Patent ID: 6968087
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image encoding apparatus, comprising: an input device for inputting motion-image data; a quantizer for quantizing the inputted motion-image data, based on quantization coefficient information applied to an input of said quantizer; an encoder for encoding image data quantized by said quantizer to output corresponding encoded image data including a number of codes; a rate control circuit for determining whether or not the number of codes included in the encoded image data exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and for outputting a selected one of a plurality of first sets of quantization coefficients, based on a result of that determination; a memory storing a plurality of second sets of quantization coefficients; and a selector for selecting either the first set of quantization coefficients output by said rate control circuit or one of the second sets of quantization coefficients stored in said memory, and applying the selected set of quantization coefficients to the input of said quantizer, to cause said quantizer to quantize the inputted motion-image data, based on that selected set of quantization coefficients.