Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Shintarou Nakatani

Takahiro Nishi

Eiji Miyagoshi

Shigeki Fujii

Toshihide Akiyama

Hiroshi Takeno

Hiroshi Imanishi

Takanori Ishida

An image decoding apparatus includes a decoder having a decoding data storage register for holding decoding data corresponding to a target VOP to be decoded, and decoding a video stream corresponding to the target VOP on the basis of the decoding data stored in the register. The image decoding apparatus also includes a first memory having plural storage regions for holding decoding data corresponding to plural objects. The decoding data are transferred between the decoding data storage register in the decoder and a specific storage region in the first memory. Therefore, it is possible to perform decoding on a video stream including plural objects by using a single decoder. Further, even when the number of objects to be decoded is increased, storage regions for decoding data corresponding to the increased objects can easily be increased.

Image decoding apparatus and image decoding method for decoding image data including plural image sequences, and program storage medium

When coded image data which are obtained by coding image data by a coding method including an inter-frame predictive coding process are decoded, even when the decoding is started from an inter-frame predictive coded frame, the display of a decoded image having few disturbances is started, without the display being considerably delayed from the timing of input of coded image data. An image decoding apparatus for decoding coded image data and displaying a decoded image on the basis of decoded image data comprises a frame memory which holds decoded image data of an already processed frame as reference data which are to be used for the decoding process for the inter-frame predictive coded frame, and initializes the storage area of the frame memory at the initiation of the decoding process for the coded image data.

Image decoding method, image decoding apparatus, and data storage medium

A media processing apparatus includes an input/output processing unit that performs input/output processing that is asynchronously caused by external factors and a decode processing unit that operates in parallel with the input/output processing unit and mainly performs decode processing for a data stream stored in a memory. The input/output processing receives an asynchronous input of a data stream from outside, stores the data stream into the memory, and supplies a data stream stored in the memory to the decode processing unit. The decode processing unit includes a sequential processing unit and a routine processing unit. The sequential processing unit performs header analysis for compressed video data in the data stream and a complete decode for compressed audio data in the data stream. Based on the results of the header analysis, the routine processing unit performs all of the decoding of the compressed video data aside from the header analysis. In the sequential processing unit, the header analysis is given priority over the decoding of the compressed audio data.

Media processing apparatus that operates at high efficiency

A synchronous reproduction apparatus for synchronously reproducing a video signal and an audio signal, receives a multiplexed bit stream in which the following data are packeted: video encoded data obtained by encoding video frames, each frame being a fundamental unit of reproduction of a video signal; video presentation time data showing a time to output a reproduced video signal of each video frame; audio encoded data obtained by encoding audio frames, each frame being a fundamental unit of reproduction of an audio signal; audio presentation time data showing a time to output a reproduced audio signal of each audio frame; and system time data.

Synchronous reproduction apparatus

A variable-length-code decoder of this invention decodes an input bit stream including an input bit string having a codeword of a fixed-length code and a plurality of codewords of variable-length codes combined in a predetermined format. The decoder includes: a shifter for shifting the input bit string by a desired number of bits; a pattern detector for detecting a specific pattern in the bit string, and outputting a detection signal; two code tables provided for the respective variable-length codes, each code table having the length of each codeword (codeword length) and the decoded-word corresponding to the codeword, and outputting a codeword length and a decoded-word of a corresponding codeword based on the bit string output from the shifter; a processor for storing the format of the input bit string, outputting the length of the fixed-length code and decoded data of the fixed-length code, and selecting, for each of the variable-length codewords, one of the code tables to which the variable-length codeword belongs, based on the detection signal and the format; a codelength selector for selecting the codeword length or the fixed-length code, and for setting the shift amount for the input bit string in the shifter; and an output circuit for selectively outputting the decoded-word or the decoded data.

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Ishikawa, Japan

Shintarou Nakatani