Patent ID: 6895410

Claim:
A method by which a multimedia data stream conveying a plurality of objects of different types is provided at a total data rate (R) less than or equal to a maximum allowed total data rate (R M ), characterized by: a step ( 22 b ) in which for each object of the data stream a relationship ( 11 b ) is established between different encoded data rates (R i ) used for transmitting the object and a resulting corresponding quality (Q i ) indicating a measure of quality for the transmitted object; and a step ( 33 ) in which, using the established relationships ( 11 b ), for an object included in the multimedia data stream and having a generally low value of quality (Q j ) based on a currently selected data rate (R j ) compared to values of quality (Q k ) for other objects of the multimedia data stream based on currently selected values of data rate values (R k ) for the other objects, a higher data rate value (R′ j ) is selected, provided that the higher data rate value (R′ j ) does not result in the total data rate (R) exceeding the maximum allowed total data rate (R M ).