Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for encoding and decoding an image by skip encoding. The image-encoding method by skip encoding, which performs intra-prediction, comprises: performing a filtering operation on the signal which is reconstructed prior to an encoding object signal in an encoding object image; using the filtered reconstructed signal to generate a prediction signal for the encoding object signal; setting the generated prediction signal as a reconstruction signal for the encoding object signal; and not encoding the residual signal which can be generated on the basis of the difference between the encoding object signal and the prediction signal, thereby performing skip encoding on the encoding object signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe comprising a piezoelectric element, a first electrode formed on a substantial portion of a first main face, a first side face and a part of a second main face of the piezoelectric element, and a second electrode formed on a substantial portion of a second main face, a second side face and a part of a first main face of the piezoelectric element, the two electrodes being isolated from each other by two grooves formed on the first and second main faces of the piezoelectric element, in a manner parallel to the side edges of the piezoelectric element, respectively, has good vibration and probing properties.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe comprising a piezoelectric element, a first electrode formed on a substantial portion of a first main face, a first side face and a part of a second main face of the piezoelectric element, and a second electrode formed on a substantial portion of a second main face, a second side face and a part of a first main face of the piezoelectric element, the two electrodes being isolated from each other by two grooves formed on the first and second main faces of the piezoelectric element, in a manner parallel to the side edges of the piezoelectric element, respectively, has good vibration and probing properties.