Patent ID: 6567554
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A data coding method wherein input data in prescribed data units is classified into a picture type whose data items are independently encoded and a picture type whose data items are encoded by being mutually related between each two thereof and the data items are encoded according to their respective picture type, whereby the thus-encoded data items are made up into a row of packs that is to be reproduced within a prescribed period of time and are stored into a unit, the data coding method comprising the steps of:determining an encoding rate; determining a target amount of codes for each picture type that corresponds to the encoding rate; encoding the input data for each picture type so that the coded data may be in conformity with the target amount of codes; determining, on the basis of the encoding rate and the target amount of codes, addresses of a reference unit for making a search and a prescribed number of units that are reproduced at least before and after the reference unit and an ending address at which there is ended at least data of the picture type having its data items independently encoded, of the data within the unit; constructing as the unit the coded data that has been obtained by being encoded so that the coded data may be in conformity with the target amount of codes; and depicting at a foremost position of the unit the addresses of the unit and the ending address at which data of the picture type having its data items independently encoded is ended.