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

A computer-implemented video compression method comprising:

• for each of a plurality of segments of an input signal:
• compressing a segment using an initial quality setting;
• calculating a data rate for an output signal that would result from adding the compressed segment to the output signal;
• and
• in response to the calculated data rate deviating from a target range:
• automatically selecting a quality setting that results in a calculated data rate within the target range when a segment compressed using the automatically-selected quality setting is added to the output signal;
• and
• recompressing the segment using the automatically-selected quality setting.

A computer-implemented video compression method comprising:

• obtaining an input signal comprising a plurality of segments;
• automatically selecting different quality settings to respectively compress at least two of the segments, wherein the quality settings for each segment are automatically selected to maintain within a target range a data rate of an output signal to which the compressed segments are to be added;
• compressing the segments using the automatically selected quality settings;
• and
• adding the compressed segments to the output data signal.

A computer-implemented video compression method comprising:

• compressing a segment using an initial quality setting;
• calculating a data rate for an output signal that would result from adding the compressed segment to the output signal;
• while the calculated data rate deviates from a target range, automatically selecting a different quality setting that results in a new calculated data rate that is closer to the target range;
• and
• in response to an automatically-selected quality setting resulting in a data rate that is within the target range, compressing the segment using the automatically-selected quality setting.

A video compression system comprising:

• an input module to receive an input signal comprising a plurality of segments;
• a compression module to compress a segment using an initial quality setting;
• a rate calculation module to calculate a data rate for an output signal that would result from adding the compressed segment to the output signal;
• wherein the compression module, in response to the calculated data rate exceeding a target rate, is to recompress the segment using an automatically-selected quality setting that produces a lower data rate than the calculated data rate when the recompressed segment is added to the output signal.

A video compression system comprising:

• a compression module to compress each of a plurality of segments of an input signal using an initial quality setting;
• a rate calculation module to calculate, for each compressed segment, a data rate for an output signal that would result from adding a compressed segment to the output signal;
• and
• a selection module to automatically select, 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.

A video compression system comprising:

• an input module to obtain an input signal comprising a plurality of segments;
• a selection module to automatically select different quality settings to respectively compress at least two of the segments, wherein the quality settings for each segment are automatically selected to maintain within a target range a data rate of an output signal to which the compressed segments are to be added;
• a compression module to compress the segments using the automatically selected quality settings;
• and
• an output module to add the compressed segments to the output data signal.

A video compression system comprising:

• a compression module to compress a segment using an initial quality setting;
• a rate calculation module to calculate a data rate for an output signal that would result from adding the compressed segment to the output signal;
• a selection module to automatically select, while the calculated data rate deviates from a target range, a different quality setting that results in a new calculated data rate that is closer to the target range;
• wherein the compression module, in response to an automatically-selected quality setting resulting in a data rate that is within the target range, is to compress the segment using the automatically-selected quality setting.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable medium having stored therein
• program instructions for obtaining an input signal comprising a plurality of segments;
• program instructions for automatically selecting different quality settings to respectively compress at least two of the segments, wherein the quality settings for each segment are automatically selected to maintain within a target range a data rate of an output signal to which the compressed segments are to be added;
• program instructions for compressing the segments using the automatically selected quality settings;
• and
• program instructions for adding the compressed segments to the output data signal.

A propagated signal in a transmission medium comprising:

• a code segment for causing a computer to obtain an input signal comprising a plurality of segments;
• a code segment for causing a computer to automatically select different quality settings to respectively compress at least two of the segments, wherein the quality settings for each segment are automatically selected to maintain within a target range a data rate of an output signal to which the compressed segments are to be added;
• a code segment for causing a computer to compress the segments using the automatically selected quality settings;
• and
• a code segment for causing a computer to add the compressed segments to the output data signal.