Patent ID: 8687690

Claim:
Stream conversion apparatus for converting an encoded stream into a re-encoded stream, comprising: receiving means for receiving the encoded stream, history encoding parameters utilized in a past encoding or decoding process for the encoded stream and current encoding parameters utilized upon production of the encoded stream; selection means for selecting, from among the received history encoding parameters and current encoding parameters, encoding parameters to be utilized as utilization encoding parameters in converting the encoded stream into the re-encoded stream based on a judgment as to whether or not the received history encoding parameters are able to be used based on history information of a plurality of generations by forming a judgment as to whether or not a referenced picture matches with a picture type in the history information, wherein if received history encoding parameters are able to used, a parameter-reuse-encoding process is carried out by reutilizing parameters of a previous generation, and wherein if not, current encoding parameters are utilized; and conversion means for converting the encoded stream into the re-encoded stream utilizing the selected utilization encoding parameters.