Picture decoding method

Abstract

The invention relates to method for buffering encoded pictures. The method includes an encoding step for forming encoded pictures in an encoder. The method also includes a transmission step for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units, a buffering step for buffering transmission units transmitted to the decoder in a buffer, and a decoding step for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures. The buffer size is defined so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.

1 . A method for buffering encoded pictures, the method including an encoding step for forming encoded pictures in an encoder, a transmission step for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units, a buffering step for buffering transmission units transmitted to the decoder in a buffer, and a decoding step for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures, wherein the buffer size is defined so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of transmission units used in the calculation of the total size is the fractional number of the necessary buffer size in terms of the number of transmission units.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of transmission units used in the calculation of the total size is the fractional number of the necessary buffer size in terms of the number of transmission units, wherein the fractional number is of the form 1/N N being an integer number.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of transmission units used in the calculation of the total size is the same as the necessary buffer size in terms of the number of transmission units.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of transmission units used in the calculation of the total size is expressed as in buffering order of the transmission units.  
     
     
         6 . A system comprising an encoder for encoding pictures, a transmitter for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as VCL NAL units, a decoder for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures, the decoder comprising a buffer for buffering transmission units transmitted to the decoder, wherein the system further comprises a definer for defining the buffer size so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         7 . An encoder for encoding pictures comprising a transmitter for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units for buffering in a buffer and decoding, wherein the encoder further comprises a definer for defining the buffer size so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         8 . The encoder according to  claim 7 , wherein it comprises a buffer for buffering the encoded pictures, and a hypothetical reference decoder for determining buffering requirements for decoding of the encoded pictures.  
     
     
         9 . A decoder for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures, comprising a pre-decoding buffer for buffering received encoded pictures for decoding, wherein the decoder further comprises a processor for allocating memory for the pre-decoding buffer according to a received parameter indicative of the buffer size, and the buffer size is defined so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         10 . A software program product comprising machine executable steps stored in a readable memory for performing a method for buffering encoded pictures when said steps are executed on a processor, the method including an encoding step for forming encoded pictures in an encoder, a transmission step for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units, a buffering step for buffering transmission units transmitted to the decoder in a buffer, and a decoding step for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures, wherein the buffer size is defined so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         11 . A storage medium for storing a software program comprising machine executable steps for performing a method for buffering encoded pictures, the method including an encoding step for forming encoded pictures in an encoder, a transmission step for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units, a buffering step for buffering transmission units transmitted to the decoder in a buffer, and a decoding step for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures, wherein the buffer size is defined so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         12 . An electronic device comprising an encoder for encoding pictures, and a transmitter for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units for buffering in a buffer and decoding, wherein the electronic device further comprises a definer for defining the buffer size so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         13 . A signal including encoded pictures as transmission units, for which buffering requirements for decoding of the encoded pictures is determined, wherein a parameter indicative of the buffer size so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size, and said parameter is attached to the signal.  
     
     
         14 . A transmitting device, which comprises an encoder for encoding pictures comprising a transmitter for transmitting said encoded pictures to a decoder as transmission units for buffering in a buffer and decoding, wherein the transmitting device further comprises a definer for defining the buffer size so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.  
     
     
         15 . A receiving device, which comprises decoder for decoding the encoded pictures for forming decoded pictures, comprising a pre-decoding buffer for buffering received encoded pictures for decoding, wherein the decoder further comprises a processor for allocating memory for the pre-decoding buffer according to a received parameter indicative of the buffer size, and the buffer size is defined so that the total size of at least two transmission units is defined and the maximum buffer size is defined on the basis of the total size.