Delta Frame Construction for Video Streaming Bandwidth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Video editing over the internet faces challenges due to variable internet connection speeds and unpredictable CPU availability, which affect consistent image quality and real-time video playback.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the construction of delta frames between key frames, allowing for efficient video data transfer and caching, enabling real-time video playback and editing by utilizing multiple download slots and threads, and adaptive compression to manage bandwidth effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If video data is transferred over the internet in real time, then accessibility and versatility are improved, but image quality consistency deteriorates due to variable connection speeds and CPU availability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinternet accessibilityVSAvoidimage quality consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The video data is segmented into key frames and delta frames. Key frames are complete video frames that can be displayed independently, while delta frames contain only the differences from key frames. This segmentation allows the system to prioritize downloading key frames first, ensuring that even with variable internet speeds, the essential visual information is available for consistent image quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing video data into key frames and delta frames before transmission. This allows the receiver to reconstruct video sequences efficiently by combining key frames with their corresponding delta frames, ensuring consistent image quality regardless of when the data is accessed over the internet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of energy

If video data is compressed to enable internet streaming, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but video editing capability deteriorates due to loss of original data quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth usageVSAvoidvideo editing capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality levels to different parts of the video data structure. Key frames are stored at full quality to preserve editing capability, while delta frames use differential compression to reduce bandwidth usage. This local quality approach ensures that the most important data for both streaming efficiency and future editing is maintained at high quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The video data structure combines multiple types of frame data (key frames and delta frames) into a composite format. This composite structure allows the system to leverage the full quality of key frames for editing while using the compressed delta frames for efficient streaming, achieving both bandwidth efficiency and editing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Manufacturing precision

If more key frames are included in video chunks, then image quality consistency is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage quality consistencyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the number of key frames in video chunks based on network conditions and playback requirements. When bandwidth is abundant, more key frames are included to enhance image quality consistency. When bandwidth is limited, fewer key frames are used, relying more on delta frames for compression efficiency. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the balance between image quality and bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8660181B2Method of compressing video data and a media player for implementing the method
Publication Date: 2014.02.25 BLACKBIRD PLC
  • US8660181B2 patent drawing
  • US8660181B2 patent drawing
  • US8660181B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method of receiving video data comprising the steps of: receiving at least one chunk of video data comprising a number of sequential key video frames where the number is at least two and, constructing at least one delta frame between a nearest preceding key frame and a nearest subsequent key frame from data contained in the either or each of the nearest preceding and subsequent frames.