Video encoding and decoding apparatus

摘要

A video encoding apparatus characterized by comprising encoder means (130) for encoding an alpha-map signal for discriminating a background of an input signal and at least one object thereof; motion compensation prediction encoder means (600) for encoding an arbitrary shape picture of the object in accordance with the alpha-map signal to obtain a coded arbitrary shape picture; local decoder means (270, 180, 190) for decoding the coded arbitrary shape picture to reconstruct the arbitrary shape picture of the object and output a reconstructed picture signal representing the object; first memory means (623) for storing a background signal representing the background of the input signal; and second memory means (621, 622) for storing the reconstructed picture signal, the reconstructed picture signal being read out from the second memory means to be used for motion compensation prediction encoding of the arbitrary shape picture of the object.