Patent ID: 7609762

Claim:
In a computing device that implements a video encoder, a method comprising: with the computing device that implements the video encoder, for an entry point key frame comprising first and second interlaced video fields, inserting a first syntax element for the entry point key frame at a first syntax level in a bitstream, wherein the first syntax element is a frame coding mode for the entry point key frame, and wherein the frame coding mode indicates that the first and second interlaced video fields are arranged in the bitstream for decoding as individual fields; and with the computing device that implements the video encoder, inserting a second syntax element at the first syntax level in the bitstream, wherein the second syntax element indicates a field type for each of the first and second interlaced video fields in the entry point key frame, the second syntax element indicating a combination of different field types for the first and second interlaced video fields, respectively, in the entry point key frame, wherein the combination of different field types is P/I for the first and second interlaced video fields, respectively, wherein the first interlaced video field in the entry point key frame is a P-field, and wherein the second interlaced video field in the entry point key frame is an intra-coded field.