Adaptive Point Cloud Compression Using Patch-Based Image Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Point clouds generated by sensors like LIDAR systems are large and costly to store and transmit, limiting their use in real-time applications due to high data volume and storage requirements.

Innovation Solution

A system that compresses point cloud data by projecting points onto patch planes, generating patch images with spatial and depth information, and encoding these images using video encoding techniques, allowing for efficient storage and transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If point cloud data is stored and transmitted in its original form, then data quality and completeness are preserved, but storage costs and transmission time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata qualityVSAvoidtransmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The point cloud data is divided into multiple patches, where each patch represents a local region of the point cloud. This segmentation allows for selective processing and compression of different regions, enabling efficient storage and transmission while preserving important geometric features in each patch

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms 3D point cloud data into 2D patch representations by projecting points onto patch planes. This dimensionality reduction compresses the data structure while maintaining essential spatial relationships, thereby reducing storage requirements and transmission time without significant loss of quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If point cloud data is compressed to reduce storage needs, then transmission efficiency improves, but data quality may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoiddata quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different patches are processed with different compression strategies based on their local characteristics. Important regions with high geometric complexity or semantic significance receive higher preservation priority, while less critical regions undergo more aggressive compression, achieving overall efficiency without sacrificing essential quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs iterative optimization where compression parameters are adjusted based on feedback from quality assessment metrics. The system evaluates the impact of compression on point cloud quality and adapts the compression strength accordingly, ensuring optimal balance between transmission efficiency and data quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If complex compression algorithms are used to minimize data loss, then data quality is preserved, but processing complexity and computational cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata qualityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the point cloud into patches, the patent reduces the computational complexity of processing the entire dataset at once. Each patch can be independently compressed using simpler algorithms, and the parallel processing of multiple patches reduces overall computational burden while maintaining quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transformation to 2D patch representations simplifies the data structure, enabling the use of efficient 2D image compression techniques rather than complex 3D point cloud algorithms. This dimensionality change reduces processing complexity while preserving essential geometric information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11663744B2Point cloud compression with adaptive filtering
Publication Date: 2023.05.30 APPLE INC
  • US11663744B2 patent drawing
  • US11663744B2 patent drawing
  • US11663744B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system comprises an encoder configured to compress attribute information and/or spatial for a point cloud and/or a decoder configured to decompress compressed attribute and/or spatial information for the point cloud. To compress the attribute and/or spatial information, the encoder is configured to convert a point cloud into an image based representation. Also, the decoder is configured to generate a decompressed point cloud based on an image based representation of a point cloud. A processing/filtering element utilizes occupancy map information and/or auxiliary patch information to determine relationships between patches in image frames and adjusts encoding/decoding and/or filtering or pre/post-processing parameters based on the determined relationships.