Video Acceleration via Layer Segmentation and Transparency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multimedia content structures often prevent accelerated video playback since video cannot be drawn on top of graphics, requiring video to be on the lowest layer, which restricts flexibility in layering and compatibility with hardware acceleration.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves moving video content from an arbitrary graphical layer to the lowest layer and replacing the affected regions with transparent areas, allowing video to be rendered independently and composited through transparent regions, thus enabling accelerated video playback without altering the original content ordering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If video content is placed on the lowest layer for hardware acceleration, then video playback speed is improved, but the flexibility in layering and compatibility with existing multimedia content is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the rendering process into independent stages: video rendering on the lowest layer, transparent region insertion in intermediate layers, and composition at the display list level. This allows video to be processed separately by hardware accelerators while maintaining the original layering structure in the display list, thus resolving the contradiction between acceleration requirements and layering flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces transparent regions as intermediary elements between the video layer and upper graphical layers. These transparent regions act as mediators that preserve the original layering relationships in the display list while allowing video content on the lowest layer to be visible and properly composited, thereby maintaining adaptability without sacrificing acceleration benefits.
2Productivity
If video content is moved to the lowest layer for accelerated rendering, then rendering efficiency is improved, but the original content ordering and authoring intent are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the display list structure (which preserves authoring intent) from the actual rendering execution (which moves video to lowest layer). The display list maintains the original layer ordering information, while the rendering system processes video separately on the lowest layer with transparent regions inserted to preserve the visual intent of the original composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the layer structure information in the display list that preserves the original authoring intent, while the actual video rendering uses a modified structure with video on the lowest layer. The transparent regions in intermediate layers serve as copies of the original graphical content that allows video to show through, thus preserving the visual appearance intended by the author while enabling hardware acceleration.
Data Source
AI summary
Video content from a layer of multiple multimedia content layers may be moved to a lowest content layer. The region of the multimedia content layer that previously contained the video content may be replaced with a transparent region. Additional layers that exist between the layer from which the video content was removed and the lowest layer may likewise have corresponding regions replaced with transparent regions. The content layers may be composited together at a display time. Accordingly, the video content of the lowest content layer may be viewed through the transparent regions, which may allow the video to be seen as originally authored. The lowest content layer may be rendered independently of other layers. In some embodiments, the content layer containing video may be performed with dedicated hardware (e.g., a GPU).