Patent ID: 8204118
Filing Date: 2012-06-19
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A video encoding apparatus used in encoding of a multi-viewpoint image obtained by cameras having different viewpoints, wherein the apparatus generates a synthetic image for a camera used for obtaining an encoding target image, by using at least one already-encoded reference camera image having a viewpoint different from the viewpoint of the camera used for obtaining the encoding target image, and disparity information between the reference camera image and the encoding target image, encodes the encoding target image by using the synthetic image, and comprises: a differential image prediction device that generates a predicted image for a differential image between an input image of an encoding target area to be encoded and the synthetic image generated therefor; a predicted image generation device that generates a predicted image for the encoding target area, where the predicted image is represented by the sum of the predicted differential image generated by the differential image prediction device and the synthetic image for the encoding target area; and a prediction residual encoding device that encodes a prediction residual represented by a difference between the predicted image for the encoding target area generated by the predicted image generation device and the encoding target image of the encoding target area.