Patent ID: 8923388

Claim:
A method for encoding a video sequence in a video encoding pipeline, the method comprising: determining a prediction mode for a macroblock; computing an estimated encoded size of the macroblock based on an adaptive macroblock size estimation model and computing the proportional factor ρ as ρ = ( φ h - φ l ) ( Rd H - Rd L ) , wherein φ h is an average encoded size of a plurality of macroblocks in the previously encoded frame have a rate distortion value Rd H , φ l is an average encoded size of at least one macroblock in the previously encoded frame have a rate distortion value Rd L , Rd H is a highest rate distortion value in the previously encoded frame such that a number of macroblocks having the rate distortion value Rd H is larger than a threshold, and Rd L is lowest rate distortion value in the previously encoded frame such that a number of macroblocks having the rate distortion value Rd L is larger than the threshold; and making a slice cap decision for a current slice based on the estimated encoded macroblock size, wherein the slice cap decision is made prior to entropy coding the macroblock.