Foveal Image Compression for Bandwidth-Limited Mixed Reality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing encoder/decoder systems struggle to handle high-resolution images efficiently, particularly in mixed reality systems where head-mounted devices with lower computational power receive images from remote devices with higher computational power, exceeding the encoding/decoding capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method of compressing a source image by mapping source pixels to target pixels using a distortion function, with one-to-one mapping within a foveal region and more-than-one-to-one mapping outside, allowing for high-resolution image transmission within the limitations of encoding/decoding units while maintaining quality in the foveal region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-resolution images are transmitted, then image quality is improved, but network bandwidth requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating image regions into foveal and peripheral areas, applying different compression strategies to each. The foveal region maintains high resolution and quality, while the peripheral region uses lower resolution, thereby preserving perceived image quality while reducing overall bandwidth requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If image resolution is increased, then perceived quality is improved, but encoding/decoding processing power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image into foveal and peripheral regions, encoding only the foveal region at high resolution while using lower resolution for peripheral areas. This reduces the total number of pixels requiring encoding and decoding operations, thereby reducing processing power requirements while maintaining perceived quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image into distinct foveal and peripheral regions, applying different encoding strategies to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to focus computational resources on the visually critical foveal region while reducing processing for the less critical peripheral region.
3Manufacturing precision
If full-resolution images are transmitted, then image detail is preserved, but transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transmits full-resolution data only for the foveal region while using compressed lower-resolution data for peripheral regions. This selective approach preserves critical image details in the foveal area while reducing total data transmission volume, thereby decreasing transmission time without significantly impacting perceived image quality.
Data Source
AI summary
In various examples there is a method for compressing a source image, the method comprising receiving the source image, the source image having a source resolution; and mapping a source pixel of the source image to a target pixel of a target image using a distortion function, the target image having a lower resolution than the source resolution, wherein the distortion function defines a mapping, the mapping comprising a one-to-one source-to-target pixel mapping within a foveal region, and the mapping comprising a more-than-one-to-one source-to-target pixel mapping outside of the foveal region, and wherein the foveal region is a defined area of pixels.