Image processing device and image processing method of images with pixels arrayed in a checkerboard fashion

An image processing method comprising:

• an image processing device
• taking, as an object of processing, a first thinned-out image obtained by thinning out pixels of a first image in an oblique direction, and a second thinned-out image obtained by thinning out pixels of a second image which differs from the first image in an oblique direction, and performing horizontal packing in which, as horizontal processing for manipulating the array of pixels in the horizontal direction, pixels of said first thinned-out image and pixels of said second thinned-out image are packed in the horizontal direction;
• generating, as an encoding object image to serve as the object of prediction encoding, a combined image in which said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing are arrayed adjacently;
• taking, as an object of processing, of said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to the horizontal packing, separate odd lines and even lines from said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to the horizontal packing, and generating post-vertical processing images including an image in which only said odd lines are arrayed and an image in which only said even lines are arrayed, as vertical processing to manipulate the vertical direction array of the pixels;
• and
• generating said combined image by adjacently arraying said post-vertical processing images.

An image processing device comprising:

• separating circuitry configured to separate, into a first thinned-out image and a second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by horizontal processing, a combined image obtained by
• taking, as an object of processing, a first thinned-out image obtained by thinning out pixels of a first image in an oblique direction, and a second thinned-out image obtained by thinning out pixels of a second image which differs from the first image in an oblique direction, and performing horizontal packing in which, as horizontal processing for manipulating the array of pixels in the horizontal direction, pixels of said first thinned-out image and pixels of said second thinned-out image are packed in the horizontal direction, and
• performing prediction encoding of a combined image combined by adjacently arraying said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, and decoding the encoded data obtained thereby;
• and
• inverse horizontal processing circuitry configured to perform inverse horizontal processing, where said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing which have been separated by said separating circuitry are returned to said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image,
• wherein said combined image is an image obtained by
• performing processing of taking, as an object of processing, a first thinned-out image and a second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, separating odd lines and even lines from said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, and generating post-vertical processing images including an image in which only said odd lines are arrayed and an image in which only said even lines are arrayed, as vertical processing to manipulate the vertical direction array of the pixels, and
• arraying said post-vertical processing images,
• wherein said separating circuitry separates said combined image into said post-vertical processing images, and
• said image processing device further comprises inverse vertical processing circuitry configured to perform inverse processing to return said post-vertical processing images separated by said separating circuitry into the first thinned-out image and second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image processing device
• separating, into a first thinned-out image and a second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, a combined image obtained by
• taking, as an object of processing, a first thinned-out image obtained by thinning out pixels of a first image in an oblique direction, and a second thinned-out image obtained by thinning out pixels of a second image which differs from the first image in an oblique direction, and performing horizontal packing in which, as horizontal processing for manipulating the array of pixels in the horizontal direction, pixels of said first thinned-out image and pixels of said second thinned-out image are packed in the horizontal direction, and
• performing prediction encoding of the combined image combined by adjacently arraying said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, and decoding the encoded data obtained thereby;
• performing inverse horizontal processing, where said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing are returned to said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image, wherein
• said combined image is an image obtained by
• performing processing of taking, as an object of processing, a first thinned-out image and a second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, separating odd lines and even lines from said first thinned-out image and said second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing, and generating post-vertical processing images including an image in which only said odd lines are arrayed and an image in which only said even lines are arrayed, as vertical processing to manipulate the vertical direction array of the pixels, and
• arraying said post-vertical processing images, and
• said combined image is separated into said post-vertical processing images and the image processing device performs inverse processing to return said post-vertical processing images separated by said separating into the first thinned-out image and second thinned-out image subjected to horizontal packing by said horizontal processing.