VARIABLE LENGTH CODE DECODER

PURPOSE:To reduce a circuit scale by reducing a memory capacity by operating the decoding of one part of a variable length code by using a state transition table, and to attain the high speed of a decoding processing by decreasing the number of times of an access to the state transition table. CONSTITUTION:When the variable length code is less than 8 bits, a decoded value for 8 bits is outputted from a conversion table 102 through a selector 105. When the variable length code is more than 8 bits, the initial value of a state transition is decided by applying the initial value of a state number from the conversion table 102 to a state transition memory 503, a state number is applied from a state transition chart input address controller 504 to the state transition memory 503 based on a transition state based on the variable length code, so that the decoded value of the variable length code which is more than 8 bits can be searched, and outputted through the selector 105. Thus, the decoding of the variable length code can be executed at a relative high speed by using the conversion table 102 and the state transition memory 503 whose scale is relatively small.