Image encoding method and apparatus providing variable length bit stream signals

Abstract

There is provided an image encoding method in a facsimile apparatus or an image filing apparatus as an image communication apparatus. In this method, a color image signal which is expressed by a plurality of color component signals to be encoded is input, the input color image signal is converted into a bit stream signal, and the bit stream signal is encoded by the prediction encoding. A parameter for the prediction encoding is changed in accordance with the color image signal to be encoded. The encoding operation is executed adaptively to the color image signal to be encoded. By bit stream converting the binary color signal, the efficient encoding using the color correlation can be executed and an increase in data amount is prevented. By encoding the bit stream signal by using a dynamic arithmetic code, a binary color image can be efficiently encoded.

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