Systems and methods for distributing and/or playing multicasted video signals in multiple display formats

• US 20070056000A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Camp, William, Bowen, Toby, Pantalone, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006

Abstract

Video distribution methods include providing a primary video data stream having a first image size and formatted in a first video display format. A transmission data stream is formed having a plurality of blocks of data including at least first and second data fields. The first data field includes a secondary video data stream extracted from the primary video data stream and is formatted for display in a second video format. The second data field includes supplemental data extracted from the primary video data stream and configured to provide, when combined with the data of the first data field, a tertiary video data stream formatted for display in a third video format. The transmission data stream is multicasted from a wireless communication transmitter to a plurality of wireless communication terminals. Wireless communication terminals and systems are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A video distribution method comprising:

providing a primary video data stream formatted in a first video display format;

generating a secondary video data stream extracted from the primary video data stream and formatted for display in a second video format;

generating supplemental data extracted from the primary video data stream and configured to provide, when combined with the secondary video data stream, a tertiary video data stream formatted for display in a third video format;

forming a transmission data stream comprising a plurality of blocks of data including the secondary video data stream and the supplemental data; and

multicasting the transmission data stream to a plurality of communication terminals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first data field of a block of the multicasted video data stream at one of the plurality of communication terminals over a wireless air interface;

receiving a second data field of the block of the multicasted video data stream at the communication terminal;

combining the first data field and the second data field to generate the tertiary video data stream; and

displaying the tertiary video data stream at the communication terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a block of the video data stream corresponds to a video frame.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second data fields are contiguous within the transmission data stream.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second data fields are contiguous within the transmission data stream and wherein the communication terminal comprises a wireless receiver that receives the transmission data stream, the method further comprising switching the wireless receiver off after receiving the second data field of a first block of the transmission data stream and switching the receiver on at the start of a subsequent block of the transmission data stream.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication terminal comprises a wireless receiver that receives the transmission data stream, the method further comprising switching the wireless receiver off after receiving the first data field of a first block of the transmission data stream, and switching the receiver on again at the start of a subsequent block.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the second data field in a memory in the communication terminal prior to combining the first data field and the second data field.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary video data stream comprises video data having a first number of lines per frame and a first number of pixels per line, and the secondary video data stream comprises video data having a second number of lines per frame that is less than the first number of lines per frame and/or a second number of pixels per line that is less than the first number of pixels per line.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the tertiary video data stream comprises video data having a third number of lines per frame that is greater than the second number of lines per frame and/or a third number of pixels per line that is greater than the second number of pixels per line.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary video data stream comprises video data having a first number of bits per pixel, and the secondary video data stream comprises video data having a second number of bits per pixel that is less than the first number of bits per pixel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the tertiary video data stream comprises video data having a third number of bits per pixel that is greater than the second number of bits per pixel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary video data stream comprises video data having a first number of frames per second, and the secondary video data stream comprises video data having a second number frames per second that is less than the first number of frames per second.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tertiary video data stream comprises video data having a third number of frames per second that is greater than the second number of frames per second.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein a block of the transmission data stream corresponds to a video frame, and wherein receiving the first data field of a block of the multicasted video data comprises receiving the first data field of a first block of the multicasted video data, and wherein combining the first data field and the second data field of the first block comprises generating a first video frame, the method further comprising:

receiving a first data field of a second block of the multicasted video data stream at the communication terminal;

storing the first data field of the second block in the memory;

receiving a second data field of the second block of the multicasted video data stream at the communication terminal;

combining the first data field and the second data field to generate a second video frame; and

interpolating the first video frame and the second video frame to generate a third video frame between the first video frame and the second video frame.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

sequentially displaying the first video frame, the third video frame and the second video frame at the receiving wireless terminal.

16. An audiovisual distribution method comprising:

providing a primary audiovisual data stream formatted in a first display format;

re-formatting the primary audiovisual data stream to provide a secondary audiovisual data stream formatted for display in a second display format;

preparing a block of a transmission data stream comprising at least a first data field containing the secondary audiovisual data stream, and a second data field containing supplemental data configured to provide, when combined with data of the first data field, an enhanced audiovisual data stream formatted for display in a third format different from the first and second display formats; and

multicasting the transmission data stream to a plurality of communication terminals.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the first data field of a block of the multicasted audiovisual data stream at a communication terminal;

receiving the second data field of the block of the multicasted audiovisual data stream at the communication terminal;

combining the first data field and the second data field to provide an enhanced audiovisual data stream; and

playing the enhanced audiovisual data stream at the communication terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a block of the transmission data stream includes a third data field containing supplemental data configured to provide, when combined with data of the first data field, an enhanced audiovisual data stream formatted for display in a fourth display format different from the second and third display formats.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication terminal comprises a wireless receiver, the method further comprising switching the wireless receiver off after receiving the second data field.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the primary audiovisual data stream comprises video data having a first number of lines per frame, a first number of pixels per line, a first number of bits per pixel, and a first number of frames per second, and the secondary video data stream comprises video data having a second number of lines per frame that is less than the first number of lines per frame, a second number of pixels per line that is less than the first number of pixels per line, a second number of bits per pixel that is less than the first number of bits per pixel, and/or a second number frames per second that is less than the first number of frames per second.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the enhanced audiovisual data stream comprises video data having a third number of lines per frame that is greater than the second number of lines per frame, a third number of pixels per line that is greater than the second number of pixels per line, a third number of bits per pixel that is greater than the second number of bits per pixel, and/or a third number of frames per second that is greater than the second number of frames per second.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein a block of the audiovisual data stream corresponds to a video frame, and wherein receiving the first data field of a block of the multicasted audiovisual data comprises receiving the first data field of a first block of the multicasted audiovisual data, and wherein combining the first data field and the second data field of the first block comprises generating a first video frame, the method further comprising:

receiving a first data field of a second block of the multicasted audiovisual data stream at the receiving wireless terminal;

storing the first data field of the second block in the memory;

receiving a second data field of the second block of the multicasted audiovisual data stream at the receiving wireless terminal;

combining the first data field and the second data field to generate a second video frame; and

interpolating the first video frame and the second video frame to generate a third video frame between the first video frame and the second video frame.

23. A wireless communication terminal comprising:

a wireless receiver; and

a controller coupled to the wireless receiver and configured to receive a first data field of a block of a multicasted video data stream from the wireless receiver and store the received first data field in the memory, receive a second data field of the block of the multicasted video data stream, combine the first data field and the second data field to generate an enhanced video data stream, and play the tertiary video data stream;

wherein the controller is further configured to switch the wireless receiver off after receiving the first and/or second data field.

24. The wireless communication terminal of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a first video frame from the first data field and the second data field, receive first and second data fields of a second block of the multicasted video data stream, combine the first and second data fields of the second block of the video data stream to generate a second video frame, and interpolate the first video frame and the second video frame to generate a third video frame intermediate the first video frame and the second video frame.

25. The wireless communication terminal of claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially play the first video frame, the third video frame and the second video frame.

37. The wireless communication terminal of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to store the second data field in a memory in the wireless communication terminal prior to combining the first data field and the second data field.

26. (canceled)

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the primary video data stream is formatted for display in a first video format, the secondary video data stream is formatted for display in a second video format different from the first video format.

28. The wireless communication system of claim 27, wherein the tertiary video data stream is formatted for display in a third video display format different from the first and second video display formats.

29. The wireless communication system of claim 28, wherein the first and third video display formats are the same.

30. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the system further includes a plurality of wireless communication terminals, respective ones of said plurality of wireless communication terminals comprising a memory, a receiver;

and a controller coupled to the memory and the receiver and configured to receive a first data field of a block of the transmission data stream from the receiver and store the received first data field in the memory, receive a second data field of the block of the transmission data stream, combine the first data field and the second data field to generate an enhanced video data stream, and play the tertiary video data stream.

26-1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a multimedia server configured to extract a secondary video data stream from a primary video data stream, and to form a transmission data stream comprising a plurality of blocks of data having at least first and second data fields, wherein the first data field includes the secondary video data stream and the second data field includes supplemental data configured to provide, when combined with the first data field, a tertiary video data stream.

31. A video distribution method comprising:

providing a primary video data stream having a first image size and formatted in a first video display format;

forming a transmission data stream comprising a plurality of blocks of data having at least first, second and third data fields, wherein the first data field includes a secondary video data stream extracted from the primary video data stream and formatted for display in a second video format, and the second data field includes color enhancement data extracted from the primary video data stream, and the third data field includes size/resolution enhancement data extracted from the primary video data stream, wherein the color enhancement data is configured to provide, when combined with the data of the first data field, a color-enhanced secondary video data stream and wherein the size/resolution enhancement data is configured to provide, when combined with the data of the first data field, a tertiary video data stream formatted for display in a third video format; and

multicasting the transmission data stream from a transmitter to a plurality of receiving wireless terminals.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmission data stream further includes a fourth data field including second color enhancement data configured to provide, when combined with the data of the first, second and third data fields, a color-enhanced tertiary video data stream formatted for display in the third video format.

33. A wireless communication terminal comprising:

a wireless receiver;

a primary display configured to display a video data stream in a first video display format;

a secondary display configured to display a video data stream in a second video display format; and

a controller coupled to the wireless receiver and configured to receive a first data field of a block of a multicasted video data stream from the wireless receiver and store the received first data field in the memory, receive a second data field of the block of the multicasted video data stream, combine the first data field and the second data field to generate an enhanced video data stream, and play the tertiary video data stream on one of the primary display or the secondary display.

34. The wireless communication terminal of claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a first video frame from the first data field and the second data field, receive first and second data fields of a second block of the multicasted video data stream, combine the first and second data fields of the second block of the video data stream to generate a second video frame, and interpolate the first video frame and the second video frame to generate a third video frame intermediate the first video frame and the second video frame.

35. The wireless communication terminal of claim 34, wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially play the first video frame, the third video frame and the second video frame.

36. The wireless communication terminal of claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to store the second data field in a memory in the wireless communication terminal prior to combining the first data field and the second data field.