Patent ID: 9681148
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. An image decoding method for decoding pictures included in a coded bitstream, the image decoding method comprising: obtaining, from a sequence header, buffer descriptions that specify reference pictures to be held in a buffer for decoding the pictures, the buffer descriptions including long-term information which identifies a reference picture, among a plurality of reference pictures covered by the buffer descriptions, to be assigned as a long-term reference picture; obtaining, from a header of slice in one of the pictures, selecting information for selecting at least one of the buffer descriptions for decoding the slice; selecting the at least one of the buffer descriptions from the buffer descriptions by using the selecting information; decoding the slice by using the reference picture to be assigned as the long-term reference picture identified by the selected at least one of the buffer descriptions, wherein syntax elements wherein syntax elements and wherein the long-term information, which is obtained from the sequence header, includes