Patent ID: 7430325

Claim:
An encoding system conversion apparatus comprising: a fast playback unit, adapted to discontinuously read image data from a recording medium; a normal playback unit, adapted to continuously read image data from the recording medium; an encoding parameter prediction unit, adapted to analyze intermittent image data of first encoded image data encoded by a first encoding system that is discontinuously read from the recording medium by said fast playback unit, and predict an encoding parameter controlling an amount of data distribution for each image frame or each image block in encoding by a second encoding system that is different from the first encoding system; and a conversion unit, adapted to convert the first encoded image data read out continuously from the recording medium by said normal playback unit to second encoded image data by the second encoding system, based on the encoding parameter predicted by said encoding parameter prediction unit, wherein said conversion unit comprises a decoding unit, adapted to decode the first encoded image data read out continuously from the recording medium by said normal playback unit, and an encoding unit, adapted to encode, based on the encoding parameter predicted by said encoding parameter prediction unit, the first encoded image data decoded by said decoding unit with the second encoding system, and output the second encoded image data, and wherein said encoding parameter prediction unit detects an attribute of an image from the first encoded image data read out in parts from the recording medium, and predicts an encoding parameter for encoding by the second encoding system, responsive to a detection result.