Patent ID: 8010370

Claim:
A machine-implemented method, comprising: a perceptual model using a first set of parameter values for a particular set of input parameters; the perceptual model generating, for a first scale factor band, a first masked threshold based at least in part on the first set of parameter values; the perceptual model generating, for a second scale factor band that is different than the first scale factor band, a second masked threshold based at least in part on the first set of parameter values; passing the first and second masked thresholds to a bit allocation unit; the bit allocation unit generating a first scale factor value based on the first masked threshold and a second scale factor value based on the second masked threshold; using the first and second scale factor values to encode a first portion of a digital media item in an encoding operation of the digital media item; and while performing said encoding operation, passing, to the perceptual model, a second set of parameter values for the particular set of input parameters; the perceptual model generating, for the first scale factor band, a third masked threshold based at least in part on the second set of parameter values; the perceptual model generating, for the second scale factor band, a fourth masked threshold based at least in part on the second set of parameter values; wherein a difference between the third masked threshold and the first masked threshold is different than a difference between the fourth masked threshold and the second masked threshold; passing the third and fourth masked thresholds to the bit allocation unit; the bit allocation unit generating a third scale factor value based on the third masked threshold and a fourth scale factor value based on the fourth masked threshold; using the third and fourth scale factor values to encode a second portion of the digital media item in the encoding operation of the digital media item; wherein the first set of parameter values is different than the second set of parameter values; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.