Abstract: An image coding device which codes input image data includes a coding flag generation unit which determines whether or not the input image data is image data included in data of a moving picture showing a motion of a predetermined motion amount or greater, and generates coding flag information which indicates a result of the determination. A coding method determination unit determines a coding method in which the input image data references coded image data that the coded image data indicates is the input image data included in the data of the moving picture that is closer to the input image data. An image coding unit compression-codes the input image data using the coding method determined by the coding method determination unit.

Abstract: A video image encoding device, in a first mode, variable-length-encodes a residual coefficient to generate a coefficient code string, outputs the coefficient code string and the header information in a state in which the header information is associated with the coefficient code string, in a second mode, directly uses a differential image as a coefficient code string without variable-length-encoding the differential image, and outputs the coefficient code string and the header information in a state in which the header information is associated with the coefficient code string.

Abstract: A video image decoding device receives, as the code string to be decoded, a first code string to be decoded including information based on an encoded residual coefficient and header information or a second code string to be decoded including a residual image obtained in encoding the code string to be decoded and header information. The video image decoding device, when the code string to be decoded that is received by the receiver is the first code string to be decoded, adds the residual decoded image and the predictive image to each other to generate and output a reconstructed image and, when the code string to be decoded received by the receiver is the second code string to be decoded, adds a residual image included in the second code string to be decoded and the predictive image to each other to generate and output a reconstructed image.

Abstract: An image file generation device includes an image obtaining unit configured to obtain data of a stereoscopic image enabling stereovision, an parallax information obtaining unit configured to obtain parallax information for each of sub-regions (divided regions) of an entire region of the stereoscopic image, and a file generator configured to generate an image file including a data part which stores data of the stereoscopic image obtained by the image obtaining unit and a header part which stores management data for the data of the stereoscopic image stored in the data part. The file generator stores, in the header part, parallax information for each sub-region and information on a method of dividing the region, for each sub-region.

Abstract: Provided is a moving picture coding device which makes it possible to suppress deterioration in coding efficiency caused by flickers occurring at a time of high-speed capturing under fluorescent lamp lighting or the like. A moving picture coding device which codes a plurality of pictures obtained by capturing an object, the moving picture coding device including: a luminance information acquisition unit which acquires luminance information which indicates a luminance level of light in an environment where the object is captured; and a coding unit which codes the pictures, using a prediction coding method in which a picture type is applied in the coding of the pictures according to a flicker state of the light obtained from the luminance information.

Abstract: To provide an intra prediction apparatus which can circumvent a hazard problem and improve the time reduction effect. An intra prediction apparatus 11 performs intra predictions of a picture. The intra predictions include: second intra predictions of respective second blocks (blocks) which are obtained by dividing a first pixel block; and a first intra prediction of the first block (macroblock) which constitutes the picture. The intra prediction apparatus 11 includes: an intra prediction unit (a prediction unit 113, an orthogonal transform and quantization unit 115, an inverse orthogonal transform and inverse quantization unit 116, and an adder 117) which performs the intra predictions; and a control unit 119 which controls the intra prediction unit to perform in parallel the intra prediction of the macroblock and the intra predictions of the respective pixel blocks.

Abstract: Afforded is an optical element holder allowing high-accuracy stereo images to be taken. The holder includes: a rectangular parallelepiped beam splitter (5) having a rectangular incident surface (12); a pair of mutually opposing holding members (8) into which end portions of the beam splitter along the x-axis are fitted; and a base portion (9) and screws (10) that press on the holding members (8), drawing them toward each other. Each of the holding members (8) has a flat surface portion covering a lateral surface of the beam splitter (5), and a peripheral wall portion standing along the periphery of the flat surface potion. A width, along the x-axis, whereby the peripheral wall portion and a first light-exit surface opposing the incident surface (12) of the beam splitter (5) overlap is greater than a width, in the same orientation, whereby the incident surface (12) and the peripheral wall portion overlap.

Abstract: The present invention provides a motion vector estimation apparatus which can decrease circuit size by reducing the amount of computations for detecting a motion vector. The motion vector estimation apparatus in the present invention includes a motion vector estimation unit which estimates a motion vector MV0F for the target block BL0 by searching within a reference picture P1 for a block with an image similar to an image in the target block BL0, which is included in a picture B2; a prediction calculation unit and a prediction range control unit which specify a search range in the reference picture P1 based on the motion vector MV0F and; the motion vector estimation unit estimates the motion vector MV1F for the target block BL1 by searching in the search range for a block with an image similar to an image in the target block BL1, which is included in the picture B3.

Abstract: An image decoding apparatus that performs decoding using motion compensation includes: a reference area specifying unit that specifies, prior to decoding performed on a block-by-block basis, a reference area that is an existing range of reference pixels in a reference picture based on a block on which motion compensation is to be performed; a decoded pixel memory which stores decoded pixel data; a reference pixel buffer that holds reference pixel data; a reference-pixel-reading control unit that copies pixel data of an area including the reference area specified by said reference area specifying unit, from said decoded pixel memory into said reference pixel buffer; a motion compensation unit that generates interpolation pixel data by performing the motion compensation using reference pixel data copied into said reference pixel buffer; and a pixel value decoding unit that generates decoded pixel data using the interpolation pixel data.

Abstract: A motion vector estimation apparatus that can reduce an amount of calculation for video coding processing and thus achieve a higher bit rate and lower consumption power, while contributing to improvement in image quality and coding efficiency include: a reduced picture generation unit which generates a reduced current picture to be coded and a reduced reference picture; a region partition unit which partitions a reduced current picture to be coded into regions and generates reduced region images; a region motion vector estimation unit which estimates a region motion vector of a reduced region image; a confidence level calculation unit which calculates a confidence level of a region motion vector; and a block size narrowing-down unit which narrows down candidate block sizes so as to determine a block size to be used for coding a current block to be coded, based on a region motion vector and a confidence level of the region motion vector.

Abstract: A link information generation apparatus records a link information file on a recording medium on which a first folder holding a still picture file that includes still picture data and still picture imaging time information and a second folder holding one or more moving picture files each of which includes moving picture data are recorded at positions that are not in a containment relationship with each other.

Abstract: A conventional device adjusts the convergence angle of its imaging unit in a manner that the left-and-right face detection areas are at the same coordinates and thus forms a stereo image that will be placed on a display screen during display, but fails to place a subject at an intended stereoscopic position. A stereo image capturing device (1000) detects a face area from a right image, detects a disparity using the left-and-right face areas, and sets the imaging parameters (the subject distance, focal length, stereo base, and convergence angle) to adjust the detected disparity to a disparity enabling the subject to be placed at an intended placement position. This device forms a stereo image having an appropriate stereoscopic effect in which a target subject is placed at an intended stereoscopic position. The device uses only a limited target area for face detection and thus requires less calculation for face detection.

Abstract: An encoding device includes: a difference generation unit for obtaining a first pixel difference value as a difference value between a first pixel value and a pixel value of a pixel having the same color as the first pixel positioned in the vicinity of the first pixel; a quantization width decision unit for deciding a quantization width in data generation by quantizing the first and the second pixel value according to the number of digits of an unsigned integer binary value of the first pixel difference value and the number of digits of an unsigned integer binary value of the second pixel difference value generated in the difference generation unit for the second pixel value of the second pixel; a quantization width information generation unit for generating quantization width information having a quantization width used for quantization/decoding of the first and the second pixel value; and a quantization unit for generating a first and a second compressed encoded pixel value of n-bit length.

Abstract: A conventional stereo image pickup device forms an appropriate stereo image by changing the stereo base in accordance with the distance to a subject, but fails to select an appropriate focal length or stereo base by simply using the subject distance without obtaining the subject size. A stereo image pickup device (1000) estimates the size of a subject in accordance with the imaging mode set in a typical two-dimensional camera, and estimates the subject distance using the estimated size of the subject and the focal length, and further calculates the stereo base that enables an optimum disparity to be achieved using the subject distance, determines the stereo base, and aligns the two imaging units (the first imaging unit (103) and the second imaging unit (104)). As a result, the stereo image pickup device forms a stereo image having an appropriate stereoscopic effect.

Abstract: An image encoding method is for obtaining, from a pixel data string containing pixel values of a plurality of pixels in a pixel array where the pixels are arrayed, a pixel data string containing a quantized representative value into which at least one of the pixel values is encoded. Encoding is performed by allocating a specific quantized representative value when a pixel value of a pixel is a specific pixel value, and by allocating a quantized representative value other than the specific quantized representative value when the pixel value is other than the specific pixel value.

Abstract: A stereo-image photographing apparatus enabling readily, short time-span realization of lens-barrel optical-axis adjustment in left- and right-eye imaging devices is afforded. The apparatus includes: a beam splitter having an incident surface of rectangular form, on which imaging light from a photographic subject is incident, an optically functional surface that reflects first imaging light, being a portion of incident imaging light, in a direction paralleling the shorter side of the rectangular form and that passes second imaging light being the remaining portion of the incident imaging light, a first light-exit surface through which the first imaging light exits, and a second light-exit surface through which the second imaging light exits; a first lens barrel directly facing the first light-exit surface; a second lens barrel directly facing the second light-exit surface; a first imaging device mounted on the first lens barrel; and a second imaging device mounted on the second lens barrel.

Abstract: Afforded is an optical element holder allowing high-accuracy stereo images to be taken. The holder includes: a rectangular parallelepiped beam splitter (5) having a rectangular incident surface (12); a pair of mutually opposing holding members (8) into which end portions of the beam splitter along the x-axis are fitted; and a base portion (9) and screws (10) that press on the holding members (8), drawing them toward each other. Each of the holding members (8) has a flat surface portion covering a lateral surface of the beam splitter (5), and a peripheral wall portion standing along the periphery of the flat surface potion. A width, along the x-axis, whereby the peripheral wall portion and a first light-exit surface opposing the incident surface (12) of the beam splitter (5) overlap is greater than a width, in the same orientation, whereby the incident surface (12) and the peripheral wall portion overlap.

Abstract: Stereoscopic imaging device that can take stereo images with the parallax between the left and right eyes being accurately established is afforded. The stereoscopic imaging device (11) includes: an optical branching device having an incident surface (35), a beam-splitter part (33) that splits light from the incident surface into two directions, an extension part (36), and a reflection part (38) that reflects at least a portion of the light bent by the beam splitter part (33) and bends the reflected light in the y-axis positive direction; a first camera (31) that takes left-eye images; and a second camera (32) that takes right-eye images. The respective optical axes of the optical system of the first camera (31) and of the optical system of the second camera (32) are parallel to the y-axis.

Abstract: A small-sized stereo-image taking apparatus that includes a small-sized beam splitter for splitting in two the imaging light from a photographic subject and that makes it possible to take both telephotographic-range and wide-angle-range images is afforded. The stereo-image taking apparatus includes: an optical element having an optically functional surface splitting in two the imaging light from a photographic subject; first and second telescopic lens barrels having telescoping functionality; first and second imaging devices mounted on the first and second telescopic lens barrels, for generating first and second images on the basis of first and second imaging light constructing images through the first and second telescopic lens barrels; and first and second moveable sections causing the first and second imaging devices to parallel-shift optical-axis-wise in accordance with extension/retraction of the first and second telescopic lens barrels.

Abstract: Provided is a motion estimation device in which an amount of pixel data transferred from an external frame memory to an internal reference local memory is reduced. By the motion estimation device, it is possible to reduce a memory capacity and a size or processing of a circuit controlling the pixel transfer. In a reference memory control unit and an internal reference memory, a height of a area to be updated is set to L pixels, where L is power of 2, a logical address segments, whose size is suitable for address calculation, are allocated to picture space, and FIFO management is performs. In another application, an assistance memory is added, and another element other than the assistance memory performs the FIFO management for rectangular areas in an image of a conventional width. As a result, the address calculation is simplified, which makes it possible to reduce an embedded circuit for the reference memory control unit and the internal reference memory.