Patent ID: 6088485
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image coding method for coding an input image signal including a shape signal indicating the shape of an object and a pixel value signal having information on the color and brightness of said object, comprising:a pixel value signal coding step for coding a pixel value signal (S151 in FIG. 1) included in said input image signal referring to a decoded pixel value signal (S155 in FIG. 1) obtained by decoding a pixel value signal which has been already coded;a shape signal coding step for coding a shape signal (S161 in FIG. 1) included in said input image signal referring to a decoded shape signal (S166 in FIG. 1) obtained by decoding a shape signal which has been already coded; anda coding reference specification signal generating step for generating a reference pixel value specification signal (S172 in FIG. 1) for specifying said decoded pixel value signal to be referred in said pixel value signal coding step and a reference shape specification signal (S174 in FIG. 1) for specifying said decoded shape signal to be referred in said shape signal coding step, and then, based on said generated signals, generating a prediction selection signal (S175 in FIG. 1) having information indicating a reference method in a coding process.