Coding systems

Abstract

In an implementation, a supplemental sequence parameter set (“SPS”) structure is provided that has its own network abstraction layer (“NAL”) unit type and allows transmission of layer-dependent parameters for non-base layers in an SVC environment. The supplemental SPS structure also may be used for view information in an MVC environment. In a general aspect, a structure is provided that includes (1) information ( 1410 ) from an SPS NAL unit, the information describing a parameter for use in decoding a first-layer encoding of a sequence of images, and (2) information ( 1420 ) from a supplemental SPS NAL unit having a different structure than the SPS NAL unit, and the information from the supplemental SPS NAL unit describing a parameter for use in decoding a second-layer encoding of the sequence of images. Associated methods and apparatuses are provided on the encoder and decoder sides, as well as for the signal.

1 . A decoding method comprising:
 accessing information from a sequence parameter set (“SPS”) network abstraction layer (“NAL”) unit, the SPS being a syntax structure which contains syntax elements that apply to zero or more entire coded video sequences, and the information describing a parameter for use in decoding a coded first-layer of an image in a sequence of images;   accessing supplemental information from a NAL unit having a different NAL unit type code from that of the SPS NAL unit, and the supplemental information from the NAL unit indicating (i) a temporal indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding a coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images; and   decoding the coded first-layer, and the coded second-layer, based on, respectively, the accessed information from the SPS NAL unit, and the accessed supplemental information from the NAL unit.   
     
     
         2 . The decoding method of  claim 1  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a parameter to relate the NAL unit to a corresponding SPS NAL unit. 
     
     
         3 . The decoding method of  claim 1  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a spatial indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images. 
     
     
         4 . The decoding method of  claim 1  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a layer indicator parameter having information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images by providing information for use in identifying the layer of the coded second-layer. 
     
     
         5 . A method for encoding an image in a sequence of images, the method comprising:
 generating a sequence parameter set (“SPS”) network abstraction layer (“NAL”) unit, the SPS being a syntax structure which contains syntax elements that apply to zero or more entire coded video sequences, and the SPS including information describing a parameter for use in decoding a coded first-layer of an image in a sequence of images; and   generating a NAL unit having a different NAL unit type code from that of the SPS NAL unit, and the NAL unit including supplemental information, the supplemental information from the NAL unit indicating a temporal indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding a coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a parameter to relate the NAL unit to a corresponding SPS NAL unit. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a spatial indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a layer indicator parameter having information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images by providing information for use in identifying the layer of the coded second-layer. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 accessing a sequence parameter set (“SPS”) network abstraction layer (“NAL”) unit, the SPS being a syntax structure which contains syntax elements that apply to zero or more entire coded video sequences, and the SPS including information describing a parameter for use in decoding a coded first-layer of the image;   accessing a NAL unit having a different NAL unit type code from that of the SPS NAL unit, and the NAL unit including supplemental information, the supplemental information from the NAL unit indicating a temporal indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding a coded second-layer of the image; and   storing data for a coding of the image, including (i) the accessed SPS NAL unit that includes information describing the parameter for use in decoding the coded first-layer of the image, and (ii) the accessed NAL unit that includes the supplemental information indicating the temporal indicator parameter having the layer dependent information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a parameter to relate the NAL unit to a corresponding SPS NAL unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a spatial indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a layer indicator parameter having information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images by providing information for use in identifying the layer of the coded second-layer. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 accessing a sequence parameter set (“SPS”) network abstraction layer (“NAL”) unit, the SPS being a syntax structure which contains syntax elements that apply to zero or more entire coded video sequences, and the SPS including information describing a parameter for use in decoding a coded first-layer of the image;   accessing a NAL unit having a different NAL unit type code from that of the SPS NAL unit, and the NAL unit including supplemental information, the supplemental information from the NAL unit indicating a temporal indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding a coded second-layer of the image; and   transmitting data for a coding of the image, including (i) the accessed SPS NAL unit that includes information describing the parameter for use in decoding the coded first-layer of the image, and (ii) the accessed NAL unit that includes the supplemental information indicating the temporal indicator parameter having the layer dependent information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a parameter to relate the NAL unit to a corresponding SPS NAL unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a spatial indicator parameter having layer dependent information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the supplemental information further indicates a layer indicator parameter having information for use in decoding the coded second-layer of the image in the sequence of images by providing information for use in identifying the layer of the coded second-layer.