Patent ID: 6947602

Claim:
An image processing method comprising: an image data conversion step, of generating a series of orthogonal transformation coefficient sequences from input source image data; a header information processing step, of forming header information to be contained in an encoded data stream on the basis of an encoding parameter; a variable-length code encoding step, of generating image information consisting of a series of a plurality of variable-length codes to be contained in the encoded data stream by sequentially encoding the series of orthogonal transformation coefficient sequences; an instruction step, of issuing an operation start command of an encoding process for the series of the plurality of variable-length codes from said header information processing step to said variable-length code encoding step; a first control step, of controlling said header information processing step to enter an operation inactive state at a predetermined timing after the operation start command of the encoding process was issued; a notification step, of sending an operation end message of the encoding process for the series of orthogonal transformation coefficient sequences from said variable-length code encoding step to said header information processing step; and a second control step, of controlling said header information processing step in the operation inactive state to resume an active state in response to the operation end message of the encoding process.