System and method for dynamically switching quality settings of a codec to maintain a target data rate

• US 8,358,859 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2012
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interact Devices (Mad Catz Interactive Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Interact Devices (Mad Catz Interactive Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Jodie L., Reznick, Lawrence S., Wilkinson, John E., Prock, Jack A., Mabey, Danny L.
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, JOSE L
• Application Number:
  US13/464,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20120219058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 382232-236, 382238-240, 382/175, 382/395, 348/417.1, 348/418.1, 348/422.1, 375/240.04, 375/240.12, 375/240.24
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/105 Selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g. adaptive choice of position and number of pixels used for prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/12 Selection from among a plurality of transforms or standards, e.g. selection between discrete cosine transform [DCT] and sub-band transform or selection between H.263 and H.264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/122 Selection of transform size, e.g. 8x8 or 2x4x8 DCT; Selection of sub-band transforms of varying structure or type
• 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 19/152 by measuring the fullness of the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/154 Measured or subjectively estimated visual quality after decoding, e.g. measurement of distortion use of rate-distortion criteria H04N19/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/164 : Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 : the region being a picture, frame or field
• 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 19/192 : the adaptation method, adaptation tool or adaptation type being iterative or recursive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 : in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 : involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 : for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 : involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25858 : involving client software characteristics, e.g. OS identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 : Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 : Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 : directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate

Abstract

A video compression system includes a compression module to compress each of a plurality of segments of an input signal using an initial quality setting. A rate calculation module calculates, for each compressed segment, a data rate for an output signal that would result from adding a compressed segment to the output signal. A selection module automatically selects, in response to the calculated data rate deviating from a target range, a quality setting for each segment that results in a data rate this is within the target range when a segment compressed using the automatically-selected quality setting is added to the output signal.

Claims

1. A video compression method comprising:

using at least one computer to perform the steps of;

compressing a segment of an input signal at least two times using at least two different automatically selected quality settings to produce at least two compressed segments;

automatically selecting the compressed segment with the highest quality setting, such that, when the selected compressed segment is added to an output signal, the output signal will not exceed a target data rate; and

adding the selected compressed segment to the output signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically-selected quality setting comprises a quality quantizer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically-selected quality setting comprises at least one of a frame size and a frame rate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment comprises a sub-frame.

5. A video compression system comprising:

a compression module configured to compress a segment of an input signal at least two times using at least two different automatically selected quality settings to produce at least two compressed segments; and

a selection module configured to automatically select the compressed segment with the highest quality setting, such that, when the selected compressed segment is added to an output signal, the output signal will not exceed a target data rate; and

an output module configured to add the selected compressed segment to the output signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the automatically-selected quality setting comprises a quality quantizer.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the automatically-selected quality setting comprises at least one of a frame size and a frame rate.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the segment comprises a sub-frame.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

compressing a segment of an input signal at least two times using at least two different automatically selected quality settings to produce at least two compressed segments;

automatically selecting the compressed segment with the highest quality setting, such that, when the selected compressed segment is added to an output signal, the output signal will not exceed a target data rate; and

adding the selected compressed segment to the output signal.

10. A video compression system comprising:

means for compressing a segment of an input signal at least two times using at least two different automatically selected quality settings to produce at least two compressed segments;

means for automatically selecting the compressed segment with the highest quality setting, such that, when the selected compressed segment is added to an output signal, the output signal will not exceed a target data rate; and

means for adding the selected compressed segment to the output signal.