Patent ID: 7830281

Claim:
A variable-length code decoding apparatus, comprising: a code buffer configured to hold a variable-length code in which the same bit value continues for a given number of bits from the most significant bit; a plurality of code word detectors each of which is configured to read the variable-length code from said code buffer to detect whether or not the variable-length code matches a specified code word; a decoded code word determination block configured e word decoded, based on detection results of said plurality of code word detectors; and a configuration information holding section configured to hold configuration information containing the specified code words to be detected in said plurality of code word detectors and code lengths of the specified code words as arranged in an ascending order of code length, wherein, in the configuration information, only one bit is held for the bit value that continues for the given number of bits, and at least one of the code lengths is defined by a difference from another one of the code lengths.