Mosaic Image Stream Generation Using Buffer Rate Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems face challenges in generating mosaic images efficiently and cost-effectively, particularly when dealing with MPEG streams where differences in encoding rates between primary and secondary streams can lead to buffer overflows and underflows, complicating the composition of mosaic images.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that retrieve and generate mosaic frames by aligning frame information from primary and secondary streams, using small buffers and applying rate-difference compensation measures, such as ignoring or duplicating frames to maintain synchronization and prevent buffer issues, while ensuring minimal processing and low costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If frame information from primary and secondary streams is retrieved and composed into mosaic images, then mosaic image generation is achieved, but buffer overflows and underflows occur due to rate differences between streams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-aligning frame information from multiple streams before composition. The system retrieves frames at different rates into separate buffers, performs rate-difference compensation by duplicating or discarding frames in advance, and pre-synchronizes timing information before the actual mosaic composition occurs. This prevents buffer overflows and underflows during the composition process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses buffers as intermediary storage between the primary and secondary streams. These buffers act as mediators that decouple the different encoding rates of incoming streams from the composition process. The system retrieves frames into buffers at their respective rates, then retrieves from buffers at a unified rate, allowing rate-difference compensation without direct stream-to-stream synchronization issues.
2Reliability
If complex processing is applied to synchronize streams with different encoding rates, then synchronization is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the timing parameters of frame retrieval to match encoding rates. The system retrieves frame information from the primary stream at its encoding rate and from secondary streams at their respective encoding rates into buffers. Then it retrieves from these buffers at a unified rate responsive to the primary stream's encoding rate, effectively using parameter adjustment (retrieval rate matching) to achieve synchronization without complex processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple buffer storage and basic frame duplication or discarding operations instead of complex synchronization algorithms. The rate-difference compensation is achieved through straightforward mechanisms: duplicating frames when the reception rate is slower than the retrieval rate, or discarding frames when the reception rate is faster. These are low-cost operations compared to complex temporal or spatial remapping processes.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple buffering is used for mosaic composition, then system cost is reduced, but buffer overflows and underflows cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the reception rates of primary and secondary streams relative to the retrieval rate. The system adjusts its behavior based on this feedback: when the reception rate is slower than the retrieval rate, it duplicates frames; when the reception rate is faster, it discards frames. This feedback-driven rate-difference compensation ensures buffer stability while maintaining simple buffering architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for generating a mosaic image stream, the method includes: retrieving, at a retrieval rate responsive to an encoding rate of a primary stream, mosaic frame information that comprises a primary frame and multiple secondary frames; generating a mosaic frame from the mosaic frame information; and repeating the retrieving and generating to provide a group of mosaic frames; wherein if a reception rate of a certain secondary stream is slower than the retrieval rate then the retrieving comprises re-fetching a secondary frame of the certain secondary stream; and wherein if a reception rate of a certain secondary stream is slower than the retrieval rate then the retrieving comprises ignoring a group of secondary frames of the certain secondary stream.