Method of splicing encoded multimedia data streams

A method of combining data streams flowing between an encoder and a decoder, comprising:

• accessing a first encoded data stream that is transmitted at a first transmission rate, the first encoded data stream being encoded by the encoder to have a range of delays corresponding to a first buffer size;
• accessing at least one second encoded data stream that is transmitted at a second transmission rate;
• increasing the second transmission rate based on a duration of a gap in the first encoded data stream so that said at least one second encoded data stream has a range of delays that corresponds to a second buffer size that is larger than the first buffer size;
• splicing said at least one second encoded data stream into the gap in the first encoded data stream.

A method of combining data streams flowing between an encoder and a decoder, comprising:

• accessing a first encoded data stream that is transmitted at a first transmission rate, the first encoded data stream being encoded by the encoder to have a range of delays corresponding to a first buffer size, wherein accessing the first encoded data stream comprises accessing a first encoded data stream that is encoded based upon an assumed size of a buffer in the decoder that receives the first encoded data stream;
• encoding at least one second data stream to east one second encoded data stream, the encoding being performed using an encoding rate determined by a delay that corresponds to the first buffer size and a duration of said at least one second data stream
• accessing said at least one second encoded data stream that is transmitted at a second transmission rate;
• increasing the second transmission rate based on a duration of a gap in the first encoded data stream so that said at least one second encoded data stream has a range of delays that corresponds to a second buffer size that is larger than the first buffer size;
• delaying the first encoded data stream by an offset determined based on the second buffer size;
• and
• splicing said at least one second coded data stream into the gap in the first encoded data stream.

A method of combining data streams flowing between an encoder and a decoder, comprising:

• accessing a first encoded data stream that is transmitted at a first transmission rate, wherein accessing the first encoded data stream comprises accessing a first encoded data stream that is encoded at a first data rate by the encoder based upon a first buffer size associated with the decoder;
• encoding at least one second data stream to form said at least one second encoded data stream, the encoding being performed using a second data rate selected based on the increased second transmission rate, the second data rate that being lower than the first data rate;
• delaying the first encoded data stream by an offset determined based on a second buffer size associated with the decoder, the second buffer size being larger than the first buffer size;
• accessing said at least one second encoded data stream that is transmitted at a second transmission rate;
• increasing the second transmission rate based on a duration of a gap in the first encoded data stream;
• and
• splicing said at least one second encoded data stream into the gap in the first encoded data stream, wherein delaying the first encoded data stream comprises delaying the first encoded data stream during a selected interval prior to splicing the second encoded data stream into the first encoded data stream, and wherein delaying the first encoded data stream during the selected interval comprises selecting the interval based on a channel change time.

A splicer configured to receive input encoded data streams from encoders and to provide at least one output encoded data stream to a decoder, the splicer being configured to:

• access a first input encoded data stream, the first encoded data stream being encoded at a first encoding rate by the encoder based upon a first buffer size associated with the decoder;
• delay the first input encoded data stream by an offset determined based on a second buffer size associated with the decoder;
• encode at least one second data stream at a second encoding rate to form at least one second encoded data stream, wherein the second encoding rate is lower than the first encoding rate, thereby introducing timing gaps between packets in said second encoded data stream;
• and
• splice said at least one second input encoded data stream into a gap in the delayed first encoded data stream.

A splicer configured to receive input encoded data streams from encoders and to provide at least one output encoded data stream to a decoder, the splicer being configured to:

• access a first input encoded data stream that is transmitted at a first transmission rate, the first input encoded data stream being encoded to have a range of delays corresponding to a first buffer size associated with the decoder;
• access at least one second input encoded data stream that is transmitted at a second transmission rate;
• increase the second transmission rate based on a duration of a gap in the first input encoded data stream so that said at least one second input encoded data stream has a range of delays that corresponds to a second buffer size that is larger than the first buffer size;
• and
• splice said at least one second input encoded data stream into the gap in the first input encoded data stream to form said at least one output encoded data stream.