Patent ID: 8130822

Claim:
A method for combining layers in a multi-layer bitstream, said method comprising: a) determining a first spatial resolution of a first layer of a multi-layer image; b) determining a second spatial resolution of a second layer of said multi-layer image; c) comparing said first spatial resolution with said second spatial resolution; d) performing steps e) through f), and not performing steps h) through k), when said first spatial resolution is substantially equal to said second spatial resolution; e) scaling a first-layer transform coefficient to match a characteristic of a second-layer thereby creating a scaled, first-layer transform coefficient; f) combining said scaled, first-layer transform coefficient with a second-layer transform coefficient to form a combined coefficient; g) performing steps h) through k), and not performing steps e) through f) when said first-layer spatial resolution is not substantially equal to said second-layer spatial resolution; h) inverse transforming said first-layer transform coefficient thereby producing a first-layer spatial domain value; i) inverse transforming said second-layer transform coefficient thereby producing a second-layer spatial domain value; j) scaling said first-layer spatial domain value to match the resolution of said second layer thereby producing a scaled, first-layer spatial domain value; and k) combining said scaled, first-layer spatial domain value with said second-layer spatial domain value thereby producing a combined spatial domain residual value.