Multi-channel video compression system

• US 7,907,665 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wells, Aaron G., LeGall, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): CZEKAJ, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US10/389,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20040179600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,923 Days
• Field of Search: 37524001-24007, 37524012-24016, 375/240.26
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/436 using parallelised computational arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

An apparatus generally comprising an input circuit, a storage circuit and an output circuit is disclosed. The input circuit may be configured to generate a first intermediate signal from a plurality of input video signals. The storage circuit may be configured to (i) organize the first intermediate signal into a plurality of sequences each related to one of the input video signals and (ii) generate a second intermediate signal from the sequences. The output circuit may be configured to generate an output video signal by compressing the second intermediate signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an input circuit configured to (i) generate a first intermediate signal by multiplexing a plurality of input video signals, each of said input video signal being received through a different one of a plurality of channels and (ii) temporally decimate at least two of said input video signals using different time ratios on each of said at least two of said input video signals, said time ratios being based on different priorities of said channels;

a storage circuit configured to (i) parse said first intermediate signal into a plurality of sequences, each of said sequences corresponds to a different one of said input video signals, (ii) store said sequences in a plurality of buffers, each of said buffers storing in a different one of said sequences and (iii) generate a second intermediate signal by time multiplexing said sequences from said buffers; and

an output circuit configured to generate an output video signal by compressing a portion of each of said sequences in said second intermediate signal in a rotating pattern, each of said portions comprising a group of pictures.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input circuit is further configured to:

generate said first intermediate signal by temporally decimating at least one of said input video signals.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input circuit is further configured to:

spatially decimate at least two of said input video signals using different spatial resolutions on each of said at least two of said input video signals.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

generate said output video signal by (i) generating a plurality of intermediate sequences by encoding each of said portions separately using a motion-compensated compression and (ii) concatenating said intermediate sequences after said encoding.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

generate said output video signal by (i) generating a plurality of intermediate sequences by encoding each of said portions in turn and (ii) interleaving said intermediate sequences after said encoding.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

generate said intermediate sequences such that (i) a plurality of first intra-frame coded pictures of a first of said intermediate sequences are temporally spaced from each other by an intra-frame update period within said output video signal and (ii) a plurality of second intra-frame coded pictures of a second of said intermediate sequences are (a) temporally spaced from each other by said intra-frame update period and (b) temporally spaced from said first intra-frame coded pictures by said intra-frame update period within said output video signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input circuit is further configured to:

add a unique identifier to at least one of said input video signals.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said unique identifier is disposed within an active picture area and outside a video blanking area of said at least one of said input video signals.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

read said unique identifier from said at least one of said input video signals.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

add said unique identifier to said output video signal independent of a plurality of pictures for said at least one input video signal.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input circuit is further configured to:

add a unique identifier to said first intermediate signal identifying at least one of said input video signals.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input circuit is further configured to:

generate a unique identifier for at least one of said input video signals in one range of a decode time stamp range and a presentation time stamp range.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

maintain a single context for said input video signals; and

encode said sequences in a bitstream order.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage circuit is further configured to synchronize in said second intermediate signal a plurality of pictures of said input video signals while said input video signals are running from a plurality of independent clocks respectively.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an input circuit configured to (i) generate an intermediate signal by time multiplexing a plurality of input video signals, each of said input video signals being received in a different one of a plurality of channels and (ii) temporally decimate at least two of said input video signals using different time ratios on each of said at least two of said input video signals, said time ratios being based on different priorities of said channels;

a storage circuit configured to (i) simultaneously store at least one reference picture for each of said channels and (ii) arrange said reference pictures into a plurality of sets, one of said sets per each of said channels; and

an output circuit configured to (i) generate said reference pictures, (ii) exchange said reference pictures with said storage circuit and (iii) generate an output video signal by compressing a portion of each of said input video signals in said intermediate signal in a rotating pattern using said reference pictures, each of said portions comprising a group of pictures.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said reference pictures created from a particular one of said input video signals are used exclusively to compress a plurality of pictures originating in said particular input video signal.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said output circuit is further configured to:

maintain a single context for said input video signals; and

encode said input video signals in a bitstream order.