Image coding method, image decoding method, image coding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, and image coding and decoding apparatus

An image encoding method of performing encoding processing of a picture on a slice basis, the image encoding method comprising:

• encoding, into a bitstream, a dependent slice enabling flag indicating whether or not a dependent slice is enabled for the picture, wherein the dependent slice is a slice on which the encoding processing is performed by partially using control information included in a header of a slice different from the dependent slice,
• encoding, into the bitstream, a slice address indicating a starting position of a current slice of the picture, and
• encoding, into the bitstream, a dependency indication indicating whether or not the current slice is the dependent slice;
• wherein, when the dependency indication indicates the slice is an independent slice, a context table of arithmetic encoding is initialized,
• when the dependency indication indicates the slice is the dependent slice, the context table of arithmetic encoding is not initialized,
• the dependent slice enabling flag is disposed in a parameter set common to all slices of the picture,
• the slice address is disposed in a slice header of the current slice, and
• the dependency indication is disposed in the slice header of the current slice before the slice address and after a syntax element identifying the parameter set.

An image encoding apparatus which performs encoding processing of a picture on a slice basis, the image encoding apparatus comprising:

• an encoder, which encodes into a bitstream:
• a dependent slice enabling flag indicating whether or not a dependent slice is enabled for the picture, wherein the dependent slice is a slice on which the encoding processing is performed by partially using control information included in a header of a slice different from the dependent slice, a slice address indicating a starting position of a current slice of the picture, and
• a dependency indication indicating whether or not the current slice is the dependent slice;
• wherein, when the dependency indication indicates the slice is an independent slice, a context table of arithmetic encoding is initialized,
• when the dependency indication indicates the slice is the dependent slice, the context table of arithmetic encoding is not initialized,
• the dependent slice enabling flag is disposed in a parameter set common to all slices of the picture,
• the slice address is disposed in a slice header of the current slice, and
• the dependency indication is disposed in the slice header of the current slice before the slice address and after a syntax element identifying the parameter set.