Screen Frame Encoding via Region-Based Quality Adaptation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing screen frame encoding methods face challenges in maintaining high image quality for both motion and motionless regions while minimizing system resource usage and latency, often resulting in discontinuous video or excessive resource occupation due to complex algorithms and inadequate bandwidth handling.

Innovation Solution

An adaptive encoding method that identifies and encodes motion and motionless regions separately, adjusting image quality accordingly, with motion regions encoded at lower quality and motionless regions at higher quality, avoiding complex algorithms like motion estimation and compensation to reduce resource usage and latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If lossless or lower loss encoding is used for video regions, then image quality is improved, but data amount exceeds network capacity causing discontinuous video

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidframe rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different encoding qualities to different regions of the screen frame. Motion regions are encoded with lower loss (higher quality) while motionless regions are encoded with higher loss (lower quality). This local differentiation allows the system to maintain high image quality for dynamic content while reducing overall data volume to sustain high frame rates and smooth video playback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If higher loss encoding is used to reduce data amount, then frame rate is improved, but motionless regions also suffer from higher loss image quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe rateVSAvoidimage quality of motionless region
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies and separates motion regions from motionless regions within the screen frame. Motionless regions (such as desktop backgrounds, static windows, and taskbars) are specifically targeted for higher loss encoding to reduce data volume, while motion regions maintain lower loss encoding to preserve image quality. This selective approach allows the system to achieve high frame rates without degrading the quality of static content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If complicated algorithms like motion estimation and motion compensation are used, then encoding effectiveness is improved, but system resources are excessively occupied and latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencoding effectivenessVSAvoidsystem resource usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes complex algorithms such as motion estimation and motion compensation from the screen frame encoding process. Instead, it employs a simplified approach that identifies motion regions through basic comparison techniques and applies region-based differential encoding. This extraction of unnecessary complexity significantly reduces CPU usage and system resource consumption while maintaining acceptable encoding effectiveness for screen sharing applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If complicated algorithms are used, then encoding effectiveness is improved, but latency is increased affecting real-time control feeling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencoding effectivenessVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes time-consuming algorithms like motion estimation and motion compensation from the encoding pipeline. The simplified region-based encoding approach processes screen frames much faster, reducing latency from capture to transmission. This extraction of complex processing steps enables real-time screen sharing with minimal delay, preserving the feeling of immediate control for remote users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8477842B2Encoding method of screen frame and electronic device applying the same
Publication Date: 2013.07.02 BARCO LTD
  • US8477842B2 patent drawing
  • US8477842B2 patent drawing
  • US8477842B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An encoding method of screen frame and its application of electronic devices, which rapidly detect motion regions and motionless regions from lossless screen frames captured by software, and then encode the motion regions with lower image quality while encode motionless regions with higher quality to display higher quality images and smooth video at a receiving end in real-time. Furthermore, the above-mentioned encoding method is optimized for lossless screen frames which does not need complicated operations of video encoder of prior art, such as motion estimation, motion compensation, etc., so that the method can be implemented with minor system resources and lower latency delay.