Stereoscopic Video Multiplexing Resolution Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for multiplexing and demultiplexing stereoscopic video streams often compromise horizontal and vertical resolution, reduce compression efficiency, and increase computational complexity, leading to artifacts during compression and transmission.

Innovation Solution

A method that enters one image unchanged into a composite frame while subdividing the second image into regions for optimal spatial correlation, using translation, rotation, and specular inversion to maintain resolution balance and minimize artifacts, with the option to introduce redundancy to eliminate boundary artifacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If side-by-side multiplexing is used, then horizontal resolution is halved, but vertical resolution is preserved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevertical resolutionVSAvoidhorizontal resolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from traditional 2D side-by-side or top-bottom multiplexing to a 3D volumetric arrangement by stacking multiple image frames in the time dimension. This allows all images to coexist without spatial overlap, preserving both horizontal and vertical resolutions while enabling multiple perspectives.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent nests multiple image frames within a single volumetric data structure, where each frame contains multiple perspective images. This nesting approach allows efficient storage and transmission while maintaining full resolution of each individual image.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Length of moving object

If top-bottom multiplexing is used, then vertical resolution is halved, but horizontal resolution is preserved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehorizontal resolutionVSAvoidvertical resolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves the multiplexing operation from the spatial domain (where top-bottom arrangement sacrifices vertical resolution) to the temporal domain, stacking frames sequentially. This dimensionality shift preserves vertical resolution while maintaining horizontal resolution through the volumetric structure.

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

3Stability of the object's composition

If chessboard sampling is used, then the ratio between horizontal and vertical resolution is kept constant, but diagonal resolution is reduced and compression efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresolution ratioVSAvoiddiagonal resolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary pixel information directly from each perspective image without applying chessboard sampling. By taking out only the required data elements and organizing them in the volumetric structure, the method avoids the diagonal resolution degradation and compression inefficiency caused by geometric decimation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Area of stationary object

If 70% scaling and block compaction is used, then images fit into composite frame, but spatial correlation is modified and computational cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomposite frame utilizationVSAvoidcomputational cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary organization of images into the volumetric structure at the source end, arranging all perspective images in their final positions before transmission. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex scaling and block compaction operations at the receiver, reducing computational cost while maintaining spatial correlation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

5Area of stationary object

If diagonal scaling and triangular region reorganization is used, then images are packed into composite frame, but artifacts are generated during compression and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomposite frame utilizationVSAvoidcompression artifacts
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains homogeneous rectangular regions throughout the volumetric structure, avoiding the triangular region decomposition and reorganization. This homogeneity ensures that standard compression algorithms work efficiently without generating artifacts at region boundaries, while still achieving high frame utilization through the volumetric arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentEP2392145B1Method for generating, transmitting and receiving stereoscopic images, and related devices
Publication Date: 2015.10.14 SISVEL SOCIETA ITALIANA PER LO SVILUPPO DELL ELETTRONICA SPA
  • EP2392145B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2392145B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2392145B1 patent drawingFigure 3~7

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for generating a stereoscopic video stream (101) comprising composite images (C) which comprise information about a right image (R) and a left image (L). According to the method, pixels are selected from the right image (R) and from the left image (L), and then the selected pixels are entered into a composite image (C) of the stereoscopic video stream. The method also provides for entering all the pixels of the right image (R) and all the pixels of the left image (L) into the composite image (C) by leaving one of said two images unchanged and breaking up the other one into regions (Rl, R2, R3) comprising a plurality of pixels. Said regions are subsequently entered into the composite image (C). The invention also relates to a method for reconstructing the right and left images starting from a composite image, as well as to devices allowing said methods to be implemented.