VIDEO ENCODER AND METHOD OF VIDEO ENCODING

摘要

The invention encompasses a video encoder (300) for compressing and encoding frames of an image sequence for transmission. The invention also encompasses a method of video encoding. The video encoder (300) has segmentation means (322) for recognising at least one object (450) in a frame (400) of an image sequence. An encoder (304) encodes blocks of the image sequence into a single bitstream for transmission, blocks containing the at least one object being transmitted preferentially over other blocks. The segmentation means (322) may operate under user control (324). The invention provides enhanced viewing of an image sequence, particularly after transmission over a transmission channel of limited bandwidth. The video encoder (300) may be made compatible with the H.263 standard, whereby a standard H.263 receiver can then decompress and decode the transmitted image sequence. The invention may be incorporated into a mobile or a portable radio, or a mobile telephone.