Multiplexing encoded data signals.

摘要

A multiplexed data stream is formed by encoding (3) a first input signal at a variable bit rate to form a first encoded data signal which is temporarily stored in a first storage device (5), encoding (4) a second input signal at a constant bit rate to form a second encoded data signal which is temporarily stored in a second storage device (6), and using a multiplexing circuit (7) to multiplex the stored first and second encoded data signals to form the multiplexed data stream. Transfer of the first encoded data signal from the first storage device (5) to the multiplexing circuit (7) is controlled on the basis of a quantity of the first encoded data signal that is present in the first storage device. When none of the first encoded data signal is present in the first storage device (5), transfer of the first encoded data signal to the multiplexing circuit (7) is temporarily halted. A switching device (8) is switched at fixed time intervals, on the basis of a quantity of the second encoded data signal that is present in the second storage device (6), between a first switch position at which the multiplexing circuit (7) is connected to the first storage device (6) and a second switch position at which the multiplexing circuit (7) is connected to the second storage device (6).