Devices and methods for using base layer intra prediction mode for enhancement layer intra mode prediction

1. A method of providing enhancement layer intra mode prediction for video coding of a bitstream, the method comprising:

(a) providing base layer intra mode in a base layer of at least a three layer video encoder;

(b) adding the base layer intra mode as one of a plurality of most probable mode (MPM) candidates for enhancement layer intra mode prediction; and

(c) compressing the base layer intra mode and storing the compressed base layer intra mode, wherein a single compressed base layer intra mode in storage used for base layer intra mode is also selectable enhancement layer intra mode predictions;

(d) selecting from the plurality of most probable mode candidates an enhancement layer intra mode for the enhancement layer of the video encoder based on a flag set encoded and/or decoded in to the bitstream, wherein when said flag set indicates the base layer intra mode is selected from the plurality of MPM candidates for the enhancement layer, the compressed base layer intra mode is used as a mode for a current video block of the base layer for applying directly as the enhancement layer intra mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MPMs include a left neighboring block and an above neighboring block.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is implemented on a computer having a processor and a memory coupled to said processor, wherein at least some of steps (a)-(c) are performed using said processor.

4. A method of providing enhancement layer intra mode prediction for video decoding, the method comprising:

(a) providing base layer intra mode in a base layer of at least a three layer video decoder;

(b) adding the base layer intra mode as one of a plurality of most probable modes (MPM) candidates for enhancement layer intra mode prediction; and

(c) selecting from the plurality of most probable mode candidates an enhancement layer intra mode for the enhancement layer of the video encoder based on a flag set encoded and/or decoded in to the bitstream, wherein when the base layer intra mode is selected from the plurality of MPM candidates for the enhancement layer, the base layer intra mode is used as a mode for a current video block of the base layer for applying directly as the enhancement layer intra mode; and decoding a compressed base layer intra mode from storage, wherein said compressed base layer intra mode stored is a single mode used for base layer intra mode and is selectable for the enhancement layer intra mode prediction.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: (d) selecting two or more MPMs from the set of a plurality of MPMs to use in step (c).

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method is implemented on a computer having a processor and a memory coupled to said processor, wherein at least some of steps (a)-(c) are performed using said processor.

7. An apparatus for decoding a video bitstream having a plurality of pictures, the apparatus comprising a video decoder, the video decoder comprising: a processor; and a memory connected to the processor, the memory storing code enabling the processor to be configured to:

(a) receive a video bitstream;

(b) derive processed video data from the bitstream, wherein the processed video data includes a base layer intra mode in a base layer of at least a three layer video encoder;

(c) use the base layer intra mode as one of a plurality of most probable modes (MPMs); and

(d) select from the plurality of most probable mode candidates an enhancement layer intra mode for the enhancement layer of the two layer video encoder based on a flag set encoded and/or decoded in to the bitstream, wherein when the base layer intra mode is selected from the plurality of MPM candidates, the base layer intra mode is used as a mode for a current video block of the base layer for applying directly as the enhancement layer intra mode.

8. An apparatus for encoding a video bitstream having a plurality of pictures, the apparatus comprising a video encoder, the video encoder comprising: a processor; and a memory connected to the processor, the memory storing code enabling the processor to be configured to:

(a) receive a video bitstream;

(b) derive processed video data from the bitstream, wherein the processed video data includes a base layer intra mode in a base layer of at least a three layer video encoder;

(c) use the base layer intra mode to a set of a plurality of most probable modes (MPMs) when a flag is set in a first state; and

(d) compress the base layer intra mode and storing the compressed base layer intra mode, wherein a single compressed base layer intra mode in storage used for base layer intra mode is also selectable enhancement layer intra mode predictions;

(e) select from the plurality of most probable mode candidates an enhancement layer intra mode for the enhancement layer of the video encoder based on a flag set encoded and/or decoded in to the bitstream, wherein when the base layer intra mode is selected from the plurality of MPM candidates for the enhancement layer, the base layer intra mode is used as a mode for a current video block of the base layer for applying directly as the enhancement layer intra mode.