Patent · US Expired

Statistical multiplexer and remultiplexer that accommodates changes in structure of group of pictures

US6643327B1 · kind B1 · utility

53Cited by
11References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 5, 2000
Grant dateNov 4, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 5, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N19/625
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system for rate control during transcoding and encoding of digital video data in a multi-program transmission environment accommodates changes in the GOP structure of any of the programs, e.g., due to a commercial insertion or the like. A hierarchical bit allocation scheme is used, where bits are allocated on a super group of pictures (GOP) level, i.e., a grouping of multiple GOPs, a super frame level, and an individual frame level. The bit allocation for the super GOP and each picture is adjusted when a change in the structure of a group of pictures (GOP) is detected for any of the pre-compressed programs. The super GOP length may also be adjusted if required to maintain an integer number of GOPs therein. A change in the GOP structure is detected based on a change in the GOP length or sub_GOP length (distance between P pictures). For pre-compressed data, initial GOP lengths and sub_GOP lengths can be assumed and adjusted as required based on actual measurements. For a current I or P picture, the sub GOP length is calculated based on temporal references of the current picture and a previous I or P picture. For a current B picture, the same calculation is used, plus one picture.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.