Picture coding method, picture decoding method and apparatuses thereof

A picture coding and decoding system which includes a picture coding apparatus that encodes a picture signal on a macroblock basis and a picture decoding apparatus that decodes a coded picture signal on a macroblock basis,

• wherein the picture coding apparatus comprises:
• a header information generating unit configured to receive an input picture signal and to generate, based on the input picture signal, frame header information and slice header information according to a syntax structure signal, the frame header information comprising a frame header parameter and a frame header code value signal corresponding to the frame header parameter and the slice header information comprising a slice header parameter and a slice header code value signal corresponding to the slice header parameter, the frame header parameter and the frame header code value signal being common to a plurality of slices included in frame data of the input picture signal and the slice header parameter and the slice header code value signal being common to a plurality of macroblocks included in each slice of the input picture signal;
• a header information coding unit configured to:
• (1) perform non-arithmetic coding on the frame header code value signal of the frame header information selectively with either a fixed length code or a variable length code according to the syntax structure signal of the frame header information, so as to generate a frame header stream, and
• (2) perform non-arithmetic coding on the slice header code value signal of the slice header information selectively with either a fixed length code or a variable length code according to the syntax structure signal of the slice header information, so as to generate a slice header stream;
• a frame information coding unit configured to code, on a macroblock basis, the input picture signal with reference to the slice header parameter so as to generate a frame code value signal;
• a frame code value signal coding unit configured to perform a coding process on the frame code value signal so as to generate a frame stream;
• and
• a multiplexer configured to multiplex the frame header stream, the slice header stream and the frame stream so as to construct a bit stream corresponding to the input picture signal,
• wherein the picture decoding apparatus comprises:
• a demultiplexer configured to receive a bit stream corresponding to the coded picture signal and to demultiplex the bit stream corresponding to the coded picture signal into a frame header stream including frame header information, a slice header stream including slice header information and a frame stream including frame information;
• a header information decoding unit configured to:
• (1) perform a decoding process on the frame header information using a plurality of non-arithmetic decoding methods, so as to output a frame header code value signal corresponding to each of frame header parameters, and
• (2) perform a decoding process on the slice header information using a plurality of non-arithmetic decoding methods, so as to output a slice header code value signal corresponding to each of slice header parameters;
• and
• a frame information decoding unit configured to perform only arithmetic decoding on the frame information, on a macroblock basis, with reference to the slice header parameter, so as to output a frame code value signal corresponding to each macroblock and to reconstruct a decoded picture signal,
• wherein the header information decoding unit further 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:
• (1) decode the frame header code value signal corresponding to the fixed length code, using one of a plurality of fixed length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the frame header information, when the fixed length decoding method is selected by the selecting unit, and
• (2) decode the frame header code value signal corresponding to a variable length code, using one of a plurality of variable length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the frame header information, when the variable length decoding method is selected by the selecting unit, and
• (3) decode the slice header code value signal corresponding to the fixed length code, using one of a plurality of fixed length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the slice header information, when the fixed length decoding method is selected by the selecting unit, and
• (4) decode the slice header code value signal corresponding to a variable length code, using one of a plurality of variable length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the slice header information, when the variable length decoding method is selected by the selecting unit.

A picture coding and decoding method including a picture coding method for encoding a picture signal on a macroblock basis and a picture decoding method for decoding a coded picture signal on a macroblock basis,

• wherein the picture coding method comprises:
• a header information generating step of receiving an input picture signal and generating, based on the input picture signal, frame header information and slice header information according to a syntax structure signal, the frame header information comprising a frame header parameter and a frame header code value signal corresponding to the frame header parameter and the slice header information comprising a slice header parameter and a slice header code value signal corresponding to the slice header parameter, the frame header parameter and the frame header code value signal being common to a plurality of slices included in frame data of the input picture signal and the slice header parameter and the slice header code value signal being common to a plurality of macroblocks included in each slice of the input picture signal;
• a header information coding step of:
• (1) performing non-arithmetic coding on the frame header code value signal of the frame header information selectively with either a fixed length code or a variable length code according to the syntax structure signal of the frame header information, so as to generate a frame header stream, and
• (2) performing non-arithmetic coding on the slice header code value signal of the slice header information selectively with either a fixed length code or a variable length code according to the syntax structure signal of the slice header information, so as to generate a slice header stream;
• a frame information coding step of coding, on a macroblock basis, the input picture signal with reference to the slice header parameter so as to generate a frame code value signal;
• a frame code value signal coding step of performing a coding process on the frame code value signal so as to generate a frame stream;
• and
• a multiplexing step of multiplexing the frame header stream, the slice header stream and the frame stream so as to construct a bit stream corresponding to the input picture signal,
• wherein the picture decoding method comprises:
• a demultiplexing step of receiving a bit stream corresponding to the coded picture signal and demultiplexing the bit stream corresponding to the coded picture signal into a frame header stream including frame header information, a slice header stream including slice header information and a frame stream including frame information;
• a header information decoding step of:
• (1) performing a decoding process on the frame header information using a plurality of non-arithmetic decoding methods, so as to output a frame header code value signal corresponding to each of frame header parameters, and
• (2) performing a decoding process on the slice header information using a plurality of non-arithmetic decoding methods, so as to output a slice header code value signal corresponding to each of slice header parameters;
• and
• a frame information decoding step of performing only arithmetic decoding on the frame information, on a macroblock basis, with reference to the slice header parameter, so as to output a frame code value signal corresponding to each macroblock and to reconstruct a decoded picture signal,
• wherein the header information decoding step further 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:
• (1) a step of decoding the frame header code value signal corresponding to the 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
• (2) a step of decoding the frame header code value signal corresponding to a variable length code, using one of a plurality of variable length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the frame header information, when the variable length decoding method is selected in the selecting step, and
• (3) a step of decoding the slice header code value signal corresponding to the fixed length code, using one of a plurality of fixed length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the slice header information, when the fixed length decoding method is selected in the selecting step, and
• (4) a step of decoding the slice header code value signal corresponding to a variable length code, using one of a plurality of variable length decoding methods according to the syntax structure signal of the slice header information, when the variable length decoding method is selected in the selecting step.