Patent ID: 7636392
Filing Date: 2009-12-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method implemented by a computing system that receives a transport stream, the transport stream including at least one video stream, wherein the video stream has a bit rate that is too large for available bandwidth or wherein a storage of a set top box cannot store the video stream based on the bit rate, the computing system also including a processor that executes computer executable instruction to implement the method, wherein the method is a method for controlling the bit rate of the video stream in order to accommodate the available bandwidth or the storage of the computing system, the method comprising acts of: selecting, by the computing system, a new bit rate for the video stream, wherein the new bit rate corresponds to consuming a particular number of bits in a particular time interval; determining, by the computing system, a current bit rate of the video stream; altering, by the computing system, a quantization level of the video stream such that the current bit rate is reduced if the current bit rate will cause more than the particular number of bits to be consumed in the particular time interval, wherein altering the quantization level includes at least one of: refraining, by the computing system, from altering the quantization level of the video stream if the current bit rate will cause less than the particular number of bits to be consumed in the particular time interval.