Patent ID: 8385409

Claim:
A picture coding method comprising: coding, using a processor, a picture signal; coding a ratio of a number of luminance pixels to a number of chrominance pixels for the picture signal; selecting one coding method out of at least two coding methods, the one coding method being selected based on the ratio; and coding data related to a picture size in accordance with the selected coding method, wherein the data related to the picture size indicates a size of a picture corresponding to the picture signal, wherein, when a ratio of a number of horizontal luminance pixels to a number of horizontal chrominance pixels is M:1, said selecting selects a coding method coding 1/M of a number of horizontal pixels, the horizontal luminance pixels and the horizontal chrominance pixels being included in the picture signal, and wherein the data related to the picture size indicates an output area in a whole pixel area coded in said coding of the picture signal, the output area being a pixel area to be outputted in decoding.