Abstract: An image coding method of coding an image on a per coding unit basis, the method comprising: applying a frequency transform to luminance data and chrominance data of transform units in the coding unit including predetermined blocks each corresponding to one or more of the transform units; and coding the luminance data and the chrominance data to which the frequency transform has been applied to generate a bitstream in which the luminance data and the chrominance data are grouped on a per predetermined block basis.

Abstract: A moving picture coding includes: coding a first flag indicating whether or not temporal motion vector prediction is used; when the first flag indicates that the temporal motion vector prediction is used: coding a first parameter for calculating the temporal predictive motion vector; wherein when the first flag indicates that the temporal motion vector prediction is not used, the first parameter is not coded.

Abstract: An image decoding method of decoding, on a block-by-block basis, image data included in a coded stream includes: deriving candidates for an intra prediction mode to be used for intra prediction for a decoding target block, the number of the candidates constantly being a plural number; obtaining, from the coded stream, an index for identifying one of the derived candidates for the intra prediction mode; and determining, based on the obtained index, one of the derived candidates for the intra prediction mode as the intra prediction mode to be used for intra prediction for the decoding target block.

Abstract: An image coding method includes: writing, into a sequence parameter set, buffer description defining information for defining a plurality of buffer descriptions; selecting one of the buffer descriptions for each processing unit that is a picture or a slice, and writing buffer description selecting information for specifying the selected buffer description, into a first header of the processing unit which is included in the coded bitstream; and coding the processing unit using the selected buffer description, and the buffer description defining information includes long-term information for identifying, among a plurality of reference pictures indicated in the buffer descriptions, a reference picture to be assigned as a long-term reference picture.

Abstract: A moving picture coding method including: determining whether or not (a) a picture including a co-located block and (b) a current picture to be coded are included in a same view, the co-located block being a block that is included in a picture different from the current picture and is at a position corresponding to a position of a current block to be coded included in the current picture; adjusting the position of the co-located block when the picture including the co-located block and the current picture are included in different views; and adding to the list an entry including a motion vector derived from the co-located block, wherein the adjusting includes: obtaining a disparity vector between the view including the picture including the co-located block and the view including the current picture; and adjusting the position of the co-located block by the obtained disparity vector.

Abstract: A calibrator for cameras includes a controlling circuit, a photographing circuit, a calculating circuit, and an instructing circuit. The controlling circuit is configured to control a movable body in a shooting area of the cameras. A marker is provided on the movable body for calibration of the cameras. The photographing circuit is configured to control the cameras to photograph the marker at a first position at a first timing to generate first images. The photographing circuit is configured to control the cameras to photograph the marker at a second position at a second timing to generate second images. The calculating circuit is configured to calculate parameters of the cameras based on the first images and the second images. The instructing circuit is configured to transmit the parameters to the cameras to calibrate the cameras.

Abstract: An image encoding method is used for encoding a current picture on a block-by-block basis and includes: generating a reference picture list by (i) assigning a reference picture index to a reference picture referable for encoding the current picture and (ii) including the reference picture assigned the reference picture index into the reference picture list; and encoding a current block included in the current picture with reference to a reference picture that is specified, from the reference picture list, for encoding the current block, wherein, when a reference picture belonging to a reference view different from a current view to which the current picture belongs has a chance of being referenced for encoding the current picture, the reference picture belonging to the reference view is added to the reference picture list in the generating.

Abstract: A calibrator for a camera includes a controlling circuit, a photographing circuit, a calculating circuit, and an instructing circuit. The controlling circuit is configured to control a movable body to move into a shooting area of the camera. A marker is provided on the movable body for calibration of the camera. The photographing circuit is configured to control the camera to photograph the marker. The calculating circuit is configured to calculate at least one parameter of the camera based on the photographed marker. The instructing circuit is configured to transmit the at least one parameter to the camera to calibrate the camera.

Abstract: An image coding method includes performing: context arithmetic coding to consecutively code (i) first information indicating whether or not to perform SAO processing for a first region and (ii) second information indicating whether or not to use, in the SAO processing for the first region, information on SAO processing for a region except the first region; and bypass arithmetic coding to code other information after the first and second information are coded. The other information includes third information indicating whether the SAO processing is edge or band offset processing. In the performing of context arithmetic coding, an initial bit value in a bit string of a parameter indicating a type of the SAO processing is coded as the first information. In the performing of bypass arithmetic coding, a value of a next bit following the initial bit in the bit string of the parameter is coded as the third information.

Abstract: An image coding method includes: writing, into a sequence parameter set, buffer description defining information for defining a plurality of buffer descriptions; writing, into the sequence parameter set, reference list description defining information for defining a plurality of reference list descriptions corresponding to the buffer descriptions; and writing, into a first header of each processing unit which is included in a coded bitstream, buffer description selecting information for specifying a selected buffer description.

Abstract: A decoding method and apparatus are provided. A first candidate having a first motion vector that has been used to decode a first block, a first prediction direction that corresponds to the first motion vector, and a first reference picture index that identifies a first reference picture is derived. A second candidate having a second motion vector that has been used to decode a second block, a second prediction direction that corresponds to the second motion vector, and a second reference picture index that identifies a second reference picture is derived. When a total number of candidates is less than a maximum number, a third candidate is derived by combining the first motion vector and the first reference picture index for the first prediction direction of the first candidate and the second motion vector and the second reference picture index for the second prediction direction of the second candidate.

Abstract: The image decoding method includes: determining a context for use in a current block to be processed, from among a plurality of contexts; and performing arithmetic decoding on a bit sequence corresponding to the current block, using the determined context, wherein in the determining: the context is determined under a condition that control parameters of neighboring blocks of the current block are used, when the signal type is a first type, the neighboring blocks being a left block and an upper block of the current block; and the context is determined under a condition that the control parameter of the upper block is not used, when the signal type is a second type, and the second type is one of “cbf_luma”, “cbf_cb”, and “cbf_cr”.

Abstract: An image distribution method includes generating an integrated image in which images are arranged. The images are generated by shooting a scene from respective different viewpoints. The images include a virtual image generated from a real image. The image distribution method includes distributing the integrated image to image display apparatuses provided to display at least one of the images.

Abstract: A method of encoding video including: writing a plurality of predetermined buffer descriptions into a sequence parameter set of a coded video bitstream; writing a plurality of updating parameters into a slice header of the coded video bitstream for selecting and modifying one buffer description out of the plurality of buffer descriptions; and encoding a slice into the coded video bitstream using the slice header and the modified buffer description.

Abstract: Obtaining one or more motion vector predictor candidates includes: (a1) generating a motion vector predictor candidate, based on motion vectors of first adjacent blocks adjacent to a block to be processed in a first direction; and (a2) generating a motion vector predictor candidate, based on motion vectors of second adjacent blocks adjacent to the block to be processed in a second direction, and step (a2) includes: determining whether the first adjacent blocks include an inter-predicted block; and searching for a motion vector on which scaling processing can be performed from among the motion vectors of the second adjacent blocks when it is determined that the first adjacent blocks do not include an inter-predicted block, and executing, when the motion vector on which scaling processing can be performed is obtained in the search, scaling processing on the motion vector obtained in the search.

Abstract: A free-viewpoint video generating method includes obtaining a multi-viewpoint video including N videos of N viewpoints (N being an integer greater than 1), and generating a free-viewpoint video of a virtual viewpoint based on the multi-viewpoint video such that the free-viewpoint video shows target areas and has a first resolution higher than each of resolutions of the N videos, the virtual viewpoint being different from the N viewpoints. For each target area, the generating includes: referring to a three-dimensional model generated based on the N videos to specify N reference areas which are shown by the N videos and which correspond to the each target area in the free-viewpoint video; and calculating components of pixels to represent the each target area in the free-viewpoint video, based on components of pixels to represent the N reference areas in the N videos.

Abstract: An image coding method of coding an image on a per coding unit basis, the method comprising: applying a frequency transform to luminance data and chrominance data of transform units in the coding unit including predetermined blocks each corresponding to one or more of the transform units; and coding the luminance data and the chrominance data to which the frequency transform has been applied to generate a bitstream in which the luminance data and the chrominance data are grouped on a per predetermined block basis.

Abstract: Circuity for executing operations is provided. The operations divide a picture into tiles. The tiles are coded to generate pieces of coded data, each of which corresponds to a different one of the tiles. A bitstream is generated to include the pieces of coded data. In this regard, the coding of the tiles includes generating a first code string by: coding a first tile with reference to coding information of an already-coded tile neighboring the first tile when a boundary between the first and already-coded tiles is a first boundary; and coding the first tile without reference to the coding information of the already-coded tile when the boundary between the first and already-coded tiles is a second boundary. The bitstream is generated to include tile boundary independence information, which indicates whether each boundary between the tiles is one of the first and second boundaries.

Abstract: An image coding method bitstream includes: determining a maximum number of a merging candidate which is a combination of a prediction direction, a motion vector, and a reference picture index for use in coding of a current block; deriving a first merging candidate; determining whether or not a total number of the first merging candidate is smaller than the maximum number; deriving a second merging candidate when it is determined that the total number of the first merging candidate is smaller than the maximum number; selecting a merging candidate for use in the coding of the current block from the first merging candidate and the second merging candidate; and coding, using the maximum number, an index for identifying the selected merging candidate, and attaching the coded index to the bitstream.

Abstract: An image decoding method of decoding, on a block-by-block basis, image data included in a coded stream includes: deriving candidates for an intra prediction mode to be used for intra prediction for a decoding target block, the number of the candidates constantly being a plural number; obtaining, from the coded stream, an index for identifying one of the derived candidates for the intra prediction mode; and determining, based on the obtained index, one of the derived candidates for the intra prediction mode as the intra prediction mode to be used for intra prediction for the decoding target block.