Variable-length decoder, video decoder and image display system having the same, and variable-length decoding method

A method of variable-length decoding comprising:

• generating a decoding bitstream for a current decoding process based on an unused bitstream and an input bitstream, the unused bitstream including unused bits of a previous decoding bitstream;
• generating a plurality of symbols per clock cycle based on the decoding bitstream;
• and
• providing a next unused bitstream for a next decoding process, the next unused bitstream including unused bits of the decoding bitstream.

A video decoder comprising:

• an inverse quantization unit configured to perform an inverse quantization operation on video data to generate a conversion coefficient;
• an inverse conversion unit configured to perform an inverse conversion operation on the conversion coefficient to generate a residual frame;
• a motion compensator configured generate a reconstructed video frame based on a reference frame and motion vectors;
• and
• a variable-length decoder configured to perform a variable-length decoding process on a bitstream to generate the video data and the motion vectors, the variable-length decoder comprising,
• a bitstream interface unit configured to generate a decoding bitstream for a current decoding process based on an unused bitstream and an input bitstream, the unused bitstream including unused bits of a previous decoding bitstream, and
• a decoding unit configured to decode the decoding bitstream to generate a plurality of symbols per clock cycle, and configured to provide a next unused bitstream for a next decoding process to the bitstream interface unit.

An image display system, comprising:

• a receiving unit configured to receive a contents program;
• a demultiplexer configured to select video data from the contents program;
• a video decoder configured to decode the video data to generate a reconstructed video frame based on a variable-length decoding algorithm, the video decoder comprising,
• a bitstream interface unit configured to generate a decoding bitstream for a current decoding process based on an unused bitstream and an input bitstream, the unused bitstream including unused bits of a previous decoding bitstream, and
• a decoding unit configured to decode the decoding bitstream to generate a plurality of symbols per clock cycle, and configured to provide a next unused bitstream for a next decoding process to the bitstream interface unit;
• an encoder configured to convert the reconstructed video frame into display data corresponding to the video frame;
• and
• a display device configured to display the display data.