Image decoding method and apparatus, and television receiver utilizing the same

An image decoding apparatus, including:

• a decoder which decodes a coded data sequence that is coded by performing at least one of an intra-frame coding processing and an inter-frame coding processing on image signals;
• and
• a memory unit which temporarily stores a flag that indicates whether or not a decoded frame is reproducible in units of block,
• wherein, in a situation where a reference frame for inter-frame coding cannot be referred to, said decoder decodes a pixel block on which the intra-frame coding processing has been performed, and said memory unit sets the flag on the pixel block to a value indicative of having been reproducible.

A television receiver, including:

• a receiving block which receives broadcasting waves;
• a processing block which processes received signals;
• and
• a reproduction block which reproduces the signals that have been processed by said processing block,
• wherein said processing block includes a decoder which decodes a coded image data sequence extracted from the received signals, and a memory unit which temporarily stores a flag that indicates whether or not a decoded frame is reproducible in units of block, and wherein the decoder reproduces data on a reproducible pixel block within each frame, based on the flag on a pixel block of a reference-target frame, until a first reference frame is received.

A television receiver, including:

• a receiving block which receives broadcasting waves;
• a processing block which processes received signals;
• and
• a reproduction block which reproduces the signals that have been processed by said processing block,
• wherein said processing block includes a decoder which decodes a coded image data sequence extracted from the received signals and, at the time of switching of a received channel of coded image signals, the decoder decodes images for a new channel after the switching, within a reproducible limit, and wherein said reproduction block displays gradually the images for the new channel, based on decoding by the decoder.

A television receiver, including:

• a receiving block which receives broadcasting waves;
• a processing block which processes received signals;
• and
• a reproduction block which reproduces the signals that have been processed by said processing block,
• wherein said processing block includes a decoder which decodes a coded image data sequence extracted from the received signals and, at the time of power-on of the television receiver, the decoder decodes images to be displayed after the power-on, within a reproducible limit, and wherein said reproduction block displays gradually the images after the power-on, based on decoding by the decoder.