Method and system for generating, transmitting and utilizing bit rate conversion information

• US 7,660,328 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BigBand Networks, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oz, Ran, Field, Michael, Strasman, Nery, Schechter, Omer
• Primary Examiner(s): Juntima, Nittaya
• Application Number:
  US09/825,628
• Time in Patent Office: 3,234 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/485, 370/486, 370/537, 370/540, 370/538, 370/468, 348/441, 725/63, 725/67, 725143-144, 725/149, 375/240.01, 375/240.02
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23611 Insertion of stuffing data into a multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bitrate synchronisation arrangements in time-division multiplex systems using bit stuffing for systems with different or fluctuating information rates H04J3/073
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23655 Statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth utilization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating and transmitting bit rate conversion information to be utilized during bit rate conversion decisions and a method and apparatus for performing bit rate adaptation of media signals to use an available bandwidth of a channel, the media signals being associated with bit rate conversion information, the method for utilizing the bit rate conversion information including the steps of: receiving the media signals and the bit rate conversion information; the bit rate conversion information being indicative of a change in a bit rate of the media signals resulting from bit rate conversion; and converting the multiplexed processed media signals in response to the available bandwidth and the bit rate conversion information.

Claims

1. In a distribution center configured to transmit a plurality of media streams, a method for generating and transmitting bit rate conversion information, the method comprising:

receiving at least one media stream, the at least one media stream to be transmitted over a communication channel;

applying at least one bit rate conversion scheme on the at least one media stream;

analyzing the results of the appliance of the at least one bit rate conversion scheme to provide bit rate conversion information;

wherein the steps of applying and analyzing are repeated to produce bit rate conversion information indicative of results of an appliance of a sequence of bit rate conversion schemes on the at least one media stream;

wherein the method further comprises

transmitting the bit rate conversion information and the at least one media stream until there is a need to convert the bit rate of a media stream out of the at least one media stream by applying a first bit rate conversion scheme out of the sequence of bit rate conversion schemes; and

applying the first bit rate conversion scheme by a receiver, and discarding bit rate conversion information relating to a first bit rate conversion information to provide modified bit rate conversion information.