An encoding apparatus includes an interval register (250), a calculator (208, etc.), means for providing a potential shift-amount (Shift.sub.-- LSZ) of the interval register for the image data in a specific condition (LPS), a shift-amount decision circuit (258), a shift-amount register (259), and a shifter...http://www.google.de/patents/US6058216?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6058216 - Apparatus for encoding image data
