Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A motion estimation apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is a motion estimation apparatus for estimating, using a set of multi-focus images which correspond to a single scene and have different focuses, motion for each of the first regions included in the scene, including: a cost value computing unit configured to compute, using the set of multi-focus images, for each of the first regions, a cost value indicating a difference between a blur amount of the first region and a standard blur amount determined for each of distances in a depth direction; and a motion estimation unit configured to estimate, using the cost value, the motion of the first region corresponding to the cost value.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: An image coding and decoding system is provided that includes an image coding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus. The image coding apparatus includes a coding unit that codes an input image to obtain a first coded image, a first decoding unit that decodes the first coded image to obtain a reconstructed image, and a determining unit that determines a first filter setting parameter for the input image, a first comparing unit that compares a difference of pixel values with the threshold value, and a first removing unit that removes a coding. The image decoding apparatus includes an obtaining unit that obtains a second filter setting parameter, a second decoding unit that decodes the coded image to obtain a reconstructed image, a second comparing unit that compares a difference of pixel values with the threshold value, and a second removing unit that removes a coding distortion.

Abstract: A coding distortion removing method is provided for removing coding distortion in two adjacent blocks located on both sides of a block boundary between the two adjacent blocks in a reconstructed image. The method includes deriving a difference of pixel values between a pixel in a first block of the reconstructed image and a pixel in a second block of the reconstructed image adjacent to the first block, deriving an average value of the first quantization parameter and the second quantization parameter, and setting a threshold value to the average value of the first quantization parameter and the second quantization parameter. The method also includes comparing the difference of pixel values with the threshold value, and removing a coding distortion in an area disposed on both sides of the block boundary between the first block and the second block, by applying a filter for coding distortion removal.

Abstract: An image decoding apparatus is provided that decodes a coded image, the coded image being generated by coding an image segmented into a plurality of blocks on a block basis. The image decoding apparatus includes a quantization parameter obtaining unit that obtains a quantization parameter for each block of the plurality of blocks, a decoding unit that decodes the coded image to obtain a reconstructed image, and a pixel difference value obtaining unit that obtains a pixel difference value. The image decoding apparatus also includes a comparing unit that compares the pixel difference value with a threshold value, and a removing unit that removes a coding distortion in an area disposed on both sides of a block boundary between the first block and the second block, by applying a filter for coding distortion removal.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes: a pre-capturing module which captures an imaging target at each of different focus positions in a predetermined focus range and outputs, as a capturing result, a plurality of pre-captured images lower in resolution than the output image; an object sharpness evaluating module which computes a sharpness level of each of the pre-captured images captured by the pre-capturing module; a focus varying range determining module which determines a focus position varying range within the predetermined focus range based on sharpness levels computed by the object sharpness evaluating module, such that a signal-to-noise ratio of the output image is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and an image capturing module which captures the imaging target while varying the focus position according to the focus position varying range determined by the focus varying range determining module, and outputs the output image as a capturing result.

Abstract: To enhance the accuracy of image alignment performed to reduce a vertical disparity between a first image and a second image that are images of the same object captured from different viewpoints, an image processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a division unit which divides each of the first image and the second image into a plurality of sub-regions; and an extraction unit which performs feature point extraction on each of the sub-regions, wherein the extraction unit performs the feature point extraction in such a manner that a value indicating a degree of variation among the sub-regions in total number of extracted feature points is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A depth information generating device includes a region extracting unit that detects a human face in at least one two-dimensional image, and based on the detected face, extracts a human figure region indicating a human figure within a region of the at least one two-dimensional image; and a depth map generating unit that gives a depth value different from a depth value of a region other than the human figure region to the human figure region to generate a depth map that separates the human figure region from the region other than the human figure region.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having the filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filters includes filters having different filtering strength. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: A three-dimensional video creating device (100) includes: a selection unit (123) which selects, from among frames constituting the 2D video, frames each of which has a common area whose proportion to the frame is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, as candidate three-dimensional partner frames that are candidate frames each constituting a three-dimensional image together with a target frame included in the frames constituting the 2D video; a determination unit (124) which determines, from among the candidate three-dimensional partner frames, a three-dimensional partner frame, based on the first criteria; and a three-dimensional pair creation unit (125) which creates a three-dimensional pair constituting the three-dimensional image corresponding to the target frame, using the target frame and the three-dimensional partner frame.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image aligning apparatus (200) automatically aligns image pairs for stereoscopic viewing in a shorter amount of time than conventional apparatuses, which is applicable to image pairs captured by a single sensor camera or a variable baseline camera, without relying on camera parameters.

Abstract: An image decoding method is provided which includes a time information determination step of determining time information of a current picture, a first reference picture referred to by the current picture and a second reference picture referred to by the current picture; a scaling parameter calculation step of calculating a scaling parameter based on a time distance between the first reference picture and a second reference picture; a weighting coefficient determination step of determining two weighting coefficients based on the scaling parameter; a predictive pixel value generation step of generating a predictive pixel value of the current picture by scaling a pixel value of the first reference picture and a pixel value of the second reference picture using the two weighting coefficients determined in the weighting coefficient determination step; and a decoding step of decoding the current picture using the predictive pixel value.

Abstract: The current invention provides methods for 3D content capturing, 3D content coding and packaging at content production side, and 3D content consuming and rendering at display or terminal side, in order to ensure healthy and effective 3D viewing all the time. According to the current invention Maximum disparity and 3D budget which are scene dependent, are calculated, utilized for coding and embedded in the coded streams or media file, and checked against the allowable values during the content rendering, so to determine if the same 3D content can be shown to the user according to the viewing condition which the user has. In case it cannot meet healthy 3D viewing guideline, it is suggested to adjust the 3D content for its new maximum disparity and 3D budget to be within the allowable range, to achieve healthy and effective 3D viewing for that user with his/her viewing condition.