Patent ID: 7206345

Claim:
A video decoding method for decoding a set of video signals comprising a base layer signal and at least one enhancement layer signal and for supplying a decoded output signal, the decoding method comprising: decoding the base layer signal and supplying a decoded base layer signal; decoding the enhancement layer signals and supplying decoded enhancement layer signals; combining the decoded base layer signal and the decoded enhancement layer signals to supply the decoded output signal; selecting, as a function of a selection signal, one of the decoded base layer signal and the decoded output signal from which a reference image is taken; measuring the quality of said decoded output signal when said reference image is taken from said decoded base layer signal, in order to generate a first quality measurement; measuring the quality of said decoded output signal when said reference image is taken from said decoded output signal, in order to generate a second quality measurement; comparing the first quality measurement and the second quality measurement; and generating said selection signal from the result produced by said comparison step, said selection signal reflecting the signal from which the reference image is taken to obtain the best quality for the decoded output signal.