PICTURE CODING METHOD AND PICTURE DECODING METHOD

摘要

A method for decoding a coded signal is provided. The decoding methods process the memory conditions in a plurality of identical streams after switching streams from a predetermined stream to another stream, and thus makes it possible to correctly specify the predetermined pictures in the memory even when reference pictures are required in inter-picture predictive coding and so on. The method is particularly useful for correcting errors when the decoding target is switched to another stream in the middle of decoding one coded stream in a picture decoding apparatus. A picture decoding apparatus using the method of the present invention is useful as the picture decoding apparatus installed in personal computers with communication functions, PDAs, STBs receiving digital broadcasting and cellular phones.