Streaming Game Server Interception Mechanism for Bandwidth Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for streaming interactive 3-D graphical applications face challenges in optimizing visual quality and reducing end-to-end system delay, particularly in fast motion gaming scenarios, due to limitations in motion estimation and compression techniques that do not distinguish between regions of interest, leading to poor image quality and increased latency.
Innovation Solution
An interception mechanism for rendering commands, combined with feed-forward and feedback control mechanisms, allows for controllable levels of detail and compression quality, using pre-filtering and motion estimation algorithms to optimize streaming bandwidth and system delay, and statistical multiplexing to maintain equal compression quality across multiple interactive applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If motion compensated image blocks of fixed size are used for compression, then compression efficiency is improved, but image quality deteriorates in regions of interest
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple regions of interest (ROIs) and non-ROI areas. Different compression strategies are applied to each region: high-quality encoding for ROIs and aggressive compression for non-ROI areas. This segmentation allows the system to maintain image quality where it matters most while achieving overall compression efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements variable quality compression where different parts of the image receive different levels of compression. Regions of interest maintain high visual quality with minimal compression, while background or less important areas undergo more aggressive compression. This local quality approach ensures that compression efficiency gains do not compromise the visual experience in critical areas.
2Manufacturing precision
If advanced motion estimation and pre-filtering are applied, then image quality is improved, but system delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs pre-filtering and motion estimation operations in advance, before the actual encoding process. By preparing motion vectors and identifying regions of interest beforehand, the system reduces the computational burden during real-time encoding, thereby maintaining high image quality while minimizing system delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of processing intensity based on scene complexity and bandwidth conditions. When motion is minimal or bandwidth is sufficient, advanced pre-filtering is applied to maximize quality. When motion is fast or bandwidth is constrained, the system reduces pre-filtering intensity to maintain real-time performance, thus dynamically balancing quality and delay.
3Manufacturing precision
If bandwidth is allocated to maintain high compression quality, then image quality is improved, but available bandwidth for other applications decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes compression parameters such as quantization level, block size, and transform type based on available bandwidth and scene characteristics. When bandwidth is abundant, high-quality parameters are used. When bandwidth is limited, the system adjusts parameters to maintain acceptable quality while freeing up bandwidth for other uses, thus optimizing the trade-off between quality and bandwidth availability.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary embodiments include an interception mechanism for rendering commands generated by interactive applications, and a feed-forward control mechanism based on the processing of the commands on a rendering engine, on a pre-filtering module, and on a visual encoder. Also a feed-back control mechanism from the encoder is described. The mechanism is compression-quality optimized subject to some constraints on streaming bandwidth and system delay. The mechanisms allow controllable levels of detail for different rendered objects, controllable post filtering of rendered images, and controllable compression quality of each object in compressed images.