METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SAMPLE ADAPTIVE OFFSET CODING WITH SEPARATE SIGN AND MAGNITUDE

摘要

A method and apparatus for encoding or decoding SAO (sample adaptive offset) parameters in a video encoder or decoder are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention encode or decode signs and magnitudes of SAO offset values separately for a region using band offset, where the signs are coded using bypass mode coding or fixed length coding. In one embodiment, the magnitudes of the SAO offset values for a region are grouped and coded together. If the SAO type is not band offset, the signs of the SAO offset values are omitted from the compressed data associated with the region. In another embodiment, the magnitude of the SAO offset value for band offset is checked to determine whether it is zero. If the magnitude of the SAO offset value is zero, there is no need to incorporate the sign of the SAO offset value in the compressed data.