Image data encoding and decoding

1. An image encoding apparatus, comprising:

control circuitry configured to select, from a set of candidate prediction operations each defining at least a prediction direction, a prediction operation for prediction of samples of a current region of a current image, the current region comprising an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of samples; and

processing circuitry configured to interpolate predicted samples of the current region with respect to one or more of a group of reference samples being samples decoded from previously encoded samples of the current image, the group of reference samples being selected in dependence upon a prediction direction, defined by the selected prediction operation, between a current sample to be predicted and a reference position amongst the reference samples, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply an interpolation process to the group of reference samples in order to generate each predicted sample,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to apply a different respective interpolation process for each subset of a plurality of subsets of the predicted samples, according to a relationship between a plurality of interpolation processes and a corresponding plurality of subsets of sample positions in the array of samples, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select an interpolation process to interpolate a particular predicted sample at a particular subset of sample positions in response to a separation between the particular subset of sample positions and a particular group of reference samples corresponding to the particular predicted sample.

2. The image encoding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interpolation processes comprises filtering processes having different respective spatial frequency responses.

3. The image encoding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the interpolation process to interpolate the particular predicted sample at the particular subset of sample positions in response to a location of the particular subset of sample positions within the array of samples.

4. The image encoding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the interpolation process to interpolate predicted samples at a particular subset of sample positions, the interpolation process being defined by a low-pass filter having a low-pass spatial frequency bandwidth which decreases in width with increasing separation between the particular subset of sample positions and the particular group of reference samples.

5. The image encoding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, for at least one or more given predicted samples, the interpolation process used by the processing circuitry comprises interpolating a subset of samples from another subset of the predicted samples.

6. A video storage, capture, transmission, or reception apparatus, comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 .

7. An image decoding apparatus, comprising:

control circuitry configured to receive prediction operation data in an encoded data stream defining a prediction operation for a current region of a current image with respect to a group of reference samples, the current region comprising an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of samples; and

processing circuitry configured to interpolate predicted samples of the current region with respect to one or more of a group of reference samples being samples decoded from previously encoded samples of the current image, the group of reference samples being selected in dependence upon a prediction direction, defined by the selected prediction operation, between a current sample to be predicted and a reference position amongst the reference samples, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply an interpolation process to the group of reference samples in order to generate each predicted sample,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to apply a different respective interpolation process for each subset of a plurality of subsets of the predicted samples, according to a relationship between a plurality of interpolation processes and a corresponding plurality of subsets of sample positions in the array of samples,

wherein the processing circuitry is responsive to an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of control values, so as to provide a respective control value defining an interpolation process for each sample position.

8. The image decoding apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of interpolation processes comprise filtering processes having different respective spatial frequency responses.

9. The image decoding apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select an interpolation process to interpolate a particular predicted sample at a particular subset of sample positions based on a location of the particular subset of sample positions within the array of samples.

10. The image decoding apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the interpolation process to interpolate a particular predicted sample at a particular subset of sample positions in response to a separation between the particular subset of sample positions and a particular group of reference samples corresponding to the particular sample.

11. The image decoding apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the interpolation process to interpolate predicted samples at a particular subset of sample positions, the interpolation process being defined by a low-pass filter having a low-pass spatial frequency bandwidth which decreases in width with increasing separation between the particular subset of sample positions and the particular group of reference samples.

12. The image decoding apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry comprises two or more interpolator circuits having different respective spatial frequency responses, and a combining circuit configured to generate the particular predicted sample by combining interpolated sample values generated by the two or more interpolator circuits according to a combination ratio associated with the location of the particular predicted sample within the array of samples.

13. The image encoding apparatus of claim 7 , wherein, for at least one or more given predicted samples, the interpolation process used by the processing circuitry comprises interpolating a subset of samples from another subset of the predicted samples.

14. A video storage, capture, transmission, or reception apparatus, comprising the apparatus according to claim 7 .

15. An image encoding method, comprising:

selecting, from a set of candidate prediction operations each defining at least a prediction direction, a prediction operation for prediction of samples of a current region of a current image, the current region comprising an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of samples; and

interpolating predicted samples of the current region with respect to one or more of a group of reference samples being samples decoded from previously encoded samples of the current image, the group of reference samples being selected in dependence upon a prediction direction, defined by the selected prediction operation, between a current sample to be predicted and a reference position amongst the reference samples, by applying an interpolation process to the group of reference samples in order to generate each predicted sample;

wherein the interpolating step comprises applying a different respective interpolation process for each subset of a plurality of subsets of the predicted samples, according to a relationship between a plurality of interpolation processes and a corresponding plurality of subsets of sample positions in the array of samples, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select an interpolation process to interpolate a particular predicted sample at a particular subset of sample positions in response to a separation between the particular subset of sample positions and a particular croup of reference samples corresponding to the particular predicted sample.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of claim 15 .

17. An image decoding method, comprising:

receiving prediction operation data in an encoded data stream defining a prediction operation for a current region of a current image with respect to a group of reference samples, the current region comprising an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of samples; and

interpolating predicted samples of the current region with respect to one or more of a group of reference samples being samples decoded from previously encoded samples of the current image, the group of reference samples being selected in dependence upon a prediction direction, defined by the selected prediction operation, between a current sample to be predicted and a reference position amongst the reference samples, by applying an interpolation process to the group of reference samples in order to generate each predicted sample,

wherein the interpolating step comprises applying a different respective interpolation process for a plurality of subsets of the predicted samples, according to a relationship between a plurality of interpolation processes and a corresponding plurality of subsets of sample positions in the array of samples, and

wherein the processing circuitry is responsive to an array of two or more rows and two or more columns of control values, so as to provide a respective control value defining an interpolation process for a sample position.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of claim 17 .