Video mail server with reduced frame loss

• US 20050021809A1
• Filed: 07/26/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innomedia Pte Ltd
• Original Assignee: Innomedia Pte Ltd
• Inventors: Lee, Chih-Ping, Yu, Shaun, Zhu, Yuesheng
• Granted Patent: US 7,290,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5315 where the non-audio components are still images or video still image mailbox systems H04N1/324, intermediate storage of video signals for videophones H04N7/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A video mail server comprises a video call signaling module coupled to an internet protocol network for establishing a first internet protocol channel with a caller remote internet video device to support a recording session over the internet protocol network and establishing a second internet protocol channel with a user remote internet video device to support a playback session over the internet protocol network. A media interface comprises a recording module for obtaining a recording sequence of compressed images representing motion video images from the caller remote internet video device and storing a video mail file representing the recording sequence of compressed images. Each compressed image frame is one of: i) an independent frame from which an image frame can be recovered utilizing only the independent frame; and ii) a dependent frame from which the image frame can only be recovered utilizing both the dependent frame and an independent frame preceding the dependent frame in the sequence. A play back module retrieves video mail file from the storage and transfers a playback sequence of compressed images to the user remote internet video device.

Claims

1. A video mail server comprising:

a video call signaling module coupled to an internet protocol network via an internet protocol services module for;

establishing a first internet protocol channel with a caller remote internet video device to support a recording session over the internet protocol network; and

establishing a second internet protocol channel with a user remote internet video device to support a playback session over the internet protocol network;

a media interface coupled to the internet protocol network via the internet protocol services module and comprising;

a recording module for obtaining a recording sequence of compressed images representing motion video from the caller remote internet video device and storing a video mail file representing the recording sequence of compressed images in a storage;

each compressed image frame within the video mail file being one of;

an independent frame from which a video image frame can be recovered utilizing only the independent frame; and

a dependent frame from which the video image frame can only be recovered utilizing both the dependent frame and an independent frame preceding the dependent frame in the sequence;

a play back module for retrieving the video mail file and transferring contents of the video mail file as the playback sequence of compressed images to the user remote internet video device.

2. The video mail server of claim 1, further comprising:

a video codec coupled to the media interface and comprising a decoder module and an encoder module;

the decoder module;

receiving the recording sequence of compressed images from the recording module; and

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images;

the encoder module;

encoding the motion video images into the playback sequence of compressed images, the playback sequence of compressed images being in a robust format that requires that at least one independent frame be included within each fixed time duration; and

transferring the playback sequence of compressed images to the media interface for storing as the video mail file.

3. The video mail server of claim 2, wherein

wherein the robust format requires that the duration of time between each independent frame be a fixed period of time on the order of one second.

4. The video mail server of claim 1:

wherein the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images; and

wherein the video mail server further comprises;

a video codec coupled to the media interface and comprising a decoder module and an encoder module, the decoder module;

receiving the recording sequence of compressed images from the playback module;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images; and

the encoding module;

generating the playback sequence of compressed images; and

transferring the playback sequence of compressed images to the media interface for transferring to the user remote internet device.

5. The video mail server of claim 4:

wherein the playback sequence of compressed images is in a robust format that requires that at least one independent frame be included within each fixed time duration.

6. The video mail server of claim 5, wherein the robust format requires that the duration of time between each independent frame be a fixed period of time on the order of one second.

7. The video mail server of claim 4, wherein:

the playback module receives a lost frame message from the user remote internet video device when the user remote internet video device detects loss of a frame within the playback sequence of compressed images; and

video codec;

compresses a next image frame of the motion video images as an independent frame in response to the playback module receiving a lost frame message; and

includes the next image frame in the playback sequence of compressed images.

8. The video mail server of claim 1:

wherein the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images;

wherein the video mail server further comprises;

a video codec coupled to the media interface and comprising a decoding module and an encoding module, the decoding module;

receiving the recording sequence of compressed images from the playback module;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images; and

queuing each motion video image for encoding, by the encoding module, as a lost frame correction frame; and

wherein the playback module comprises

a delay buffer for delaying the playback sequence of compressed images for a period of time such that each frame within the playback sequence of compressed images is queued for sending to the user remote internet device at a time that corresponds to the motion video image queued for encoding by the encoding module as a lost frame correction frame such that a lost frame correction frame may be substituted for a frame in the playback sequence of compressed images in response to receiving an lost frame message.

9. The video mail server of claim 1, wherein:

wherein the call signaling module establishes the second internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection;

the internet protocol services module operates TCP/IP protocols to effect re-transmission of any lost TCP/IP frames on the second TCP/IP connection; and

and the playback sequence of compressed images is the same as recording sequence of compressed images.

10. The video mail server of claim 9, wherein:

wherein the call signaling module further establishes first internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection; and

the internet protocol services module further operates TCP/IP protocols to effect re-transmission of any lost TCP/IP frames on the first TCP/IP connection; and

11. The video mail server of claim 1:

wherein the call signaling module establishes the first internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection and establishes the second internet protocol channel over a UDP/IP channel;

wherein the internet protocol services module operates TCP/IP protocols to effect re-transmission of any lost TCP/IP frames on the first internet protocol channel;

wherein the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images; and

wherein the video mail server further comprises;

a video codec coupled to the media interface and comprising a decoder module and an encoder module, the decoder module;

receiving the recording sequence of compressed images from the playback module;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images;

generating the playback sequence of compressed images; and

transferring the playback sequence of compressed images to the media interface for transferring to the user remote internet device.

12. The video mail server of claim 11, wherein the playback sequence of compressed images is in a robust format that requires that at least one independent frame be included within each fixed time duration.

13. The video mail server of claim 12, wherein the robust format requires that the duration of time between each independent frame be a fixed time interval on the order of one second.

14. The video mail server of claim 11, wherein:

the playback module receives a lost frame message from the user remote internet video device when the user remote internet video device detects frame loss; and

the video codec;

compresses a next image frame of the motion video images as an independent format in response to the playback module receiving a lost frame message; and

includes the next image frame in the playback sequence of compressed images.

15. The video mail server of claim 1:

wherein the call signaling module establishes the first internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection and to establish the second internet protocol channel over a UDP/IP channel;

wherein the internet protocol services module operates TCP/IP protocols to effect re-transmission of any lost TCP/IP frames on first TCP/IP connection;

wherein the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images;

wherein the video mail server further comprises a video codec coupled to the media interface and comprising a decoder module and an encoder module;

the decoder module;

receiving the recording sequence of compressed images from the playback module;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images;

queuing each motion video image for encoding as an error correction frame; and

wherein the playback module comprises;

a delay buffer for delaying the playback sequence of compressed images for a period of time such that each frame within the playback sequence of compressed images is queued for sending to the user remote internet device at a time that corresponds to the video image frame queued for encoding by the encoding module as a lost frame correction frame such that the lost frame correction frame may be substituted for a frame in the playback sequence of compressed images in response to receiving a lost frame message.

16. A method of recording and playing back video mail, the method comprising:

establishing a first internet protocol channel with a caller remote internet video device to support a recording session over the internet protocol network;

establishing a second internet protocol channel with a user remote internet video device to support a playback session over the internet protocol network;

obtaining a recording sequence of compressed images from the caller remote internet video device;

storing a video mail file representing the recording sequence of compressed images in a storage;

each compressed image frame within the video mail file being one of;

an independent frame from which an image frame can be recovered utilizing only the independent frame; and

a dependent frame from which the image frame can only be recovered utilizing both the dependent frame and an independent frame preceding the dependent frame in the sequence;

retrieving the video mail file and transferring contents of the video mail file as the playback sequence of compressed images to the user remote internet video device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images;

encoding the motion video images into the playback sequence of compressed images, the playback sequence of compressed images being in a robust form a) that requires that at least one independent frame be included within each fixed time duration; and

storing the playback sequence of compressed images as the video mail file.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the robust format requires that the duration of time between each independent frame be a fixed period of time on the order of one second.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images; and

the method further comprises;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images; and

encoding the motion video images to generating the playback sequence of compressed images; and

transferring the playback sequence of compressed images to the user remote internet device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the playback sequence of compressed images comprises is in a robust format that requires that at least one independent frame be included within each fixed time duration.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the robust format requires that the duration of time between each independent frame be a fixed period of time on the order of one second.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a lost frame message from the user remote internet video device when the user remote internet video device detects loss of a frame within the playback sequence of compressed images;

compressing a next image frame of the motion video images as an independent frame in response to receiving an lost frame message; and

including the next image frame in the playback sequence of compressed images.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images; and

the method further comprises;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video images;

queuing each motion video image for encoding as a lost frame correction frame; and

delaying the playback sequence of compressed images for a period of time such that each frame within the playback sequence of compressed images is queued for sending to the user remote internet device at a time that corresponds to the motion video image queued for encoding as a lost frame correction frame such that an lost frame correction frame may be substituted for a frame in the playback sequence of compressed images in response to receiving an lost frame message.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further includes:

establishing each of the second internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection; and

and the playback sequence of compressed images is the same as recording sequence of compressed images.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further includes:

establishing each the first internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein

the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images;

and

the method further includes;

establishing the first internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection and establishing the second internet protocol channel over a UDP/IP channel;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images from the video mail file to generate motion video images;

encoding the motion video images to generate the playback sequence of compressed images; and

transferring the playback sequence of compressed images to the user remote internet device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the playback sequence of compressed images is in a robust format that requires that at least one independent frame be included within each fixed time duration.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the robust format requires that the time duration between each independent frame be a fixed period of time on the order of one second.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a lost frame message from the user remote internet video device when the user remote internet video device detects loss of a frame within the play back sequence of compressed images;

compressing a next image frame in the sequence of motion video images as an independent frame in response to receiving an lost frame message; and

including the next image frame in the play back sequence of compressed images.

31. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the video mail file comprises the recording sequence of compressed images; and

the method further comprises;

establishing the first internet protocol channel over a TCP/IP connection and to establish the second internet protocol channel over a UDP/IP channel;

decoding the recording sequence of compressed images to generate motion video image;

queuing each motion video image for encoding as a lost frame correction frame; and

delaying the playback sequence of compressed images for a period of time such that each frame within the playback sequence of compressed images is queued for sending to the user remote internet device at a time that corresponds to the motion video image queued for encoding as a lost frame correction frame such that an lost frame correction frame may be substituted for a frame in the playback sequence of compressed images in response to receiving an lost frame message.