Patent ID: 8085809

Claim:
A codec converter comprising: a plurality of separate codec converting units each configured to convert first encoded media data encoded using a first encoding mode into second encoded media data encoded using a second encoding mode different from the first encoding mode; a media data extracting unit configured to extract input-encoded media data from an input packet, and to generate conversion information that identifies a desired format conversion; a resource allocation unit configured to route the input-encoded media data to a selected one of the plurality of separate codec converting units based on the conversion information; and a packet reassembling unit configured to receive output-encoded media data from the selected one of the plurality of separate codec converting units, and to assemble the output-encoded media data into an output packet, wherein the plurality of separate codec converting units are arranged in parallel between the resource allocation unit and the packet reassembling unit, wherein the first encoding mode is chosen from a plurality of possible encoding modes, wherein the second encoding mode is chosen from the plurality of possible encoding modes, and wherein each of the plurality of separate codec converting units selects a different pair of first and second encoding modes.