Image decoding method, image coding method, image decoding apparatus, image coding apparatus, and image coding and decoding apparatus

1. A method of encoding an image, the image comprising a first row of largest coding units (LCUs) and a second row of LCUs that is after the first row of LCUs, the method comprising:

determining that wavefront parallel processing is enabled; and

partitioning the first row of LCUs and the second row of LCUs so as to comprise a normal slice and a group of dependent slices, the normal slice being at a position on the first row of LCUs that is not at the beginning of the first row of LCUs, the group of dependent slices consisting of every dependent slice that uses information from the normal slice for encoding,

wherein, based on the determination that wavefront parallel processing is enabled and the normal slice being at a position that is other than the beginning of the first row of LCUs, the partitioning of the first row of LCUs and the second row of LCUs is performed such that an entirety of the group of dependent slices is included in the first row of LCUs.

2. The method of encoding an image according to claim 1 , further comprising generating, for each slice of the normal slice and group of dependent slices, information indicating whether each slice is either a normal slice or a dependent slice.

3. The method of encoding an image according to claim 1 , further comprising encoding an indicator into a bitstream indicating that the wavefront parallel processing is enabled.

4. The method of encoding an image according to claim 1 , further comprising encoding the first row of LCUs and a second row of LCUs in parallel using the wavefront parallel processing.

5. The method of encoding an image according to claim 4 , further comprising encoding the second row of LCUs without referring to a type or a location of any slice in the first row of LCUs.

6. An image encoding device, the image comprising a first row of largest coding units (LCUs) and a second row of LCUs that is after the first row of LCUs, the device comprising:

circuitry configured to:

determine that wavefront parallel processing is enabled; and

partition the first row of LCUs and the second row of LCUs so as to comprise a normal slice and a group of dependent slices, the normal slice being at a position on the first row of LCUs that is not at the beginning of the first row of LCUs, the group of dependent slices consisting of every dependent slice that uses information from the normal slice for encoding,

wherein, based on the determination that wavefront parallel processing is enabled and the normal slice being at a position that is other than the beginning of the first row of LCUs, the partitioning of the first row of LCUs and the second row of LCUs is performed such that an entirety of the group of dependent slices is included in the first row of LCUs.

7. The image encoding device according to claim 6 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate, for each slice of the normal slice and group of dependent slices, information indicating whether each slice is either a normal slice or a dependent slice.

8. The image encoding device according to claim 6 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to encode an indicator into a bitstream indicating that the wavefront parallel processing is enabled.

9. The image encoding device according to claim 6 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to encode a first row of LCUs and a second row of LCUs in parallel using the wavefront parallel processing.

10. The image encoding device according to claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to encode the second row of LCUs without referring to a type or a location of any slice in the first row of LCUs.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer executable program that, when executed, causes a processor to encode an image, the image comprising a first row of largest coding units (LCUs) and a second row of LCUs that is after the first row of LCUs, the processor being caused to:

determine that wavefront parallel processing is enabled; and

partition the first row of LCUs and the second row of LCUs so as to comprise a normal slice and a group of dependent slices, the normal slice being at a position on the first row of LCUs that is not at the beginning of the first row of LCUs, the group of dependent slices consisting of every dependent slice that uses information from the normal slice for encoding,

wherein, based on the determination that wavefront parallel processing is enabled and the normal slice being at a position that is other than the beginning of the first row of LCUs, the partitioning of the first row of LCUs and the second row of LCUs is performed such that an entirety of the group of dependent slices is included in the first row of LCUs.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further caused to generate, for each slice of the normal slice and group of dependent slices, information indicating whether each slice is either a normal slice or a dependent slice.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further caused to an indicator into a bitstream indicating that the wavefront parallel processing is enabled.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further caused to encode a first row of LCUs and a second row of LCUs in parallel using the wavefront parallel processing.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the processor is further caused to encode the second row of LCUs without referring to a type or a location of any slice in the first row of LCUs.