Abstract: An image frame is segmented into a plurality of groups of blocks characterized by movements approximating each other. An image reader receives a source image frame and a destination image frame in image data including consecutive image frames and segments the frames into blocks. A corresponding point information generator computes matching to detect corresponding point information indicating correspondence between the source image frame and the destination image frame and generates a corresponding point information file which describes coordinates of corresponding points in the image frames. An affine parameter calculating unit calculates affine parameters indicating deformation and movement of a block occurring between the source image frame and the destination image frame, on the basis of the corresponding point information.

Abstract: A corresponding point information generator computes matching between a source image frame and a destination image frame in image data comprising consecutive image frames so as to determine corresponding point information indicating pixel-by-pixel matching. A motion vector detector determines a motion vector for each pixel in the source image frame according to a result of matching. A reliability area isolating unit segments an image frame in which a motion vector is determined into blocks, so as to isolate, in each block, a reliable area characterized by relatively high precision of the motion vector as calculated and a non-reliable area characterized by relatively low precision of the motion vector.

Abstract: When a moving picture is encoded with a high compression ratio by the MPEG, the block noise becomes remarkable. Matching is calculated between the first and the second key frame and corresponding point information is generated. According to this corresponding point information, a virtual second key frame is generated. A difference between the actual second key frame and the virtual second key frame is compressed/encoded by a difference encoder. The first key frame, the corresponding point information, and the compressed/encoded difference are outputted as encoded data between the first and second key frame.