Patent ID: 7577200

Claim:
In a computing device that implements a video decoder, a method comprising: with the computing device that implements the video decoder, determining whether or not to use an extended range variable length decoding mode, wherein: a default range variable length decoding mode uses variable length decoding for a default range of possible differential motion vector values and uses escape mode decoding for those of the possible differential motion vector values outside the default range; and the extended range variable length decoding mode uses variable length decoding for an extended range of the possible differential motion vector values and uses escape mode decoding for those of the possible differential motion vector values outside the extended range, the extended range including at least some of the possible differential motion vector values outside the default range; when the extended range variable length decoding mode is used, with the computing device that implements the video decoder, decoding a differential motion vector in the extended range variable length decoding mode; and otherwise, with the computing device that implements the video decoder, decoding the differential motion vector in the default range variable length decoding mode.