To provide a moving picture prediction encoding method and its decoding method, and an apparatus for the same capable of eliminating in-frame and inter-frame correlation of a moving picture and performing efficient encoding and decoding without increasing an attached information quantity.
A block unit motion estimate means 31 estimate a motion of an object in the unit of small blocks in the same way as that by a conventional method to obtain a motion vector. Thus, an attached information quantity required for transmission of motion information is not increased. A correlation coefficient R calculation means 35 calculates an inter-frame correlation coefficient R on the basis of a current frame and a reference frame shifted by the motion vector. A first discrimination branch means compares the coefficient R with a threshold value, selects a motion estimate three-dimensional prediction device 34 when the inter-frame correlation is strong or selects a motion estimate two-dimensional prediction device 33 when the inter-frame correlation is weak. Each prediction device includes a plurality of prediction units and selects the prediction units by each pixel. An addition/subtraction means 37 or 38 generates a prediction residual signal on the basis of the prediction signal and the current frame. The encoded prediction residual signal and motion vector are transmitted.
FUJII TATSUYA
SAWABE TOMOKO
