Patent ID: 8705624

Claim:
A method for parallel decoding an input stream of data including a video signal encoded with scalable video coding and including a plurality of layers, the video signal including a plurality of frames divided into blocks, the method comprising: decoding, with a first layer decoder, block data of a first layer to produce a virtual base layer and either of a decoded image block or a prediction error block in accordance with an indication within the input stream of data, wherein said decoded block data is required for decoding a target block in a second layer, and to provide the decoded block data that is required for decoding the target block to a second layer decoder; decoding, with the second layer decoder, the target block in the second layer based on said required block data provided by the first layer decoder before the first layer decoder has decoded all block data of the first layer; upsampling, using a single upsampler, either of the decoded image block or the prediction error block to produce upsampled data, and for providing the second layer decoder with the upsampled data; and switching as inputs to the upsampler either of the decoded image block or the prediction error block, the switching being in accordance with information within the input stream of data.