Cloud Video Frame Pixel Data Overlay for Gaming Latency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current video game rendering models either require local processing on the player's device or rely on central servers, limiting flexibility and multiplayer capabilities, and lack efficient methods for overlaying additional content onto video frames without affecting the native application's output.

Innovation Solution

A cloud processing system that intercepts and modifies video frame pixel data sets to integrate overlay content, such as universal achievement status images, into the video stream, allowing seamless integration of additional content without the client device detecting the overlay processing, using a frame augmentation module and overlay logic to replace specific pixel data in real-time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If video frames are processed locally on the player's device, then rendering quality is maintained, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverendering qualityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the video rendering process from the client device and relocates it to remote cloud servers. The client device only handles input processing and receives rendered video frames, while the complex rendering computations are performed remotely, reducing local device complexity while maintaining rendering quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary rendering system between the game logic and the client device. This intermediary handles the complex video frame generation and overlay operations, allowing the client to remain simple while achieving high-quality rendering through the intermediary's processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If video frames are processed on a central server, then device complexity is reduced, but latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the video processing pipeline into distinct components: game logic execution, video frame generation, overlay processing, and client delivery. By segmenting these functions and optimizing their execution flow, the system reduces unnecessary data transmission and processing delays, thereby reducing latency while maintaining centralized processing benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-generating video frames and pre-processing overlay content on the server before transmission to the client. This preliminary processing reduces the amount of real-time computation needed during active gameplay, thereby reducing latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If overlay content is integrated into video frames, then content versatility is enhanced, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent versatilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by creating overlay content as separate image data that is then composited onto the video frames. Instead of modifying the original video generation pipeline, the system creates copies of overlay elements and integrates them during the video frame composition stage, adding versatility without significantly increasing core processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple users play simultaneously on cloud servers, then adaptability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemultiplayer capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal cloud-based rendering system that can serve multiple users and multiple game instances simultaneously through a single infrastructure. The rendering server handles multiple clients and game logic instances, providing multi-functionality that enables adaptable multiplayer capabilities without requiring separate systems for each user or game instance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2919874B1Systems and methods for cloud processing and overlaying of content on streaming video frames of remotely processed applications
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP2919874B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2919874B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2919874B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A first application executes on one or more computing systems to generate a series of original frame pixel data sets for rendering of graphical images associated with the first application execution. A second application executes on one or more computing systems to detect one or more key graphical images present in the series of original frame pixel data sets. Upon detection of the one or more key graphical images, the second application directs replacement of a portion of pixel data in the series of original frame pixel data sets with substitute pixel data so as to generate a series of modified frame pixel data sets for encoding in lieu of the series of original frame pixel data sets.