Patent ID: 7532670

Claim:
A method of encoding a picture (n) in a sequence of pictures (1 to n) using an encoder, said method comprising the steps of: assigning, by said encoder, a pre-decoder buffer removal time to said picture; constraining, by said encoder, an initial arrival time of said picture into said pre-decoder buffer by selecting, for said picture, a number of bits, wherein said time-equivalent of said number of bits is no greater than a difference based on said pre-decoder buffer removal time of said picture and said initial arrival time of said picture into a pre-decoder buffer; compressing, by said encoder, said picture to generate said number of bits; transmitting, by said encoder, said picture to said pre-decoder buffer in compliance with said initial arrival time, wherein said initial arrival time of said picture into said pre-decoder buffer is in accordance with: t ai ⁡ ( n ) = max ⁢ { t ai ⁡ ( n - 1 ) , t c × ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ pre_dec ⁢ _removal ⁢ _delay ⁢ ( n ) } , where t ai (n) is said initial arrival time of said picture into said pre-decoder buffer, t af (n−1) is a final arrival time of a previous picture (n−1) into said pre-decoder buffer, t c is a clock tick, and ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ pre_dec ⁢ _removal ⁢ _delay ⁢ ( n ) is a sum of removal delays of said sequence of pictures (1 to n).