Image processing apparatus and method, and storage medium therefor

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a) inputting means for inputting image data of plural objects;

b) encoding means for encoding, with an encoding parameter, the image data inputted by said inputting means, on an object basis;

c) setting means for setting a priority order of code amount allocation for each of the objects; and

d) control means for controlling the encoding parameter of the object having a lowest priority order among the objects having the priority order set by said setting means, when a total code amount obtained by encoding the image data of the plural objects exceeds a predetermined code amount.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control means changes the priority order at a predetermined timing.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined timing is determined according to how many times a code amount reduction processing for the objects is executed or according to code amounts of the objects.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the code amount of an object set to a lowest priority becomes smaller than a predetermined lower limit value, said setting means sets another object to the lowest priority.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said encoding means breaks down the image data of the objects at least into pixel data and shape data and encodes the pixel data and the shape data, and said setting means determines the priority order in accordance with a size of shape data of the objects.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said encoding means executes the encoding operation in accordance with MPEG-4, and said setting means determines the priority order in accordance with sizes of bounding boxes of the objects.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said encoding means includes quantization means for quantizing the image data of the objects, and the encoding parameter indicates a quantizing parameter of said quantization means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising recording means for recording the data encoded by said encoding means into a recording medium.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said inputting means comprises image pickup means for photographing an object image and generating image data.

10. A video camera provided with the image processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

11. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

a) inputting image data of plural objects;

b) encoding, with an encoding parameter, the image data inputted in said inputting step, on an object basis;

c) setting a priority order of code amount allocation for each of the objects; and

d) controlling the encoding parameter of the object having a lowest priority order among the objects having the priority order set in said setting step, when a total code amount obtained by encoding the image data of the plural objects exceeds a predetermined code amount.

12. A computer readable medium for storing program codes of encoding steps, said encoding steps comprising:

a) an inputting step, of inputting image data of plural objects;

b) an encoding step, of encoding, with an encoding parameter, the inputted image data on an object basis;

c) a setting step, of setting a priority order of code amount allocation for each of the objects; and

d) a controlling step, of controlling the encoding parameter of the object having a lowest priority order among the objects having the priority order set in said setting step, when a total code amount obtained by encoding the image data of the plural objects exceeds a predetermined code amount.

13. An image processor comprising:

a) an inputting unit, arranged to input image data of plural objects;

b) an encoder, arranged to encode, with an encoding parameter, the image data inputted by said inputting unit, on an object basis;

c) a setting unit, arranged to set a priority order of code amount allocation for each of the objects; and

d) a control unit, arranged to control the encoding parameter of the object having a lowest priority order among the objects having the priority order set by said setting unit, when a total code amount obtained by encoding the image data of the plural objects exceeds a predetermined code amount.