Abstract: A reduction in residual energy of inter-frame prediction with motion compensation and improvement in encoding efficiency are achieved by using a region-dividing type adaptive interpolation filter that takes an edge property of a picture into consideration. An edge calculation unit calculates edge information from reference picture data designated by a motion vector. A region dividing unit divides an encoding target frame into a plurality of regions that are units to which interpolation filters are adaptively applied based on the edge information. A filter coefficient optimizing unit optimizes an interpolation filter for a fractional-accuracy pixel for each of the regions. A reference picture interpolating unit interpolates the fractional-accuracy pixel of a reference picture using the optimized interpolation filter, and a predictive encoding unit performs predictive encoding using motion compensation of fractional-accuracy.

Abstract: The computational complexity of a denoising filter is reduced while suppressing a reduction in coding efficiency. In a video encoding/decoding apparatus which uses a loop filter, a deviation degree calculating unit calculates the degree of deviation between a denoising target pixel and a surrounding pixel using a decoded image. A template shape setting unit limits a template shape so that its size is proportional to the degree of deviation relative to the maximum value of the degree of deviation in the decoded image. When noise of the target pixel is removed, weighted in accordance with the degree of similarity between a template of the target pixel and a template of each of search points in a search shape and the weighted sum of pixel values at the search points, the loop filter performs template matching using the limited template shape and removes noise of the target pixel.

Abstract: A scalable video encoding method of performing encoding by predicting an upper-layer signal having a relatively high spatial resolution by means of interpolation using an immediately-lower-layer signal having a relatively low spatial resolution. The method computes a first weighting coefficient for each image area of a predetermined unit size in a search for estimating a motion between an encoding target image area in an upper layer and a reference image area, where the first weighting coefficient is computed based on a brightness variation between an image area, which belongs to an immediately-lower layer and has the same spatial position as the encoding target image area, and the reference image area; and performs a motion estimation using a signal which is obtained by correcting a decoded signal of the reference image area by the first weighting coefficient and functions as an estimated signal in the motion estimation, so as to compute a motion vector.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an edge direction detection unit calculates an edge direction using a denoising target image. A search shape setting unit sets a search shape in which the number of search points along the direction perpendicular to the edge direction is smaller than the number of search points along the edge direction, using the calculated edge direction as an index used for limiting the search shape. When noise of a target pixel is removed with a weight in accordance with the degree of template similarity between a template for the target pixel and a template for each of search points within a search shape and the weighted sum of pixel values at the search points, a filter execution unit executes a process of performing template matching on only search points within the set search shape and removing the noise of the target pixel.

Abstract: A motion vector predictive encoding method, a motion vector decoding method, a predictive encoding apparatus, a decoding apparatuses, and storage media storing motion vector predictive encoding and decoding programs are provided, thereby reducing the amount of generated code with respect to the motion vector, and improving the efficiency of the motion-vector prediction. If the motion-compensating mode of the target small block to be encoded is the global motion compensation, the encoding mode of an already-encoded small block is the interframe coding mode, and the motion-compensating mode of the already-encoded small block is the global motion compensation, then the motion vector of the translational motion model is determined for each pixel of the already-encoded small block, based on the global motion vector (steps S1-S5). Next, the representative motion vector is calculated as the predicted vector, based on the motion vector of each pixel of the already-encoded small block (step S6).

Abstract: An automatic producing method for a predicted value generation procedure that predicts a value of an encoding target pixel by using a previously-decoded pixel. A parent population is generated by randomly producing predicted value generation procedures each of which is indicated by a tree structure, and a plurality of predicted value generation procedures are selected as parents from the parent population. One or more predicted value generation procedures are generated as children based on a predetermined tree structure developing method which subjects the selected predicted value generation procedures to a development where an existing predicted value generation function can be an end node of a tree.

Abstract: Setting a reference pixel signal from a decoded pixel signal in intra-prediction in which a prediction signal is generated in the same frame, acquiring prediction mode identification information that identifies an intra-prediction mode, generating a prediction signal based on the reference pixel signal and the prediction mode identification information, making a determination regarding correction of the prediction signal using a reference pixel having a shorter distance from a pixel that is a prediction target in the intra-prediction mode identified by the prediction mode identification information, and correcting the generated prediction signal according to a result of the determination are included in order to provide an image encoding method and an image decoding method capable of improving subjective image quality and coding efficiency using a closer decoded pixel in an intra-prediction process.

Abstract: A method for encoding an image using an intraframe prediction is provided which includes selecting a gradient of a pixel value that is indicated by an image signal to be predicted among a plurality of gradient candidates, generating a predicted signal by applying a gradient in accordance with the distance from a prediction reference pixel based on the gradient, intraframe-encoding the image signal to be predicted based on the predicted signal, and encoding information indicating the size of the selected gradient. Alternatively, the method includes estimating the gradient of a pixel value that is indicated by an image signal to be predicted based on an image signal which has already been encoded, generating a predicted signal by applying a gradient in accordance with the distance from a prediction reference pixel based on the gradient, and intraframe-encoding the image signal to be predicted based on the predicted signal.

Abstract: A generated bit amount of filter coefficients of an adaptive interpolation filter is reduced.

Abstract: An object is to reduce an intra-prediction error and improve coding efficiency by introducing an adaptive reference pixel generating process in accordance with coding conditions into intra-prediction. In picture encoding or picture decoding for generating a prediction signal using spatial inter-pixel prediction and encoding or decoding a picture using a prediction residual signal which is a difference between the prediction signal and an original signal, a tap length of an interpolation filter necessary for generating a reference pixel of intra-prediction is set based on one or both of a size of a block which is a processing unit of coding, transform, or prediction and a quantization parameter of the block for the reference pixel, a filtering process which generates the reference pixel is performed using the interpolation filter corresponding to the set tap length, and an intra-prediction signal corresponding to a designated intra-prediction mode is generated using the generated reference pixel.

Abstract: A video encoding device includes means used to estimate a lower limit of a bit amount/distortion cost function when an adaptive interpolation filter (AIF) is used based on a generated bit amount and an encoding distortion amount when a region-based adaptive interpolation filter (RBAIF) is used upon selecting an optimum IF based on a bit amount/distortion cost function among a fixed interpolation filter (IF), the AIF, and the RBAIF, and means used to select an optimum IF based on a comparison of bit amount/distortion cost functions of the fixed IF and the RBAIF when the lower limit is a value greater than the bit amount/distortion cost function for the fixed IF, and selecting an optimum IF based on a comparison of bit amount/distortion functions of the fixed IF, the AIF, and the RBAIF only when the lower limit is less than or equal to the bit amount/distortion cost function for the fixed IF.

Abstract: A video encoding device performs motion-compensated inter-frame prediction corresponding to fractional pixel precision using a region-based adaptive interpolation filter (RBAIF) in which a frame is divided into regions and an IF coefficient is adaptively set for each division region, and includes means which constructs a linear simultaneous equation for obtaining an IF coefficient for a division region prescribed by a division position when an optimum division position is selected from among candidates for a prepared division position, and means which obtains the IF coefficient by solving the linear simultaneous equation, wherein the equation generation means diverts a redundant arithmetic processing result in an arithmetic operation of calculating the IF coefficient in a different division region and newly calculates only non-redundant difference information using the arithmetic operation.

Abstract: The prediction error energy in inter-frame prediction with motion compensation is reduced and the coding efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A video encoding device uses motion-compensated inter-frame prediction by dividing an image into blocks, each block a predetermined size, designating a first component value of a plurality of component values of a motion vector (MV) between an encoding target block and a neighboring block, designating a second component value, and encoding each first and second component values; a first component encoding means encodes a difference value of a first component and a second component encoding means, which obtains a probability of occurrence of a candidate value for the second component value of the MV of the encoding target block, based on a difference value between the first component value of the neighboring block MV and the first component value of the encoding target block MV and the second component value of the neighboring block MV, specifies a codeword of the second component value, encoding it based on the occurrence probability.

Abstract: The prediction error energy in inter-frame prediction with motion compensation is reduced and the coding efficiency is improved.

Abstract: The computational complexity of a denoising filter is reduced while suppressing a reduction in coding efficiency. In an image processing apparatus, an edge direction detection unit calculates an edge direction using a denoising target image. A search shape setting unit sets a search shape in which the number of search points along the direction perpendicular to the edge direction is smaller than the number of search points along the edge direction, using the calculated edge direction as an index used for limiting the search shape. When noise of a target pixel is removed with a weight in accordance with the degree of template similarity between a template for the target pixel and a template for each of search points within a search shape and the weighted sum of pixel values at the search points, a filter execution unit executes a process of performing template matching on only search points within the set search shape and removing the noise of the target pixel.

Abstract: The computational complexity of a denoising filter is reduced while suppressing a reduction in coding efficiency. In a video encoding/decoding apparatus which uses a loop filter, a deviation degree calculating unit calculates the degree of deviation between a denoising target pixel and a surrounding pixel using a decoded image. A template shape setting unit limits a template shape so that its size is proportional to the degree of deviation relative to the maximum value of the degree of deviation in the decoded image. When noise of the target pixel is removed, weighted in accordance with the degree of similarity between a template of the target pixel and a template of each of search points in a search shape and the weighted sum of pixel values at the search points, the loop filter performs template matching using the limited template shape and removes noise of the target pixel.

Abstract: In a video scalable encoding method, based on encoding information of an immediately-lower image region in an immediately-lower layer, which is present at spatially the same position as an encoding target image region, a data structure of the weight coefficient, that includes a proportional coefficient and an offset coefficient, is determined. When the immediately-lower image region performed interframe prediction in the immediately-lower layer, the method identifies an immediately-lower layer reference image region that the immediately-lower image region used as a prediction reference for motion prediction, and calculates the weight coefficient by applying a weight coefficient that the immediately-lower image region used in weighted motion prediction to a DC component of an image region in the upper layer, which is present at spatially the same position as the immediately-lower layer reference image region, and assuming a result of the application as a DC component of the immediately-lower image region.

Abstract: An image encoding method for encoding a pixel value of an encoding target by using a predicted value generated by spatial or temporal prediction using a previously-decoded image. The method performs prediction of the pixel value of the encoding target and obtains the predicted value; computes data of a probability distribution which indicates what value an original pixel value has for the obtained predicted value, by shifting, in accordance with the predicted value, difference distribution data of a difference between the original pixel value and the predicted value in predictive encoding, where the difference distribution data is stored in advance; clips the obtained data of the probability distribution so as to contain the data in a range from a lower limit to an upper limit for possible values of the original pixel value; and encodes the pixel value of the encoding target by using the clipped data of the probability distribution of the original pixel value from the lower limit to the upper limit.

Abstract: In scalable video encoding, incidence rates of combinations of optimum prediction modes to be selected for spatially corresponding blocks of an upper layer and a lower layer are determined based on an optimum prediction mode that was selected in a conventional encoding, and then a correspondence table that describes relationships therebetween is created. Subsequently, the combinations of the selected optimum prediction modes described in the correspondence table are narrowed down based on the value of the incidence rate so as to create prediction mode correspondence information that describes the combinations of the optimum prediction mode narrowed down.