Methods and apparatus for unified significance map coding

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a video encoder for encoding transform coefficients for at least a portion of a picture, the transform coefficients obtained using a plurality of transforms sizes;

a decision generator for determining a rule for creating context sharing maps wherein a context sharing map is defined as a map indicative of a probability model shared among different transform coefficient positions;

a bitstream generator for providing bitstream syntax indicative of said determined rule;

a map generator to create the context sharing maps for the transformed portion of the picture based on said determined rule,

wherein one or more context sharing maps are generated for the transform coefficients based on the determined rule used for the transformed portion of the picture, the one or more context sharing maps for providing at least one context that is shared among at least some of the transform coefficients obtained from at least two different ones of the plurality of transform sizes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transform coefficients are two-dimensional transform coefficients, and the determined rule specifies mapping the two-dimensional transform coefficients into a one-dimensional array according to a scanning order, and assigning first N coefficients from among the transform coefficients to separate contexts.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein remaining coefficients from among the transform coefficients are assigned to a single context.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scanning order is a zig-zag scanning order.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transform coefficients are encoded into a resultant bitstream, multiple rules are used as candidates for the determined rule, and the determined rule is indicated in the resultant bitstream.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determined rule comprises at least two determined rules that vary based on video sequences to which the transform coefficients correspond, picture resolutions, and quantization parameters.

7. In a video encoder, a method, comprising:

encoding transform coefficients for at least a portion of a picture, the transform coefficients obtained using a plurality of transforms sizes;

determining a rule for creating context sharing maps wherein a context sharing map is defined as a map indicative of a probability model shared among different transform coefficient positions;

providing bitstream syntax indicative of said determined rule;

creating the context sharing maps for the transformed portion of the picture based on said determined rule,

wherein one or more context sharing maps are generated for the transform coefficients based on the determined rule used for the transformed portion of the picture, the one or more context sharing maps for providing at least one context that is shared among at least some of the transform coefficients obtained from at least two different ones of the plurality of transform sizes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transform coefficients are two-dimensional transform coefficients, and the determined rule specifies mapping the two-dimensional transform coefficients into a one-dimensional array according to a scanning order, and assigning first N coefficients from among the transform coefficients to separate contexts.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein remaining coefficients from among the transform coefficients are assigned to a single context.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the scanning order is a zig-zag scanning order.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transform coefficients are encoded into a resultant bitstream, multiple rules are used as candidates for the determined rule, and the determined rule is indicated in the resultant bitstream.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determined rule comprises at least two determined rules that vary based on video sequences to which the transform coefficients correspond, picture resolutions, and quantization parameters.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a video decoder for decoding transform coefficients for at least a portion of a picture, the transform coefficients obtained using a plurality of transforms sizes;

a decision generator for determining a rule for creating context sharing maps wherein a context sharing map is defined as a map indicative of a probability model shared among different transform coefficient positions;

a bitstream parser for finding bitstream syntax indicative of said determined rule;

a map generator to create the context sharing maps for the transformed portion of the picture based on said determined rule,

wherein one or more context sharing maps are generated for the transform coefficients based on the determined rule used for the transformed portion of the picture, the one or more context sharing maps for providing at least one context that is shared among at least some of the transform coefficients obtained from at least two different ones of the plurality of transform sizes.

14. In a video decoder, a method, comprising:

decoding transform coefficients for at least a portion of a picture, the transform coefficients obtained using a plurality of transforms- sizes;

determining a rule for creating context sharing maps wherein a context sharing map is defined as a map indicative of a probability model shared among different transform coefficient positions;

finding bitstream syntax indicative of said determined rule; and

creating the context sharing maps for the transformed portion of the picture based on said determined rule,

wherein one or more context sharing maps are generated for the transform coefficients based on the determined rule used for the transformed portion of the picture, the one or more context sharing maps for providing at least one context that is shared among at least some of the transform coefficients obtained from at least two different ones of the plurality of transform sizes.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the transform coefficients are two-dimensional transform coefficients, and the determined rule specifies mapping the two-dimensional transform coefficients into a one-dimensional array according to a scanning order, and assigning first N coefficients from among the transform coefficients to separate contexts.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein remaining coefficients from among the transform coefficients are assigned to a single context.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the scanning order is a zig-zag scanning order.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the transform coefficients are decoded from a bitstream, multiple rules are used as candidates for the determined rule, and the determined rule is determined from the bitstream.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the determined rule comprises at least two determined rules that vary based on video sequences to which the transform coefficients correspond, picture resolutions, and quantization parameters.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage media having video signal data encoded thereupon, comprising: transform coefficients encoded for at least a portion of a picture, the transform coefficients obtained using a plurality of transform sizes; and bitstream syntax indicative of a rule for creating context sharing maps wherein a context sharing map is defined as a map indicative of a probability model shared among different transform coefficient positions; wherein one or more context sharing maps are generated for the transform coefficients based on the rule used for the transformed portion of the picture, the one or more context sharing maps for providing at least one context that is shared among at least some of the transform coefficients obtained from at least two different ones of the plurality of transform sizes.