Patent ID: 7652994

Claim:
A system for transmitting a data stream including at least one of audio and video over a transmission channel to a receiver at a bit rate capable of being varied, said data stream arranged in frames, said system comprising: (a) a transcoder that receives said data stream and transcodes said data stream at a first average number of frames per second for a first period of time and at a second average number of frames per second for a second period of time, where said first period of time is immediately prior to said second period of time, where said first average number of frames per second is greater than said second average number of frames per second, where said first average number of frames per second is greater than a playback rate of frames per second at said receiver and said second average number of frames per second is no greater than a playback rate of frames per second at said receiver, and where the transition between said first period of time and second period of time is based on a measure of the fullness of a buffer at said receiver; (b) a transmitter that transmits the transcoded data stream at an average bit rate for a third period of time that is different than an average bit rate over a fourth period of time, where said first period of time is overlapping in time with said third period of time, where said second period of time is overlapping in time with said fourth period of time; (c) a controller that optimizes the bit rate at which said transcoder transcodes said data stream based on an estimate of transmission characteristics of said transmission channel in conjunction with the number of frames per second at which said transmitter transmits the said transcoded data stream.