip mode. The intra mode and the inter mode may be
defined in all partition types, and the skip mode is defined only
in a partition type having a size of 2N.times.2N.
[0225] The information about the partition type may indicate
symmetrical partition types having sizes of 2N.times.2N,
2N.times.N, N.times.2N, and N.times.N, which are obtained by
symmetrically splitting a height or a width of a prediction unit,
and asymmetrical partition types having sizes of 2N.times.nU,
2N.times.nD, nL.times.2N, and nR.times.2N, which are obtained by
asymmetrically splitting the height or width of the prediction
unit. The asymmetrical partition types having the sizes of
2N.times.nU and 2N.times.nD may be respectively obtained by
splitting the height of the prediction unit in 1:3 and 3:1, and the
asymmetrical partition types having the sizes of nL.times.2N and
nR.times.2N may be respectively obtained by splitting the width of
the prediction unit in 1:3 and 3:1
[0226] The size of the transformation unit may be set to be two
types in the intra mode and two types in the inter mode. In other
words, if split information of the transformation unit is 0, the
size of the transformation unit may be 2N.times.2N, which is the
size of the current coding unit. If split information of the
transformation unit is 1, the transformation units may be obtained
by splitting the current coding unit. Also, if a partition type of
the current coding unit having the size of 2N.times.2N is a
symmetrical partition type, a size of a transformation unit may be
N.times.N, and if the partition type of the current coding unit is
an asymmetrical partition type, the size of the transformation unit
may be N/2.times.N/2.
[0227] The encoding information about coding units having a tree
structure may include at least one of a coding unit corresponding
to a coded depth, a prediction unit, and a minimum unit. The coding
unit corresponding to the coded depth may include at least one of a
prediction unit and a minimum unit containing the same encoding
information.
[0228] Accordingly, it is determined whether adjacent data units
are included in the same coding unit corresponding to the coded
depth by comparing encoding information of the adjacent data units.
Also, a corresponding coding unit corresponding to a coded depth is
determined by using encoding information of a data unit, and thus a
distribution of coded depths in a maximum coding unit may be
determined.
[0229] Accordingly, if a current coding unit is predicted based on
encoding information of adjacent data units, encoding information
of data units in deeper coding units adjacent to the current coding
unit may be directly referred to and used.
[0230] Alternatively, if a current coding unit is predicted based
on encoding information of adjacent data units, data units adjacent
to the current coding unit are searched using encoded information
of the data units, and the searched adjacent coding units may be
referred for predicting the current coding unit.
[0231] FIG. 21 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a
coding unit, a prediction unit or a partition, and a transformation
unit, according to encoding mode information of Table 1.
[0232] A maximum coding unit 1300 includes coding units 1302, 1304,
1306, 1312, 1314, 1316, and 1318 of coded depths. Here, since the
coding unit 1318 is a coding unit of a coded depth, split
information may be set to 0. Information about a partition type of
the coding unit 1318 having a size of 2N.times.2N may be set to be
one of a partition type 1322 having a size of 2N.times.2N, a
partition type 1324 having a size of 2N.times.N, a partition type
1326 having a size of N.times.2N, a partition type 1328 having a
size of N.times.N, a partition type 1332 having a size of
2N.times.nU, a partition type 1334 having a size of 2N.times.nD, a
partition type 1336 having a size of nL.times.2N, and a partition
type 1338 having a size of nR.times.2N.
[0233] Split information (TU size flag) of a transformation unit is
a type of a transformation index, and a current size of a
transformation unit may be determined based on the transformation
index and a prediction unit type or a partition type of a current
coding unit.
[0234] For example, when the partition type is set to be
symmetrical, i.e. the partition type 1322, 1324, 1326, or 1328, a
transformation unit 1342 having a size of 2N.times.2N is set if a
TU size flag is 0, and a transformation unit 1344 having a size of
N.times.N is set if a TU size flag is 1.
[0235] On the other hand, when the partition type is set to be
asymmetrical, i.e., the partition type 1332, 1334, 1336, or 1338, a
transformation unit 1352 having a size of 2N.times.2N is set if a
TU size flag is 0, and a transformation unit 1354 having a size of
N/2.times.N/2 is set if a TU size flag is 1.
[0236] Accordingly, the size of a transformation unit corresponding
to the transformation index may vary according to a prediction unit
type or a partition type of a coding unit.
[0237] Referring to FIG. 21, the TU size flag is a flag having a
value or 0 or 1, but the TU size flag is not limited to 1 bit, and
a transformation unit may be hierarchically split having a tree
structure while the TU size flag increases from 0.
[0238] In this case, the size of a transformation unit that has
been actually used may be expressed by using a TU size flag of a
transformation unit, according to an exemplary embodiment, together
with a maximum size and minimum size of the transformation unit.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the video encoding apparatus
100 is capable of encoding maximum transformation unit size
information, minimum transformation unit size information, and a
maximum TU size flag. The result of encoding the maximum
transformation unit size information, the minimum transformation
unit size information, and the maximum TU size flag may be inserted
into an SPS. According to an exemplary embodiment, the video
decoding apparatus 200 may decode video by using the maximum
transformation unit size information, the minimum transformation
unit size information, and the maximum TU size flag.
[0239] For example, if the size of a current coding unit is
64.times.64 and a maximum transformation unit size is 32.times.32,
then the size of a transformation unit may be 32.times.32 when a TU
size flag is 0, may be 16.times.16 when the TU size flag is 1, and
may be 8.times.8 when the TU size flag is 2.
[0240] As another example, if the size of the current coding unit
is 32.times.32 and a minimum transformation unit size is
32.times.32, then the size of the transformation unit may be
32.times.32 when the TU size flag is 0. Here, the TU size flag
cannot be set to a value other than 0, since the size of the
transformation unit cannot be less than 32.times.32.
[0241] As another example, if the size of the current coding unit
is 64.times.64 and a maximum TU size flag is 1, then the TU size
flag may be 0 or 1. Here, the TU size flag cannot be set to a value
other than 0 or 1.
[0242] Thus, if it is defined that the maximum TU size flag is
`MaxTransformSizeIndex`, a minimum transformation unit size is
`MinTransformSize`, and a transformation unit size is `RootTuSize`
when the TU size flag is 0, then a current minimum transformation
unit size `CurrMinTuSize` that can be determined in a current
coding unit, may be defined by Equation (1):
CurrMinTuSize=max(MinTransformSize, RootTuSize/(2
MaxTransformSizeIndex) Equation (1)
[0243] Compared to the current minimum transformation unit size
`CurrMinTuSize` that can be determined in the current coding unit,
a transformation unit size `RootTuSize` when the TU size flag is 0
may denote a maximum transformation unit size that can be selected
in the system. In Equation (1), `RootTuSize/(2
MaxTransformSizeIndex)` denotes a transformation unit size when the
transformation unit size `RootTuSize`, when the TU size flag is 0,
is split a number of times corresponding to the maximum TU size
flag, and `MinTransformSize` denotes a minimum transformation size.
Thus, a smaller value from among `RootTuSize/(2
MaxTransformSizeIndex)` and `MinTransformSize` may be the current
minimum transformation unit size `CurrMinTuSize` that can be
determined in the current coding unit.
[0244] According to an exemplary embodiment, the maximum
transformation unit size RootTuSize may vary according to the type
of a prediction mode.
[0245] For example, if a current prediction mode is an inter mode,
then `RootTuSize` may be determined by using Equation (2) below. In
Equation (2), `MaxTransformSize` denotes a maximum transformation
unit size, and `PUSize` denotes a current prediction unit size.
RootTuSize=min(MaxTransformSize,PUSize) Equation (2)
[0246] That is, if the current prediction mode is the inter mode,
the transformation unit size `RootTuSize` when the TU size flag is
0, may be a smaller value from among the maximum transformation
unit size and the current prediction unit size.
[0247] If a prediction mode of a current partition unit is an intra
mode, `RootTuSize` may be determined by using Equation (3) below.
In Equation (3), `PartitionSize` denotes the size of the current
partition unit.
RootTuSize=min(MaxTransformSize,PartitionSize) Equation (3)
[0248] That is, if the current prediction mode is the intra mode,
the transformation unit size `RootTuSize` when the TU size flag is
0 may be a smaller value from among the maximum transformation unit
size and the size of the current partition unit.
[0249] However, the current maximum transformation unit size
`RootTuSize` that varies according to the type of a prediction mode
in a partition unit is just an example and is not limited
thereto.
[0250] According to an exemplary embodiment, the current maximum
transformation unit size `RootTuSize` may be equal to the size of
the current coding unit. According to other exemplary embodiment,
the current maximum transformation unit size `RootTuSize` may be
determined base on a prediction unit type or a partition type of
the current prediction unit or partition. For example, the current
maximum transformation unit size `RootTuSize` may indicate the size
of a maximum square included in the current prediction unit or
partition.
[0251] FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a video encoding method
that uses a transformation index on the basis of coding units and
transformation units having a tree structure, according to an
exemplary embodiment.
[0252] In operation 1210, a current picture is split into at least
one maximum coding unit. A maximum depth that indicates the total
number of possible spits may be predetermined.
[0253] In operation 1220, a coded depth to output a final encoding
result according to at least one split region, which is obtained by
splitting a region of each maximum coding unit according to depths,
is determined by encoding the at least one split region, and a
coding unit according to a tree structure is determined.
[0254] The maximum coding unit is spatially split whenever the
depth deepens, and thus is split into coding units of a lower
depth. Each coding unit may be split into coding units of another
lower depth by being spatially split independently from adjacent
coding units. Encoding is repeatedly performed on each coding unit
according to depths.
[0255] Also, a transformation unit according to partition types
having the least encoding error is determined for each deeper
coding unit. In order to determine a coded depth having a minimum
encoding error in each maximum coding unit, encoding errors may be
measured and compared in all deeper coding units according to
depths.
[0256] In the determination of the coding unit, transformation
units, being a data unit in which the coding unit is transformed,
may be determined. The transformation units may be determined to be
a data unit minimizing an error due to the transformation on the
coding unit. The transformation units may be determined to have the
same size within a single coding unit. As a result of performing
transformation at each level according to a transformation depth
within a current coding unit, transformation units based on a tree
structure that form a hierarchical structure between transformation
units on the same region according to transformation depths and are
independent from transformation units on the other region may be
determined.
[0257] In operation 1230, encoded image data constituting the final
encoding result according to the coded depth is output for each
maximum coding unit, with encoding information about the coded
depth and an encoding mode. The information about the encoding mode
may include information that indicates a coded depth or split
information, information that indicates a partition type of a
prediction unit, information that indicates a prediction mode,
information that indicates a size of a transformation unit, and a
transformation index. The encoded information about the encoding
mode may be transmitted to a decoder with the encoded image
data.
[0258] FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating a video decoding method
that use a transformation index on the basis of the coding units
and the transformation units having a tree structure, according to
an exemplary embodiment.
[0259] In operation 1310, a bitstream of an encoded video is
received and parsed.
[0260] In operation 1320, encoded image data of a current picture
assigned to a maximum coding unit, and information about a coded
depth and an encoding mode according to maximum coding units are
extracted from the parsed bitstream. The coded depth of each
maximum coding unit is a depth having the least encoding error in
each maximum coding unit. In encoding each maximum coding unit, the
image data is encoded based on at least one data unit obtained by
hierarchically splitting the each maximum coding unit according to
depths.
[0261] According to the information that indicates the coded depth
and the encoding mode, the maximum coding unit may be split into
coding units having a tree structure. Each of the coding units
having the tree structure is determined as a coding unit
corresponding to a coded depth, and is optimally encoded as to
output the least encoding error. Accordingly, encoding and decoding
efficiency of an image may be improved by decoding each piece of
encoded image data in the coding units after determining at least
one coded depth according to coding units.
[0262] According to the transformation index included in the
information about the encoding mode, transformation units having a
tree structure within a coding unit may be determined. For example,
the number of splits from the current coding unit to a
transformation unit may be read from the transformation index. In
another embodiment, it may be determined whether the current coding
unit is split into transformation units of a lower level, and thus
a structure of transformation units having a tree structure may be
finally read from a bitstring that indicates whether splitting from
the uppermost transformation unit to a lower transformation unit is
performed for each region of the current coding unit.
[0263] In operation 1330, the image data of each maximum coding
unit is decoded based on the information about the coded depth and
the encoding mode according to the maximum coding units. The
decoded image data may be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus,
stored in a storage medium, or transmitted through a network.
[0264] The exemplary embodiments can be written as computer
programs and can be implemented in general-use digital computers
that execute the programs using a computer readable recording
medium. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include
magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.)
and optical recording media (e.g., CD-ROMs, or DVDs).
Alternatively, the exemplary embodiments may be embodied as signals
computer-readable transmission media, such as data signals, for
transmission over a computer network, for example the Internet.
[0265] The video encoding apparatuses or video decoding apparatuses
of the exemplary embodiments may include a bus coupled to every
unit of the apparatus, at least one processor connected to the bus
that executes commands, and a memory connected to the bus that
stores commands, received messages, and generated messages.
[0266] While this invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims. The exemplary embodiments should be considered in
descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the
detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims,
and all differences within the scope will be construed as being
included in the present invention.
* * * * *