Patent ID: 6028633
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
Video data compression apparatus in which successive groups of two or more images are encoded subject to a predetermined limit on a quantity of output encoded data to be generated for each group of images, said apparatus comprising:a trial encoder for encoding at least a subset of images of a current group of images to generate trial-encoded data for each trial-encoded image;a data quantity allocator, responsive to the quantities of trial-encoded data generated by said trial encoder, for allocating respective quantities of output encoded data for each image in said group of images;a final encoder for encoding each image of said group of images in accordance with the quantities of output encoded data allocated to that image by said data quantity allocator;wherein said trial encoder is operable to trial-encode a subset of each group of images; andwherein said data quantity allocator is operable to allocate quantities of output encoded data to each trial-encoded image of said group of images in proportion to the respective quantities of trial-encoded data for those images, and to allocate output encoded data to each non-trial encoded image of said group of images in proportion to the total quantity of trial-encoded data generated for that group and a respective ratio associated with each non-trial-encoded image of said group.