Method and apparatus for unified scalable video encoding for multi-view video and method and apparatus for unified scalable video decoding for multi-view video

A method for scalable video decoding, the method comprising:

• extracting data from a bit stream of a video in which data at least one root image and other remaining images of an image sequence of the video are classified into a plurality of layers and encoded;
• converting a parent image from among restoration images of the image sequence into at least one reference image with respect to a current image by applying a reference image conversion technique for scalable prediction decoding which includes intra-layer prediction and inter-layer prediction to the parent image;
• and
• performing prediction decoding with respect to the current image by using the at least one reference image.

An apparatus for scalable video encoding, the apparatus comprising:

• a layer classification unit which classifies at least one root image and other remaining images of an image sequence of a video into a plurality of layers;
• a reference image generation unit which generates at least one reference image with respect to a current image of the image sequence by applying a reference image conversion technique for scalable prediction encoding which includes intra-layer prediction and inter-layer prediction to a parent image of the current image;
• a prediction encoding unit which performs prediction encoding with respect to the current image by using the at least one reference image;
• and
• an output unit which performs transformation, quantization, and entropy encoding on data relating to the encoded current image, and which outputs an encoded bit stream and parent image index information which indicates the parent image of the current image.

An apparatus for scalable video decoding, the apparatus comprising:

• an extraction unit which extracts data from a bit stream of a video in which data at least one root image and other remaining images of an image sequence of the video are classified into a plurality of layers and encoded;
• a decoding unit which decodes the extracted encoded data and which outputs residual information and reference information relating to the image sequence;
• a reference image conversion unit which converts a parent image from among restoration images of the image sequence into at least one reference image with respect to a current image by applying a reference image conversion technique for scalable prediction decoding which includes intra-layer prediction and inter-layer prediction to the parent image;
• and
• a restoration unit which performs prediction decoding with respect to the current image by using the at least one reference image and the outputted reference information and the outputted residual information.