Methods and apparatus for determining quantization parameter predictors from a plurality of neighboring quantization parameters

1. A method, comprising:

encoding image data for at least a portion of a picture using a quantization parameter predictor for a current quantization parameter to be applied to the image data, the quantization parameter predictor being determined using multiple quantization parameters from previously coded neighboring portions, and

encoding a difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor for signaling to a corresponding decoder,

wherein said quantization parameter predictor is determined by finding a mean of the quantization parameters of the previously coded neighboring portion to the left and the previously coded neighboring portion above the portion currently being encoded when these neighboring portions are available, and

if at least one of said neighboring portions is not available, the quantization parameter predictor is determined as a mean of quantization parameters of any of said neighboring portions that are available and a quantization parameter for a current slice.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quantization parameter predictor is selected from one or more quantization parameters corresponding to a same portion of the picture as that used for a motion vector prediction, the one or more quantization parameters being among the multiple quantization parameters.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a motion vector competition is used to determine the motion vector predictor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data is a transform unit, and the difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor is only encoded when the transform unit includes non-zero coefficients.

5. A method, comprising:

decoding image data for at least a portion of a picture using a quantization parameter predictor for a current quantization parameter to be applied to the image data, the quantization parameter predictor being determined using multiple quantization parameters from previously decoded neighboring portions; and

decoding a difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor for use in decoding the image data, and

wherein said quantization parameter predictor is determined by finding a mean of the quantization parameters of the previously decoded neighboring portion to the left and the previously decoded neighboring portion above the portion currently being decoded when these neighboring portions are available, and

if at least one of said neighboring portions is not available, the quantization parameter predictor is determined as a mean of quantization parameters of any of said neighboring portions that are available and a quantization parameter for a current slice.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the quantization parameter predictor is selected from one or more quantization parameters corresponding to a same portion of the picture as that used for a motion vector prediction, the one or more quantization parameters being among the multiple quantization parameters.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a motion vector competition is used to determine the motion vector predictor.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the image data is a transform unit, and the difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor is only decoded when the transform unit includes non-zero coefficients.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage media having a computer program stored therein, when the computer program is executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement the method of claim 1 .

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory and a processor, configured to perform:

encoding image data for at least a portion of a picture using a quantization parameter predictor for a current quantization parameter to be applied to the image data, the quantization parameter predictor being determined using multiple quantization parameters from previously coded neighboring portions, and

encoding a difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor for signaling to a corresponding decoder,

wherein said quantization parameter predictor is determined by finding a mean of the quantization parameters of the previously coded neighboring portion to the left and the previously coded neighboring portion above the portion currently being encoded when these neighboring portions are available, and

if at least one of said neighboring portions is not available, the quantization parameter predictor is determined as a mean of quantization parameters of any of said neighboring portions that are available and a quantization parameter for a current slice.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the quantization parameter predictor is selected from one or more quantization parameters corresponding to a same portion of the picture as that used for a motion vector prediction, the one or more quantization parameters being among the multiple quantization parameters.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a motion vector competition is used to determine the motion vector predictor.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the image data is a transform unit, and the difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor is only encoded when the transform unit includes non-zero coefficients.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage media having instructions stored thereupon, wherein said instructions, operating on image data cause a processor to perform:

encoding image data for at least a portion of a picture using a quantization parameter predictor for a current quantization parameter to be applied to the image data, the quantization parameter predictor being determined using multiple quantization parameters from previously coded neighboring portions, and

encoding a difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor for signaling to a corresponding decoder,

wherein said quantization parameter predictor is determined by finding a mean of the quantization parameters of the previously coded neighboring portion to the left and the previously coded neighboring portion above the portion currently being encoded when these neighboring portions are available, and

if at least one of said neighboring portions is not available, the quantization parameter predictor is determined as a mean of quantization parameters of any of said neighboring portions that are available and a quantization parameter for a current slice.

15. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14 , wherein the quantization parameter predictor is selected from one or more quantization parameters corresponding to a same portion of the picture as that used for a motion vector prediction, the one or more quantization parameters being among the multiple quantization parameters.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage media having instructions stored thereupon, wherein said instructions, operating on image data cause a processor to perform:

decoding image data for at least a portion of a picture using a quantization parameter predictor for a current quantization parameter to be applied to the image data, the quantization parameter predictor being determined using multiple quantization parameters from previously decoded neighboring portions; and

decoding a difference between the current quantization parameter and the quantization parameter predictor for use in decoding the image data, and

wherein said quantization parameter predictor is determined by finding a mean of the quantization parameters of the previously decoded neighboring portion to the left and the previously decoded neighboring portion above the portion currently being decoded when these neighboring portions are available, and

if at least one of said neighboring portions is not available, the quantization parameter predictor is determined as a mean of quantization parameters of any of said neighboring portions that are available and a quantization parameter for a current slice.

17. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the quantization parameter predictor is selected from one or more quantization parameters corresponding to a same portion of the picture as that used for a motion vector prediction, the one or more quantization parameters being among the multiple quantization parameters.