Abstract: A method for decoding a picture, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving split flag information and merge flag information; splitting a coding unit (CU) of one or more depths n into CUs of depth n+1, on the basis of the split flag information; generating a merged CU by combining parts of the CUs of the depth n+1, on the basis of the merge flag information; and performing a decoding procedure for generating a restoration picture, on the basis of the generated merge CU. According to the present invention, a decoding procedure can be performed by merging CUs having similar characteristics, and thus auxiliary information to be received and processed is reduced and coding efficiency is improved.

Abstract: An inter prediction method according to the present invention, which is performed by a decoding apparatus, comprises the steps of: configuring a reference picture set for a current picture; generating a virtual reference picture corresponding to an original reference picture in the reference picture set; deriving a motion vector for a current block in the current picture; and generating a prediction sample for the current block on the basis of the motion vector and the virtual reference picture. According to the present invention, the performance of inter prediction can be enhanced on the basis of a virtual reference picture having higher correlation with a current picture, and accordingly the amount of data allocated to a residual signal can be reduced and the overall coding efficiency can be improved.

Abstract: An image decoding method, which is performed by a decoding device according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: acquiring the information on an intra-prediction mode of a current block from a received bit stream; deriving neighboring reference samples of the current block; deriving a first prediction value for a current sample of the current block on the basis of the intra-prediction mode and the neighboring reference samples; deriving a second prediction value for the current sample on the basis of adjacent samples of the current sample; and deriving a prediction value for the current sample on the basis of the first prediction value and the second prediction value. According to the present invention, the intra-prediction value can be derived on the basis of the adjacent samples of the current sample within the present block, and the intra-prediction accuracy can be improved therethrough.

Abstract: A method for decoding a picture, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving split flag information and merge flag information; splitting a coding unit (CU) of one or more depths n into CUs of depth n+1, on the basis of the split flag information; generating a merged CU by combining parts of the CUs of the depth n+1, on the basis of the merge flag information; and performing a decoding procedure for generating a restoration picture, on the basis of the generated merge CU. According to the present invention, a decoding procedure can be performed by merging CUs having similar characteristics, and thus auxiliary information to be received and processed is reduced and coding efficiency is improved.

Abstract: An inter prediction method according to the present invention, which is performed by a decoding apparatus, comprises the steps of: configuring a reference picture set for a current picture; generating a virtual reference picture corresponding to an original reference picture in the reference picture set; deriving a motion vector for a current block in the current picture; and generating a prediction sample for the current block on the basis of the motion vector and the virtual reference picture. According to the present invention, the performance of inter prediction can be enhanced on the basis of a virtual reference picture having higher correlation with a current picture, and accordingly the amount of data allocated to a residual signal can be reduced and the overall coding efficiency can be improved.