Data stream generation apparatus and method of same, variable length coded data stream generation apparatus and method of same, and camera system

A data stream generation method for generating a data stream including variable length data and predetermined control data, comprising the steps of:

• inserting control data including first data having a predetermined first data pattern at a desired position in a string of variable length data;
• successively combining the variable length data and the inserted control data;
• successively extracting predetermined fixed length data from the combined data;
• detecting first data having the first data pattern other than the first data included in the control data from the extracted fixed length data;
• successively selecting output data from the fixed length data and, when first data other than the first data included in the control data is detected;
• selecting second data having a predetermined second data pattern immediately after the detected first data as the output data;
• and
• successively outputting the output data with a fixed length.

A variable length coded data stream generation apparatus for generating a data stream including variable length coded data and predetermined control data, comprising:

• a variable length coding means for coding desired data by variable length coding;
• a control data inserting means for inserting control data including first data having a predetermined first data pattern at a desired position of a string of variable length coded data;
• a first data combining means for successively combining said variable length coded data and said inserted control data;
• a fixed length data extracting means for successively extracting predetermined fixed length data from said combined data;
• a data pattern detecting means for detecting the first data having said first data pattern other than the first data included in said control data from said extracted fixed length data;
• and
• an output data selecting means for successively selecting an output data from said fixed length data, and, when the first data other than the first data included in said control data is detected, selecting second data having a predetermined second data pattern immediately after the detected first data as the output data.

A variable length coded data stream generation method for generating a data stream including variable length coded data and predetermined control data, comprising the steps of:

• coding desired data by variable length coding;
• inserting control data including first data having a predetermined first data pattern at the desired position of a string of variable length coded data;
• successively combining said variable length coded data and said inserted control data;
• successively extracting predetermined fixed length data from said combined data;
• detecting the first data having said first data pattern other than the first data included in said control data from said extracted fixed length data;
• successively selecting an output data from said fixed length data, and, when the first data other than the first data included in said control data is detected, selecting a second data having a predetermined second data pattern immediately after the detected first data as the output data;
• and
• successively outputting said selected output data.

A camera system, comprising:

• a photographing means for photographing a desired image to generate an image data;
• a variable length coding means for coding said generated image data by the variable length coding;
• a control data inserting means for inserting control data including first data having a predetermined first data pattern at a desired position of a string of variable length coded image data;
• a first data combining means for successively combining said variable length coded image data and said inserted control data;
• a fixed length data extracting means for successively extracting predetermined fixed length coded image data from said combined data;
• a data pattern detecting means for detecting the first data having said first data pattern other than the first data included in said control data from said extracted fixed length coded image data;
• an output image data selecting means for successively selecting an output image data from said fixed length coded image data and, when the first data other than the first data included in said control data is detected, selecting second data having a predetermined second data pattern immediately after the detected first data as the output image data;
• and
• a processing means for carrying out predetermined processing on a string of said selected output image data.