Compression encoding apparatus and recording apparatus for compressionencoded data

Claim 2

An encoding apparatus for encoding input video signal data made up of a plurality of pictures received in sequence in accordance with an encoding system exploiting inter-frame prediction and which include at least I-pictures each encoded within a respective frame, comprising: storage means for storing said sequentially received pictures of input video signal signal data; change point detection means for detection of change points of said pictures of the input video signal data; encoding means for encoding the pictures stored in said storage means with a fixed encoding length as an encoding unit so as to generate a bitstream; timing control means responsive to said change point detection means for determining successive groups of said pictures with each of said groups including at least one of said I-pictures, and for controlling the processing timing of the fixed length encoding of each picture in said group of pictures by said encoding means; and rate control means under control of said timing control means for controlling the range of a code generation rate control in said encoding means in accordance with said detection by said change point detection means so that said range of the code generation rate control begins at a picture next to one of said I-pictures in a group of pictures and terminates at the next I-picture, and so that, upon detection of a scene change by said change point detection means, any residual data previously allocated to said one I-picture is allocated instead to another of said pictures in said group of pictures.

Claim 3

The encoding apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said rate control means fixes a starting picture and a number of said pictures contained in said range of the code generation rate control.

Claim 4

The encoding apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said rate control means doubles said range of the code generation rate control in case of said detection of a scene change.

Claim 5

The encoding apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said rate control means inserts information specifying said range of the code generation rate control in said bitstream.

Claim 6

The encoding apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said rate control means overrides said detection by said change point detection means until said another picture is encoded with fixed length encoding by said encoding means.

Claim 7

The encoding apparatus as in claim 1; further comprising means for effecting motion vector detection in connection with inter-frame prediction; and wherein said change point detection means detects a change point of said pictures of the input video signal data based on the amount of said residual data at the time of said motion vector detection in inter-frame prediction.

Claim 8

A video signal recording apparatus comprising: an encoding device for encoding input video signal data made up of a plurality of pictures received in sequence in accordance with an encoding system exploiting inter-frame prediction and which include at least I-pictures each encoded within a respective frame, said encoding device including storage means for storing said sequentially received pictures of input video signal data, change point detection means for the detection of change points of said pictures of the input video signal data, encoding means for encoding the pictures stored in said storage means with a fixed encoding length as an encoding unit so as to generate a bitstream, timing control means responsive to said change point detection means for determining successive groups of said pictures with each of said groups including at least one of said I-pictures, and for controlling the processing timing of the fixed length encoding of each picture in each said group of pictures by said encoding means, and rate control means under control of said timing control means for controlling a range of a code generation rate control in said encoding means in accordance with said detection by said change point detection means so that said range of the code generation rate control begins at the picture next to one of said I-pictures and terminates at the next I-picture, and so that, upon detection of a scene change by said change point detection means, any residual data previously allocated to said one I-picture in a group of pictures is allocated instead to another of said pictures in said group of pictures; and recording means for recording said bitstream generated by said encoding means onto a recording medium.

Claim 9

A video signal recording apparatus comprising: an encoding device for encoding input video signal data made up of a plurality of pictures received in sequence in accordance with an encoding system exploiting inter-frame prediction and which include at least I-pictures each encoded within a respective frame, said encoding device including storage means for storing said sequentially received pictures of input video signal data, change point detection means for the detection of change points of said pictures of the input video signal data, encoding means for encoding the pictures stored in said storage means with a fixed encoding length as an encoding unit so as to generate a bitstream, timing control means responsive to said change point detection means for determining successive groups of said pictures with each of said groups including at least one of said I-pictures, and for controlling the processing timing of the fixed length encoding of each picture in each said group of pictures by said encoding means, and rate control means under control of said timing control means for controlling a range of a code generation rate control in said encoding means in accordance with said detection by said change point detection means so that said range of the code generation rate control begins at the picture next to one of said I-pictures and terminates at the next I-picture, and so that, upon detection of a scene change by said change point detection means, any residual data previously allocated to said one I-picture in a group of pictures is allocated instead to another of said pictures in said group of pictures; and recording means for recording said bitstream generated by said encoding means onto a recording medium.

Claim 10

The recording apparatus as in claim 7; wherein said rate control means fixes a starting picture and a number of said pictures contained in the range of said code generation rate control.

Claim 11

The recording apparatus as in claim 7; wherein said rate control means doubles said range of the code generation rate control in case of said detection of a scene change.

Claim 12

The recording apparatus as in claim 7; wherein said rate control means inserts information specifying said range of code generation rate control in said bitstream.

Claim 13

The recording apparatus as in claim 7; wherein said rate control means overrides said detection by said change point detection means until said another picture is encoded by fixed unit length encoding by said encoding means.

Claim 14

The recording apparatus as in claim 7; wherein said encoding device further includes means for effecting motion vector detection in connection with inter-frame prediction; and wherein said change point detection means detects a change point of said pictures of the input video signal data based on the amount of said residual data at the time of said motion vector detection in inter-frame prediction.

Claim 17

The encoding method as in claim 13; wherein a starting picture and a number of said pictures contained in said range of the code generation rate are fixed.

Claim 18

The encoding method as in claim 13; wherein said range of the code generation rate is doubled in case of said detection of a scene change.

Claim 19

The encoding method as in claim 13; further comprising the step of inserting in said bitstream information specifying said range of the code generation rate.

Claim 20

The encoding method as in claim 13; further comprising overriding said detection of a scene change until said another picture to which said residual data is allocated has been encoded with fixed length encoding.

Claim 21

The encoding method as in claim 13; further comprising effecting motion vector detection in connection with inter-frame prediction; and wherein said detecting of change points of said pictures of the input video signal data is based on the amount of said residual data at the time of said motion vector detection in inter-frame prediction.