Picture coding and decoding apparatuses and methods performing variable length coding and decoding on a slice header stream and arithmetic coding and decoding on a slice data stream

A decoding device that decodes a coded picture signal comprising a header stream and a frame stream, the header stream including header information which is common information of a whole picture signal corresponding to slice data comprising a plurality of macroblocks, and the frame stream including frame information which is the picture signal itself corresponding to the slice data comprising the plurality of macroblocks, said decoding device comprising:

• a demultiplexer configured to receive the coded picture signal and to demultiplex the coded picture signal into the header stream and the frame stream;
• a header information decoding unit configured to receive the header stream and to perform a decoding process on the header information using a plurality of non-arithmetic decoding methods;
• and
• a frame information decoding unit configured to receive the frame stream and to perform a decoding process on the frame information using only a single decoding method of an arithmetic decoding method so as to output all decoded macroblocks of the slice data,
• wherein the header information decoding unit includes
• a selecting unit configured to select one of a fixed length decoding method or a variable length decoding method according to a syntax structure signal, and
• wherein the header information decoding unit is configured to decode the header information corresponding to a fixed length code, using one of a plurality of fixed length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal, when the fixed length decoding method is selected by the selecting unit, and the header information decoding unit is configured to decode the header information corresponding to a variable length code, using one of a plurality of variable length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal, when the variable length decoding method is selected by the selecting unit.

A picture decoding method for decoding a coded picture signal comprising a header stream and a frame stream, the header stream including header information which is common information of a whole picture signal corresponding to slice data comprising a plurality of macroblocks, and the frame stream including frame information which is the picture signal itself corresponding to the slice data comprising the plurality of macroblocks, said picture decoding method comprising:

• a demultiplexing step of receiving the coded picture signal and demultiplexing the coded picture signal into the header stream and the frame stream;
• a header information decoding step of receiving the header stream and performing a decoding process on the header information using a plurality of non-arithmetic decoding methods;
• and
• a frame information decoding step of receiving the frame stream and performing a decoding process on the frame information using only a single decoding method of an arithmetic decoding method so as to output all decoded macroblocks of the slice data,
• wherein the header information decoding step includes
• a selecting step of selecting one of a fixed length decoding method or a variable length decoding method according to a syntax structure signal, and wherein the header information decoding step further includes
• decoding the header information corresponding to a fixed length code, using one of a plurality of fixed length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal, when the fixed length decoding method is selected in the selecting step, and
• decoding the header information corresponding to a variable length code, using one of a plurality of variable length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal, when the variable length decoding method is selected in the selecting step.