# US 10,321,147 B2 · Image encoding method, image decoding method, image encoding device, image decoding device, and image encoding/decoding device

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- Number: US 10,321,147 B2
- Document ID: US10321147B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/966,444
- Filed: 2018-04-30
- Published: 2018-08-30
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2013-07-05
- Assignees: Sun Patent Trust
- Applicants: Sun Patent Trust
- Inventors: Kengo Terada; Takahiro Nishi; Hisao Sasai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321147B2

## CPC

- H04N 19/503: involving temporal prediction (adaptive coding with adaptive selection between spatial and temporal predictive coding H04N19/107; adaptive coding with adaptive selection among a plurality of temporal predictive coding modes H04N19/109)
- H04N 19/105: Selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g. adaptive choice of position and number of pixels used for prediction
- H04N 19/159: Prediction type, e.g. intra-frame, inter-frame or bidirectional frame prediction
- H04N 19/16: for a given display mode, e.g. for interlaced or progressive display mode
- H04N 19/172: the region being a picture, frame or field
- H04N 19/187: the unit being a scalable video layer
- H04N 19/31: in the temporal domain
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image encoding method includes: determining whether a current picture is a TSA picture or a trailing picture; and encoding a plurality of pictures according to whether the current picture is the TSA picture or a trailing picture. The determining includes: determining the current picture to be the TSA picture when the current picture does not belong to the highest layer and corresponds to a first field, and determining the current picture to be the trailing picture when the current picture belongs to the highest layer or corresponds to a second field.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image encoding method for encoding, on a per field basis, a plurality of pictures classified into a plurality of layers for which reference from a picture belonging to a higher layer to a picture belonging to a lower layer is prohibited, the plurality of pictures including at least one picture that is encoded as a temporal sub-layer access (TSA) picture for which predetermined reference is prohibited, the image encoding method comprising:
determining whether a current picture included in the plurality of pictures is the TSA picture;
encoding the plurality of pictures according to whether the current picture is the TSA picture; and
encoding a picture type indicating whether the current picture is the TSA picture,
wherein the determining includes determining the current picture to be the TSA picture when the current picture does not belong to a highest layer in the plurality of layers and corresponds to a first field that is encoded earlier than a second field in a pair of fields in a frame.

### Claim 2

An image decoding method for decoding, on a per field basis, a plurality of pictures classified into a plurality of layers for which reference from a picture belonging to a higher layer to a picture belonging to a lower layer is prohibited, the plurality of pictures including at least one picture that is decoded as a temporal sub-layer access (TSA) picture for which predetermined reference is prohibited, the image decoding method comprising:
identifying whether a current picture included in the plurality of pictures is the TSA picture;
decoding the plurality of pictures according to whether the current picture is the TSA picture; and
decoding a picture type indicating whether the current picture is the TSA picture;
wherein the identifying includes identifying the current picture as the TSA picture according to the decoded picture type when the current picture does not belong to a highest layer in the plurality of layers and corresponds to a first field that is decoded earlier than a second field in a pair of fields in a frame.

### Claim 3

An image encoding device which encodes, on a per field basis, a plurality of pictures classified into a plurality of layers for which reference from a picture belonging to a higher layer to a picture belonging to a lower layer is prohibited, the plurality of pictures including at least one picture that is encoded as a temporal sub-layer access (TSA) picture for which predetermined reference is prohibited, the image encoding device comprising:
a determining unit configured to determine whether a current picture included in the plurality of pictures is the TSA picture; and
an encoding unit configured to encode the plurality of pictures according to whether the current picture is the TSA picture,
wherein the encoding unit is configured to encode a picture type indicating whether the current picture is the TSA picture, and the determining unit is configured to determine the current picture to be the TSA picture when the current picture does not belong to a highest layer in the plurality of layers and corresponds to a first field that is encoded earlier than a second field in a pair of fields in a frame.

### Claim 4

An image decoding device which decodes, on a per field basis, a plurality of pictures classified into a plurality of layers for which reference from a picture belonging to a higher layer to a picture belonging to a lower layer is prohibited, the plurality of pictures including at least one picture that is decoded as a temporal sub-layer access (TSA) picture for which predetermined reference is prohibited, the image decoding device comprising:
an identifying unit configured to identify whether a current picture included in the plurality of pictures is the TSA picture; and
a decoding unit configured to decode the plurality of pictures according to whether the current picture is the TSA picture,
wherein the decoding unit is configured to decode a picture type indicating whether the current picture is the TSA picture, and the identifying unit is configured to identify the current picture as the TSA picture according to the decoded picture type when the current picture does not belong to a highest layer in the plurality of layers and corresponds to a first field that is decoded earlier than a second field in a pair of fields in a frame.