Abstract: Regions based on which an interpolation method of a fractional-accuracy pixel is switched are optimized, and the interpolation method is switched for each of the divided regions, thereby reducing residual energy of inter-frame prediction with motion compensation.

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: 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: 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: A video encoding method, in which a video signal consisting of two or more signal elements is targeted to be encoded, includes a step of setting a downsampling ratio is set for a specific signal element in a frame, in accordance with the characteristics in the frame; and a step of generating a target video signal to be encoded, by subjecting the specific signal element in the frame to downsampling in accordance with the set downsampling ratio. The frame may be divided into partial areas in accordance with localized characteristics in the frame; and a downsampling ratio for a specific signal element in these partial areas may be set in accordance with the characteristics in each partial area.

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

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: 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: 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.

Abstract: Regions based on which an interpolation method of a fractional-accuracy pixel is switched are optimized, and the interpolation method is switched for each of the divided regions, thereby reducing residual energy of inter-frame prediction with motion compensation.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus reduces residual energy of motion-compensated inter-frame prediction and improves the coding efficiency in encoding of an image in which optimal values of interpolation filter coefficients are changed in time and space. In the video encoding apparatus, a region division unit sequentially selects region division schemes one by one from among a plurality of prepared region division schemes, and divides a region of an image to be encoded. An interpolation filter coefficient switching unit switches interpolation filter coefficients of a decimal precision pixel for each divided region, and a predictive encoding unit performs predictive encoding. A region division mode decoding section selects a region division scheme, in which a cost is minimized among rate distortion costs calculated for each region division scheme. Using the selected region division scheme, the predictive encoding unit and a variable length encoding unit encode the image to be encoded.

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: 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.

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: A video scalable encoding method calculates a weight coefficient which includes a proportional coefficient and an offset coefficient and indicates brightness variation between an encoding target image region and a reference image region in an upper layer, calculates a motion vector by applying the weight coefficient to an image signal of a reference image region as a search target and executing motion estimation, and generates a prediction signal by applying the weight coefficient to a decoded signal of a reference image region indicated by the motion vector and executing motion compensation. Based on encoding information of an immediately-lower image region in an immediately-lower layer, which is present at spatially the same position as the encoding target image region, a data structure of the weight coefficient is determined.