Patent ID: 6459813
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image predictive decoding method for decoding a first coded frame obtained by coding an image, comprising:determining whether or not a second coded frame and a third coded frame, which are to be used as a forward reference image and a backward reference image, respectively, include image content data, wherein said determination is performed based on a first flag included in the second coded frame and a second flag included in the third coded frame, the first flag indicating whether or not the second coded frame includes image content data, and the second flag indicating whether or not the third coded frame includes image content data; selecting, as the forward reference image, a decoded frame corresponding to the second coded frame only when the second coded frame includes image content data; selecting, as the backward reference image, a decoded frame corresponding to the third coded frame only when the third coded frame includes image content data; generating a prediction image by referring to at least one of the selected forward reference image and the selected backward reference image; and decoding the first coded frame data by predictive decoding using the generated prediction image.