Encoding device for encoding a program and recording device

• US 7,209,647 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bruls, Wilhelmus H. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier; Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/978,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20020012530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 386/109, 386/110, 386/111, 386/112, 386/27, 386/33, 386/46, 386/52, 386/105, 386/106, 386/124, 386/125, 386/45, 386/40, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/294
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/107 between spatial and temporal predictive coding, e.g. picture refresh
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/149 by estimating the code amount by means of a model, e.g. mathematical model or statistical model
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/15 by monitoring actual compressed data size at the memory before deciding storage at the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/152 by measuring the fullness of the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/176 the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/177 the unit being a group of pictures [GOP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/637 Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9264 using transform coding

Abstract

When a program of a certain duration is converted into compressed data (encoded), it is desirable for the total number of data to fit in an available data space, for example, when recorded on an information carrier. More particularly in variable bit rate compression such as a video signal via MPEG-2, this is hard to forecast. For this purpose, a recording device according to the invention comprises a compression unit (22) whose bit rate is influenced by a system controller (45) via a control input (26) during the encoding process in dependence on the remaining part of the vacant data space on the information carrier (1) and the remaining duration of the program. When parameters influencing the bit rate are set in the compression unit (22), the system controller will take the complexity of the program derived during a previously encoded part of the program into account.

Claims

1. An encoding device comprising:

a compression unit for encoding a signal representing a video program of a predefined duration into compressed digital data with a variable bit rate; and

system controller means for controlling the compression unit for adjusting during the encoding, the bit rate of the digital data for fitting the program in a predetermined data space which is available for the program depending on;

a remaining part of the data space determined during the encoding, a remaining part of the duration of the program determined during the encoding, and a complexity of at least a part of the program.

5. The encoding device of claim 1 wherein the system controller means controls the compression unit to set compression in accordance with the complexity for the at least a part of the program by increasing compression for more complex parts of the program.

6. The encoding device of claim 5 wherein the system controller means computes a new value for the bit rate in response to more complex of the parts of the program being encoded with increased compression.

7. The encoding device of claim 1 wherein the compression unit employs a variable bit rate in accordance with program signal contents.

2. A recording device comprising:

recording means for recording digital data on the information carrier having a predetermined data space available for recording;

a compression unit for encoding a signal representing a video program of a predefined duration into digital data;

data space means for determining during the encoding, the remaining part of the data space;

duration means for determining during the encoding, the remaining part of the duration of the video program;

data space means for determining during the encoding, the complexity of at least a part of the video program; and

system controller means for controlling the compression unit for adjusting during the encoding the bit rate of the digital data for fitting the program in the data space depending on;

the remaining part of the data space determined during the encoding;

the remaining part of the duration of the video program determined during encoding; and

the complexity of at least a part of the video program.

8. The recording device of claim 2 wherein the system controller means controls the compression unit to set compression in accordance with the complexity for the at least a part of the program by increasing compression for more complex parts of the program.

9. The recording device of claim 8 wherein the system controller means computes a new value for the bit rate in response to more complex of the parts of the program being encoded with increased compression.

10. The recording device of claim 2 wherein the compression unit employs a variable bit rate in accordance with program signal contents.

3. A method of encoding comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal that represents a video program of a predefined duration;

encoding to convert the signal into compressed digital data with a bit rate adjusted for fitting the program into a predetermined data space which is available for the program;

determining during the encoding, a remaining part of the memory space;

determining during the encoding, a remaining part of the duration of the video program;

determining during the encoding, the complexity of at least a part of the video program; and

adjusting settings of the compression process for adjusting during the encoding the bit rate depending on;

the remaining part of the data space determined during encoding, the remaining part of the duration determined during encoding, and the complexity of at least a part of the program determined during encoding.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the adjusting of the settings of the compression process further comprises adjusting the settings in accordance with the complexity for the at least a part of the program by increasing compression for more complex parts of the program.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the adjusting of the settings of the compression process further comprises computing a new value for the bit rate in response to more complex of the parts of the program being encoded with increased compression.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the adjusting of the settings of the compression process further comprises varies bit rates in accordance with program signal contents.

4. Apparatus for programming a programmable controller to provide programmed structures to control a compression unit to influence a bit rate of a program of predefined duration, comprising:

means for providing programmed structures for determining during the encoding, a remaining part of the memory space;

means for providing programmed structures for determining during the encoding, a remaining part of the duration of the video program;

means for providing programmed structures for determining during the encoding, the complexity of at least a part of the video program; and

means for providing programmed structures for adjusting settings of the compression process for adjusting during the encoding the bit rate depending on;

the remaining part of the data space determined during encoding, the remaining part of the duration determined during encoding, and the complexity of at least a part of the program determined during encoding.

14. The apparatus for programming a programmable controller of claim 4 wherein the means for providing programmed structures for adjusting the settings of the compression process further comprises means for adjusting the settings in accordance with the complexity for the at least a part of the program by increasing compression for more complex parts of the program.

15. The apparatus for programming a programmable controller of claim 14 wherein the adjusting of the settings of the compression process further comprises computing a new value for the bit rate in response to more complex of the parts of the program being encoded with increased compression.

16. The apparatus for programming a programmable controller claim 4 of wherein the adjusting of the settings of the compression process further comprises varying the bit rates in accordance with program signal contents.

17. An encoding device comprising:

a compression unit for encoding a signal representing a video program of a predefined duration into compressed digital data with a variable bit rate; and

system controller means for controlling the compression Unit for adjusting, during the encoding, the bit rate of the digital data, for limiting the amount of encoded data to less than a predetermined amount of encoded data to represent the program, the adjusting depending on;

a remaining part of the predetermined amount determined during the encoding, a remaining part of the duration of the program determined during the encoding, and a complexity of at least a part of the program.

18. A method of encoding comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal that represents a video program of a predefined duration;

encoding to convert the signal into compressed digital data with a bit rate adjusted for limiting the size of the encoded data representing the program to less than a predetermined amount of encoded data;

determining during the encoding, a remaining part of the predetermined amount of encoded data;

determining during the encoding, a remaining part of the duration of the video program;

determining during the encoding, the complexity of at least a part of the video program; and

adjusting settings of the compression process for adjusting during the encoding the bit rate depending on;

the remaining part of the predetermined amount of data, determined during encoding, the remaining part of the duration determined during encoding, and the complexity of at least a part of the program determined during encoding.

19. An encoding device for encoding a signal, the signal representing a program of a predefined duration, and the encoding device comprising a compression unit for compressing the signal to digital data, and a system controller for controlling the compression unit for influencing the bit rate of the digital data for fitting the program in a data space which is available for the program in dependence on a remaining part of the data space and a remaining part of the duration established during encoding, characterized in that the system controller is arranged for setting the compression unit in dependence on a program complexity of the actual program.

20. The encoding device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on en actual bit rate during a previously encoded part of the program.

21. The encoding device as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on peaks and valleys or variation of the actual bit rate during a previously encoded part of the program.

22. The encoding device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on a program type.

23. The encoding device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the system controller is arranged for determining the duration in dependence on an expected duration of the program and a margin for leveling off peaks in the bit rate in a last part of the program and/or for the program overrunning its time.

24. A recording device for recording a signal on an information carrier , the signal representing a program of a predefined duration, the information carrier having a vacant data space available for recording the program, and the device comprising recording means for recording a digital bit stream on the information carrier and means for establishing the predefined duration, characterized in that the recording device comprises an encoding device as claimed in claim 19.

30. The encoding device as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on peaks and valleys or variation of the actual bit rate during a previously encoded part of the program;

the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on a program type; and

the system controller is arranged for determining the duration in dependence on an expected duration of the program and a margin for leveling off peaks in the bit rate in a last part of the program and/or for the program overrunning its time.

31. The recording device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on peaks and valleys or variation of the actual bit rate during a previously encoded part off the program;

the system controller is arranged for establishing the program complexity in dependence on a program type; and

the system controller is arranged for determining the duration in dependence on an expected duration of the program and a margin for leveling off peaks in the bit rate in a last part of the program and/or for the program overrunning its time.

25. A method of encoding a signal that represents a program of a predefined duration, the signal being converted by a compression process into digital data with a bit rate influenced for fitting the program in a vacant data space which is available for the program, in which method a remaining part of the vacant memory space and a remaining part of the duration are determined during the encoding process and the bit rate is influenced by settings of the compression process in dependence on the remaining part of the vacant data space and the remaining part of the duration, characterized in that the compression process is set in dependence on a program complexity of the actual program.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the program complexity is established in dependence on an actual bit rate during a previously encoded part of the program.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the program complexity is established in dependence on peaks and valley or variation of the actual bit rate during a previously encoded part of the program.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the program complexity is established in dependence on a program type.

29. The method as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the duration is determined in dependence on an expected duration of the program and a margin for leveling off peaks in the bit rate in a last part of the program and/or for the program overrunning its time.

32. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein

the program complexity is established in dependence on peaks and valleys or variation of the actual bit rate during a previously encoded part of the program;

the program complexity is established in dependence on a program type;

the duration is determined in dependence on an expected duration of the program and a margin for leveling off peaks in the bit rate in a last part of the program and/or for the program overrunning its time.