EP0479432A2
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EP
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Method and apparatus for dynamic channel bandwidth allocation among multiple parallel video coders
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1991-09-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-09-03
Abstract
Abstract A dynamic channel allocation unit (103) specifies a bit rate for each video coder in a set of parallel video coders (102-1,...102-N) comprising an overall video coder. The dynamic channel allocation unit is supplied from each individual video coder with an average frame quantization step size for the previous frame and the average number of bits produced per pel. For the current image frame the dynamic channel allocation unit computes a set of channel sharing factors, i.e., the percentage of the total channel bandwidth to be allocated to a particular video coder. One channel sharing factor is computed for each individual video coder. Individual members of the set of channel sharing factors may be further refined to reflect the prior history of the channel sharing factor for their corresponding coder. Additionally, the set of estimates may be normalized to reflect the actual number of bits that can actually be produced by each individual video coder.
Inventors
- 👤 Hsueh-Ming Hang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 12:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/12; H04N19/00; H04N19/60; H04N19/61; H04N19/63; H04N19/10; H04N19/102; H04N19/115; H04N19/134; H04N19/146; H04N19/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for dynamically allocating portions of available overall channel bandwidth CHARACTERIZED BY: a set including a plurality of individual video coders [102] each of which is processing in parallel at least a different portion of at least one video signal [105] comprised of frames wherein each frame contains an at least one image representation; means for receiving as input from each member of said set of individual video coders an average frame quantization step size employed in a previous frame [103, 108, 401, 502]; and means responsive to said average frame quantization step size from each of said individual video coders for generating for a current frame a set of estimated channel sharing factors [103, 401, 504].
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further CHARACTERIZED BY means for supplying as an output [109] a set of channel sharing factors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further CHARACTERIZED BY means for receiving as an input a set of values representative of an average number of bits produced per pel by each individual video coder for said previous frame [103, 108, 401, 501] each member of said set corresponding to at least one member of said set of individual video coders.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 3 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said means for generating is also responsive to said set of values.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further CHARACTERIZED BY means for deriving a modified set of estimated channel sharing factors from said set of estimated channel sharing factors such that said modified set of estimated channel sharing factors reflects values of at least one estimated channel sharing factor for at least one frame prior to said current frame [402].
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 5 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said means for deriving [402] further includes means for obtaining a weighted average of an at least one said current estimated channel sharing factors and said at least one estimated channel sharing factor for at least one frame prior to said current frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 5 further CHARACTERIZED BY means for normalizing [403] either said modified set of estimated channel sharing factors, if derived, or said set of estimated channel sharing factors, if said modified set is not desired.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for dynamically allocating portions of available overall channel bandwidth to each member of a set including a plurality of individual video coders wherein each coder is processing in parallel at least a different portion of at least one video signal comprised of frames wherein each frame contains an at least one image representation, CHARACTERIZED BY the step of: receiving as an input from each member of said set of individual video coders an average frame quantization step size employed in a previous frame; and generating for a current frame a set of estimated channel sharing factors in response to said average frame quantization step size from each of said individual video coders.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as defined in claim 8 further CHARACTERIZED BY the step of supplying as an output a set of channel sharing factors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method as defined in claim 8 further CHARACTERIZED BY the step of receiving as an input a set of values representative of an average number of bits produced per pel by each individual video coder for said previous frame, each member of said set corresponding to at least one member of said set of individual video coders wherein said of generating is also responsive to said set of values.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method as defined in claim 8 further CHARACTERIZED BY the step of deriving a modified set of estimated channel sharing factors from said set of estimated channel sharing factors such that said modified set of estimated channel sharing factors reflects values of at least one estimated channel sharing for at least one frame prior to said current frame.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as defined in claim 8 or 11 further CHARACTERIZED BY the step of normalizing said set of modified estimated channel sharing factors, if derived or said set of estimated channel sharing factors if said modified estimated channel sharing factors are not derived.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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