Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-view images based on global disparity vector

Abstract

A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-view images. The multi-view image encoding method selects a block corresponding to a current block from another picture having a view-point which is different from a view-point of a current picture to which the current block belongs, on the basis of a global disparity vector representing a global disparity between the current picture and the other picture; and encodes the current block on the basis of block information of a block from among the selected block and blocks adjacent to the selected block. Accordingly, multi-view images can be encoded in consideration of the individual differences between the appearances of objects as well as global disparities between view-points.

1 . A multi-view image encoding method comprising:
 selecting a block corresponding to a current block from another picture having a view-point which is different from a view-point of a current picture to which the current block belongs; and   encoding the current block on the basis of block information of a block from among the selected block and blocks adjacent to the selected block.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the block information comprises at least one of a motion vector, a reference index, and a prediction mode used to encode a block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encoding of the current block comprises encoding flag information indicating that the current block is encoded on the basis of block information of a block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the encoding of the current block further comprises encoding index information indicating which block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block, corresponds to the block information used to encode the current block. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the encoding of the current block further comprises entropy-encoding the flag information and the index information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the entropy-encoding of the flag information and the index information comprises performing context-based adaptive arithmetic coding (CABAC) on the flag information and the index information. 
     
     
         7 . A multi-view image encoding apparatus comprising:
 a selection unit which selects a block corresponding to a current block from another picture having a view-point which is different from a view-point of a current picture to which the current block belongs; and   an encoding unit which encodes the current block on the basis of block information of a block from among the selected block and blocks adjacent to the selected block.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the block information comprises at least one of a motion vector, a reference index, and a prediction mode used to encode a block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the encoding unit further comprises a flag information encoding unit which encodes flag information indicating that the current block is encoded on the basis of block information of a block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the encoding unit encodes index information indicating which block of the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block, corresponds to the block information used to encode the current block. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the encoding unit further comprises an entropy encoding unit which entropy-encodes the flag information and the index information. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the entropy-encoding unit performs context-based adaptive arithmetic coding (CABAC) on the flag information and the index information. 
     
     
         13 . A multi-view image decoding method comprising:
 receiving a bit stream including data about a current block which has been encoded on the basis of block information of a block from among a selected block and blocks adjacent to the selected block, wherein the selected block corresponding to the current block is selected from another picture having a view-point which is different from a view-point of a current picture to which the current block belongs;   extracting the data about the current block from the bit stream; and   restoring the current block on the basis of the data about the current block.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data about the current block comprises flag information indicating that the current block is encoded on the basis of the block information of a block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the data about the current block further comprises index information indicating which block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block, corresponds to the block information used to encode the current block. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the restoring of the current block restores the current block on the basis of block information of a block designated by the index information. 
     
     
         17 . A multi-view image decoding apparatus comprising:
 a decoding unit which receives a bit stream including data about the current block which has been encoded on the basis of block information of a block from among a selected block and blocks adjacent to the selected block, wherein the selected block corresponding to the current block is selected from another picture having a view-point which is different from a view-point of a current picture to which the current block belongs, and which extracts the data about the current block from the bit stream; and   a restoring unit which restores the current block on the basis of the data about the current block.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the data about the current block comprises flag information which indicates that the current block is encoded on the basis of the block information of a block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the data about the current block further comprises index information which indicates which block from among the selected block and the blocks adjacent to the selected block, corresponds to the block information used to encode the current block. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the restoring unit restores the current block on the basis of block information of a block designated by the index information.