Methods and apparatus for successive intra block prediction

1. An encoder for performing intra block prediction, comprising:

a prediction module configured to generate a prediction block comprising a plurality of sub-blocks, wherein generating the prediction block comprises:

generating a plurality of predicted values, one for each sub-block; and

replacing each predicted value with a replica value;

wherein at least one of the prediction values is generated using a set of data that comprises replica values and excludes previously-predicted values.

2. The encoder according to claim 1 , wherein generating the plurality of predicted values comprises:

predicting a first value for a first sub-block, a second value for a second sub-block, a third value for a third sub-block; and a fourth value for a fourth sub-block.

3. The encoder according to claim 2 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sub-blocks are adjacent to each other.

4. The encoder according to claim 2 , wherein replacing each predicted value with the replica value comprises replacing: the first value with a first replica value, the second value with a second replica value, and the third value with a third replica value.

5. The encoder according to claim 4 , wherein:

predicting the first value comprises using encoded data;

predicting the second value comprises using encoded data and the first replica value; and

predicting the third value comprises using encoded data and the first replica value;

predicting the fourth value comprises using the set of data comprising the first, second, and third replica values.

6. The encoder according to claim 4 , wherein the encoder comprises a matching decoder configured to perform dequantization and inverse transformation to generate the first, second, and third replica values.

7. The encoder according to claim 4 , wherein the first, second, and third replica values match values of decompressed data.

8. The encoder according to claim 1 , wherein the encoder further comprises:

a transform module connected to an output terminal of the prediction module;

a quantizer connected to an output terminal of the transform module; and

a matching decoder connected between an output terminal of the quantizer and an input terminal of the prediction module.

9. The encoder according to claim 1 , wherein the replica value matches a value of decompressed data corresponding to the respective predicted value.

10. A method for performing intra block prediction, comprising:

generating a predicted block comprising a plurality of sub-blocks, wherein generating the predicted block comprises:

generating: a first predicted value for a first sub-block, a second predicted value for a second sub-block, and a third predicted value for a third sub-block;

replacing: the first predicted value with a first replica value, the second predicted value with a second replica value, the third predicted value with a third replica value; and

generating a fourth predicted value for a fourth sub-block using the first, second, and third replica values.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first, second, and third replica values match values of decompressed data.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sub-blocks are adjacent to each other.

13. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

transforming the predicted block using a transform algorithm; and

quantizing the plurality of transformed coefficients.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising generating the replica value, comprising:

dequantizing the plurality of quantized coefficients; and

applying an inverse transform algorithm to the dequantized value.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein:

generating the first predicted value comprises using a plurality of previously-predicted values;

generating the second predicted value comprises using at least one previously predicted value and the first replica value; and

generating the third predicted value comprises using at least one previously predicted value and the first replica value.

16. A system, comprising:

an image sensor configured to generate a frame of image data;

a block generator connected to the image sensor and configured to receive the frame of image data and divide the frame of image data into a plurality of blocks, wherein each block comprises a plurality of sub-blocks; and

an encoder configured to generate a prediction block,

wherein generating the prediction block comprises:

generating: a first predicted value for a first sub-block, a second predicted value for a second sub-block, and a third predicted value for a third sub-block;

replacing: the first predicted value with a first replica value, the second predicted value with a second replica value, and the third predicted value with a third replica value; and

generating a fourth predicted value for a fourth sub-block using the first, second, and third replica values.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the encoder is further configured to generate a compressed bitstream according to the prediction block.

18. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising a decoder configured to:

receive the compressed bitstream; and

reconstruct the frame of image data using the compressed bitstream, comprising:

generating: a fifth predicted value for a fifth sub-block, a sixth predicted value for a sixth sub-block, and a seventh predicted value for a seventh sub-block;

replacing: the fifth predicted value with a first decoded value, the sixth predicted value with a second decoded value, and the seventh predicted value with a third decoded value; and

generating an eighth predicted value for an eighth sub-block using the first, second, and third decoded values.

19. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the encoder comprises a matching decoder configured to perform dequantization and inverse transformation to generate the first, second, and third replica values.

20. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sub-blocks are adjacent to each other.