Video coding and video decoding apparatus

• US 6,088,486 A
• Filed: 04/30/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Toshiaki, Ida, Takashi, Yamaguchi, Noboru, Kuratate, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US09/069,852
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/233, 382/234, 382/235, 382/236, 382/238, 382/239, 382/240, 382/241, 382/242, 382/243, 382/244, 382/248, 358/432, 358/433, 358/261.3
• US Class Current: 382/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4023 based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/20 using video object coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/29 involving scalability at the object level, e.g. video object layer [VOL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/59 involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution

Abstract

A video encoding apparatus is provided with a resolution converting section, an encoding section, and a transmitting section. The resolution converting section enlarges or reduces a binary picture which represents the shape of an object. The encoding section encodes a binary picture reduced by the resolution converting section. The reduction ratio used by the resolution converting section is encoded, and the transmitting section transmits this encoded reduction ratio along with encoded data on the binary picture. The amount of encoded data produced from the encoding section is controlled by changing the enlargement/reduction ratio used by the resolution converting section.

Claims

1. A picture encoding apparatus comprising:

an object region detector configured for receiving an alpha-map signal of a whole picture including an object and a background surrounding the object, the alpha-map signal discriminating between the object and the background in accordance with information representing whether a value of the alpha-map signal is 0, and detecting a rectangular object region containing the object and a part of the background surrounding the object, from the whole picture to obtain an alpha-map signal of the rectangular object region and a position of the rectangular object region and a size thereof;

an encoder configured for encoding the alpha-map signal of the rectangular object region and the position and size of the rectangular object region to output coded alpha-map data and coded position/size data; and

a multiplexer configured for multiplexing the coded alpha-map data and the coded position/size data.

2. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said encoder encodes an address of a corner of the object region and dimensions thereof in horizontal and vertical directions.

3. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object region consists of a plurality of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.

4. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object region includes an integral number of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.

5. A picture encoding apparatus comprising:

an object region detector configured for receiving a binary picture signal of a whole picture including an object and a background surrounding the object, the binary picture signal discriminating between the object and the background in accordance with information representing whether a value of the alpha-map signal is 0, and detecting a rectangular object region containing the object and a part of the background surrounding the object, from the whole picture to obtain a binary picture signal of the rectangular object region and a position of the rectangular object region and a size thereof;

an encoder configured for encoding the binary picture signal of the rectangular object region and the position and size of the rectangular object region to output coded alpha-map data and coded position/size data; and

a multiplexer configured for multiplexing the ended alpha-map data and the coded position/size data.

6. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said encoder encodes an address of a corner of the object region and dimensions thereof in horizontal and vertical directions.

7. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the object region consists of a plurality of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.

8. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the object region includes an integral number of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.

9. A method of encoding a picture comprising the steps of:

receiving an alpha-map signal of a whole picture including an object and a background surrounding the object, the alpha-map signal discriminating between the object and the background in accordance with information representing whether a value of the alpha-map signal is 0;

detecting a rectangular object region including the object and a part of the background surrounding the object from a whole picture including the object and the background to obtain an alpha-map signal of the rectangular object region and a position of the rectangular object region and a size thereof;

encoding the alpha-map signal of the rectangular object region and the position and size of the rectangular object region to output coded alpha-map data and coded position/size data; and

multiplexing the coded alpha-map data and the coded position/size data.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said encoding step encodes an address of a corner of the object region and dimensions thereof in horizontal and vertical directions.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the object region consists of a plurality of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the object region includes an integral number of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.

13. A picture encoding method comprising the steps of:

receiving a binary picture signal of a whole picture including an object and a background surrounding the object, the binary picture signal discriminating between the object and the background in accordance with information representing whether a value of the alpha-map signal is 0;

detecting rectangular object region including the object and a part of the background surrounding the object from the whole picture to obtain a binary picture signal of the rectangular object region and a position of the rectangular object region and a size thereof;

encoding the binary picture signal of the rectangular object region and the position and size of the rectangular object region to output coded binary picture data and coded position/size; and

multiplexing the coded binary picture data and the coded position/size data.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said encoding step encodes an address of a corner of the object region and dimensions thereof in horizontal and vertical directions.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the object region consists of a plurality of blocks each which is a processing unit for encoding.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the object region includes an integral number of blocks, each of which is a processing unit for encoding.