Statistical multiplexer for a multichannel image compression system
First Claim
1. 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.
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Abstract
A multichannel image compression system uses a plurality of encoders to compress image data. A coding level command is provided to each of the encoders to specify a level of quality to be provided by each encoder. Encoded image data, provided by the encoders in response to the coding level command, is multiplexed into a combined signal for transmission. The coding level command is adjusted in response to an accumulated amount of data from the combined signal, to maintain the accumulated data within a throughput capability of a communication channel. Although the coding level command may specify a global coding level that is the same for all of the encoders, the encoders can derive local coding levels from the global coding level to provide different encoding qualities. Decoder apparatus is provided to recover an image from the compressed image data.
283 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A multichannel image compression system comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A multichannel image compression system comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Decoder apparatus for recovering individual channels of compressed image data from a combined signal carrying data for a plurality of said channels, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification