Patent ID: 6754392
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
An image data decoding method of 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 staffing from an intra-coded image picture, said image data decoding method comprising the steps of:(i) decoding a currently selected image channel to generate display data for driving an image display to show said currently selected channel; (ii) at least partially processing at least one non-selected channel from said plurality of image channels to allow switching to show said at least one non-selected channel without waiting for a next intra-coded image picture to be received; (iii) buffering 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; and (iv) determining, before switching to said non-selected channel, whether a next intra-coded image picture will be received in less than a threshold time, and if so, waiting to decode said next intra-coded image picture before said switching to said non-selected channel.