MULTI-VIEWPOINT IMAGE ENCODING METHOD, MULTI-VIEWPOINT IMAGE DECODING METHOD, MULTI-VIEWPOINT IMAGE ENCODING APPARATUS, MULTI-VIEWPOINT IMAGE DECODING APPARATUS, AND PROGRAMS THEREOF

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-viewpoint image encoding method, a multi-viewpoint image decoding method, a multi-viewpoint image encoding apparatus, a multi-viewpoint image decoding apparatus, and programs thereof that reduce a code amount necessary for encoding information representing an in-screen prediction method when in-screen prediction coding on an image signal in a block is performed.

SOLUTION: By using an image photographed by a different camera, a viewpoint combining unit 105 generates a viewpoint-combined image corresponding to an image to be encoded. An optimal predictive image generating unit 107 generates a predictive image for each of in-screen prediction methods, and compares the generated predictive image in quality with the viewpoint-combined image to determine one of the in-screen prediction methods. An image signal encoding unit 108 generates and encodes a predictive image by using the determined in-screen prediction method. Since an image that is identical to the viewpoint-combined image can be generated on a reproduction side, also the reproduction side can identify the same in-screen prediction method by an identical procedure. This eliminates the need to encode information representing the in-screen prediction method.

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