Patent Document ID: 10104360
Application ID: 14198942
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image encoding method for encoding a multi-view image including a plurality of views, the image encoding method comprising: generating a plurality of pairs of view identification information items corresponding to a plurality of screen sizes used in an image decoding apparatus on a one-to-one basis, wherein each of the pairs of view identification information items is respectively associated with a different one of the screen sizes; and encoding the pairs of view identification information items, wherein each of the pairs of view identification information items includes (i) view identification information for display to a left eye and (ii) view identification information for display to a right eye, wherein for each of the pairs of view identification information items, (i) the view identification information for display to the left eye indicates a first view and a second view from among the plurality of views and (ii) the view identification information for display to the right eye indicates a third view and a fourth view from among the plurality of views, wherein for each of the pairs of view identification information items, (i) the view identification information of the view for display to the left eye indicates a first distance from the first view or the second view to a view of a first synthetic image and (ii) the view identification information of the view for display to the right eye indicates a second distance from the third view or the fourth view to a view of a second synthetic image, and wherein the image decoding apparatus: generates the first synthetic image by synthesizing, using the view identification information of the view for display to the left eye, an image of the first view and an image of the second view; generates the second synthetic image by synthesizing, using the view identification information of the view for display to the right eye, an image of the third view and an image of the fourth view; displays the first synthetic image for the left eye; and displays the second synthetic image for the right eye.