Patent ID: 8548228

Claim:
A multi-view image coding method in which an input image of an object which is photographed by a first camera is divided into a plurality of coding target areas and, using a view synthesis image which is synthesized from depth information for the input image and from already coded image of the same object photographed by a second camera that is located in a different position from the first camera, predictive coding is performed for each of the coding target areas, comprising: a representative depth setting step in which representative depth information for an object photographed in the coding target area is set; a sample pixel group setting step in which, based on depth information for an already coded area that is adjacent to the coding target area and on the representative depth information, a group of pixels where the same object as in the coding target area has been photographed is determined and is set as a sample pixel group; a correction parameter estimation step in which, based on the view synthesis image for the sample pixel group and on a decoded image that has been decoded for the sample pixel group, correction parameters for correcting illumination and color mismatches are estimated; a view synthesis image correction step in which, using the correction parameters, the view synthesis image for the coding target area is corrected so as to create a corrected view synthesis image; an image coding step in which, using the corrected view synthesis image, an image signal of the coding target image is coded so as to create coded data; and an image decoding step in which the coded data is decoded so as to create a decoded image for the coding target area.