Patent ID: 6219359
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: H04J,H04N

Abstract:
A method of transmitting a plurality of digital signals through a plurality of channels, the channels collectively having a predetermined resource capability, the method comprising:encoding each of the plural signals to produce a plurality of encoded signals;grouping the plural encoded signals into a group of signals;repeatedly distributing the resource capability between each of the encoded signals such that each encoded signal is provided with resource capability to substantially meet the requirements thereof and such that an overall resource capability of the group of signals does not exceed the predetermined resource capability;providing the predetermined resource capability as a predetermined total bitrate, by the steps of:adjusting the distribution of the bitrate allocation between the channels in response to a control system;providing an indication of a target quality for each channel;providing an indication of the actual quality of each channel; andrepeatedly adjusting the distribution of the bitrate allocation in response to differences between the indicated actual quality of the indicated target quality for each channel so as to tend to equalize the difference between the actual and target quality across at least some of the channels.