Adaptive bit rate ratio control

A method for encoding an original sequence of frames of an input data signal, the method comprising:

• accessing a first encoding system, a second encoding system, and an interface that enables communications between the second encoding system and a first encoding system, wherein the second encoding system comprises a down-scaler to down scale the original sequence of frames of the input data signal to generate a first sequence of frames, and
• wherein the first encoding system comprises:
• a first encoder configured to encode the first sequence of frames according to a first encoding algorithm, and
• a first rate control unit to control a first bit rate at which the first encoder encodes the first sequence of frames, wherein the first encoding system outputs a first stream corresponding to an encoded version of the first sequence of frames;
• causing the first encoding system to output a second stream corresponding to a decoded version of the encoded first sequence of frames;
• using an up-scaler of the second encoding system to up scale the second stream to generate a second sequence of frames;
• comparing the second sequence of frames to the original sequence of frames to produce a difference data stream;
• using a second encoder of the second encoding system to encode the difference data stream according to a second encoding algorithm to output a third stream;
• using a second rate control unit of the second encoding system to control a second bit rate at which the second encoder encodes the difference data stream;
• using a configuration manager of the second encoding system to receive a configuration stream comprising configuration parameters and to control the first encoding system and the second encoding system, wherein the configuration parameters include bit rate parameters and one or more of:
• (i) parameters relating to down-scaling operations, (ii) parameters relating to up-scaling operations, or (iii) information regarding a size of the third stream;
• using the configuration manager to communicate with the first rate control unit and the second rate control unit to maintain a specified combined transmission rate for the first stream and the third stream;
• wherein the combined transmission rate is formed from a combination of the first bit rate and the second bit rate, with the first bit rate forming a first percentage of the combined transmission rate and the second bit rate forming a second percentage of the combined transmission rate, and
• wherein the first percentage is a majority percentage of the combined transmission rate as compared to the second percentage.

A method for encoding an original sequence of frames of an input data signal, the method comprising:

• accessing a first encoding system, a second encoding system, and an interface that enables communications between the second encoding system and a first encoding system, wherein the second encoding system comprises a down-scaler to down scale the original sequence of frames of the input data signal to generate a first sequence of frames, and
• wherein the first encoding system comprises:
• a first encoder configured to encode the first sequence of frames according to a first encoding algorithm, and
• a first rate control unit to control a first bit rate at which the first encoder encodes the first sequence of frames, wherein the first encoding system outputs a first stream corresponding to an encoded version of the first sequence of frames;
• causing the first encoding system to output a second stream corresponding to a decoded version of the encoded first sequence of frames;
• using an up-scaler of the second encoding system to up scale the second stream to generate a second sequence of frames;
• comparing the second sequence of frames to the original sequence of frames to produce a difference data stream;
• using a second encoder of the second encoding system to encode the difference data stream according to a second encoding algorithm to output a third stream;
• using a second rate control unit of the second encoding system to control a second bit rate at which the second encoder encodes the difference data stream;
• using a configuration manager of the second encoding system to receive a configuration stream comprising configuration parameters and to control the first encoding system and the second encoding system, wherein the configuration parameters include bit rate parameters and one or more of:
• (i) parameters relating to down-scaling operations, (ii) parameters relating to up-scaling operations, or (iii) information regarding a size of the third stream;
• using the configuration manager to communicate with the first rate control unit and the second rate control unit to maintain a specified combined transmission rate for the first stream and the third stream;
• wherein the combined transmission rate is formed from a combination of the first bit rate and the second bit rate, with the first bit rate forming a first percentage of the combined transmission rate and the second bit rate forming a second percentage of the combined transmission rate, and
• wherein the first percentage is a first value between about 60% and about 90% and the second percentage is a second value between about 10% and about 40%.