METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSION-ENCODING MOVING IMAGE

1 . An encoding process method for determining an encoding mode from a plurality of encoding modes that are provided in image compression, the method comprising the steps of:

generating quantized DCT coefficients in each of the plurality of encoding modes, and calculating a code amount of a stream to be generated from the DCT coefficients;

determining, from all of the plurality of encoding modes, an encoding mode providing a smallest code amount;

selecting the DCT coefficients of the determined encoding mode; and

variable-length encoding the selected DCT coefficients.

2 . The encoding process method of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of encoding modes include an intra-encoding mode and an inter-encoding mode.

3 . The encoding process method of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of encoding modes include two or more encoding modes in which an intra-encoding process is performed in different intra-prediction modes.

4 . The encoding process method of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of encoding modes include two or more encoding modes in which an inter-encoding process is performed using different block sizes for motion compensation.

5 . The encoding process method of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of encoding modes include two or more encoding modes in which an inter-encoding process is performed using different reference frames.

6 . The encoding process method of claim 2 , wherein

the plurality of encoding modes are switched, depending on a frame encoding type.

7 . The encoding process method of claim 6 , wherein

for a P-picture or a P-slice, or a B-picture or a B-slice, an intra-encoding mode and an inter-encoding mode are designated for the plurality of encoding modes, and

for an I-picture or an I-slice, two intra-encoding modes in which an encoding process is performed using different set parameters are designated for the plurality of encoding modes.

8 . The encoding process method of claim 7 , wherein

the different parameters are different quantization values.

9 . An encoding process device for determining an encoding mode from a plurality of encoding modes that are provided in image compression, the device comprising:

a plurality of encoding sections for receiving a target image to be encoded and an image of a reference frame to be used for encoding, performing a DCT process and a quantization process in different encoding modes, and outputting DCT coefficients, a code amount of a stream to be generated from the DCT coefficients, and a reconstructed image;

an encoding mode determining section for determining an encoding mode providing a smallest code amount from the code amounts calculated by the plurality of encoding sections;

a DCT coefficient selecting section for selecting the DCT coefficients of the encoding mode determined by the encoding mode determining section, from the DCT coefficients output from the plurality of encoding sections;

a variable-length encoding section for receiving the DCT coefficients selected by the DCT coefficient selecting section, and performing a variable-length encoding process with respect to said DCT coefficients to generate a stream, and outputting the stream; and

a reconstructed image selecting section for selecting the reconstructed image of the encoding mode determined by the encoding mode determining section, from the reconstructed images output from the plurality of encoding sections, and storing said reconstructed image to a reference frame storing section.

10 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

each of the plurality of encoding section does not include a variable-length encoding section, and the variable-length encoding section alone is provided in the encoding process device.

11 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

the encoding modes input to the plurality of encoding sections include an intra-encoding mode and an inter-encoding mode.

12 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

the encoding modes input to the plurality of encoding sections include two or more encoding modes in which an intra-encoding process is performed in different intra-prediction modes.

13 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

the encoding modes input to the plurality of encoding sections include two or more encoding modes in which an inter-encoding process is performed using different block sizes for motion compensation.

14 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

the encoding modes input to the plurality of encoding sections include two or more encoding modes in which an inter-encoding process is performed using different reference frames.

15 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

each of the plurality of encoding sections performs the quantization process, and the code amount calculating process of calculating the code amount of a stream to be generated from the DCT coefficients, in process block-level pipelines.

16 . The encoding process device of claim 9 , wherein

each of the plurality of encoding sections performs the DCT process, the quantization process, and the code amount calculating process of calculating the code amount of a stream to be generated from the DCT coefficients, in block-level pipelines.

17 . An imaging system comprising:

an image processing circuit having the encoding process device of claim 9 ;

a sensor for converting image light into an image signal;

an optical system for imaging incident image light onto the sensor; and

a converter for converting the image signal into digital data and outputting the digital data to the image processing circuit.

18 . A signal process system comprising:

an image processing circuit having the encoding process device of claim 9 ; and

a converter for receiving an image signal having an analog value, converting the image signal into digital data, and outputting the digital data to the image processing circuit.