DATA STRUCTURE FOR IMAGE TRANSMISSION, IMAGE CODING METHOD, AND IMAGE DECODING METHOD

There is provided an image decoding apparatus for decoding a coded image signal having an image identifier based on a data structure of the image signal. This apparatus comprises a data analyzer for analyzing the coded image signal with reference to the image identifier to decide whether the coded image signal is a coded arbitrary shape signal including both of coded shape bit streams obtained by coding a shape signal which represents the shape of each object as one of the components of a display image and coded pixel value bit streams obtained by coding a pixel value signal representing the gradation of the object, or a coded binary signal including only coded shape bit streams obtained by coding a shape signal representing a display image of binary information; a first decoder for decoding the coded shape bit streams by a first decoding process; and a second decoder for decoding the coded pixel value bit streams by a second decoding process. The first decoding process and the second decoding process are appropriately switched according to each coded image signal. Therefore, plural coded image signals having different data structures and produced by different coding methods can be decoded in decoding processes corresponding to a single coding method.