FIELD: physics.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the computer equipment. Method of encoding an image of a video stream from a plurality of images, in which determining for an image at least one reference image from a plurality of images as a reference for encoding for an image; providing for each reference image an image identifier identifying the reference image among said at least one reference image; generating, based on at least one image identifier, buffer description information specifying at least one reference image; wherein decoded images to be used for reference images during decoding are indicated in absolute and explicit manner, regardless of the encoded representation of previous images in the video stream, inserting the buffer description information into the data structure in the encoded image representation, wherein all reference images in the decoded image buffer and not associated with any of at least one image identifier determined based on the buffer description information are marked as unused for reference.
EFFECT: technical result consists in efficient signalling of reference images.
5 cl, 22 dwg, 2 tbl
