Signal coding method, signal coding apparatus, signal recording medium, and signal transmission method

摘要

A signal coding method and apparatus enables effective coding of a predetermined time segment of a video signal with a variable bit rate at real time (one-path) into a total coding bit amount of a constant data capacity. A coding difficulty calculator 13 determines a coding difficulty of an input signal for each unit time. An allocation bit amount calculator 14 interrelates an allocation data amount with a coding difficulty for each unit time standardized in advance using an ordinary input signal of the type to which the input signal belongs, so as to obtain a reference value of the allocation data amount for each unit time interrelated with the coding difficulty supplied from the coding difficulty calculator 13. This reference value of the allocation data amount is modified by a controller 15 into an actual allocation data amount, according to which the input signal is coded by a moving picture image coding apparatus 18, so as to create coded data.