Image processing device for suppressing deterioration in encoding efficiency

1. An image processing device comprising:

encoding circuitry configured to:

encode data by performing an inter-layer prediction on a sublayer based on inter-layer prediction control information specifying the highest sublayer used for the inter-layer prediction, wherein the inter-layer prediction is performed on sublayers from the lowest sublayer to the highest sublayer specified by the inter-layer prediction control information, the highest sublayer represented by a parameter, max_sub_layer_for_inter_layer_prediction of the inter-layer prediction control information, the sublayers starting from the lowest sublayer to the highest sublayer, and sublayers higher than the highest sublayer are not used for the inter-layer prediction, the inter-layer prediction control information being set per a non-base layer, and the inter-layer prediction control information controlling a plurality of pictures of the non-base layer; and

transmit the encoded data and inter-layer prediction control information to another device.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers, when a current picture of a current main layer belongs to the sublayer specified as the sublayer for which the inter-layer prediction is performed by the inter-layer prediction control information, the encoding circuitry is further configured to encode data of the current picture using the inter-layer prediction.

3. The image processing device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit the encoded data in which an image with the plurality of main layers is encoded, and the inter-layer prediction control information controlling whether to perform the inter-layer prediction, which is a prediction between the plurality of main layers, with a use of the sublayer.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers, the inter-layer prediction control information is set for each main layer.

5. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers, the inter-layer prediction control information is set as a parameter common to all the main layers.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

a transmitter configured to transmit inter-layer pixel prediction control information that controls whether to perform an inter-layer pixel prediction, which is a pixel prediction between a plurality of main layers, and inter-layer syntax prediction control information that controls whether to perform an inter-layer syntax prediction, which is a syntax prediction between the plurality of main layers, the inter-layer pixel prediction control information and the inter-layer syntax prediction control information being set independently as the inter-layer prediction control information, wherein

the encoding circuitry is further configured to perform the inter-layer pixel prediction based on the inter-layer pixel prediction control information, and perform the inter-layer syntax prediction based on the inter-layer syntax prediction control information.

7. The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein

the inter-layer pixel prediction control information controls using the sublayer, whether to perform the inter-layer pixel prediction,

the encoding circuitry is further configured to perform the inter-layer pixel prediction on only the sublayer specified by the inter-layer pixel prediction control information,

the inter-layer syntax prediction control information controls whether to perform the inter-layer syntax prediction for each picture or slice, and

the encoding circuitry is further configured to perform the inter-layer syntax prediction on only the picture or slice specified by the inter-layer syntax prediction control information.

8. The image processing device according to claim 7 , wherein the inter-layer pixel prediction control information is transmitted as a nal unit (nal_unit), a video parameter set (VPS (Video Parameter Set)), or an extension video parameter set (vps_extension).

9. The image processing device according to claim 7 , wherein the inter-layer syntax prediction control information is transmitted as a nal unit (nal_unit), a picture parameter set (PPS (Picture Parameter Set)), or a slice header (SliceHeader).

10. An image processing method comprising:

encoding data by performing an inter-layer prediction on a sublayer based on inter-layer prediction control information specifying the highest sublayer used for the inter-layer prediction, wherein the inter-layer prediction is performed on sublayers from the lowest sublayer to the highest sublayer specified by the inter-layer prediction control information, the highest sublayer represented by a parameter, max_sub_layer_for_inter_layer_prediction of the inter-layer prediction control information, the sublayers starting from the lowest sublayer to the highest sublayer, and sublayers higher than the highest sublayer are not used for the inter-layer prediction, the inter-layer prediction control information being set per a non-base layer, and the inter-layer prediction control information controlling a plurality of pictures of the non-base layer; and

transmitting the encoded data and inter-layer prediction control information to another device.