Abstract: A macro block size determining unit 1 determines the size of each macro block on a frame-by-frame basis. A macro block dividing unit 2 divides an inputted image into macro blocks each having the size determined by the macro block size determining unit 1. A macro block coding unit 3 determines a coding mode for each of the macro blocks divided by the macro block dividing unit 2, and codes pixel values in each of the macro blocks in the determined coding mode.

Abstract: An image encoding device include a predicting unit for adaptively determining the size of each motion prediction unit block according to color component signals, and for dividing each motion prediction unit block into motion, vector allocation regions to search for a motion vector, and a variable length encoding unit for, when a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion prediction unit block, performing encoding in mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist, and for, when each motion vector allocation region has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined size and a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion vector allocation region, performing encoding in sub_mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist.

Abstract: A moving image encoder has an image separating unit (1) for generating four separate images (1)-(4) by sampling pixels constituting an input image every two alternate pixels in the horizontal direction and each alternate pixel in the vertical direction. An intraframe predictive coding unit performs intraframe predictive coding of the separate image (1) by using pixels constituting the separate image (1) produced by the image separating unit (1). An inter-separate image predictive coding unit 12 performs inter-separate image predictive coding of the separate images (2)-(4) produced by the image separating unit 1 by using the pixels constituting the separate image (1) produced by the image separating unit (1).

Abstract: An image encoding device include a predicting unit for adaptively determining the size of each motion prediction unit block according to color component signals, and for dividing each motion prediction unit block into motion, vector allocation regions to search for a motion vector, and a variable length encoding unit for, when a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion prediction unit block, performing encoding in mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist, and for, when each motion vector allocation region has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined size and a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion vector allocation region, performing encoding in sub_mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist.

Abstract: An image decoding device and an image decoding method are disclosed. The decoding device includes: a variable length decoder to variable-length-decode an inputted encoded bit stream to obtain a parameter for prediction signal generation, a compressed difference image, and filters; and a filtering processor to carry out a filtering process on a decoded image acquired by adding a prediction image and a difference image, wherein the prediction image is generated by using the parameter for prediction signal generation, and the difference image is acquired by decoding the compressed difference image, wherein the variable length decoder variable-length-decodes class identification information for a block in the decoded image, and wherein the filtering processor refers to the class identification information for the block to determine a class for the block, and carries out a filtering process on the block based on the determined class and the filters.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image encoding device which is constructed in such a way as to include an encoding mode determining unit 4 for evaluating the degree of efficiency of encoding of a difference image A which is the difference between an image of a macroblock to be encoded, and a prediction image A generated by a motion-compensated prediction unit 2 in a motion prediction mode A, and also evaluating the degree of efficiency of encoding of a difference image B which is the difference between the image of the macroblock to be encoded, and a prediction image B generated by the motion-compensated prediction unit 2 in a motion prediction mode B, and for selecting a difference image having a higher degree of encoding efficiency.

Abstract: A loop filter unit 11 carries out a class classification of a local decoded image generated by an adding unit 9 into one class for each coding block having a largest size determined by an encoding controlling unit 2 and also designs a filter that compensates for a distortion piggybacked for each local decoded image belonging to each class, and also carries out a filtering process on the above-mentioned local decoded image by using the filter. A variable length encoding unit 13 encodes, as filter parameters, the filter designed by the loop filter unit 11 and used for the local decoded image belonging to each class, and a class number of each largest coding block.

Abstract: An image encoding device include a predicting unit for adaptively determining the size of each motion prediction unit block according to color component signals, and for dividing each motion prediction unit block into motion vector allocation regions to search for a motion vector, and a variable length encoding unit for, when a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion prediction unit block, performing encoding in mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal 5 does not exist, and for, when each motion vector allocation region has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined size and a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion vector allocation region, performing encoding in sub_mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist.

Abstract: An intra-scene and inter-scene adaptive coding unit 6 converts an MPEG-2 video bit stream into a slave stream by using both coded data which is included in the coded data about scene video units in a master stream recorded in a data recording unit 2 and for which alternative coded data to be used for prediction reference has not been retrieved by an inter-scene prediction determining unit 5, and coded data retrieved by the inter-scene prediction determining unit 5 for the prediction reference.

Abstract: A tile partitioning unit 1 that partitions an inputted image into tiles each of which is a rectangular region having a specified size and outputs the tiles is disposed, and a block partitioning unit 10 of a partition video encoding unit 3 partitions a tile outputted from the tile partitioning unit 1 into coding blocks each having a predetermined size and also partitions each of the coding blocks hierarchically until the number of hierarchical layers reaches an upper limit on the number of hierarchical layers which is determined by an encoding controlling unit 2.

Abstract: A parallel processing starting unit 3 that partitions an inputted image into tiles each having a predetermined size, and distributes tiles obtained through the partitioning, and N tile encoding units 5-1 to 5-N each of that carries out a prediction difference encoding process on a tile distributed thereto by the parallel processing starting unit 3 to generate a local decoded image are disposed, and each of N tile loop filter units 7-1 to 7-N determines a filter per tile suitable for a filtering process on the local decoded image generated by the corresponding one of the tile encoding units 5-1 to 5-N, and carries out the filtering process on the local decoded image by using the filter.

Abstract: An image decoding device and method analyzes a parameter of the encoded bit stream to restore a 1-bit information to indicate that temporal distance between any two successive video frames to be displayed is constant in the video sequence, the 1-bit information being analyzed prior to a decoding process for a data area representing the video frames, A VOP decoder decodes a VOP that is image data serving as an encoding unit of video object and a VOL header analyzing part decodes a VOP rate flag, contained in encoded form in a header information part of a VOL layer composed of several VOPs, for indicating that a display rate in the VOL of the VOP to be decoded by the VOP decoder is a fixed rate by the VOP rate flag only.

Abstract: Multimedia content containing moving pictures and audio is divided into multiple scenes and metadata is generated for each of the scenes obtained as a result of the division. It is possible to generate metadata containing scene structure information metadata that describes the hierarchical structure of the content in addition to scene section information and titles. Also, a name or an identifier of each descriptor contained in the metadata is described as hint information for manipulation of metadata composed of at least one descriptor describing semantic content, a structure, and characteristics of content.

Abstract: An image decoding method and device which decodes an encoded bit steam of a video object is disclosed. A VOP decoder decodes a VOP that is image data serving as an encoding unit of a video object; and a VOL header analyzing part decodes a 1-bit VOP rate flag, contained in encoded form in a header information part of a VOL layer composed of several VOPs, for indicating that a display rate in the VOL of the VOP to be decoded by the VOP decoder is a fixed rate. A coding parameter analyzer analyzes a parameter of the encoded bit stream to restore an information to indicate that temporal distance between any two successive video frames to be displayed is constant in the video sequence by the information only, the information being analyzed prior to a decoding process for a data area representing the video frames.

Abstract: An image decoding device method for obtaining image signals by decoding compressed data of digital moving image signals in a 4:4:4 format is disclosed. An identification signal is decoded, the identification signal indicating whether three color component signals have been encoded in a common encoding mode or in independent encoding modes. The common encoding mode corresponds to a process of encoding the three color component signals of one frame by a common macroblock type information and the independent encoding mode corresponds to a process of encoding the three color component signals of one frame by an individual independent macroblock type information. The three color component signals are decoded in a common encoding mode or in independent encoding modes according to the identification signal.

Abstract: When an intra prediction parameter indicates a horizontal prediction process, an intra prediction unit adds a value proportional to a change in a horizontal direction of the luminance values of pixels adjacent to the top of each block, which is a unit for prediction process of a coding block, to the luminance value of a pixel adjacent to the left of the block to set a result of the addition as a predicted value of a prediction image, whereas when the intra prediction parameter indicates a vertical prediction process, the intra prediction unit adds a value proportional to a change in a vertical direction of the luminance values of pixels adjacent to the left of the block to the luminance value of the pixel adjacent to the top of the block to set the result of the addition as a predicted value of the prediction image.

Abstract: There are provided an encoding device, a decoding device, an encoding method, and a decoding method that enhance optimality in a case of encoding moving image signals having no sample ratio distinction between color components such as a 4:4:4 format. In a case of conducting compression encoding by inputting digital moving image signals of the 4:4:4 format, there are prepared a first encoding process of encoding three color component signals of the input moving image signals in a common encoding mode, and a second encoding process of encoding the three color component signals of the input moving image signals in respective independent encoding modes. The encoding process is executed by selecting any one of the first encoding process and the second encoding process, and the compression data contains an identification signal for specifying which process is selected.

Abstract: When removing a block distortion occurring in a local decoded image, a loop filtering part 11 of an image coding device carries out a filtering process on each of signal components (a luminance signal component and color difference signal components) after setting the intensity of a filter for removing the block distortion for each of the signal components according to a coding mode (an intra coding mode or an inter coding mode) selected by a coding controlling part 1.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image decoding method including a step of variable-length-decoding coded data multiplexed into a bitstream to acquire compressed data associated with a coding block, a reference image restriction flag indicating whether or not to restrict a significant reference image area which is an area on a reference image which can be used for the motion-compensated prediction, and motion information and a motion-compensated prediction step of carrying out a motion-compensated prediction process on the coding block on the basis of the motion information to generate a prediction image, in which the motion-compensated prediction step includes a step of when the prediction image includes a pixel located outside the significant reference image area, carrying out a predetermined extending process to generate the prediction image on the basis of the reference image restriction flag by using the motion information.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus which includes a frame memory selecting unit (35) for selecting, in response to a selection signal, an image to be continuously stored in a plurality of frame memories (9, 10) as a background image and storing the background image into the plurality of frame memories (9, 10), and a background motion compensating unit (14, 39) for performing motion compensating prediction corresponding to an input image based on the background image to generate a predicted image based on the motion compensating prediction, and an image decoding apparatus corresponding to the image coding apparatus.