IMAGE ENCODER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate code data that insures a decoding speed at the time of decoding processing. SOLUTION: It is decided whether a received quantization coefficient is 0 or not (106), and when it is 0, run length is increased by one (112). When a quantization coefficient that is 0 continues in this way, run length is counted up one by one and represents a continuous number of a quantization coefficient that is 0. On the other hand, when it is not 0, the quotient is set as a ZRL number (116) when the run length at the point of time is divided by 16, the number that (ZRL number +1) is added to the symbol number at the point of time is set as a new symbol number (118). When the symbol number reaches the upper bound value within a block (positive decision in 120), an EOB signal is unconditionally generated (122) and the processing is finished even when a quantization coefficient that is not processed yet remains in the block. Thus, the symbol number is restrained below the upper bound value within the block.