BlackBerry Limited
PREDICTOR-COPY CODING MODE FOR CODING OF POINT CLOUDS

Abstract:

Methods and devices for encoding a point cloud. A predictor-copy coding mode is described in which an encoder copies the predicted points for a sub-volume rather than encoding the occupancy data for the original points in the sub-volume. A predictor-copy coding mode flag is coded in the bitstream to signal to the decoder whether predictor-copy coding mode is active or inactive. The predictor-copy coding mode flag may only be coded for sub-volumes that are eligible to use the mode. Eligibility may be based on depth within the coding tree and/or size of the sub-volume. Predictor-copy coding mode has the result of early termination of a branch of the coding tree. Instead of decoding the occupancy for the remainder of the branch, a decoder copies the predicted points that are positioned within the sub-volume as the reconstructed points of the point cloud for that sub-volume.