Adaptive Image Transmission via Server-Client Processing Split
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for high-quality images in mobile telephone systems and computer games strains network bandwidth and processing capacity, particularly when resources are limited, and existing technologies struggle to adapt to varying receiver capabilities and material types, often encroaching on the receiving device's ability to perform other tasks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that determine the parameters for data transfer, assess the capabilities of the receiving device, and apportion processing between the server and client to meet task requirements, using techniques such as coarse and complex mesh textures, and wire frames to efficiently transmit and display images, while minimizing the impact on the receiving device's resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-quality images are transmitted to meet display resolution requirements, then image quality is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases and processing capacity is overwhelmed
Solution Approach 1:
The image transmission process is segmented into multiple representation formats (wireframe, coarse mesh, fine mesh, textured mesh). The system transmits only the necessary segment based on receiver capabilities and bandwidth conditions, rather than transmitting complete high-resolution images in all cases. This segmentation allows flexible adaptation to available bandwidth while maintaining the ability to achieve high quality when resources permit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key parameters of image representation dynamically based on available bandwidth and receiver capabilities. Parameters such as mesh density, texture resolution, and geometric detail are adjusted to match current network conditions and device capabilities, enabling optimal balance between image quality and bandwidth consumption.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex image processing is performed to achieve desired resolution, then image quality is improved, but processing capacity of the receiving device is overwhelmed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of transmitting complete high-resolution images and expecting the receiver to downscale or process them, the system inverts the approach by transmitting simplified representations (wireframes, coarse meshes) that require minimal processing at the receiver. The complexity is shifted to the transmission source, allowing receivers with limited processing capacity to display images efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified copies or approximations of the original high-quality images in the form of wireframes and coarse meshes. These copies retain the essential structure and appearance of the original images but require significantly less processing power to render, enabling deployment on devices with limited processing capabilities.
3Manufacturing precision
If complete image data is transmitted to ensure quality, then image quality is improved, but transmission time increases beyond acceptable limits
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits only the partial information necessary to reconstruct an acceptable image representation based on current bandwidth and timing constraints. Rather than transmitting complete high-resolution image data, it sends sufficient geometric and textural information to create a satisfactory approximation, accepting that some detail will be omitted when time or bandwidth is limited.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the system adapts to different receiver capabilities, then versatility is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a universal transmission framework that can deliver images in multiple representation formats suitable for different receiver types. By designing the transmission system to output various formats (wireframe, mesh, textured) from a single source, it achieves compatibility with diverse receivers without requiring separate transmission systems for each device type, thereby managing complexity while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile telephone (10, 20) receives, constructs and displays an image (32) from a server (18) over a mobile telephone network (12, 16, 18) where the server (18) determines the parameters for data transfer from the server (18) to the mobile telephone (10, 20), the capabilities of the mobile telephone (32) transfer task requirements, and apportions the processing between the server and the mobile telephone (10, 20) for each of a plurality of elements (28, 30, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 60, 62) in each image (32), thereby to meet the task requirement, which can include being within a predetermined time for task completion, or being the fastest means for task completion. Parameters for data transfer from server (18) to telephone (10, 20) include server (18) transmission bandwidth, phone (10, 20) reception bandwidth, data channel bandwidth, transmission protocol; and channel accessibility. Phone (10, 20) capabilities include the data processing speed, the available memory, display size and the data processing software available; Task requirements include the maximum time from transmission to display of the image; and the minimum display resolution of the image.