Image information conversion apparatus and image information conversion method

Abstract

The invention provides an image information conversion apparatus and method by which picture quality deterioration caused by conversion from inputted MPEG2 image compression information into MPEG4 image compression information to be outputted is prevented. When an I picture of an MPEG2 bit stream is to be converted into a P-VOP of an MPEG4 bit stream based on an estimated value of the complexity for each VOP, a scene change detection section detects whether or not the I picture includes a scene change. If a scene change is detected by the scene change detection section, then a GOV structure determination section determines that conversion of the I picture of the MPEG2 bit stream into a P-VOP of an MPEG4 bit stream should not be performed.

1 . An image information conversion apparatus comprising: 
 conversion means for converting first image compression information inputted to said image information conversion apparatus into second image compression information to be outputted from said image information conversion apparatus; each of the first image compression information and the second image compression information including at least intra-image coded pictures and inter-image predictive coded pictures; and    scene change detection means operable when said conversion means calculates, based on a variable representative of a complexity of a screen for each frame of the inputted first image compression information, a target code amount for each frame of the second image compression information to be outputted for detecting, prior to conversion of an intra-image coded picture of the first image compression information into an inter-image predictive coded picture of the second image compression information, whether or not a scene change is included in a frame of the intra-image coded picture to be converted.    
   
   
       2 . An image information conversion apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, when said scene change detection means detects that a scene change is included in the frame to be converted, said scene change detection means limits the conversion by said conversion means from the intra-image coded picture of the first image compression information into an inter-image predictive coded picture of the second image compression information.  
   
   
       3 . An image information conversion apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said scene change detection means uses the product of a code amount allocated to each frame and an average quantization scale of the first image compression information as the variable representative of the complexity of the screen for the frame to detect whether or not a scene change is included in the frame.  
   
   
       4 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . An image information conversion method comprising the steps of: 
 converting inputted first image compression information into second image compression information to be outputted, each of the first image compression information and the second image compression information including at least intra-image coded pictures and inter-image predictive coded pictures; and    detecting, when to calculate, based on a variable representative of a complexity of a screen for each frame of the inputted first image compression information, a target code amount for each frame of the second image compression information to be outputted, prior to conversion of an intra-image coded picture of the first image compression information into an inter-image predictive coded picture of the second image compression information, whether or not a scene change is included in a frame of the intra-image coded picture to be converted.    
   
   
       17 . An image information conversion method according to  claim 16 , wherein, when it is detected that a scene change is included in the frame to be converted, the conversion from the intra-image coded picture into an inter-image predictive coded picture is limited.  
   
   
       18 . An image information conversion method according to  claim 17 , wherein the product of a code amount allocated to each frame and an average quantization scale of the first image compression information is used as the variable representative of the complexity of the screen for the frame to detect whether or not a scene change is included in the frame.  
   
   
       19 - 30 . (canceled)