An Efficient Hidden Markov Model-Based Sample Adaptive Offset Mode Decision Algorithm for Versatile Video Coding

This paper proposes a highly efficient sample adaptive offset (SAO) mode decision algorithm. By leveraging both the directional correlations between the SAO and intra-prediction decisions, and the SAO decisions' spatial correlations, the SAO mode candidates are effectively pruned during the rate-distortion optimization process, accelerating the SAO encoding process with negligible BD-rate loss.