Patent ID: 6642967
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: G11B,H04N

Abstract:
Video data formatting apparatus for formatting video data representing successive pictures for a data handling channel having a predetermined data capacity per picture, said apparatus comprising:a signal input to receive an input video signal representing successive pictures, said input video signal having associated with it at least data defining at least some of a number of coding decisions made during an encoding of pictures represented by said input video signal into a compressed form having group-of-pictures (GOP) format including at least one inter-picture encoded picture; a converter to convert said input video signal into an intermediate compressed video signal, said intermediate compressed video signal having a GOP format in which each GOP contains fewer pictures than a GOP associated with said input video signal; a metadata generator to derive a metadata signal from said input video signal, said metadata signal indicating at least said data defining at least some of said coding decisions; an allocation generator to generate a data quantity allocation to control transcoding into said intermediate video signal, whereby each picture of said intermediate video signal is transcoded so as not to exceed a respective data quantity allocation, in which said allocation generator calculates said data quantity allocation for each picture to be substantially equal to: (i) said predetermined data capacity per picture less (ii) a quantity of metadata for said input video signal GOP containing that picture divided by a number of pictures (n) in that input video signal GOP.