Video encoding device, operating methods thereof, and vehicles equipped with a video encoding device

A vehicle comprising:

• a camera for outputting video data;
• a video encoding device for inputting the data outputted from the camera;
• and
• a memory,
• wherein the video encoding device includes:
• an image coding unit for performing prediction coding by determining a difference between a divided image to be subjected to prediction coding and a reference image;
• a local decode generation unit for generating a reference image based on a coding result of the divided image;
• a compression unit for compressing the reference image to generate compressed data;
• an allowable data amount setting unit for setting an allowable data amount of the compressed data stored in a memory for each predetermined area of the video data;
• a reference image storage determination unit for determining whether or not to store the compressed data in the memory;
• and
• an inter-prediction unit for performing motion vector search based on the reference image stored in the memory for inter coding,
• wherein the reference image storage determination unit determines whether or not to store the compressed data in the memory based on the allowable data amount, and store the compressed data in the memory based on a determination result that the compression data is stored in the memory,
• wherein the inter-prediction unit searches for the reference image corresponding to the compressed data stored in the memory for motion vector search,
• wherein the video encoding device changes an amount of the memory to be used according to a driving mode,
• wherein the vehicle includes a first driving mode and a second driving mode that differs from the first driving mode as the driving mode,
• wherein the video encoding device uses a first amount of the memory in the first driving mode in which the vehicle runs in automatic operation,
• wherein the video encoding device uses a second amount of the memory in the second driving mode in which the vehicle runs in manual operation, and
• wherein the first amount of the memory is less than the second amount of the memory.