Recoding of r-layer-coded image data to s-layer-coded image data

An image processing method of converting r-layer (r is an integer) encoded image data obtained by a hierarchical encoding method, into s-layer encoded image data (s is an integer, and s.gtoreq.r) comprising:

• an extracting step of extracting encoded data associated with image data of a layer having the lowest resolution from the r-layer encoded image data;
• a decoding step of decoding the encoded data extracted in said extracting step to generate image data of a layer having the lowest resolution;
• a forming step of forming s-r+1)-layer image data from the image data generated in said decoding step;
• an encoding step of encoding the s-r+1)-layer image data to generate encoded data having s-r+1) layers;
• and
• a synthesizing step of synthesizing the encoded data having s-r+1) layers generated in said encoding step and encoded data having (r-1) layers obtained by deleting the encoded data of the layer having the lowest resolution from the r-layer encoded image data, so as to generate the s-layer encoded image data.

An image processing apparatus for converting n-layer (n is an integer) encoded image data obtained by a hierarchical encoding method, into m-layer encoded image data (m is an integer, and n.gtoreq.m) comprising:

• extracting means for extracting encoded data associated with image data of layers ranging from the lowest resolution to an (n-m+1)th lowest resolution, from the n-layer encoded image data;
• decoding means for decoding the encoded data extracted by said extracting means to generate image data of a layer having the (n-m+1)th lowest resolution;
• encoding means for encoding the image data of a layer having the (n-m+1)th lowest resolution to generate encoded data;
• and
• synthesizing means for synthesizing the encoded data generated by said encoding means and encoded data having (m-1) layers obtained by deleting the encoded data of the layers ranging from said lowest resolution to said (n-m+1)th lowest resolution, from the n-layer encoded image data, so as to generate the m-layer encoded image data.

An image processing method of converting n-layer (n is an integer) encoded image data obtained by a hierarchical encoding method, into m-layer encoded image data (m is an integer, and n.gtoreq.m) comprising:

• an extracting step of extracting encoded data associated with image data of layers ranging from the lowest resolution to an (n-m+1)th lowest resolution, from the n-layer encoded image data;
• a decoding step of decoding the encoded data extracted by said extracting step to generate image data of a layer having the (n-m+1)th lowest resolution;
• an encoding step of encoding the image data of a layer having the (n-m+1)th lowest resolution to generate encoded data;
• and
• a synthesizing step of synthesizing the encoded data generated in said encoding step and encoded data having (m-1) layers obtained by deleting the encoded data of the layers ranging from said lowest resolution to said (n-m+1) th lowest resolution, from the n-layer encoded image data, so as to generate the m-layer encoded image data.