Video Image Timestamp Verification for Display Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video image transmission systems experience significant delays when digitizing and processing images from multiple cameras, leading to outdated images being displayed on monitors, which can be critical in applications like traffic monitoring, where timely information is essential for safety.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where video images are provided with a time stamp, and only images within a predetermined time frame are displayed, ensuring that outdated images are not shown, and using identification codes to verify the correct image source, thereby preventing delays and misidentification of camera feeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If digital image processing and storage are implemented to improve image quality and suppress interference, then image quality is improved, but a time lag between camera and monitor becomes unavoidable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidtime lag
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing individual camera images in memory before they are needed for composite display. This allows the system to quickly retrieve and combine images without real-time processing delays, thereby maintaining high image quality while minimizing time lag between camera capture and monitor display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If multiple video cameras are synchronized to display images simultaneously on a single monitor, then simultaneous display is achieved, but complex electronic circuits and specially adapted cameras are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimultaneous displayVSAvoidcircuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the video signal into separate individual camera images, storing each in memory independently. This allows the system to retrieve and combine images from multiple cameras without requiring complex synchronization circuits, thereby achieving simultaneous display while reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If images are stored in memory and displayed from memory to prevent errors, then error suppression is improved, but time delays occur and outdated images may be displayed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror suppressionVSAvoiddisplay delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies feedback by implementing a timestamp verification system that continuously monitors the age of stored images. The control unit compares timestamps with current time to determine whether stored images are still valid for display, providing feedback control that prevents outdated images from being shown while maintaining error suppression benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Measurement precision

If timestamp verification is implemented to prevent outdated images, then time accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by embedding timestamps directly into the stored image data during the normal storage process. The timestamp verification is automatically performed by the control unit as part of the standard image retrieval and display sequence, eliminating the need for separate verification hardware or complex additional processing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4451665B1Method for importing and processing video images in real-time
Publication Date: 2025.01.22 TB TRAXLER GMBH
  • EP4451665B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4451665B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Several video cameras (11) deliver images as analog or digital signals. These images are stored in a memory (19). The stored images are combined into a single image, which is converted into an analog or digital signal and fed to a monitor (16). To prevent outdated images from being displayed, all video frames are time-stamped, and this time stamp is stored along with the video frames in the memory (19). When the stored images are subsequently combined and converted into an analog or digital signal, the timestamps of the video frames are read and compared with the current time. Only if the timestamp is no more than a predefined time interval ago is the signal fed to the monitor (16).Furthermore, it is useful if the signals are provided with an identification code (26) so that it can be checked whether the signal supplied to the monitor (16) comes from the correct video camera (11) or whether the camera image is displayed in the correct area.