Streaming multimedia data over a network having a variable bandwith

摘要

The method of streaming multimedia data over a network having a variable bandwidth comprises the steps of encoding data coming from a multimedia source and supplying a set of encoded streams formed with stream elements containing encoded multimedia data. The encoded streams have various predetermined bit rates associated with specific decoding parameter values to be transmitted to a client application decoder for enabling the client decoder to decode the stream elements with respect to their specific decoding parameter values. The encoding step comprises a preliminary step of determining common values for at least a part of the decoding parameters so that the decoder can use the same decoding parameter values for decoding streams elements within at least a group of streams, and a step of building said group of streams, to which common decoding parameter values are assigned.