Image processing apparatus and method

摘要

An encoding method efficiently encodes information relating to a multivalue image having an arbitrary shape, i.e., a rectangular or non-rectangular shape. An image processing apparatus includes an input unit for inputting a multivalue image, a first transformation unit for transforming the multivalue image input by the input unit with a first transformation method and for generating first transformation coefficients, a second transformation unit for transforming shape information indicating a shape of the multivalue image transformed by the first transformation unit with a second transformation method different from the first transformation method and for generating second transformation coefficients, and an encoding unit for encoding each of blocks configured by the first transformation coefficients and blocks configured by the second transformation coefficients using a common encoding method.