VIDEO ENCODING APPARATUS AND VIDEO ENCODING METHOD

1 . A video encoding apparatus which encodes video signals each corresponding to a different view, the video encoding apparatus comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to sequentially obtain pictures included in the video signals; and

an encoding unit configured to encode the pictures obtained by the obtaining unit using inter prediction in a temporal direction or intra prediction,

wherein the encoding unit is configured to:

encode an anchor picture using only the intra prediction, and output the encoded anchor picture in an I-picture format, the anchor picture being included in the pictures in a first video signal of the video signals, providing a random access capability, and located at a start of a group of pictures (GOP);

encode an anchor picture using only the intra prediction, and output the encoded anchor picture in a P-picture format, the anchor picture being included in the pictures in a second video signal of the video signals; and

encode the pictures other than the anchor pictures and included in the first video signal and the second video signal using the inter prediction in the temporal direction or the intra prediction, and output the encoded pictures.

2 . The video encoding apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the encoding unit is configured to encode:

the first video signal as a base view in a multi view coding (MVC) standard; and

the second video signal as a non-base view in the MVC standard.

3 . The video encoding apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the encoding unit is further configured to encode a picture in the pictures included in the second video signal using inter prediction in a view direction which involves reference to an other picture in the pictures included in the first video signal and corresponding to the picture,

the video encoding apparatus further comprises an encoding condition setting unit configured to select one of a first encoding condition and a second encoding condition, the first encoding condition being set to (i) encode the anchor picture using only the intra prediction and (ii) output the encoded anchor picture in the P-picture format, and the second encoding condition being set to (i) encode the anchor picture using inter prediction in the view direction and (ii) output the encoded anchor picture in the P-picture format, and

the encoding unit is configured to execute the encoding according to one of the first encoding condition and the second encoding condition set by the encoding condition setting unit.

4 . The video encoding apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the first encoding condition is further set to encode a picture in the pictures other than the anchor picture and included in the second video signal, using only the inter prediction in the temporal direction and the intra prediction among the intra prediction, the inter prediction in the temporal direction, and the inter prediction in the view direction, and

the second encoding condition is further set to encode a picture in the pictures other than the anchor picture and included in the second video signal, using all the intra prediction, the inter prediction in the temporal direction, and the inter prediction in the view direction.

5 . The video encoding apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the encoding condition setting unit is configured to (i) obtain a difference in image characteristic between two pictures each included in one of the first video signal and the second video signal and having approximately same time information, and (ii) select the first encoding condition in the case where the obtained difference in image characteristic is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.

6 . The video encoding apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the encoding condition setting unit is configured to obtain a difference in image characteristic between the two pictures each included in one of the first video signal and the second video signal and having approximately the same time information, by comparing pixel values of the two pictures.

7 . The video encoding apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the obtaining unit is further configured to obtain a shooting condition in capturing the first video signal and a shooting condition in capturing the second video signal, and

the encoding condition setting unit is configured to obtain a difference in image characteristic between the two pictures, by comparing the shooting conditions of the first video signal and the second video signal.

8 . A video encoding method for encoding video signals each having a different viewpoint, the video encoding method comprising:

sequentially obtaining pictures included in the video signals; and

encoding the pictures obtained in the obtaining using inter prediction in a temporal direction or intra prediction,

wherein the encoding includes:

encoding an anchor picture using only the intra prediction, and outputting the encoded anchor picture in an I-picture format, the anchor picture being included in the pictures in a first video signal of the video signals, providing a random access capability, and located at a start of a GOP;

encoding an anchor picture using only the intra prediction, and outputting the encoded anchor picture in a P-picture format, the anchor picture being included in the pictures in a second video signal of the video signals; and

encoding the pictures other than the anchor pictures and included in the first video signal and the second video signal using the inter prediction in the temporal direction or the intra prediction, and outputting the encoded pictures.