Patent ID: 8718149

Claim:
An image coding method of coding an image having a plurality of regions each including a plurality of blocks, said image coding method comprising: coding a first set of blocks included in a first region of the regions sequentially based on first probability information indicating a data occurrence probability; and coding a second set of blocks included in a second region of the regions sequentially based on second probability information indicating a data occurrence probability, the second region being different from the first region, wherein, in said coding of the first set of blocks, the first probability information is updated depending on data of a first target block to be coded among the first set of blocks, after coding the first target block and before coding a second target block to be coded next among the first set of blocks, in said coding of the second set of blocks, the second probability information is updated depending on data of a third target block to be coded among the second set of blocks, after coding the third target block and before coding a fourth target block to be coded next among the second set of blocks, and in said coding of the second set of blocks, the second probability information is further updated depending on the first probability information, before coding a fifth target block to be coded first among the second set of blocks, the first probability information having been updated in said coding of the first set of blocks depending on the data of the first target block.