Image processing device for suppressing deterioration in encoding efficiency

1. An image processing device comprising:

decoding circuitry configured to decode encoded data in which an image with a plurality of layers including a base layer and a non-base layer, each of the plurality of layers comprising a plurality of sublayers, is encoded by performing inter-layer prediction on a sublayer based on inter-layer prediction control information specifying a highest sublayer used for the interlayer prediction,

wherein the sublayers for each of the plurality of layers start from a lowest sublayer to a highest sublayer,

wherein the inter-layer prediction is performed only on sublayers of the non-base layer that are lower than or equal to the specified highest sublayer,

wherein sublayers higher than the specified highest sublayer are not used for the inter-layer prediction when the encoded data includes at least one sublayer higher than the specified highest sublayer, and

wherein inter-layer prediction includes prediction based on a sublayer of the non-base layer and a sublayer of the base layer.

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

the decoding circuitry is further configured to decode the encoded data of a current picture using the inter-layer prediction, wherein the 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, wherein

the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers.

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

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

the decoding circuitry is further configured to decode using the inter-layer prediction, the encoded data of the picture belonging to the sublayers from the lowest sublayer to the highest sublayer specified by the inter-layer prediction control information.

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 , further comprising:

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

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

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 decoding 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 decoding 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:

decoding encoded data in which an image with a plurality of layers including a base layer and a non-base layer, each of the plurality of layers comprising a plurality of sublayers, is encoded by performing inter-layer prediction on a sublayer based on inter-layer prediction control information specifying a highest sublayer used for the inter-layer prediction,

wherein the sublayers for each of the plurality of layers start from a lowest sublayer to a highest sublayer,

wherein the inter-layer prediction is performed only on sublayers of the non-base layer that are lower than or equal to the specified highest sublayer,

wherein sublayers higher than the specified highest sublayer are not used for the inter-layer prediction when the encoded data includes at least one sublayer higher than the specified highest sublayer, and

wherein inter-layer prediction includes prediction based on a sublayer of the non-base layer and a sublayer of the base layer.

11. An image processing device comprising:

encoding circuitry configured to encode image data in which an image with a plurality of layers including a base layer and a non-base layer, each of the plurality of layers comprising a plurality of sublayers, is encoded by performing inter-layer prediction on a sublayer based on inter-layer prediction control information specifying a highest sublayer used for the inter-layer prediction,

wherein the sublayers for each of the plurality of layers start from a lowest sublayer to a highest sublayer,

wherein the inter-layer prediction is performed only on sublayers of the non-base layer that are lower than or equal to the specified highest sublayer,

wherein sublayers higher than the specified highest sublayer are not used for the inter-layer prediction when the encoded data includes at least one sublayer higher than the specified highest sublayer, and

wherein inter-layer prediction includes prediction based on a sublayer of the non-base layer and a sublayer of the base layer.

12. The image processing device according to claim 11 , wherein

the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers, if 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 the image data of the current picture using the inter-layer prediction.

13. The image processing device according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit data encoded by the encoding circuitry, and the inter-layer prediction control information, wherein

the encoding circuitry is further configured to encode using the inter-layer prediction, the image data of the picture belonging to the sublayers from the lowest sublayer to the highest sublayer specified by the inter-layer prediction control information.

14. The image processing device according to claim 11 , 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.

15. The image processing device according to claim 11 , wherein

the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers, the inter-layer prediction control information is set as parameters common to all the main layers.

16. The image processing device according to claim 11 , wherein

the inter-layer prediction is a prediction between a plurality of main layers, the encoding circuitry is further configured to (i) perform inter-layer pixel prediction as pixel prediction between the plurality of main layers based on inter-layer pixel prediction control information that controls whether to perform the inter-layer pixel prediction and that is set as the interlayer prediction control information and (ii) perform inter-layer syntax prediction as syntax prediction between the plurality of main layers based on inter-layer syntax prediction control information that controls whether to perform the inter-layer syntax prediction and that is set as the inter-layer prediction control information independently from the inter-layer pixel prediction control information, further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit the inter-layer pixel prediction control information and the inter-layer syntax prediction control information that are set independently from each other as the inter-layer prediction control information.

17. The image processing device according to claim 16 , 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.

18. The image processing device according to claim 17 , wherein

the transmitter is further configured to transmit the inter-layer pixel prediction control information as a nal unit (nal_unit), a video parameter set (VPS (Video Parameter Set)), or an extension video parameter set (vps_extension).

19. The image processing device according to claim 17 , wherein

the transmitter is further configured to transmit the inter-layer syntax prediction control information as a nal unit (nal_unit), a picture parameter set (PPS (Picture Parameter Set)), or a slice header (SliceHeader).

20. An image processing method comprising:

encoding image data in which an image with a plurality of layers including a base layer and a non-base layer, each of the plurality of layers comprising a plurality of sublayers, is encoded by performing inter-layer prediction on a sublayer based on inter-layer prediction control information specifying a highest sublayer used for the inter-layer prediction,

wherein the sublayers for each of the plurality of layers start from a lowest sublayer to a highest sublayer,

wherein the inter-layer prediction is performed only on sublayers of the non-base layer that are lower than or equal to the specified highest sublayer,

wherein sublayers higher than the specified highest sublayer are not used for the inter-layer prediction when the encoded data includes at least one sublayer higher than the specified highest sublayer, and

wherein inter-layer prediction includes prediction based on a sublayer of the non-base layer and a sublayer of the base layer.