Patent ID: 8073059

Claim:
A picture decoding apparatus comprising: a decoding unit operable to decode a coded picture signal to obtain a decoded picture; a buffer having a predetermined size in which the decoded picture is stored and which is re-usable for another decoded picture; a picture size modification detection unit operable to judge whether or not information indicating a change of a moving picture size is included in the coded picture signal; a judging unit operable to judge whether the decoded picture in the buffer, which is to be output based on a display timing of the decoded picture in the buffer, has a moving picture size before the change of a moving picture size or after the change of a moving picture size, in the case where the picture size modification detection unit has judged that said information is included in the coded picture signal; and a display picture control unit: (1) operable to output the decoded picture in the buffer based on a display timing of the decoded picture, in the case where the picture size modification detection unit has judged that the information is not included in the coded picture signal, and (2) operable to output the decoded picture in the buffer based on a display timing of the decoded picture, in the case where the picture size modification detection unit has judged that the information is included in the coded picture signal and the judging unit has judged that the decoded picture in the buffer has a moving picture size after the change of a moving picture size, and (3) operable to output the decoded picture in the buffer if the decoded picture in the buffer is judged to be a picture having no damage and being not overwritten by another decoded picture, in the case where the picture size modification detection unit has judged that the information is included in the coded picture signal and the judging unit has judged that the decoded picture in the buffer has a moving picture size before the change of a moving picture size.