Patent ID: 6950443

Claim:
An encoding apparatus for variable length packetizing variable-length encoding image data by a packet format in which a header of a packet has a code area indicating the value of packet length, wherein the code area describes a code indicating a packet length in a case where the packet length is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and describes a code indicating not to decide a packet length in a case where the packet length is larger than the predetermined value, comprising: a) inputting means for inputting variable-length encoding image data which includes a picture header indicating the start of one picture; b) header detecting means for detecting the picture header input by said inputting means; c) data length detecting means for detecting whether a data length of variable length encoding image data for one frame input by said inputting means reaches the predetermined value; and d) packetizing means for variable-length packetizing the variable-length encoding image data in accordance with output of said header detecting means and said data length detecting means, wherein said packetizing means divides the one frame into the predetermined value and performs packetizing in the case where the data length of variable-length encoding image data of the one frame is larger than the predetermined value, and performs packetizing without dividing the variable-length encoding image data in the case where the data length of variable length encoding image data of the one frame is less than the predetermined value.