IMAGE ENCODING METHOD, IMAGE DECODING METHOD, IMAGE ENCODING DEVICE, IMAGE DECODING DEVICE, IMAGE ENCODING PROGRAM, IMAGE DECODING PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

摘要

Provided are an image encoding/image decoding method that can generate a combined perspective image at a low amount of computation without causing a marked decrease in quality of the combined perspective image when generating the combined perspective image of a frame that is the subject of processing. The image encoding/decoding method, which, when encoding/decoding a multiple perspective image that is an image from a plurality of perspectives, uses a reference perspective image, with respect to a perspective differing from the perspective of the subject image, and a reference perspective depth map, which is a depth map of a subject within the reference perspective image, to encode/decode while predicting the image between perspectives. The method has: a virtual-depth-map-generating step for generating a virtual depth map, which is a depth map of a subject in the subject image and having a lower resolution than the subject image; and an inter-perspective image prediction step for image prediction between perspectives by means of generating a parallax compensation image with respect to the subject image from the virtual depth map and the reference perspective image.