Patent ID: 7606308

Claim:
In a computing device that implements a video decoder, the computing device comprising a processor and memory, a method of transforming encoded video information, the method comprising: receiving, at the computing device that implements the video decoder, encoded video information in a bit stream; and with the computing device that implements the video decoder, decoding an interlaced forward-predicted field using the encoded video information, including processing a variable length code that jointly signals macroblock mode information for a macroblock of the interlaced forward-predicted field, wherein the macroblock is motion-compensated, and wherein the jointly signaled macroblock mode information is one of plural combinations of options for (1) a macroblock type, (2) whether a coded block pattern is present or absent, and (3) whether motion vector data is present or absent for the motion-compensated macroblock of the interlaced forward-predicted field, the plural combinations including at least one combination in which the coded block pattern is absent for the motion-compensated macroblock of the interlaced forward-predicted field.