Video encoding and decoding using intra block copy

A video encoding apparatus for predicting a picture, which is split into equal-sized coding tree blocks, in units of blocks, the video encoding apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to:

• determine a block vector of a current coding block of a current coding tree block to be encoded, wherein the current coding block is one of blocks split in a tree structure from the current coding tree block;
• set, as a prediction block of the current coding block, a reference block indicated by the block vector in the picture in which the current coding block is located;
• and
• encode information about the block vector,
• wherein a value of the block vector is limited to prevent the reference block from being located outside a search area that is set in at least one of the current coding tree block and a left coding tree block of the current coding tree block, and
• the search area is selected from among pre-encoded processing regions among a plurality of processing regions which are split in an equal size from each of the current coding tree block and the left coding tree block, and
• wherein a processing region of a plurality of processing regions in the left coding tree block, which is co-located with a current processing region containing the current coding block within the current coding tree block, is not set as the search area for the current coding block and a coding block which is to be subsequently encoded in the current coding tree block.

An apparatus for providing a video decoding device with video data, the apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to:

• encode the video data into a bitstream;
• and
• transmit the bitstream to the video decoding device,
• wherein the at least one processor is configured to encode the video data by:
• determining a block vector of a current coding block of a current coding tree block to be encoded, wherein the current coding block is one of blocks split in a tree structure from the current coding tree block;
• setting, as a prediction block of the current coding block, a reference block indicated by the block vector in the picture in which the current coding block is located;
• and
• encoding information about the block vector,
• wherein a value of the block vector is limited to prevent the reference block from being located outside a search area that is set in at least one of the current coding tree block and a left coding tree block of the current coding tree block, and
• the search area is selected from among pre-encoded processing regions among a plurality of processing regions which are split in an equal size from each of the current coding tree block and the left coding tree block, and
• wherein a processing region of a plurality of processing regions in the left coding tree block, which is co-located with a current processing region containing the current coding block within the current coding tree block, is not set as the search area for the current coding block and a coding block which is to be subsequently encoded in the current coding tree block.