Patent ID: 6259471
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An apparatus (SER, TEL1) for transmitting video data over an integrated services digital network (NET), said apparatus comprising a video/audio receiving unit (TEL2), a transmitting unit (SEN, SEN1) for transmitting video data over a switched connection to said video/audio receiving unit (TEL2) over said network (NET), a receiving unit (EMP) for receiving request signals from said video/audio receiving unit (TEL2), an encoding unit (K) for encoding the video data using at least two different encoding methods, and a control unit (CTRL, .mu.P1) cooperatively engaged with the encoding unit (K), wherein the encoding methods are selectable with the control unit (CTRL, .mu.P1) in accordance with information in the received request signals from said video/audio receiving unit (TEL2) through said receiving unit (EMP) so as to allow a subscriber to select the type of encoding method and the time of encoding, and whereinthe encoding unit (K) comprises a first encoder (KI) for encoding video data of an image sequence and a second encoder (K2) for encoding video data of selected frames;the encoding method is switchable between the two encoders (K1, K2) under software control by the control unit (CTRL, .mu.P1) without opening the switched connection; andthe transmitting unit (SEN, SEN1) serves to transmit audio signals, and that the transmission of the audio signals is synchronous with the image sequence independently of the encoding method used.