Object-based digital image predictive coding transfer method and apparatus, and decoding apparatus

An apparatus for decoding and synthesizing digital images comprising a plurality of combined image layers coded by separately compression coding each of the plurality of image layers, comprising:

• an external line input terminal,
• a decoder,
• a synthesizer,
• a frame memory, and
• an output device,
• wherein said decoder decodes each image layer input to the external line input terminal to a luminance signal and transmittance signal of a reconstructed image;
• said synthesizer receives the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the reconstructed image, and a luminance signal of a synthesized image supplied from the frame memory;
• said synthesizer generates a luminance signal of a new synthesized image by overlaying the luminance signal of the reconstructed image to the luminance signal of the synthesized image at a ratio defined by the transmittance signal of the reconstructed image;
• and
• said synthesizer produces the luminance signal of the new synthesized image for storage to the frame memory, and display to the output device.

An apparatus for decoding and synthesizing digital images comprising a plurality of combined image layers coded by separately compression coding each of the plurality of image layers, and multiplexing the layers in sequence starting from the foreground layer, comprising:

• an external line input terminal,
• a decoder,
• a first synthesizer,
• a second synthesizer,
• a first frame memory,
• a second frame memory, and
• an output device,
• wherein said decoder decodes each image layer input to the external line input terminal to a luminance signal and transmittance signal of a reconstructed image;
• said second synthesizer receives the transmittance signal of the reconstructed image, and
• a transmittance signal of a synthesized image supplied from the second frame memory;
• said second synthesizer generates a transmittance signal of a new synthesized image by overlaying the transmittance signal of the reconstructed image and the transmittance signal of the synthesized image, and
• said second frame memory stores the new synthesized image;
• said first synthesizer receives the luminance signal of the reconstructed image, and a luminance signal of the synthesized image supplied from the first frame memory;
• said first synthesizer generates a luminance signal of the new synthesized image by overlaying the luminance signal of the reconstructed image and the luminance signal of the synthesized image at a ratio defined by the transmittance signal of the synthesized image supplied from the second frame memory, and
• said first synthesizer produces the luminance signal of the new synthesized image for storage to the first frame memory, and for display to the output device.