IMAGE ENCODING METHOD, IMAGE DECODING METHOD, IMAGE ENCODING DEVICE, AND IMAGE DECODING DEVICE.

摘要

Provided is an image encoding method that separates an input image signal (120) into processing units and generates a code string (140) by encoding the separated image. The processing units are hierarchical and the image encoding method includes: a dividing step that determines division patterns into which the input image signal (120) is divided hierarchically starting from the largest unit among the processing units; a division data notation step that generates division data (131) that shows the division patterns; and an encoding step that encodes the division data (131). The division data (131) includes maximum used level data (used_max_depth), which indicates the maximum used level which is the level for the deepest processing unit among the processing units included in the division patterns.