Patent ID: 6212208
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A multimedia data coding and multiplexing method for generating multimedia data coded and multiplexed information in which digital multimedia data comprising digitized video data and digitized audio data is coded and subjected to time division multiplexing, said method comprising:multimedia data coding step in which coded multimedia information having a reproduction time T and a quantity V is generated by coding the digital multimedia data;coded multimedia information buffering step in which the coded multimedia information is temporarily stored in a memory unit for temporary storage so that it is divided in unit quantities using a coded multimedia information unit quantity that shows a quantity of coded multimedia data equivalent to a set reproduction time; andcoded multimedia information synchronization step in which the coded multimedia information stored in the memory unit is read out, and multimedia data coded and multiplexed information is generated, whereinthe multimedia data coding step comprises:video coding step in which pro-video information comprising plural pieces of digitized still picture information is coded to generate coded video information having a reproduction time Tv and a quantity Vv; andaudio coding step in which digitized pro-audio information is coded to generate coded audio information having a reproduction time Ta and a quantity Va;the multimedia buffering step comprises:video buffering step in which reproduction time information defined on the basis of the reproduction time Tv, and the coded video information equivalent to the coded multimedia unit quantity are temporarily stored in the memory unit for temporary storage in the following manner: when there is a space between two blocks of coded audio information which have already been stored, the reproduction time information and the coded video information are stored in this space and, when there is no such a space, they are stored in a place subsequent to a block of coded audio information which has previously been stored, leaving a space equivalent to the unit quantity Va of coded audio information; andaudio buffering step in which reproduction time information defined on the basis of the reproduction time Ta, and the coded audio information equivalent to the coded multimedia unit quantity are temporarily stored in the memory unit for temporary storage in the following manner: when there is a space between two blocks of coded video information which have already been stored, the reproduction time information and the coded audio information are stored in this space and, when there is no such a space, they are stored in a place subsequent to a block of coded video information which has previously been stored, leaving a space equivalent to the unit quantity Vv of coded video information; andin the coded multimedia information synchronization step, from the memory unit, a portion where the coded video information and the coded audio information are stored leaving no space between them is read out.