Patent ID: 9351017
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. An image decoding method comprising: hierarchically splitting a maximum coding unit into at least one coding unit based on split information obtained from a bitstream; determining a current block in a coding unit among the at least one coding unit; decoding information regarding a prediction direction to be used to decode the current block, the information indicating one of an L determining motion vector candidates of the current block based on a motion vector of at least one block decoded before decoding the current block; determining at least one motion vector for predicting the current block based on at least one of a motion vector candidate, from among the determined motion vector candidates, in the L restoring the current block, based on the determined at least one motion vector, wherein the image is split into a plurality of maximum coding units including the maximum coding unit, the maximum coding unit is hierarchically split into the at least one coding unit of depths, a coding unit of a current depth is one of square data unit split from a coding unit of an upper depth, when the split information indicates a split for the current depth, the coding unit of the current depth is split into four coding units of a lower depth, independently from neighboring coding units, when the split information indicates a non-split for the current depth, a coding unit of the current depth is split into at least one prediction unit including the current block.