Patent ID: 6798835
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A bitstream switching apparatus for switching a plurality of incoming moving-picture bitstreams each carrying first pictures to be used as reference pictures for inter-picture prediction and second pictures other than the first pictures, at a predetermined switching timing, to form a successive moving-picture bitstream, the apparatus comprising:a data separator to obtain buffer occupancy indicator at decoder buffer on each picture carried by the successive moving-picture bitstream; a decimation controller to obtain a difference in buffer occupancy just before and just after the switching timing based on the buffer occupancy data to set a decimation rate and a decimation period on the second pictures so that the difference in buffer occupancy just before and just after the switching timing becomes small; and bitstream decimator to decimate the second pictures only from the successive moving-picture bitstream at the decimation rate within the decimation period, thus obtaining an output moving-picture bitstream having an adjusted buffer occupancy in accordance with the decimation.