摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of a conventional technology that there is possibility of increasing the amount of data when encoding a multi-viewpoint image. <P>SOLUTION: The image encoding apparatus 100 includes a list generating section and a variable length encoding section 7. For a plurality of reference images which are available when encoding an image to be encoded, such a rule predetermined for each imaging status of a camera is maintained as to make a ranking higher for a reference image for which it is highly possible to reduce the amount of data after encoding. Information specifying the imaging status of the camera is acquired from the camera. Rankings of the plurality of reference images are determined for each image to be encoded based on the imaging status and the rule. The list generating section 26 generates a reference image list where the rankings are associated with the corresponding reference images, respectively. The variable length encoding section 7 selects such a reference image as to obtain encoded data of a least data amount for each block, uses the selected reference image, and performs encoding while including the information specifying the ranking of the reference image selected on the corresponding reference image list. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT |