Moving picture encoding method, moving picture encoding apparatus, moving picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding apparatus

A moving picture decoding method for decoding encoded data, which is included in the bitstream, the moving picture decoding method comprising:

• decoding a target image for decoding by performing one or more decoding processes including
• a first decoding process of decoding a base layer of a base view image,
• a second decoding process of decoding (i) a first enhancement layer of the base view image by referring to a picture in the first enhancement layer of the base view image and the base layer of the base view image without referring to any of a second enhancement layer of the base view image, the base layer of the enhancement view image, the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, and the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image and (ii) a second enhancement layer of the base view image by referring to a picture in the second enhancement layer of the base view image and the first enhancement layer of the base view image without referring to any of the base layer of the base view image, the base layer of the enhancement view image, the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, and the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image,
• a third decoding process of decoding the base layer of the enhancement view image by referring to the base layer of the base view image without referring to any of the first enhancement layer of the base view image, the second enhancement layer of the base view image, the base layer of the enhancement view image, the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, and the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, and
• a fourth decoding process of decoding (i) the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image by referring to a picture in the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, the first enhancement layer of the base view image, and the base layer of the enhancement view image without referring to any of the base layer of the base view image, the second enhancement layer of the base view image, and the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image and (ii) the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image by referring to a picture in the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, the second enhancement layer of the base view image, and the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image without referring to any of the base layer of the base view image, the first enhancement layer of the base view image, and the base layer of the enhancement view image;
• and
• determining whether the target image for decoding is (i) the base layer of the base view image, (ii) the first enhancement layer of the base view image, (iii) the second enhancement layer of the base view image, (iv) the base layer of the enhancement view image, (v) the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, or (vi) the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image,
• wherein when the determining determines that the target image is one of (i) the base layer of the base view image, (ii) the first enhancement layer of the base view image, (iii) the second enhancement layer of the base view image, (iv) the base layer of the enhancement view image, the decoding the target image decodes the target image using only (a) the first decoding and (b) one of the second decoding and the third decoding,
• wherein when the determining determines that the target image is one of (v) the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image and (vi) the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, the decoding the target image decodes the target image using one of following combinations:
• (a) the second decoding and the fourth decoding,
• (b) the third decoding and the fourth decoding, or
• (c) the second decoding, the third decoding, and the fourth decoding,
• wherein the base layer of the base view image, the first enhancement layer of the base view image, and the second enhancement layer of the base view image are images having the same content, where the first enhancement layer of the base view image has a higher resolution than the base layer of the base view image, and the second enhancement layer of the base view image has a higher resolution than the first enhancement layer of base view image, and
• wherein the base layer of the enhancement view image, the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image, and the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image are images having the same content, where the first enhancement layer of the enhancement view image has a higher resolution than the base layer of the enhancement view image, and the second enhancement layer of the enhancement view image has a higher resolution than the first enhancement layer of enhancement view image.