IMAGE ENCODER, IMAGE ENCODING METHOD, IMAGE ENCODING PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image encoder, an image encoding method, an image encoding program and a recording medium, which can provide encoded data for reproducing an image with little picture deterioration. SOLUTION: A reference extension masking image where the number of pixels indicating use of second layer data is increased as compared with a masking image is generated, and second layer reproduction data is generated using the second layer data and the data of reference extension masking image. Image quality represented by first layer reproduction data is higher than that represented by the second layer reproduction data. When an input image is reproduced, and a part of an image represented by the first layer reproduction data and a part of an image represented by the second layer reproduction data correspond to the same part in the input image, the input image is reproduced using the part of an image having a higher image quality out of the image represented by the first layer reproduction data and the image represented by the second layer reproduction data. Encoded data is generated by encoding the first layer reproduction data and the second layer reproduction data. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT