Patent ID: 8831089

Claim:
A method for determining video encoding parameters that are used by an encoder, comprising the steps of: (A) storing a plurality of configurable parameters each comprising a respective trial value; (B) generating a bitstream by encoding a test sequence of pictures that are not embedded in a video signal using (i) a plurality of non-configurable parameters fixed in a design of said encoder, (ii) said configurable parameters and (iii) a plurality of dynamic parameters adjustable in real time by said encoder, wherein the test sequence of pictures is predetermined at startup to include a plurality of test picture frames that represents characteristics associated with the video signal; (C) generating a reconstructed sequence of pictures by decoding said bitstream; (D) generating a quality metric based on said reconstructed sequence of pictures compared with said test sequence of pictures; and (E) adjusting said respective trial values to modify said quality metric prior to encoding the video signal; wherein step (E) comprises the sub-step of: separating said configurable parameters into a plurality of uncorrelated subsets which are independently adjusted to modify said quality metric; and further comprising determining an encoding performance of said encoder comprising a weighted sum of a plurality of respective encoding performances for the plurality of said test sequences of said plurality of test picture frames having a plurality of respective video signal characteristics.