Encode/decode strategy for mitigating irregular decoding time

A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions embodied therein, the instructions being configured to implement a digital picture encoding method upon execution by a processor, the method comprising:

• determining a frame type of the digital picture, wherein determining the frame type of the digital picture includes determining whether it would be advantageous to encode the digital picture using a table look-up method instead of an arithmetic method;
• and
• encoding the digital picture with an entropy coding method in accordance with the frame type of the digital picture.

A digital picture decoding method, comprising:

• determining whether an encoded digital picture includes decoding method identifying information that specifies an encoding method used to encode the encoded digital picture;
• and
• decoding the digital picture using an entropy coding method in accordance with the identifying information when the encoded digital picture includes the encoding method identifying information.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions embodied therein, the instructions being configured to implement a digital picture decoding method upon execution by a processor, the method comprising:

• determining whether an encoded digital picture includes decoding method identifying information that specifies an encoding method used to encode the encoded digital picture;
• and
• decoding the digital picture using an entropy coding method in accordance with the identifying information when the encoded digital picture includes the encoding method identifying information.