Patent ID: 8750632
Filing Date: 2014-06-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image encoding method comprising: a first encoding step configured to generate image encoded data by encoding a plurality of images from multiple viewpoints different from each other; a second encoding step configured to generate depth information encoded data by encoding depth information that indicates the depth of a specific space from at least one viewpoint; a determination step configured to determine whether depth information from a certain viewpoint is made to be an encoding object; and a stream generation step configured to generate an encoded stream including both the image encoded data generated by the first encoding step and the depth information encoded data in which the depth information, which has been determined to be the encoding object by the determination step, has been encoded by the second encoding step, wherein when the distance between a viewpoint that is a basis of the depth information to be determined and a viewpoint that is a basis of another depth information already determined to be the encoding object is smaller than a predetermined first reference distance, the determination step determines that the depth information to be determined is not made to be the encoding object.