Patent ID: 6907072

Claim:
A moving image encoding apparatus including block generating means for receiving moving image data in units of frames, dividing the received data into a plurality of blocks, and outputting the data of the respective blocks in a predetermined order, and mode-specific encoding means, having intra-encoding mode and inter-frame encoding mode, for encoding in a designated mode the data of the respective blocks sequentially output from said block generating means, characterized by comprising: information extraction means for extracting information for determination of a degree of influence of a data error from an encoded block processed by said mode-specific encoding means; parameter value control means for, when intra-encoding is performed by said mode-specific encoding means, setting an initial value as a parameter value of a corresponding block in advance, comparing the information extracted by said information extraction means with a predetermined reference value, and updating and storing the parameter value on the basis of the comparison result; and intra/inter determination means for, when data of a block of a next frame, output from said block generating means, is to be encoded, comparing a parameter value of a corresponding block, stored in said parameter value control means, with a predetermined boundary value, determining on the basis of the comparison result whether to execute refresh by intra-encoding, and designating a mode based on the determination result with respect to said mode-specific encoding means.