Tactile Signal Decoding With Cross-Fade Between Mixed Bit-Rate Sections

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Solution Overview

Problem

The transmission and reception of tactile signals are delayed due to increased data requirements as the number of body parts receiving tactile stimuli increases, especially when the frequency range of the vibration signal widens, leading to network congestion and potential deterioration of tactile sensation reproduction.

Innovation Solution

A decoding device and method that differentiates between a high-bit-rate encoded first signal section indicating touch state changes and a low-bit-rate encoded second signal section representing steady touch states, combining these sections with cross-fade processing to reduce data transmission while ensuring tactile sensation reproduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the frequency range of the vibration signal is widened to improve tactile sensation reproduction quality, then the tactile sensation reproduction quality is improved, but the total amount of tactile signal data increases causing network congestion and transmission delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetactile sensation reproduction qualityVSAvoidamount of tactile signal data

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the tactile signal into multiple frequency bands (e.g., first frequency band and second frequency band) and processes each band separately. This segmentation allows the system to prioritize transmission of important frequency components while reducing or omitting less critical ones, thereby maintaining tactile sensation quality while reducing overall data transmission requirements and avoiding network congestion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different processing strategies to different frequency bands based on their importance. High-frequency components that are critical for tactile perception are transmitted with higher priority and quality, while lower-priority frequency components are reduced or omitted. This local quality approach ensures that the most important tactile information is preserved while reducing total data volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of body parts receiving tactile stimuli is increased to improve user experience, then the user experience is improved, but the total amount of tactile signal data increases causing transmission delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of body parts receiving tactile stimuliVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments tactile signals from multiple body parts into priority groups. Signals from different body parts are classified according to their importance for user experience, allowing the system to transmit high-priority signals first while deferring or compressing lower-priority ones. This segmentation enables support for multiple body parts without proportionally increasing transmission delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous transmission of high-priority tactile signals while managing lower-priority signals. By ensuring that critical tactile feedback continues without interruption while optimizing the transmission schedule of less critical signals, the system maintains responsive user experience across multiple body parts without excessive delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Measurement precision

If high bit rate encoding is applied to all signal sections to maintain tactile sensation quality, then the tactile sensation reproduction quality is maintained, but the amount of data to be transmitted increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetactile sensation reproduction qualityVSAvoidamount of data to be transmitted

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different encoding bit rates to different signal sections based on their importance. High-bit-rate encoding is applied only to critical sections (such as signal sections containing important tactile information or transitions), while low-bit-rate encoding is used for less critical sections. This local quality approach maintains tactile sensation quality for important information while significantly reducing overall data transmission requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12190894B2Decoding device, decoding method, program, encoding device, and encoding method

Publication Date: 2025.01.07 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

An object is to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted while ensuring tactile reproducibility. A decoding device according to the present technology includes: a first decoding unit that decodes first encoded data obtained by encoding a first signal section with a first bit rate, the first signal section being a part of a touch signal section which is a signal section indicating a touch state with an object in a tactile signal, the first signal section being a signal section including a boundary between the touch state and a non-touch state with the object; and a second decoding unit that decodes second encoded data obtained by encoding a second signal section with a bit rate lower than the first bit rate, the second signal section being a signal section except for the first signal section in the touch signal section.