Picture decoding using same-picture reference for pixel reconstruction

1. A method for decoding a digitally encoded picture, comprising:

a) padding all un-decoded pixels within a currently decoding picture with temporary pixel values to produce a padded picture; and

b) performing pixel prediction for a section of a digital picture using the padded picture as a reference picture independent of whether the digital picture is intra-coded or inter-coded, wherein performing pixel prediction includes utilizing motion compensation functions within a codec used to decode the currently decoding picture even if the currently decoding picture is intra coded.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a) includes replacing all un-decoded pixels in a row of pixels within the digital picture with a last decoded pixel in the row.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a) includes replacing all un-decoded pixels in a column of pixels within the digital picture with a last decoded pixel in the column.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein b) includes extracting a motion vector for the section from the currently decoding picture even if the currently decoding picture is intra coded and using the motion vector to perform pixel prediction to generate one or more predicted pixels for the section, wherein the motion vector represents an offset between the section and a reference section.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising extracting one or more transform coefficients from the currently decoding picture and calculating one or more residual pixels for the section from the transform coefficients.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising combining the residual pixels and the predicted pixels to produce one or more decoded pixels for the section.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising performing post-processing on the decoded pixels.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing pixel prediction on the section to generate one or more predicted pixels for the section.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a) includes copying padding pixels from a decoded section of the digital picture that has not yet undergone post-processing.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising performing post-processing on the decoded pixels for the section after all sections of the currently processing picture have undergone pixel prediction.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the section of the picture is a macroblock within the digital picture.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the section of the picture is a block within a macroblock within the digital picture.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital picture includes artificially generated content.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to b) placing the padded picture into a list of reference pictures available for decoding.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

dividing a process for decoding the picture into two or more tasks based on data dependencies between the two or more tasks; and

executing the two or more tasks in parallel on three or more processors in a way that balances a processing load of executing the two or more tasks among the three or more processors.

16. An apparatus for decoding a digitally encoded picture, comprising:

a processor module;

a memory; and

computer coded instructions embodied in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer coded instructions are configured to implement a method for decoding a digitally encoded picture upon execution by the processor, the method comprising:

a) padding all un-decoded pixels within a currently decoding picture with temporary pixel values to produce a padded picture; and

b) performing pixel prediction for a section of a digital picture using the padded picture as a reference picture independent of whether the digital picture is intra-coded or inter-coded, wherein performing pixel prediction includes utilizing motion compensation functions within a codec used to decode the currently decoding picture even if the currently decoding picture is intra coded.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor module includes three or more processors; and

wherein the processor readable instructions include instructions operable on the three or more processors, the instructions being configured to implement a method for decoding streaming data, the method comprising:

dividing a process for decoding the digital picture into two or more tasks based on data dependencies between the two or more tasks; and

executing the two or more tasks in parallel on the three or more processors in a way that balances a processing load of executing the two or more tasks among the three or more processors.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied therein coded instructions executable by a computer processor, the computer coded instructions being configured to implement a method for decoding a digitally encoded picture upon execution by the processor, the method comprising:

a) padding all un-decoded pixels within a currently decoding picture with temporary pixel values to produce a padded picture; and

b) performing pixel prediction for a section of a digital picture using the padded picture as a reference picture independent of whether the digital picture is intra-coded or inter-coded, wherein performing pixel prediction includes utilizing motion compensation functions within a codec used to decode the currently decoding picture even if the currently decoding picture is intra coded.