Image encoding device, image encoding method, image decoding device and image decoding method

A recording medium on which a moving picture sequence as a coded bit stream is recorded, the coded bit stream comprising:

• an intra-code indicator within header information that indicates whether a plurality of video object planes (VOP) of a video object layer (VOL) are intra-coded, and wherein the intra-code indicator is separate from information indicating whether each individual VOP is intra-coded;
• and
• VOP data of the VOPs of the VOL,
• wherein the moving picture sequence includes one or more video object planes (VOPs), zero or more groups of VOP (GOV), one or more video object layers (VOL), and one or more video objects (VO),
• wherein a hierarchy of the moving picture sequence is such that each VO includes one or more VOLs, each VOL includes zero or more GOVs and/or one or more VOPs, and each GOV includes one or more VOPs, and
• wherein at least one VO describes an image object occupying less than an entire frame of display.

An image decoding apparatus to decode a moving picture sequence encoded as a coded bit stream, comprising:

• a header analyzer configured to analyzer header information of the coded stream, wherein the header information include an intra-code indicator that indicates whether a plurality of video object planes (VOP) of a video object layer (VOL) are intra-coded, and wherein the intra-code indicator is separate from information indicating whether each individual VOP is intra-coded;
• and
• a decoder configured to decode VOP data of the VOPs of the VOL in the coded bit stream,
• wherein the moving picture sequence includes one or more video object planes (VOPs), zero or more groups of VOP (GOV), one or more video object layers (VOL), and one or more video objects (VO),
• wherein a hierarchy of the moving picture sequence is such that each VO includes one or more VOLs, each VOL includes zero or more GOVs and/or one or more VOPs, and each GOV includes one or more VOPs, and
• wherein at least one VO describes an image object occupying less than an entire frame of display.

An image decoding method to decode a moving picture sequence encoded as a coded bit stream, comprising:

• analyzing header information of the coded stream, wherein the header information include an intra-code indicator that indicates whether a plurality of video object planes (VOP) of a video object layer (VOL) are intra-coded, and wherein the intra-code indicator is separate from information indicating whether each individual VOP is intra-coded;
• and
• decoding VOP data of the VOPs of the VOL in the coded bit stream,
• wherein the moving picture sequence includes one or more video object planes (VOPs), zero or more groups of VOP (GOV), one or more video object layers (VOL), and one or more video objects (VO),
• wherein a hierarchy of the moving picture sequence is such that each VO includes one or more VOLs, each VOL includes zero or more GOVs and/or one or more VOPs, and each GOV includes one or more VOPs, and
• wherein at least one VO describes an image object occupying less than an entire frame of display.