HIERARCHICAL VARIABLE LENGTH DECODER FOR DIGITAL VIDEO DATA

摘要

Efficient decoding of an hierarchical, variable length, encoded data sequence (on 410) containing embedded uncoded data into a sequence of fixed length instructions for subsequent processing by a digital video processor or the like is realized in an apparatus including a decoder (401) having a plurality of variable length code decoding elements and a control structure embedded within each decoding element for transferring the decoding operation to an appropriate one of the decoding elements in response to a prior output from the decoder element. As the encoded data sequence is processed by the apparatus, a predetermined length of the sequence is stored in a register (402). The control structure further responds to the encoded data sequence to initiate selection of either the predetermined length of the sequence stored in the register or a portion of the decoder output as the fixed length instruction to be output by the apparatus (on 416).