Patent ID: 8194731

Claim:
A picture decoding large scale integrated (LSI) circuit that decodes a coded picture signal obtained by coding a moving picture signal on a picture-by-picture basis, using a predetermined set of picture numbers which are repeatedly assigned to respective pictures in decoding order, the picture decoding LSI circuit comprising: a determining unit operable to determine whether or not a memory management command is added to the coded picture signal, the memory management command indicating management of a picture of a predetermined picture number in a memory; a selecting unit operable to select a picture which is located immediately previous to the memory management command in decoding order from among pictures of the predetermined picture number which are located earlier than the memory management command in the coded picture signal, when it is determined by the determining unit that the memory management command is added; an executing unit operable to execute the management indicated by the memory management command on the picture selected by the selecting unit; a reference point determining unit operable to determine whether or not a picture to be managed under the memory management command is located earlier than a reference point in the coded picture signal in decoding order, when it is determined in the determining unit that the memory management command is added; and a management disabling unit operable to disable the management indicated by the memory management command when it is determined in the reference point determining unit that the picture to be managed under the memory management command is located earlier than the reference point.