Patent ID: 8254442

Claim:
Real time encoder, with a bit rate constraint and a time constraint, comprising: a capture buffer memory, with a maximum initial size M c and for storing frames waiting to be processed; an encoding module, receiving frames issued from the capture buffer memory and delivering compressed frames; an intermediate buffer memory, storing the compressed frames issued from the encoding module; an emission buffer memory, storing data packets, resulting from division of the compressed frames issued from the intermediate buffer memory, and emitting, with a controlled bit rate, said data packets on a communication channel, wherein the emission buffer memory has a filling level D v (t) expressed in number of packets contained in the emission buffer memory; and a control module, which dynamically adjusts the maximum size of the capture buffer memory according to the following rules: if the emission buffer memory is empty, the maximum size of the capture buffer memory is equal to said maximum initial size; and if the emission buffer memory is not empty, the maximum size of the capture buffer memory is temporarily increased and is equal to a maximum temporary size M c ′, wherein: M c <M c ′≦M c +D v ( t ).