APPARATUS FOR ENCODING AN IMAGE SIGNAL HAVING A STILL OBJECT USING AN IMAGE WARPING TECHNIQUE

An apparatus for encoding an image signal having a still object generates a first encoded image signal by encoding a contour signal detected at a first encoding channel, the contour signal providing boundary information for tracing an object boundary in a video frame. The video frame is divided into a plurality of processing blocks with a predetermined identical size. Each of the processing blocks selectively coupled to an image reconstruction device or a second encoding channel in response to a control signal indicating whether or not a part of the object boundary exists in each of the processing blocks. The image reconstruction device generates reconstructed processing blocks based on the processing blocks applied thereto.