Image decoding device

1. An image decoding device for processing an input bit stream containing encoded data obtained by encoding a moving picture using intra-frame prediction, where each of the macroblocks of the moving picture includes a plurality of prediction units for the intra-frame prediction, the image decoding device comprising:

a stream divider configured to divide the input bit stream into a plurality of sub-streams; and

a plurality of image decoders each configured to decode the corresponding one of the plurality of sub-streams, thereby outputting images,

wherein the stream divider divides the encoded data corresponding to one of the macroblocks into groups each made up of at least one of the prediction units and outputs the sub-streams so that the groups are included in different ones of the sub-streams, each of the sub-streams includes prediction units from different macroblocks.

2. The image decoding device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of image decoders performs decoding with reference to a result of processing by another one of the plurality of image decoders.

3. The image decoding device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a decoding timing controller configured to control timing of decoding processes of the plurality of image decoders.

4. The image decoding device of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of image decoders, when instructed to start processing by the decoding timing controller, transfer data between the plurality of image decoders.

5. The image decoding device of claim 4 , wherein the data transferred between the plurality of image decoders contains macroblock coding information.

6. The image decoding device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a reference information storage configured to store results of processing by the plurality of image decoders,

wherein at least one of the plurality of image decoders reads, from the reference information storage, the result of processing by the another one of the plurality of image decoders, and uses the result of processing.

7. The image decoding device of claim 2 , wherein

the reference information storage has at least two areas,

the plurality of image decoders alternately write data to the two areas of the reference information storage every time one of the macroblocks is processed.

8. The image decoding device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an image output section configured to store the images obtained by decoding all prediction units included in each of the macroblocks, and to subsequently output the images.

9. The image decoding device of claim 1 , wherein the stream divider analyzes the input bit stream, and based on a result of the analysis, divides the input bit stream without decoding the input bit stream.

10. The image decoding device of claim 1 , wherein the stream divider divides the input bit stream so that the plurality of sub-streams each contain only one prediction unit of each of the macroblocks.

11. The image decoding device of claim 1 , wherein the stream divider divides the input bit stream so that the plurality of sub-streams each include two or more prediction units of each of the macroblocks.

12. The image decoding device of claim 11 , wherein

when the moving picture has the 4:2:0 chroma format and the macroblocks each include, as the plurality of prediction units, four luminance signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns, a blue color difference signal block, and a red color difference signal block, the stream divider outputs blocks in a first row of the luminance signal blocks as a first one of the plurality of sub-streams, blocks in a second row of the luminance signal blocks as a second one of the plurality of sub-streams, and the blue color difference signal block and the red color difference signal block as a third one of the plurality of sub-streams.

13. The image decoding device of claim 11 , wherein

when the moving picture has the 4:2:2 chroma format and the macroblocks each include, as the plurality of prediction units, four luminance signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns, two blue color difference signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and one column, and two red color difference signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and one column, the stream divider outputs blocks in a first row of the luminance signal blocks as a first one of the plurality of sub-streams, blocks in a second row of the luminance signal blocks as a second one of the plurality of sub-streams, a block in a first row of the blue color difference signal blocks and a block in a first row of the red color difference signal blocks as a third one of the plurality of sub-streams, and a block in a second row of the blue color difference signal blocks and a block in a second row of the red color difference signal blocks as a fourth one of the plurality of sub-streams.

14. The image decoding device of claim 11 , wherein

when the moving picture has the 4:4:4 chroma format and the macroblocks each include, as the plurality of prediction units, four luminance signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns, four blue color difference signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns, and four red color difference signal blocks arranged in a matrix of two rows and two columns, the stream divider outputs blocks in a first row of the luminance signal blocks as a first one of the plurality of sub-streams, blocks in a second row of the luminance signal blocks as a second one of the plurality of sub-streams, blocks in a first row of the blue color difference signal blocks as a third one of the plurality of sub-streams, blocks in a second row of the blue color difference signal blocks as a fourth one of the plurality of sub-streams, blocks in a first row of the red color difference signal blocks as a fifth one of the plurality of sub-streams, and blocks in a second row of the red color difference signal blocks as a sixth one of the plurality of sub-streams.