Patent ID: 8184716

Claim:
An image coding method for dividing an image into a plurality of blocks to conduct coding on block basis, comprising: conducting frequency transform and quantization on the block in a predetermined manner for a plurality of coding modes, each mode having a different coding process; calculating a predictive coded quantity in a coding mode using a result of the quantization conducted by the conducting step; calculating a coding cost in each coding mode using the predictive coded quantity calculated by the first calculating step; selecting a minimum coding cost, which is minimum among the coding costs calculated by the second calculating step, for respective coding modes; conducting coding on the blocks in a coding mode associated with the minimum coding cost selected by the selecting step; retaining a plurality of coded quantity prediction expressions, each in association with a coding mode, to be used by the first calculating step to calculate the predictive coded quantity; and correcting the coded quantity prediction expressions retained in association with the coding modes by the retaining step, based on an actual coded quantity actually generated when the conducting step conducts coding in a predetermined coding mode, wherein the first calculating step calculates the predictive coded quantity using a coded quantity prediction expression retained in the retaining step.