Image coding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, image processing system, image coding method, and image decoding method
View Patent ↗An image coding apparatus is an image coding apparatus which encodes a plurality of to-be-displayed images forming video by using inter prediction. The image coding apparatus includes an obtaining unit that obtains a reference-specific image which is an image different from the plurality of to-be-displayed images or different from a plurality of reconfigured images obtained by reconfiguration of the plurality of to-be-displayed images and which is an image used as an image that is specific to reference for the inter prediction, and an encoding unit that encodes one or more to-be-displayed images among the plurality of to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image as a reference image for the inter prediction.
1. An image coding apparatus including an encoder and a memory, the encoder executing operations comprising:
obtaining a reference-specific image from storage accessible by the encoder, the reference-specific image being not displayed and being referenced from one or more other images to be displayed;
storing the reference-specific image in the memory; and
encoding one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image,
wherein the obtaining, as the reference-specific image, includes a reference-specific image having a larger size than each of the plurality of to-be-displayed images, and
wherein the reference-specific image obtained in the obtaining is formed by integrating a plurality of captured images, which are a plurality of images obtained through an image capturing operation.
2. The image coding apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein obtaining the reference-specific image is performed before an initial to-be-displayed image being encoded in coding order among the plurality of to-be-displayed images.
3. The image coding apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein obtaining part or all of the reference-specific image includes by receiving part or all of the reference-specific image from an image management apparatus, and
encoding the one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image, part or all of which has been obtained.
4. The image coding apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein obtaining, as the reference-specific image, each of a plurality of reference-specific images includes a first reference-specific image corresponding to a first image capture condition and a second reference-specific image corresponding to a second image capture condition, and
encoding the one or more to-be-displayed images is performed by referring to the first reference-specific image as the reference-specific image in a case where the video has been captured in the first image capture condition, or
encoding the one or more to-be-displayed images is performed by referring to the second reference-specific image as the reference-specific image in a case where the video has been captured in the second image capture condition.
5. The image coding apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the encoder executes operations further comprising updating the reference-specific image by using one or more reconfigured images among the plurality of reconfigured images obtained by reconfiguration of the plurality of to-be-displayed images, and
encoding the one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the updated reference-specific image.
6. The image coding apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein, before encoding an image to be encoded among the one or more to-be-displayed images, the encoder executes operations further comprising transforming the reference-specific image to a transformed reference-specific image, the transformed reference-specific image corresponding to the image to be encoded, the image referring to the transformed reference-specific image as the reference image.
7. The image coding apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the transforming includes scaling the reference-specific image to the transformed reference-specific image, a size of a subject in the transformed reference-specific image corresponding to a size of a subject in the image to be encoded.
8. The image coding apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the transforming includes scaling of the reference-specific image to the transformed reference-specific image, by using image capture information on each of the reference-specific image and the image to be encoded, or by using a position of a feature point in each of the reference-specific image and the image to be encoded.
9. The image coding apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein in the transforming includes scaling of the reference-specific image to the transformed reference-specific image in accordance with precision of motion vectors used in the inter prediction.
10. The image coding apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein the encoding includes encoding a transform parameter that is used in transforming the reference-specific image.
11. The image coding apparatus according to claim 10 ,
wherein the encoding includes encoding an overall vector indicating a position of an area in the reference-specific image which corresponds to an image to be encoded among the one or more to-be-displayed images.
12. The image coding apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the encoder executes operations further comprising calculating the overall vector by using image capture information on each of the reference-specific image and the image to be encoded or by using a position of a feature point in each of the reference-specific image and the image to be encoded, and encoding the calculated overall vector.
13. The image coding apparatus according to claim 12 ,
wherein the encoding includes encoding the one or more to-be-displayed images, and generating a coded sequence including the one or more to-be-displayed images, separately from a coded sequence including the reference-specific image.
14. The image coding apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the encoding includes encoding the reference-specific image as a non-display image.
15. An image decoding apparatus including a decoder and a memory, the decoder executing operations comprising:
obtaining a reference-specific image from storage accessible by the decoder, the reference-specific image being not displayed and being referenced from one or more other images to be displayed;
storing the reference-specific image in the memory; and
decoding one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image,
wherein the obtaining, as the reference-specific image, includes a reference-specific image having a larger size than each of the plurality of to-be-displayed images, and
wherein the reference-specific image obtained in the obtaining is formed by integrating a plurality of captured images, which are a plurality of images obtained through an image capturing operation.
16. An image processing system which encodes and decodes, the image processing system comprising:
a controller operable to obtain a reference-specific image from accessible storage, the reference-specific image being not displayed and being referenced from one or more other images to be displayed;
an encoder operable to
obtain the reference-specific image from the controller, and
encode one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image; and
a decoder operable to
obtain the reference-specific image from the controller, and
decode one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image as a reference image for inter prediction,
wherein obtaining, as the reference-specific image, includes a reference-specific image having a larger size than each of the plurality of to-be-displayed images, and
wherein the reference-specific image obtained in the obtaining is formed by integrating a plurality of captured images, which are a plurality of images obtained through an image capturing operation.
17. An image coding method being executed by a processor, the image coding method comprising:
obtaining a reference-specific image, the reference-specific image being not displayed and being referenced from one or more other images to be displayed; and
encoding one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image,
wherein the obtaining, as the reference-specific image, includes a reference-specific image having a larger size than each of the plurality of to-be-displayed image, and
wherein the reference-specific image obtained in the obtaining is formed by integrating a plurality of captured images, which are a plurality of images obtained through an image capturing operation.
18. An image decoding method being executed by a processor, the image decoding method comprising:
obtaining a reference-specific image, the reference-specific image being not displayed and being referenced from one or more other images to be displayed; and
decoding one or more to-be-displayed images by referring to the reference-specific image,
wherein the obtaining, as the reference-specific image, includes a reference-specific image having a larger size than each of the plurality of to-be-displayed images, and
wherein the reference-specific image obtained in the obtaining is formed by integrating a plurality of captured images, which are a plurality of images obtained through an image capturing operation.