Patent attributes
A coder codes an information signal. A rate controller controls a coding rate of the coder in accordance with complexity of the information signal. The rate controller controls a coding amount per unit time in the coding process so that an average value of the coding amount can be approximate to an average rate. The coded data is temporarily memorized in a temporary memory unit and processed by an information processing unit such as a recorder and a transmitter. The information processing unit measures an information processing rate in processing the information. The rate controller adjusts the average rate so that the average rate is lower than the information processing rate measured by the information processing unit, or the rate controller compares a threshold value of a used amount of the temporary memory unit which is previously set and an actually used amount of the temporary memory unit and reduces the average rate when the used amount exceeds the threshold value. Thereby, the rate control can be properly executed while the coding amount in accordance with the complexity of the information signal is allocated.
