Video data compression

Abstract

Data compression and decompression methods for compressing and decompressing data based on an actual or expected throughput (bandwidth) of a system. In one embodiment, a controller tracks and monitors the throughput (data storage and retrieval) of a data compression system and generates control signals to enable/disable different compression algorithms when, e.g., a bottleneck occurs so as to increase the throughput and eliminate the bottleneck.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for compressing video in an input data stream, comprising:
 a controller configured to:
 select at least two or more compression algorithms based on different expected bandwidths of a communication channel, and 
 encode the at least a portion of the video input data stream with the selected at least two or more compression algorithms to obtain multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for the portion of the video input data stream, and 
   a memory device configured to store the multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for later retrieval.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes stored in the memory device comprise respective sets of blocks that encode the portion of the video input data stream. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein to retrieve video data for output to a user, the controller further selects between the respective sets of blocks stored in the memory device according to a bandwidth of a communication channel with a user and outputs the selected blocks in a video stream to the user over the communication channel. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the multiple compressed video data streams is associated with a different respective profile, and wherein the controller is configured to select the at least two or more compression algorithms according to which respective profiles match the different expected bandwidths of the communication channel. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a parameter of at least a portion of a video input data stream. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to select the at least two or more compression algorithms based on different expected bandwidths of the communication channel, and encode the at least a portion of the video input data stream with the selected at least two or more compression algorithms to obtain multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for the portion of the video input data stream in real-time or substantially real-time. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communications channel provides data communication over a network. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to retrieve video data for output to a user, the controller further selects one of the multiple compressed video data streams stored in the memory device according to a bandwidth of a communication channel with a user at the time of retrieval. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device is located at a remote location from the controller and is coupled to the controller over a network. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two or more compression algorithms comprise at least two or more lossy compression algorithms. 
     
     
         11 . A device for obtaining compressed video, comprising:
 a controller, implemented on at least one processor, configured to:
 select at least two or more compression algorithms based on different expected bandwidths of a communication channel, 
 encode at least a portion of the video input data stream with the selected at least two or more compression algorithms to obtain multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for the portion of the video input data stream, and 
 output for storage in computer-readable memory the multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for later retrieval over a network in an output data stream. 
   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for compressing video in an input data stream, comprising:
 selecting with at least one processor at least two or more compression algorithms based on different expected bandwidths of a communication channel;   encoding with at least one processor the at least a portion of the video input data stream with the selected at least two or more compression algorithms to obtain multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for the portion of the video input data stream; and   storing in a computer-readable memory device the multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for later retrieval.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes stored in the memory device comprise respective sets of blocks that encode the portion of the video input data stream. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 selecting, with at least one processor, between the respective sets of blocks stored in the memory device according to a bandwidth of a communication channel for a user; and   outputting the selected blocks in a video stream to the user over the communication channel.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the multiple compressed video data streams is associated with a different respective profile, and further comprising selecting, with at least one processor, the at least two or more compression algorithms according to which respective profiles match the different expected bandwidths of the communication channel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining, with at least one processor, a parameter of at least a portion of a video input data stream. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 selecting, with at least one processor, the at least two or more compression algorithms based on different expected bandwidths of the communication channel; and   encoding, with at least one processor, the at least a portion of the video input data stream with the selected at least two or more compression algorithms to obtain multiple compressed video data streams of different sizes for the portion of the video input data stream in real-time or substantially real-time.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising selecting, with at least one processor, one of the multiple compressed video data streams stored in the memory device according to a bandwidth of a communication channel with a user at the time of retrieval. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least two or more compression algorithms comprise at least two or more lossy compression algorithms.