Patent ID: 6591013
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
Image data decoding apparatus for decoding a stream of compressed image data representing a plurality of image channels, each image channel being encoded as sequence of intra-coded and inter-coded image pictures with decoding of a channel starting from an intra-coded image picture, said image data decoding apparatus comprising:(i) a selected channel decoder for decoding a currently selected image channel to generate display data for driving an image display to show said currently selected channel; and (ii) a non-selected channel processor for at least partially processing at least one non-selected channel from said plurality of image channels such that switching to generating display data for driving said image display to show said at least one non-selected channel can be made without having to wait for a next intra-coded image picture to be received, wherein said non-selected channel processor buffers compressed image data for said at least one non-selected channel including a most recently received intra-coded image picture and any subsequent inter-coded image pictures used as reference pictures, wherein upon said switch said buffered compressed image data is decoded to generate display data to drive said display to show a current image picture, wherein if a next intra-coded image picture will be received in less than a threshold time, then said buffered compressed image data is not decoded and said image data decoding apparatus waits to decode said next intra-coded image picture.