Rate　control　plays　an　important　role　in　video　coding　and　transmission.　In　this　paper,　a　novel　rate-distortion　model　has　first　been　proposed　to　characterize　the　coding　characteristics　of　stereoscopic　video　coding,　where　the　weighted　average　of　the　left　and　right　viewpoint　measured　with　the　video　quality　metric　(VQM)　is　adopted　as　the　stereoscopic　video　coding　distortion　metric,　instead　of　Mean　Square　Error　(MSE).　Then　a　frame　layer　rate　control　method　for　stereoscopic　video　coding　has　been　presented　based　on　the　proposed　R-D　model.　Experimental　results　demonstrate　that,　the　proposed　R-D　model　can　accurately　characterize　the　relationship　among　coding　distortion,　coding　rate　and　quantization　parameter　and　the　proposed　rate　control　method　can　efficiently　control　the　output　bit　rate　consistent　with　the　target　bit　rate　while　the　reconstructed　video　quality　is　comparable.　©　2013　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC.　All　rights　reserved.