Distance-Adaptive Video Streaming for Lower Latency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing streaming systems struggle to minimize latency and adapt to individual user needs, particularly in video game streaming where high latency can be frustrating and non-video game streaming systems require pausing to buffer content.

Innovation Solution

A streaming system that adjusts video data features based on the viewing distance between the display and the viewer, using sensors to determine this distance and optimizing aspects like resolution, audio volume, and rendering details to improve efficiency and user experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If high resolution video data is streamed to maintain perceived quality, then image quality is improved, but streaming latency increases and network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidstreaming latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts video resolution based on real-time viewing distance measurements from sensors. When the viewer is far from the display, the system automatically reduces resolution to lower latency and bandwidth usage. When the viewer is close, the system increases resolution to maintain perceived quality. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making resolution flexible rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the resolution parameter of video data based on viewing distance. By measuring distance with sensors and adjusting the resolution parameter accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between image quality and streaming performance. Higher resolutions are used only when necessary (close viewing), while lower resolutions are used when acceptable (distant viewing).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If high resolution video data is streamed to maintain perceived quality, then image quality is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts video resolution based on sensor-measured viewing distance. When viewers are positioned far from the display, the system automatically reduces resolution to decrease network bandwidth consumption. When viewers are close, the system maintains or increases resolution to ensure perceived quality. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between quality and bandwidth usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system adjusts the resolution parameter of streamed video data based on viewing distance measurements. By changing this parameter according to actual viewing conditions rather than using a fixed high resolution, the system optimizes network bandwidth utilization while maintaining quality where it matters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If processing detail is increased to improve visual quality, then image quality is improved, but computational resources consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual qualityVSAvoidcomputational resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the level of processing detail based on viewing distance measurements. When viewers are far from the display, the system reduces processing detail (such as texture quality, shadow detail, and object complexity) to lower computational resource consumption. When viewers are close, the system increases processing detail to maintain visual quality. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between quality and computational cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes processing parameters related to visual detail based on viewing distance. This includes adjusting texture resolution, shadow quality, object detail levels, and other rendering parameters. By adapting these parameters to actual viewing conditions, the system optimizes the balance between visual quality and computational resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4650016A1Streaming system
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP4650016A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4650016A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4650016A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A streaming system (1) is disclosed, comprising: a server computer (2) configured to send a stream of video data; a streaming device (4) configured to receive the video data and provide the video data to a display (10) for displaying the video data to a viewer (12); and a sensor (14) in communication with the streaming device, configured to measure a quantity that enables a viewing distance (D) between the display and the viewer to be determined; wherein the streaming device is configured to use the quantity to determine the viewing distance and send the viewing distance to the server computer; wherein the server computer is configured to adjust one or more features of the video data based on the viewing distance.