Procedure moving picture decoding apparatus and decoding of moving images.

Method for decoding a code sequence (Bsa) corresponding to a moving picture (Id) which consists of a plurality of images, by a predefined number of pixels each consisting of them, said method comprising: an extraction step of level identifier for extracting a level identifier (Lst) for identifying a coding level which indicates a height level coding method for moving picture (Id) from the code sequence (Bsa); and for each image, a step of decoding the coded data (Cd) of the moving picture of the level determined by the level identifier (Lst) which is extracted in said extraction step level identifier, to generate image data (Dd) of the moving image; wherein the level identifier (Lst) is an identifier that identifies the maximum intra frame pixel number (Nfpx) an image that conforms to the coding level, and the maximum number of storage pixels (Nspx) indicating the amount data that can be stored in the image memory (503), which fits coding level, and the maximum number of images of candidate reference can be stored in the image memory (503) is calculated based on the number of pixels vertical (Ihpx) and the horizontal pixel number (Iwpx) of the image which is decoded in said decoding step, and the maximum number of storage pixels (Nspx) which is identified by the level identifier (Lst).