Description:SAME AS UPLOADED , Claims:1. A video encoder (2) for providing an encoded video representation (12),
wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to provide a video stream (12) comprising encoded parameter information describing a plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30), encoded video content information and one or more merge identifiers indicating whether and/or how the encoded video representation (12) can be merged with another encoded video representation.

2. The video encoder (2) according to claim 1, wherein using which complexity is determined based on a parameter value defined by the parameter information.

3. The video encoder (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the merge identifier is concatenation of a plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30).

4. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the merge identifier is a hash value of a concatenation of a plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30).

5. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the merge identifier indicates a merge identifier type (40, 42, 44) representing a complexity of a merging procedure.

6. The video encoder (2) according to claim 5, wherein a value of the merge identifier type (40, 42, 44) indicates a merging process, wherein the video encoder is configured to switch between at least two of the following values of the merge identifier type;
a first value of the merge identifier type (40) which represents a merging process through parameter set (20, 22, 26) rewriting,
a second value of the merge identifier type (42) which represents a merging process through parameter sets (20, 22, 26) and slice header (30) rewriting, and
a third value of the merge identifier type (44) which represents a merging process through parameter sets (20, 22, 26), slice header (30), and slice payload (32) rewriting.

7. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of merge identifiers is associated with different complexity of merging procedures.

8. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the encoder (2) is configured to check whether the encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30) which are evaluated for a provision of the merge identifier are identical in all units of a video sequence, and
to provide the merge identifier in dependence on the check.

9. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30) include merging-relevant parameters which must be identical in different video streams to allow for a merging having less complexity than merging by a full pixel decoding, and
wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to provide the one or more merge identifiers on the basis of the merging-relevant parameters.

10. The video encoder (2) according to claim 9, wherein the merging-relevant parameters include one or more or all out of the following parameters: a parameter describing a motion constraint at a tile boundary, information regarding a group of picture (GOP) structure, a parameter which describes a chroma coding format and a parameter which describes a luma coding format, a parameter which describes an advanced motion vector prediction, a parameter which describes a sample adaptive offset, a parameter which describes a temporal motion vector prediction, and a parameter which describes loop filter.

11. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a merge identifier associated with a first complexity of a merging procedure is determined on the basis of a first set of encoding parameters, when a merge parameter associated with a second complexity of a merging procedure, which is higher than the first complexity, is determined on the basis of a second set of encoding parameters, which is a true subset of the first set of encoding parameters.

12. The video encoder (2) according to claim 11, a merge identifier associated with a third complexity of a merging procedure, which is higher than the second complexity, is determined on the basis of a third set of encoding parameters, which is a true subset of the second set of encoding parameters.

13. The video encoder (2) according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to determine the merge identifier associated with the first complexity of the merging procedure on the basis of a set of encoding parameters which must be equal in two different video streams to allow for a merging of the video streams which only modifies parameter sets which are applicable to a plurality of slices while leaving slice headers and slice payload unchanged.

14. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 11 to 12, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to determine the merge identifier associated with the first complexity one or more or all of the following parameters:
a parameter which indicates a motion constraint at tile and picture boundaries,
a parameter which defines the GOP structure,
a parameter which describes reference pictures sets,
a parameter which describes chroma format,
a parameter which describes base quantization parameter and chroma quantization parameter,
a parameter which describes bit depth luma/chroma,
a parameter which describes hypothetical reference decoder parameters including a parameter regarding initial arrival delay and a parameter initial removal delay,
a parameter which describes coding block structures,
a parameter which describes a transform minimum and/or maximum sizes,
a parameter which describes a pulse code modulation block usage,
a parameter which describes an advanced motion vector prediction,
a parameter which describes a sample adaptive offset,
a parameter which describes a temporal motion vector prediction,
a parameter which describes an intra smoothing,
a parameter which describes dependent slices,
a parameter which describes a sign hiding,
a parameter which describes a weighted prediction,
a parameter which describes transquant bypass,
a parameter which describes an entropy coding sync,
a parameter which describes a loop filter,
a parameter which describes a slice header value including a parameter set ID,
a parameter which describes a slice header value including a reference picture set, and
a parameter which describes a usage of implicit coding transform unit address signaling.

15. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to determine the merge identifier associated with the second complexity of the merging procedure on the basis of a set of encoding parameters which must be equal in two different video streams to allow for a merging of the video streams which modifies parameter sets which are applicable to a plurality of slices and which also modifies slice headers while leaving slice payload unchanged.

16. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to determine the merge identifier associated with the second complexity one or more or all of the following parameters:
a parameter which indicates a motion constraint at tile and picture boundaries,
a parameter which defines the GOP structure,
a parameter which describes chroma format,
a parameter which describes bit depth luma/chroma,
a parameter which describes coding block structures,
a parameter which describes a transform minimum and/or maximum sizes,
a parameter which describes a pulse code modulation block usage,
a parameter which describes an advanced motion vector prediction,
a parameter which describes a sample adaptive offset,
a parameter which describes a temporal motion vector prediction,
a parameter which describes an intra smoothing,
a parameter which describes a sign hiding,
a parameter which describes transquant bypass,
a parameter which describes an entropy coding sync,
a parameter which describes a loop filter, and
a parameter which describes a slice header value including a reference picture set.

17. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 112 to 16 wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to determine the merge identifier associated with the third complexity of the merging procedure on the basis of a set of encoding parameters which must be equal in two different video streams to allow for a merging of the video streams which modifies parameter sets which are applicable to a plurality of slices, and which also modifies slice headers and slice payload but which does not perform a full pixel decoding and pixel re-encoding.

18. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to determine the merge identifier associated with the third complexity on the basis of one or more or all of the following parameters:
a parameter which indicates a motion constraint at tile and picture boundaries,
a parameter which defines the GOP structure,
a parameter which describes chroma format,
a parameter which describes bit depth luma/chroma,
a parameter which describes an advanced motion vector prediction,
a parameter which describes a sample adaptive offset,
a parameter which describes a temporal motion vector prediction, and
a parameter which describes a loop filter.

19. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to apply a hash function to a concatenation of a second merge identifier, which is associated with a second complexity of a merging procedure, and one or more encoding parameters, which have not been considered in the determination of the second merge identifier, in order to obtain a first merge identifier which is associated with a first complexity of a merging procedure which is lower than the second complexity.

20. The video encoder (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the video encoder (2) is configured to apply a hash function to a concatenation of a third merge identifier, which is associated with a third complexity of a merging procedure, and one or more encoding parameters, which have not been considered in the determination of the third merge identifier, in order to obtain a second merge identifier which is associated with a second complexity of a merging procedure which is lower than the third complexity.

21. A video merger (50) for providing a merged video representation (60) on the basis of a plurality of encoded video representations (12a, 12b),

wherein the video merger (50) is configured to receive a plurality of video streams (12a, 12b) comprising encoded parameter information describing a plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30), encoded video content information and one or more merge identifiers indicating whether and/or how the encoded video representation (12a) can be merged with another encoded video representation (12b);

wherein the video merger (50) is configured to decide about a usage of a merging method in dependence on the merge identifiers.

22. The video merger (50) according to claim 21, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to select a merging method, out of a plurality of merging methods, in dependence on the merge identifiers.

23. The video merger (50) according to claim 22,
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to select between at least two of the following merging methods;
a first merging method, which is a merging of the video streams (12a, 12b) which only modifies parameter sets (20, 22, 26) which are applicable to a plurality of slices (28) while leaving slice headers (30) and slice payload (32) unchanged;
a second merging method, which is a merging of the video streams (12a, 12b) which modifies parameter sets (20, 22, 26) which are applicable to a plurality of slices (28) and which also modifies slice headers (30) while leaving slice payload (32) unchanged; and
a third merging method, which is a merging of the video streams (12a, 12b) which modifies parameter sets (20, 22, 26) which are applicable to a plurality of slices (28), and which also modifies slice headers (30) and slice payload (32) but which does not perform a full pixel decoding and pixel re-encoding in dependence on the one or more merge identifiers.

24. The video merger (50) according to claim 23,
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to selectively use a fourth merging method, which is a merging of video streams using a full pixel decoding and pixel re-encoding, in dependence on the one or more merge identifiers.

25. The video merger (50) according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to compare merge identifiers of two or more video streams associated with the same given merge method to make a decision whether perform a merging using the given merge method in dependence on a result of the comparison.

26. The video merger (50) according to claim 25, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to selectively perform a merging using the given merge method if the comparison indicates that the merge identifiers of the two or more video streams associated with the given merge method are equal.

27. The video merger (50) according to claim 25, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to use a merging method having a higher complexity than the given merge method if the comparison indicates that the merge identifiers of the two or more video streams associated with the given merge method are different.

28. The video merger (50) according to claim 27, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to selectively compare encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30) which must be equal in two or more video streams to allow for a merging of the video streams using the given merge method if the comparison indicates that the merge identifiers of the two or more video streams associated with the given merge method are equal, and
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to selectively perform a merging using the given merge method if the comparison of said encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30) indicates that the encoding parameters are equal, and
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to perform a merging using a merge method having a higher complexity than the given merge method if the comparison of said encoding parameters indicates that the encoding parameters comprise a difference.

29. The video merger (50) according to any one of claims 21 to 28,
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to compare merge identifiers associated with merging methods having different complexities, and
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to merge the two or more video streams using a lowest complexity merge method for which associated merge identifiers are equal in the two or more video streams to be merged.

30. The video merger (50) according to any one of claims 22 to 29,
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to compare merge identifiers associated with merging methods having different complexities, and
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to identify a lowest complexity merging method for which associated merge identifiers are equal in the two or more video streams to be merged; and
wherein the video merger is configured to compare a set of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30), which must be equal in the two or more video streams to be merged to allow for a merging using identified merging method, and
wherein the video merger (50) is configured to merge the two or more video streams using the identified merging method if the comparison indicates that the encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30) of the set of encoding parameters associated with the identified merging method are equal in the video streams to be merged.

31. The video merger (50) according to any one of claims 22 to 30, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to determine which encoding parameters should be modified in a merging process in dependence on one or more differences between merge identifiers of different video streams to be merged.

32. The video merger (50) according to claim 31, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to determine which encoding parameters should be modified in a merging method having a given complexity in dependence on one or more differences between merge identifiers, associated with a merging method having a lower complexity than the given complexity, of different video streams to be merged.

33. The video merger (50) according to any one of claims 21 to 32, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to obtain joint encoding parameters, which are associated with slices (28) of all the video streams to be merged, on the basis of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30) of the video streams to be merged, and
to include the joint encoding parameters into the merged video stream (60).

34. The video merger (50) according to claim 33, wherein the video merger (50) is configured to adapt encoding parameters individually associated with individual video slices (28), in order to obtain modified slices to be included into the merged video stream (60).

35. The video merger (50) according to claim 34, wherein the adapted encoding parameters include a parameter representing a picture size of the merged encoded video representation, wherein the picture size is calculated based on the picture size of the encoded video representations to be merged.

36. A method for providing an encoded video representation, comprising
providing a video stream (12) comprising encoded parameter information describing a plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30), encoded video content information and one or more merge identifiers indicating whether and/or how the encoded video representation (12) can be merged with another encoded video representation.

37. A method for providing a merged video representation on the basis of a plurality of encoded video representations, comprising
receiving a plurality of video streams (12a, 12b) comprising encoded parameter information describing a plurality of encoding parameters (20, 22, 26, 30), encoded video content information and one or more merge identifiers indicating whether and/or how the encoded video representation (12a) can be merged with another encoded video representation (12b); and
selecting a merging method, out of a plurality of merging methods, in dependence on the merge identifiers.

38. A merge method for merging two or more video streams, comprising
providing a common encoding parameter information on the basis of encoding parameter information of different video streams while leaving encoded video content information unchanged;
select the merging procedure based on the unchanged encoded video content information; and
merging two or more video streams using the selected merging procedure.

39. A Computer program having a program code for performing, when running on computer, a method according to one of claims 36 to 38.

40. A data stream generated by a method according to one of claims 36 to 38.