Patent ID: 8687704

Claim:
A decoding apparatus, comprising: a description storing unit configured to store partial decoder descriptions; a description decoder configured to receive a decoder description that includes a new partial decoder description and update information for one of the stored partial decoder descriptions, the update information including an identifier for identifying the stored partial decoder description to be updated, store the new partial decoder description in the description storing unit, and update the stored partial decoder description according to the received update information and the identifier; a decoder forming unit configured to generate and output connection control information by using the new and updated partial decoder descriptions stored in the description storing unit; and a decoding unit configured to selectively load a plurality of functional units included in a toolbox by using the connection control information, and direct the functional units to perform a predetermined process in an order according to the connection control information, wherein the connection control information identifies the plurality of functional units to be selectively loaded by the decoding unit and specifies an order of processing the plurality of functional units by the decoding unit.