Image decoding device and image decoding method

1. An image decoding apparatus for performing a decoding process under a prescribed coding method, comprising:

a decoding unit configured to perform the decoding process on picture data encoded with the coding method; and

a control unit configured to control the decoding unit based on types of a mode signal received by the control unit such that the decoding unit:

performs a first process as part of the decoding process to extract and decode an I-picture and prescribed pieces of P-pictures based on a location of the I-picture in the picture data when the received mode signal is of a first type;

performs a second process as part of the decoding process to decode a macroblock in the picture data based on a prediction signal obtained through reversible encoding when the received mode signal is of a second type; and

performs a third process to decode as part of the decoding process direct current components of transformation coefficients with transformation coding when the received mode signal is of a third type.

2. The image decoding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the I-picture and the P-pictures are in a simple playback frame, and the control unit controls the decoding unit to decode the I-picture and the P-pictures in order without decoding a part of the picture data included after the simple playback frame when the first type is fast forward playback.

3. An image decoding method for performing a decoding process under a prescribed coding method, the image decoding method being executed by a decoding unit and comprising:

detecting types of a mode signal used to control the image decoding method performed by the decoder;

performing, by using the decoder, a first process to extract and decode an I-picture and prescribed pieces of P-pictures based on a location of the I-picture in picture data encoded with the coding method when the mode signal is detected to be of a first type;

performing, by using the decoder, a second process to decode a macroblock in the picture data based on a prediction signal obtained through reversible encoding when the mode signal is detected be of a second type; and

performing a third process to decode direct current components of transformation coefficients with transformation coding when the mode signal is detected to be of a third type.

4. The image decoding method according to claim 3 , wherein the I-picture and the P-pictures are in a simple playback frame, and the I-picture and the P-pictures are decoded in order without decoding a part of the picture data included after the simple playback frame when the first type is a fast forward playback.

5. The image decoding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the I-picture and the P-pictures are in a simple playback frame, and when the first type is a fast backward playback the control unit controls the decoding unit to:

find a part before the simple playback frame;

sequentially decode the I-picture and the P-pictures in the simple playback frame; and

output the simple playback frame in a reverse order of a decoding order.

6. The image decoding method according to claim 3 , wherein the I-picture and the P-pictures are in a simple playback frame, and when the first type is a fast backward playback the image decoding method further comprises:

finding a part before the simple playback frame;

decoding, sequentially, the I-picture and the P-pictures in the simple playback frame; and

outputting the simple playback frame in a reverse order of a decoding order.

7. The image decoding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the decoding unit performs a fourth process as part of the decoding process when the received mode signal is of a fourth type, the fourth process being a combination of the second and third processes.

8. The image decoding method according to claim 3 further comprising performing a fourth process when the mode signal is detected to be of a fourth type, the fourth process being a combination of the second and third processes.