Patent ID: 6970506

Claim:
A method of determining which frames to skip in a video sequence, the method comprising: receiving a first frame rate goal; selecting a first potential frame to be skipped, the first potential frame between a first frame and a last frame in a video sequence scene; calculating a first cost value for the first potential frame to be skipped, the first cost value related to the visual impact that would result from skipping the first potential frame; storing the first cost value in computer readable memory; selecting a second potential frame to be skipped, the second potential frame between the first frame and the last frame; calculating a second cost value for the second potential frame to be skipped; storing the second cost value in computer readable memory; selecting a third potential frame to be skipped, the third potential frame between the first frame and the last frame; calculating a third cost value for the third potential frame to be skipped; storing the third cost value in computer readable memory; determining which one of the first, second, and third cost values has the least cost; skipping the one of the one of the first, second, and third potential frames corresponding to the least cost value; determining if the first frame rate goal is met; and at least partly in response to determining the first frame rate goal is not met, recalculating cost values associated with frames remaining from the first, second and third potential frames, and skipping the one of the remaining frames having the least recalculated cost value.