Patent ID: 7881542

Claim:
A coding apparatus for dividing a picture to form a matrix of macro blocks, each having a predetermined number of pixels, and conducting coding processes on moving picture data on a macro block by macro block basis, each being produced by the division, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of macro block processing sections for coding moving picture data concurrently on a macro block by macro block basis; and a state management section for managing the state of processing of each macro block in a single picture; the state management section being adapted to manage each macro block in a single picture in terms of being in a process completed state; each macro block processing section being adapted to retrieve the state management section, detect a macro block not in a process completed state, execute a coding process on the detected macro block and bring the state of the macro block of the state management section into a process completed state upon ending the coding process on the macro block, wherein the state management section stores, for each row in the matrix, an end position of a macro block in the process completed state.