Patent ID: 7912131

Claim:
A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing computer readable instructions that cause a computer to perform a selective prediction encoding method for identifying an encoding method for a macro block, comprising the steps of: performing AC/DC prediction and Advanced Video Coding (AVC) intra prediction for said macro block; generating an AC/DC code amount from the AC/DC prediction and an AVC code amount from the AVC intra prediction for said macro block; selecting, between an AC/DC prediction encoding method and an AVC intra prediction encoding method for said macro block, the method which corresponds to the smaller of said AC/DC code amount and said AVC code amount; performing the selected prediction encoding method to said macro block; and, recording an AC/DC flag indicating the AC/DC prediction encoding method in a flag field when the AC/DC prediction encoding method is selected and an AVC flag indicating the AVC intra prediction encoding method in the flag field when the AVC intra prediction encoding method is selected, wherein the AC/DC code amount is generated by entropy encoding a particular value obtained through the AC/DC prediction, and the AVC code amount is generated by entropy encoding a further value obtained through the AVC intra prediction.