US5216503A — Statistical multiplexer for a multichannel image …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 118 words

A multichannel image compression system comprising: a plurality of encoders for compressing image data; buffer means for accumulating compressed image data from said plurality of encoders; coding level control means coupled to provide in coding level command to each of said encoders for specifying a level of quality to be provided by each encoder, said coding level control means being responsive to an accumulated amount of compressed image data in said buffer means for adjusting said coding level command to maintain the accumulated data within a data storage capacity of said buffer means; and means for multiplexing encoded image data, provided by said encoders in response to said coding level control means, into a combined signal for transmission.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 118 words

A multichannel image compression system comprising: a plurality of encoders for compressing image data; buffer means for accumulating compressed image data from said plurality of encoders; coding level control means coupled to provide in coding level command to each of said encoders for specifying a level of quality to be provided by each encoder, said coding level control means being responsive to an accumulated amount of compressed image data in said buffer means for adjusting said coding level command to maintain the accumulated data within a data storage capacity of said buffer means; and means for multiplexing encoded image data, provided by said encoders in response to said coding level control means, into a combined signal for transmission.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coding level command specifies a global coding level that is the same for all of said encoders.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A system in accordance with claim 2 further comprising: means operatively associated with at least one of said encoders for generating a local coding level for use by the encoder that may differ from said global coding level.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 75 words

Decoder apparatus for use in the system of claim 1 comprising: means for demultiplexing said combined signal to retrieve the encoded image data provided by each encoder; a plurality of decoders, each coupled to said demultiplexing means for decoding the image data provided by a corresponding encoder; and means for recovering said coding level command from received data; wherein said decoders are responsive to the recovered coding level command to decode the encoded image data.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein: said coding level command specifies a global coding level that is the same for all of said encoders; said coding level command is multiplexed with said combined signal prior to transmission; and said recovering means comprise a demultiplexer for recovering said coding level command from the combined signal.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 further comprising: means operatively associated with at least one of said encoders for generating a local coding level for use by the encoder that may differ from said global coding level; and means operatively associated with a decoder corresponding to said at least one encoder, for reproducing said local coding level for use by the decoder.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

Decoder apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said recovering means comprise: means responsive to an accumulated amount of data from said combined signal for reproducing said coding level command.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 127 words

A multichannel image compression system comprising: a plurality of encoders for compressing successive frames of image data from different video channels; means for dividing each frame of image data into an equal number of data blocks, enabling the data blocks for each video channel to be processed synchronously by said plurality of encoders; coding level control means coupled to provide a coding level command to each of said encoders for specifying a level of quality to be provided by each encoder; and means for assembling encoded image data, provided by the plurality of encoders in response to said coding level control means, into packets for transmission as a combined signal, with each packet containing an equal number of data blocks for each of the different video channels.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 127 words

A multichannel image compression system comprising: a plurality of encoders for compressing successive frames of image data from different video channels; means for dividing each frame of image data into an equal number of data blocks, enabling the data blocks for each video channel to be processed synchronously by said plurality of encoders; coding level control means coupled to provide a coding level command to each of said encoders for specifying a level of quality to be provided by each encoder; and means for assembling encoded image data, provided by the plurality of encoders in response to said coding level control means, into packets for transmission as a combined signal, with each packet containing an equal number of data blocks for each of the different video channels.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said coding level command specifies a global coding level that is the same for all of said encoders, and said coding level control means comprise: means for determining the number of data blocks present in a decoder buffer over time; and means responsive to said determining means for providing a current global coding level command.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said means responsive to said determining means are also responsive to a previous global coding level for providing said current global coding level command.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 63 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said coding level command specifies a global coding level that is the same for all of said encoders, and said coding level control means comprise: means for determining the total amount of data in a plurality of encoder buffers over time; and means responsive to said determining means for providing a current global coding level command.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means responsive to said determining means are also responsive to a previous global coding level for providing said current global coding level command.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 117 words

Decoder apparatus for recovering individual channels of compressed image data from a combined signal carrying data for a plurality of said channels, comprising: means for demultiplexing said combined signal to retrieve separate compressed image data provided by each of a plurality of encoders; a plurality of decoders, each coupled to said demultiplexing means for decompressing the image data provided by a corresponding encoder; and means for recovering a coding level command from data received with said combined signal, said coding level command calculated to maintain an accumulated amount of compressed image data from said encoders within a buffer data storage capacity; wherein said decoders are responsive to the recovered coding level command to decompress said image data.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 117 words

Decoder apparatus for recovering individual channels of compressed image data from a combined signal carrying data for a plurality of said channels, comprising: means for demultiplexing said combined signal to retrieve separate compressed image data provided by each of a plurality of encoders; a plurality of decoders, each coupled to said demultiplexing means for decompressing the image data provided by a corresponding encoder; and means for recovering a coding level command from data received with said combined signal, said coding level command calculated to maintain an accumulated amount of compressed image data from said encoders within a buffer data storage capacity; wherein said decoders are responsive to the recovered coding level command to decompress said image data.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 53 words

Decoder apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein: said coding level command specifies a global coding level that is the same for all of said encoders; said coding level command is multiplexed with said combined signal; and said recovering means comprise a demultiplexer for recovering said coding level command from the combined signal.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

Decoder apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said recovering means comprise: means responsive to an accumulated amount of data from said combined signal for reproducing said coding level command.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-05-31	1996-11-30	1997-06-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-05-31	2000-11-30	2001-06-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-05-31	2004-11-30	2005-06-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Statistical multiplexer for a multichannel image compression system

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