Hierarchical Video Decoder for Medical Telepresence
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current data streaming technologies face challenges in efficiently streaming and navigating video and image data, particularly in remote guidance applications, due to limitations in compression methods and constrained datalinks, which often result in compromised quality or delayed transmission.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hierarchical data coding scheme, such as the SMPTE VC-6 standard or MPEG-5, Part-2, LCEVC standard, allows for region-of-interest decoding and pan-or-zoom functionality by encoding data at multiple layers or echelons, enabling efficient transmission and decoding of only the necessary data regions at desired quality levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If Intra or Group of Pictures (GoP) compression is used to stream video and images, then the data can be compressed for transmission, but the entire frame or image must be transported, stored, accessed and decoded as an entire block even when only a part is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the video stream into independently decodable segments or tiles, where each segment represents a portion of the overall image or frame. This allows the receiver to decode and display only the necessary segments without processing the entire frame, thus reducing decoding complexity and data transmission volume while maintaining the ability to provide expert guidance remotely.
2Reliability
If conventional video codecs encode the entire frame as a single monolithic block, then compression can be applied uniformly, but quality has to be sacrificed or delay introduced under constrained datalinks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables different quality levels to be applied to different regions or segments of the video stream. Regions of interest can be transmitted at higher quality while less critical areas use lower quality encoding. This local differentiation maintains overall video quality reliability while reducing total data transmission requirements, thereby minimizing transmission delays under constrained network conditions.
3Loss of information
If the entire image or frame is transmitted and decoded, then complete visual information is available, but it is difficult to change the stream on-the-fly or quickly skip to different portions
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the video stream into independently decodable segments or tiles, the patent enables flexible stream navigation. The receiver can selectively decode and display specific segments based on current viewing requirements, allowing on-the-fly changes and quick skipping to different portions of the stream while maintaining visual information completeness through selective segment transmission.
4Reliability
If high-quality video streaming is provided over constrained datalinks, then expert guidance can be delivered remotely, but bandwidth limitations cause quality compromise or transmission delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels to different regions of the video stream, transmitting high-quality data only for regions of interest while using lower quality for less critical areas. This maintains the reliability of remote expert guidance for important visual information while significantly reducing the total data transmission volume required over constrained datalinks.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical telepresence system comprising: an interface to receive a plurality of data feeds from a live medical procedure, at least one data feed comprising a video signal capturing the live medical procedure; a hierarchical encoder to encode the plurality of data feeds using a first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme, wherein encoded data from the hierarchical encoder is decodable by a first set of computing devices for viewing, the first set of computing devices being communicatively coupled to the hierarchical encoder using a first network connection; a transcoder to convert from the first tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme to a second tier-based hierarchical data coding scheme, wherein encoded data from the transcoder is receivable by a second set of computing devices for viewing, the second set of computing devices being communicatively coupled to the transcoder using a second network connection, the second network connection being of a lower quality than the first network connection; and a recorder to store the output of the hierarchical encoder as a set of tier-based files for later retrieval, wherein each of the set of tier-based files represent different levels of quality.