Patent ID: 7564901

Claim:
A method for panel-based rate control for encoding real-time digital video, comprising: performing bit allocation by assigning and updating a target rate for a group of pictures (GOP), and computing a target rate for a picture of type I, P or B in frame or field within said GOP from said target rate of said GOP, where said picture is processed on multiple panels; and performing rate control by adjusting guantization parameters to achieve said target rates protecting both encoder and decoder buffers from overflowing or underflowing before encoding a picture, wherein protecting the encoder buffers comprises checking and adjusting the target number of bits assigned for a picture according to the following two conditions: if buffer_occupancy +T pic — target >α×buffer_size, then T pic — target =α×buffer_size−buffer_occupancy; and if buffer_occupancy+T pic — target −bit−rate/pic_rate<(1−α)×buffer_size, then T pic — target =(1−α)×buffer_size−buffer —occupancy+bit _rate/pic_rate.