Probability Model-Based Early Merge Mode Decision for Dependent Views Coding 85:3
because 3D-HEVC supports more exible quad-tree coding structures and prediction techniques
than previous 3D video coding standards [6, 8].
In recent years, a few fast mode decision methods have been proposed at each CU depth under
the framework of either HEVC or 3D-HEVC. These include correlation-based methods which ex-
ploit mode correlation, spatial-temporal correlation, interview correlation, RD cost correlation,
hierarchical correlation, Motion Vector (MV) and Coded Block Flag (CBF), among others. The
correlation-based methods are always built based on observations and some experimental sta-
tistics. They have the advantages of implementation simplicity and require less modications to
the encoder. For example, in Shen et al. [20], a fast intermode decision approach was proposed for
HEVC by jointly using interlevel correlation, spatiotemporal correlation, MV, and RD cost corre-
lation. In Jung and Park [5], a fast mode decision method was proposed using the RD cost and bit
cost. In Zhao et al. [42], a hierarchical structure-based fast mode decision algorithm was proposed
by using the colocated depth information from a previous frame to predict the split structure of
the current block. In Zhang et al. [34], an ecient fast mode decision method was proposed for the
interprediction of HEVC by exploiting the relationship between impossible modes and the distri-
bution of distortions to avoid checking unnecessary modes. In Hu et al. [4], a fast mode decision
algorithm was proposed based on the Neyman-Pearson rule to balance RD performance loss and
complexity reduction, which consists of an early SKIP mode decision and a fast CU size decision.
Since the independent views of 3D-HEVC are independently encoded by the HEVC-based codec,
these fast methods of HEVC are suitable for them. In Zhang et al. [36], an ecient multiview video
plus depth coding scheme was proposed for 3D-HEVC based on the complexity classication of
a treeblock. In Zhang et al. [38], a fast depth map mode decision algorithm was proposed for 3D-
HEVC by jointly using the correlation of a depth map-texture video and the edge information of
a depth map. In Shen et al. [16], a fast mode decision algorithm was proposed for 3D-HEVC by
jointly exploiting the interview coding mode correlation, the intercomponent correlation, and the
interlevel correlation in the quadtree structure.
However, these approaches do not fully exploit the early Merge mode decision, which does not
require time-consuming ME and DE before checking other modes. That is, if the Merge mode can
be terminated early, the encoding complexity will be signicantly reduced by skipping the remain-
ing modes that have complex ME and DE. In Yang et al. [31], an early SKIP mode decision method
was proposed by rst checking the Inter_2N×2N and the Merge modes. All the other modes in the
current CU depth are skipped if the prediction results from the current CU satisfy the condition
that both Motion Vector Dierence (MVD) and the residuals of Inter_2N×2N mode are zero. The
SKIP mode is the special case of the Merge mode in which neither performs ME nor encodes the
residuals. In Li et al. [9], a unimodal stopping model was established for an early SKIP mode de-
cision by exploiting RD cost and hierarchical mode correlations. In Pan et al. [13], an early Merge
mode decision method was proposed based on the All-Zero Block (AZB), hierarchical correlation,
and the ME information of the Inter_2N×2N mode. In Tariq et al. [23], an early Merge mode deci-
sion algorithm was proposed for HEVC based on spatial/temporal motion consistency. Likewise,
some early Merge mode methods were proposed for 3D-HEVC. In Zhang et al. [37], an early SKIP
mode decision algorithm was proposed for 3D-HEVC by exploiting spatial and interview corre-
lations. In Zhang et al. [35], an early Merge mode decision method was proposed for dependent
texture views by exploiting interview correlation, which is now adopted by 3D-HEVC. In Song
and Jia [29], an early Merge mode decision scheme was proposed for dependent texture coding
in 3D-HEVC by exploiting the interview correlation and the hierarchical correlation among depth
levels “2” and “3.” Similarly, the interview correlation was exploited for dependent depth maps
coding in Chen et al. [2]. Though these early Merge mode decision methods signicantly reduce
ACM Trans. Multimedia Comput. Commun. Appl., Vol. 14, No. 4, Article 85. Publication date: September 2018.