Endpoint Image Transmission for Low Bandwidth Video
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Real-time video communication systems face challenges in providing clear visuals over low bandwidth networks and poor network conditions, leading to blurry or pixelated images that hinder remote expert guidance and collaboration.
Innovation Solution
A communication method that sends a low-quality and high-quality version of an image in parallel, allowing users to start working with the low-quality version immediately and seamlessly switch to the high-quality version once received, improving user experience and collaboration efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a still image is sent with high quality irrespective of network capacity, then image quality is improved, but transmission time increases resulting in long waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image transmission into two distinct versions: a low-quality version sent immediately via the first communication channel, and a high-quality version sent subsequently via the second communication channel. This segmentation allows the receiver to obtain a usable image quickly while eventually receiving the high-quality version for detailed analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by sending the low-quality version of the image first before the high-quality version. This preliminary transmission ensures that the receiver has an immediate visual reference to work with, eliminating waiting time while the high-quality version is being prepared and transmitted.
2Adaptability or versatility
If video compression is applied to reduce data amount, then network adaptability is improved, but image quality deteriorates resulting in blurry visuals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image data into two quality levels and transmits them through different communication channels. The low-quality version adapts to network constraints while the high-quality version preserves image fidelity, allowing the system to maintain network adaptability without permanently sacrificing image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The low-quality image version acts as an intermediary, providing immediate visual information to the receiver while the high-quality version is being transmitted. This intermediary allows collaboration to begin immediately without waiting for the full-quality image, effectively mediating between network constraints and quality requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If live video stream is paused to obtain still image, then image detail visibility is improved, but collaboration time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pausing the video stream to capture a still image, the system performs preliminary action by extracting and sending a low-quality version of the still image immediately. This allows collaboration to proceed without interruption while the high-quality version is being prepared and transmitted in parallel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by sending the low-quality image version immediately without pausing the video stream. Collaboration can continue uninterrupted while the image transmission proceeds, eliminating the delay caused by traditional pause-and-capture methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication method between a plurality of endpoints, the method comprising: the first endpoint (1) sending a video stream acquired by the imaging device (11) to a second endpoint (2) for video communication, by using a first communication channel (101); any of the plurality of endpoints initiating a request for requesting the first endpoint (1) to send a still image to the second endpoint (2); the first endpoint (1) respectively generating a first and a second version of the image, and sending the same to the second endpoint (2); and the second endpoint (2) receiving the first version of the image prior to receiving the second version of the image. The first and second versions of the image depict one or more same objects.