Paul R Haskell

US Patent:

6327275, Dec 4, 2001

Filed:

May 19, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/081529

Inventors:

DelRae H. Gardner - Tualatin OR
James E. Kaye - Pleasanton CA
Paul E. Haskell - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04J 304
H04N 712

US Classification:

370535

Abstract:

A system for remultiplexing packets that are provided at variable rates in digital bitstreams using a delay buffer and rate estimation. A bitstream with specific packet types provided at different rates is extracted from a multiplex and combined with other fixed or variable rate bit streams in such a way that timing delivery constraints on the extracted variable rate bitstream are followed. The extracted bitstream is smoothed to reduce variations in the data rate. The smoothed bitstream is then processed in first and second parallel paths. In the first path, selected packets are discarded to obtain a retained data stream. The data rate of the retained data stream is estimated and provided to a control. In the second path, the smoothed bitstream is delayed according to at least the processing time of the rate estimator in the first path, then the selected packets are discarded to obtain a delayed, retained data stream. The retained data stream in the second path is then remultiplexed with other data streams at a rate near the estimated data rate.