Video Thumbnail Generation via Modified Packet Headers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy digital video devices face challenges in generating preview thumbnails due to high processing and memory requirements, especially when decoding video for fast-forward or rewind operations, as they typically require double the resources needed for normal video decoding, leading to resource constraints on lower-powered devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for generating thumbnail images by modifying the packet header to set reference frames to zero and designating video frames as unused for reference, allowing only intra-coded frames to be decoded, which reduces memory allocation and processing demands, and storing the thumbnails in memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If video is decoded for thumbnail generation using the same decoder as normal video, then thumbnail preview functionality is achieved, but processing resources and memory requirements double
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates thumbnail decoding from normal video decoding by creating a specialized thumbnail decoder that processes only I-frames. This segmentation allows the system to allocate separate, optimized resources for thumbnail generation rather than duplicating full video decoder resources, thereby reducing overall memory requirements while maintaining thumbnail preview functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes reference frame data from the thumbnail decoding process. By modifying packet headers to indicate zero reference frames and marking frames as unused for reference, the system eliminates the memory overhead associated with storing and processing reference frames, thereby reducing memory requirements specifically for thumbnail generation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If video is decoded for thumbnail generation using the same decoder as normal video, then thumbnail preview functionality is achieved, but processing resources double
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video decoding functionality into separate specialized decoders: a full-featured video decoder for normal playback and a simplified thumbnail decoder for preview generation. The thumbnail decoder is specifically designed to process only intra-coded frames without reference frame dependencies, reducing computational complexity and processing resource requirements while maintaining the ability to generate thumbnail previews.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the decoding parameters by modifying packet headers to set reference frame counts to zero and designate frames as unused for reference. This parameter modification transforms the decoding process from a resource-intensive full-video decode to a lightweight thumbnail-only decode, reducing processing resources while preserving thumbnail generation capability.
3Reliability
If reference frames are maintained for video decoding, then video quality is preserved, but memory footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by maintaining full reference frame quality for normal video decoding while using a simplified no-reference-frame approach for thumbnail decoding. This localized differentiation allows the system to preserve video quality where needed (main playback) while reducing memory footprint where full quality is not required (thumbnails), thereby resolving the contradiction between video quality and memory footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and processes are provided to generate a thumbnail image including a tuner configured for receiving and demodulating a video signal including a video packet having a packet header and a video frame, a processor configured for generating a modified packet header by modifying the packet header to set a number of reference frames to zero and to designate the video frame as unused for reference, decoding the video frame in response to the modified packet header to extract the video frame, and generating the thumbnail image in response to the video frame, a memory configured for storing the thumbnail image, and a video output configured for coupling the thumbnail image to a display in response to a user video search request.