Patent ID: 8472522

Claim:
A video encoding method using intra prediction, the method comprising the steps of: setting candidates for reference pixels to pixels within a predetermined distance range measured from an encoding target block; generating predicted signals, wherein this step includes: sequentially selecting reference pixels used for the intra prediction of the encoding target block with respect to a predetermined prediction mode from among the reference pixel candidates while changing a distance condition which indicates a distance measured from the encoding target block to the reference pixel candidates, wherein the selected reference pixels include at least one of: a set of pixels, which form a reference line that is positioned on the upper side of the encoding target block, and is parallel to an upper edge line of the encoding target block, and a set of pixels, which form a reference line that is positioned on the left side of the encoding target block, and is parallel to a left edge line of the encoding target block; and the distance to each reference line is measured from the corresponding edge line of the encoding target block; and generating each of the predicted signals based on the reference pixels selected for each distance condition; computing an encoding cost required for subjecting the encoding target block to intra prediction encoding using each of the generated predicted signals; finally determining reference pixels used for the intra prediction of the encoding target block based on each computed encoding cost; and encoding information which indicates the position of the determined reference pixels.