IMPROVED INTRA PLANAR PREDICTION USING MERGE MODE MOTION VECTOR CANDIDATES

1 . A method for video encoding or video decoding, the method comprising:

selecting a spatial neighboring block that has motion information for prediction;

determining motion information for a current block based on the motion information of the selected spatial neighboring block;

obtaining a set of reference samples adjacent to the current block by applying the motion information for the current block; and

performing intra prediction of the current block using at least a line of reference samples from the set of generated reference samples.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the line of reference samples is adjacent to the current block and arranged along an edge of the current block.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the line of reference samples is arranged along any of: the right edge of the current block, the bottom edge of the current block, the left edge of the current block, and the top edge of the current block.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spatial neighboring block is any of: (1) not yet reconstructed at a time at which the current block is predicted, or (2) reconstructed after the current block according to a known block reconstruction order.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing intra prediction of the current block further comprises using another line of reference samples,

wherein the reference samples of the other line are selected from any number of already reconstructed blocks adjacent to the current block.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing intra prediction of the current block further comprises using another line of reference samples,

wherein the reference samples of the other line are generated using motion information of another spatial neighboring block adjacent to the current block, and

wherein the other spatial neighboring block is a different block than the spatial neighboring block.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing intra prediction of the current block further comprises using the line of reference samples to generate prediction samples for the current block according to any of: a planar intra prediction mode, a DC intra prediction mode, and a directional intra prediction mode.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing intra prediction of the current block generates an intra prediction of the current block that is combined with another prediction signal according to an inter and intra combined merge mode.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the intra prediction of the current block is performed at any of: (1) a video encoder, wherein the current block is part of a picture being encoded, and (2) a video decoder, wherein the current block is part of a picture being decoded.

10 . A device for video encoding or video decoding, comprising circuitry including a transmitter, a receiver, an encoder, a decoder, a processor and a memory, configured to:

select a spatial neighboring block that has motion information for prediction;

determine motion information for a current block based on the motion information of the selected spatial neighboring block;

obtain a set of reference samples adjacent the current block by applying the motion information for the current block; and

perform intra prediction of the current block using at least a line of reference samples from the set of generated reference samples.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the line of reference samples is adjacent to the current block and arranged along an edge of the current block.

12 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the line of reference samples is arranged along any of: the right edge of the current block, the bottom edge of the current block, the left edge of the current block, and the top edge of the current block.

13 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the spatial neighboring block is any of: (1) not yet reconstructed at a time at which the current block is predicted, or (2) reconstructed after the current block according to a known block reconstruction order.

14 . The device of claim 10 , wherein performing intra prediction of the current block further comprises using another line of reference samples, and

wherein the reference samples of the other line are selected from among any number of already reconstructed blocks adjacent to the current block.

15 . The device of claim 10 , wherein performing intra prediction of the current block further comprises using another line of reference samples,

wherein the reference samples of the other line are generated using motion information of another spatial neighboring block adjacent to the current block, and

wherein the other spatial neighboring block is a different block than the spatial neighboring block.

16 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the line of reference samples is any of a top reference line, a bottom reference line, a left reference line, or a right reference line.

17 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the line of reference samples is determined according to any of a candidate pixel and motion information associated with the candidate pixel.

18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the candidate pixel is from among one or more unreconstructed neighboring blocks.

19 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the corresponding block is any of a CU and a sub-CU, and

wherein each of the CU and the sub-CU have respective heights and widths of numbers of pixels.

20 . The device of claim 19 , wherein the CU is an intra CU and the sub-CU is an intra sub-CU, and

wherein any of the intra CU and the intra sub-CU is for an inter picture.