Techniques for high efficiency entropy coding of video data

[80] Entropy coding/decoding techniques are disclosed in which data is coded alternately as a series of nonzero values and zero values until the transmitted data is consumed. Nonzero values may be coded first with transmission of data identifying a number of consecutive nonzero values that appear in scan order followed by transmission of the nonzero values themselves. Thereafter, if other data remains to be transmitted, data may be transmitted identifying a number of consecutive zero values that appear next in scan order followed by transmission of a next nonzero value encountered in scan order. By transmitting the nonzero values as a group, it is expected that the proposed entropy-coding process will achieve higher efficiency than competitivetechniques.