Patent ID: 8422801

Claim:
An image encoding method that allows stereoscopic rendering, the image encoding method, operable in a processor, causing the processor to execute the steps comprising: a primary encoding step (VDE 1 ; VDE 2 ; PVDE) in which a visual image is encoded in accordance with a standard; an auxiliary encoding step (GRE; JSG; SVDE) in which stereo-enabling data that is associated with the visual image is encoded as if the stereo-enabling data was an auxiliary image that can be combined with the visual image in accordance with the standard concerned, the stereo-enabling data comprising respective values that indicate respective distances between respective areas in the visual image and a virtual observer; a composition definition step (CTR 1 ; CTR 2 ; CTR 3 ) in which a composition definition is provided that causes a decoding device, which operates in accordance with the standard, to include the stereo-enabling data in at least one specific area of an output image, which can be transmitted to a display device (DPL).